The Hotel Cafe – Hollywood, CA
Live review: 11/30/2009
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Deep in the heart of Hollywood, The Hotel Cafe with its unassuming alleyway entrance and max capacity of what seems like 50 people (it actually seats 164), has a reputation for establishing the careers of new or emerging singer-songwriters since it first opened its doors in 2000.  If you happened to be one of John Mayer’s 2,000,000+ followers on Twitter, you know that at the strike of midnight on any given day, this intimate venue transforms into a space for impromptu listening sessions.  Just as Meiko, a fellow Hotel Cafe graduate, simply stated: “it is a listening room.” →

Whoever thought chamber pop would go so well with hip hop had something special in mind.  Then again, when your concept of hip hop is as simple as Raj Haldar’s (aka Lushlife), the marriage couldn’t be any more obvious.  “Hip hop at its core can be anything” is the underlying principle behind Cassette City, Lushlife’s latest “experimental” album.  When you’re a classically trained musician with musical influences that span far and wide, everything you produce can qualify as an experiment.

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What kind of music can you expect from a guy who’s played in jazz, country, rock, art rock, and metal bands?  Music great enough to allow him to join the Polyphonic Spree and tour with David Bowie. Brooklyn, NY-based Jon “Corn Mo” Cunningham’s eclectic musical background and novel style has enabled him to develop a loyal following that relishes the sounds of an accordion just as much as the guitar. I interviewed Jon after he had just finished a recording session in New York. →

The Gift (Of Fear) brings together esteemed underground artists Smear, Akayo, Euthanasia, and Branded who expand upon the iconic motif’s they have established around their city. As well as showcasing the exciting talent of the artists, The Gift (Of Fear) provides a glimpse of the throbbing heart which beats lively within Los Angeles Guerilla Art scene. →

Spaceland – Silverlake, CA
Live Review: 3/16/09
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With a stop in Los Angeles right before heading to Austin, Texas for SXSW, Australia’s Youth Group put on a free performance before an eclectically filled house at Spaceland in Silverlake.  Playing on a no frills stage that was surrounded by lamé curtains, the venue itself reflected a lot of the characteristics of Youth Group’s live music – raw and minimally processed.  All eyes were on Youth Group’s vibrant lead singer Toby Martin as he channeled the emotions of each and every song through his soothing, yet powerful, voice.

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Youth Group put on a free show at Spaceland on March 16, 2009 to promote their newest album The Night Is Ours.  Before the concert, I had a chance to sit down with lead singer Toby Martin and drummer Danny Allen to discuss their fourth album, love for Mexican food, and take on the change in the music industry.

EM: Welcome to America guys. How has L.A. been treating you so far? →

Here is what Neil Young had to say on Warner Music Group’s recent pullout from YouTube: →

Mufin (MUsic FINder) is a great new tool that lets you discover new music by recommending songs of similar characteristics. It does so by categorizing music into 40 different properties such as rhythm, tempo, and instruments, and creating a fingerprint for each song based on these traits. →

Apple revolutionized the music industry by providing an online marketplace where consumers can easily navigate and find music from their favorite artists to purchase. Contrary to popular belief, they proved that people were in fact willing to purchase music, and the statistics prove it. Total music purchases have increased steadily over the past four years to over 1.5 billion transactions in 2008. →

Everyone speculated that when Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged, ticket prices were sure to rise and us concert goers wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. We never liked the “convenience” charge, but without an alternative we had no choice. With the merger, Live Nation and Ticketmaster now have us in the palm of their hand before and during a concert. →