[ MAY 6 - MAY 12 ’09 ]
live show reviews
spin cycle | l.a. dj culture
The Heartless Bastards
Paolo Nutini Showcase
Anna Webber
April 21 @ The Viper Room Following his performance at Coachella, Paolo Nutini played an intimate showcase luncheon at the Viper Room to debut his upcoming release, Sunny Side Up. The venue and his label (Atlantic) supplied the open bar and luncheon, however, it didn’t matter how drunk they got the guests, the music was phenomenal. By the first song, enough honest sweat was flowing out of Nutini’s pores to mean he would not be letting up anytime soon – he’d done this before. Nutini has got the same Jonny Lang-
Paolo Nutini is adorable; his music phenomenal.
music
SATURDAY, MAY 9
Audiotistic NOS Event Center, 689 S. E St., San Bernardino; audiotisticfestival.com All ages/8 p.m./$50 advance
Anna Webber
April 21 @ Spaceland She’s what Stevie Ray Vaughan would look like without a soul patch and the Texasflooder Manny Gammage hat. There was a certain likeness – and the first immediate good sign. She could have a wailing match on par with Caleb Followill, and her cracking, pitchy, snarling voice would surely win. If she wasn’t wearing little heels, she could probably jump around a little more, but dirty blues woman Erika Wennerstrom packs a punch and holds no mercy. The Heartless Bastards took the stage and needless to say, the shimmery blue background of the bandstand disappeared, and the crowd was slammed into what could have been Townes Van Zandt’s Hole in the Wall in Austin, Texas, Wennerstrom’s hometown. Her little physique was no foolin’, and her strapping bronchial tubes tore through all the lonely ones out there saluting their Shiner Bocks dry. The Heartless Bastards are a bare-bones band, whose sound may possibly be as enduring as the music genre they’ve landed in. —Anna Webber
Campus Circle | 15
Erika Wennerstrom of the Heartless Bastards
elated, scathing rasp and quiver, mixed with Jeff Buckley moans and lingering “oohs” during the sultry ballads that were to die for. The timelessness of his music would throw a smile across anyone’s face and a chill down their spine as his boyish sincerity dabbled in Motown and blues, reggae and barbershop bebop. As he picked up what appeared to be a watered down whiskey, smiling, he said, “It’s the first one I’ve done of these things where everybody’s listening.” Not because he’s not extraordinary, but because he can be seen most often playing at big music halls, bigger concert venues and music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo. His giddy Scottish accent would sometimes sound more like a thick island one. It was adorable. In fact, all but one of the six-piece band is from Scotland. His 2007 record, These Streets, went platinum in the UK and sold about two million copies. Nutini played the single off of These Streets, “New Shoes,” which he is most notably known for. He showed no deficit of talent and no elevated ego. Keep an eye on Paolo Nutini and await the June 2 release of his Sunny Side Up. —Anna Webber
Each year Audiotistic separates itself from all of the typical “raves” with a full blown stage of live hip-hop acts alongside all of the electronic acts. This year Insomniac Events and Channel 36 have spared no expense to bring out some of the best in each genre. The Roots crew is stamped to headline the hip-hop stage as well as the Cool Kids, Z-Trip and Amanda Join Z-Trip, the Cool Kids, Amanda Blank and more! Blank (Check her out!); not to mention a special reunion of Talib Kweli and DJ HiTek performing as Reflection Eternal. If hip-hop isn’t your thing, no worries; Chromeo will be playing live and Does It Offend You Yeah? will be throwing down a DJ set. Armand Van Helden, Above & Beyond, Donald Glaude and Goldie will also be manning the decks, making Audiotistic one of the best yet.
FRIDAY, MAY 8 Pete Rock/Beat Junkies Nightlife @ The Echoplex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park; attheecho.com 18+/10 p.m./ $15 Legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock crashes Nightlife at the Echoplex for a special May birthday celebration. Rock is lined up to rock the decks, which I’m sure won’t be anything short of amazing. His catalogue of music touches the soul and moves the body, whether it’s an instrumental jam off of Petestrumentals or a lyrically heavy track from Lost and Found. Joining him are the resident Beat Junkies (J.Rocc, Babu, Rhettmatic and Mr. Choc), who have been affiliated with quite a few projects themselves. All in all, this will be heavenly night for any hardcore hip-hop head.
SATURDAY, MAY 9 All Out Dubstep The Echoplex 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park; smogla.com 21+/9 p.m./$10 Dubstep is quickly gaining popularity, and the supply of quality evenings doesn’t yet meet the demand. But Smog has taken care of that bringing you a full night of dirty dubstep. The line up consists of Irk & Trickykid, Emu & Pawn, Steady, Kelly Dean, MC Sandor and Kemst; a crew from all over the globe. But the closer is Swedish duo L-Wiz performing To submit an event for a live set. If dubstep is your groove of choice, consideration, e-mail this event has your name written all over it. spincycle@campuscircle.net. —Ryan McWhorter
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