Interview: Louisa Hall and Annie Nardolilli of Griefcat

Griefcat is a music/comedy duo from just outside of Washington, DC. Although they are political by nature, they are definitely way more relevant than, say, The Capitol Steps. They just released a new video to their song “Carbon Footprint,” which can be enjoyed just above this paragraph. They are releasing a new album on April 19th called Late Stage Capitalism, which can be presaved here. Yes, that is the same day as the new Taylor Swift. 

Anyway, I had a lovely chat with Louisa Hall and Annie Nardolilli of Griefcat, which includes some Taylor Swift talk because that happens sometimes? You can read all that RIGHT NOW: Continue reading “Interview: Louisa Hall and Annie Nardolilli of Griefcat”

Film Review: “Challengers”

Challengers is game, set, and … (almost) match

The human body is a fascinating topic to think about, but if you’re director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), the human body is primarily a sexual specimen to deliberately inspect, photograph, and place alongside other sexual specimens. Understandably, when you cast three beautiful young stars to be in your film, Zendaya (Dune), Josh O’Connor (The Crown), and Mike Faist (West Side Story), you’d want to supplement their on-screen charisma by showcasing their bodies, especially if your film is a sports drama. Challengers is Guadagnino’s first foray into mainstream territory, for lack of a more applicable term. With a star-led cast and a sharp script,  the film is a compelling sports drama that contains the director’s hallmark character complexities, even if style gets in the way of substance in its final act. Continue reading “Film Review: “Challengers””

Single Of The Week: “AA BOUQUET FOR YOUR 180 FACE” by Saya Gray

Normally, the Single Of The Week is a new release for that very same week. BUT- I missed this one. And now I can’t go more than a few hours without listening to it repeatedly. Saya Gray is clearly the living definition of being “post-genre.” In many ways, she’s a descendant of Bjork- eccentric yet accessible. She is unafraid to experiment and unworried about alienating people because creativity seems to ooze from her. “AA BOUQET FOR YOUR 180 FACE” is the first single off her latest release, QWERTY II. The whole thing is one lovely journey that spans genres and emotions the human brain has never before conjured. 

QWERTY II is out now and ready for its place in your 2024 Top 10 lists. 

Show Review: Re-TROS, Liars, and Flacid Mojo at The Novo (DTLA), 04-04-2024

I think the last time I saw a show in the LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles was when Steven Wilson was touring Hand.Cannot.Erase. It’s a surreal place. High end chain restaurants, shops, and live concert venues all pieced together in a way to showcase itself as a gathering center for food, art, and media, but really it just comes off as an attempt at a capitalist utopia. The Novo is the current iteration of what used to be Club Nokia, the more affordable venue in the complex, especially when compared to The Crypto Arena or the Staples Center. It was still Club Nokia when I saw Steven Wilson, Mindless Self Indulgence, Reel Big Fish, and a number of other bands back in the early 2010s. Nowadays, it is home primarily to hip-hop and pop artists, as a bartender shared with me, so it was going to be a very different night and a different crowd than usual as Re-TROS, Liars, and Flaccid Mojo took the place over.

Continue reading “Show Review: Re-TROS, Liars, and Flacid Mojo at The Novo (DTLA), 04-04-2024”

Film Review: “Civil War”

Civil War is bravura filmmaking with humanity at its core

Alex Garland directed Ex Machina in 2014, Annihilation in 2018, Men in 2022, and now, Civil War. That’s four definite or near masterpieces, in my humble opinion. Each film in his directorial oeuvre has served as a cinematic discussion about the impact an ever-changing issue has had on humanity, sometimes overt and other times metaphorical: artificial intelligence, environmental degradation, toxic masculinity, and now, divisive American political idealism. It would be easy to criticize Civil War as “teaching us nothing new,” but that would be missing the point. The film is not intended to be a blaring warning siren. Instead, Civil War is a disturbing sensory vision of the future, featuring a distinct set of strong characters to help ground its grand-scale and daring filmmaking, meant to elicit a potent sense of current anxieties. Continue reading “Film Review: “Civil War””

Mosswood Meltdown Daily Lineups!

Our good friends at Mosswood Meltdown have gifted us with their daily lineups for Mosswood Meltdown 2024! Coming to you July 6th & 7th, and featuring a headlining set by The legendary B-52’s, the return of The Mummies (who in the past have made their entrance on the toy motorbikes, riding on top of a vintage ambulance, and even after setting up on the mainstage, tricked everyone by playing in the middle of a grove of trees instead!), a very rare appearance from Pure Hell, an even MORE rare appearance by Go Sailor!, and even more rare appearance from the Bush Tetras, to name a few. 

2 – Day and single-day tickets are available here—daily breakdowns below the jump. 

MOSSWOOD MELTDOWN 2024 DAILY LINEUPS
SATURDAY JULY 6TH
The B-52s
Redd Kross
Hunx & His Punx
Peaches Christ Drag Show
Pansy Division
Go Sailor
Wifey
Trap Girl
Hot Laundry

SUNDAY JULY 7TH
The Mummies
Pure Hell
Big Freedia
Egyptian Lover
Gibby Haynes & the Paul Green Rock Academy
Bush Tetras
Die Spitz
Space Lady
Gumby’s Junk

GOLDEN GATE PARK CONCERT SET FOR WEEKEND AFTER OUTSIDE LANDS

While we patiently await the Outside Lands lineup to be presented to our eager eyeballs, the good folks at Another Planet have treated us to probably the most insane single-day lineup of heavy music I could imagine. We’ve got Australian goth duo VOWWS, Swedish punk troublemakers Viagra Boys, and the legendary The Mars Volta. Coheadlining are Sac’s finest exports, Deftones and System Of A Down, playing one of only two shows in 2024!

Tickets are on sale Friday, April 12th at 10 am RIGHT HERE! Continue reading “GOLDEN GATE PARK CONCERT SET FOR WEEKEND AFTER OUTSIDE LANDS”

Show Review: Sleater-Kinney, Palehound, and Rachel Dispenza at The Belasco, 03-29-2024

It’s been a while since I got to see Sleater-Kinney. I was fortunate enough to score some tickets to the acclaimed and mostly sold-out return tour of No New Cities To Love, and let me tell you that it was a hell of an experience to watch the band back in action as if they hadn’t disappeared for ten years following 2005s The Woods. So, with great pleasure, I threw my camera bag over my shoulder and made my way to Downtown LA, The Belasco Theater, my concert home away from home to watch one of the coolest bands ever.

Continue reading “Show Review: Sleater-Kinney, Palehound, and Rachel Dispenza at The Belasco, 03-29-2024”

Film Review: “Wicked Little Letters”

Buckley, Colman shine in sharply observant period mystery

Rose (Jessie Buckley, l.) defends herself against Edith’s (Olivia Colman) accusations.

Based on a true story, Wicked Little Letters is a charming period piece that reunites the terrific actresses Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman, both of whom played the same character at different ages in 2021’s The Lost Daughter. While they share no scenes in that film, their new movie provides a welcome vehicle for showcasing their spirited chemistry.

Continue reading “Film Review: “Wicked Little Letters””

Single of the Week: “The Kids” by Victoria Bigelow

I’ve listened to “The Kids” about 20 times in the last week. This song is SO GOOD! It’s like shoegaze meets country, but not in a 4AD kind of way. It’s such a timeless piece of music telling an incredibly modern story. I also appreciate any time someone tells Pete Townsend that he’s wrong. 

“The Kids” is available in all the places you enjoy things. And, on May 20th, her next EP, Songs For No One Vol 2, will be available to you.