Diane Birch
Upfront: Religion isn’t something that is mentioned on this website very often. I think I’ve read a couple passing references to religion, but nothing where the topic infused the whole column. This column deals with religion in a more direct way due to the musician I’m writing about, Diane Birch. It would probably be a disservice to her if I ignored the topic. If you’re offended by this topic of discussion, you’ve been warned and should stop reading . . .
I got an e-mail from a friend during the middle of the day about Diane Birch having an 8 p.m. set at Hotel Café. She was a must see he told us all on the e-mail. Now recent work hours had ramped up, but I was still game to go. When I walked out of the office at around 6:45 p.m., I felt a tinge of guilt when a VP of Finance came walking down the hall with a stack of binders, but the guilt wasn’t great enough to prevent me from continuing my walk towards the elevator. (more…)
Spaced-land: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cheap Concert Tix
Last week I went to the Hollywood Palladium for the first and last time. Security there was obtuse and overzealous. If you were to leave the floor for a refreshing bathroom break or a totally different yet equally refreshing Bud Light you were not allowed back on the floor. This led to a devolution of the bloc party party fan base. People, present company included, were doing the confused cave man gallop from the beer line back to the floor. You know the drill: head down, staring blankly into the distance, slouched shoulders, confused and unable to communicate as the exasperated security goons tries to stop you…that is until you blend into the crowd. After that he’s rendered powerless. A sea of rock Neanderthals. It was an embarrassingly juvenile tactic but when your liver and bladder are constantly calling, you have to answer. It was a great show, but i decided that night that I would never go back….only making an exception for when the Explosions in the Sky play there.
So how does this tirade relate to the Heartless Bastards? Glad you asked. They are playing tonight at my very favorite LA venue, Spaceland. I love that place. There are countless reasons why it is the bizzaro Palladium:
Cheap a*s tickets. Tonight you can the Heartless Bastards for $12 and on Thursday you can see Casxio for $8!. Compare those prices against the usual $10 Ticketmaster surcharges tacked on to your typical venue’s tickets. Steal City.
They serve PBR, Hipster’s lifewater. Cheap beer and Cheap tickets in this economy are a welcome change.
Speaking of hipsters: It’s not too often where you can walk into a bar/club and feel like I am the toughest person in the room. You can at Spaceland. The frail vegan dudes would crumble under your beer muscles…and their friends would be powerless to stop them as their tight hipster jeans render them immobile.
Size: the place doesn’t hold that many people so you know you’re going to be right in the thick of things. I’ve seen Albert Hammond Jr, Friendly Fires, and White Denim there and they’ve all been great shows. 300 people tops.
About Heartless Bastards: This is a huge intentional change of pace from the synth love fest of 2009. Discovered by the Black Keys and signed to their label, which makes sense as they share a similar low-fi bluesy sound. Luckily for the Black Keys they were never stuck with the unmatchable comparison of Janis Joplin and Patti Smith when they came out. Heartless Bastards, you were not so lucky. Definitely a throwback, almost worthy of the comparisons. According to the lead singer the name of the band comes from a question on a Mega Touch trivia quiz game at a bar. A question asked the name of Tom Petty’s backing band, and one of the options was “Tom Petty and the Heartless Bastards.” She thought it was funny, and used it when she later formed a band. I’d love to pick my band name that way…but I play Erotic Photo Hunt. I think the name “Coke Whore Spread Eagle” would be strike one in getting my band to break into the top 40. My inability to play an instrument that’s not plugged into a ps3 would be the second strike.
Highlights: “Into the Open,” “I Swallowed a Dragonfly,” “Brazen”
About Casxio: I can only judge from the four songs on their EP, but four songs is all i need. I’m sold. If these four songs are any indication of how kickass the show will be I’m suggesting you get your tickets now. It’s rare to pay such a low price for such a soulful dance party. If you want to get in on Thursday for $5 send an email to info@casxio.com and they’ll hook you up. I’m guessing after you hear them rock out on “Counting Squares” you’ll be more than willing to pony up that Lincoln.
I’ll see you there. I’ll be the Alpha male mean mugging at all the hipsters in their day glow sweat shirts and skinny jeans.
Highlights: “Counting Squares”, “Seventeen”
download their ep for free at casxio.com