Nightbeat: Manifest Destiny II
A celebration of California and stoner rock – cuz the two just go hand in hand, natch – Tee Pee Records’s Manifest Destiny II shebang is set in alternate Jack Kirby world where the Cal Jam megashows of the ’70s are intimate affairs; where the gods of space rock and heavy blooze corral bands from America and Europe to play for a small gathering of the beautifully wasted youth of southern California. Dig the lineup: Witchcraft (analog Sabbath from the woods of Sweden), Witch (Blue Cheerlike fuzzfreaks with J Mascis on drums), Graveyard (more Swedish boogie-chillen riffarama), The Warlocks (L.A. psychedelic lords), T.K. Webb & the Visions (Brooklyn-based guitar prodigy and his henchmen), as well as Earthless, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, Ancestors, and Night Horse. Cross over, people; all are welcome.
–Joshua Sindell
Sun. at the Echoplex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park, (213) 413-8200, attheecho.com.
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, September 4
Agent Steel, Bonded By Blood, Fueled By Fire. The ’80s speed-metal sensation, now re-formed. Plus Earache Records’s local signees Bonded By Blood. Knitting Factory, Hollywood, knittingfactory.com.
The Bad Plus. Jazz trio known for their reworkings of classic rock and pop hits. Catalina Bar & Grill, Hollywood, catalinajazzclub.com. Two shows nightly through Sat.
Bullets and Octane, Cockpit. Gutter rock from B&O; plus local metal lasses Cockpit. Viper Room, West Hollywood, viperroom.com.
OTEP. L.A.’s screaming metal poet and her band return. Key Club, West Hollywood, keyclub.com.
Rock4Change Benefit Concert. Performers include Tom Morello, Flea and John Frusciante, Angie Stone, Lalah Hathaway, and many more. Hosted by Dane Cook. Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, livenation.com.
Shinedown. Nickelback soundalikes from Jacksonville. House of Blues Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, hob.com.
C.W. Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra. 1920s blues and traditional folk from Australian troubadour, banjo- and steel guitar-player. Redwood Bar & Grill, downtown L.A., redwoodbar.com. Through Mon.
Why?, Rafter. Oakland indie-folkers Why? team up with the death-obsessed singer Rafter Roberts. The Echoplex, Echo Park, attheecho.com.
Jonathan Wilson, Lion of Panjshir. Neo-folk artists with Eastern and ’60s rock influences. Tangier, Silver Lake, foldsilverlake.com.
Friday, September 5
Nada Surf. Long-running alt-rockers now hitting their stride with current release, Lucky. With the Watson Twins. The Troubadour, West Hollywood, troubadour.com. Also Sat., with Inara George.
Xavier Rudd, Griffin House. Australian one-man band Rudd has earned a rep as an engaging performer by playing festivals. He’s joined tonight by punk-rocker/folkie House. House of Blues Sunset Strip.
War. The low-ridin’ legends play their streetwise mix of funk and R&B for fairgoers. L.A. County Fair, Pomona Fairplex, lacountyfair.com.
Saturday, September 6
Confederacy of Horsepower. Sleazy biker-rock from local tattooed crew. Whisky a Go-Go, West Hollywood, whiskyagogo.com.
DJ Quik. Compton G-funk star keeps it real. Key Club.
Murry Hammond. Old 97’s bassist plays songs from his new solo album. With Billy Harvey. Largo’s Little Room, Los Angeles, largo-la.com.
Nine Inch Nails, Deerhunter. Hotter than he’s been in quite a while, the label-free Trent Reznor testifies at L.A.’s veteran arena. With Atlanta art-rockers Deerhunter. The Forum, Inglewood, thelaforum.com.
Panic at the Disco, Plain White T’s. Teen heartthrobs play the launch party for Rock Band 2. House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Sugarland. Multiplatinum country stars hit the 2008 fairground circuit. L.A. County Fair.
Sunday, September 7
Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez, Jana Hunter. More neo-folk. Tangier Lounge, foldsilverlake.com.
Asesino, Divine Heresy. For his birthday bash, former Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares pulls double duty for his groups Asesino and Divine Heresy. Whisky a Go-Go.
Death Vessel. New Sub Pop signees with a cool line in airy folk-rock. Spaceland, Silver Lake, clubspaceland.com.
The Doobie Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad. ’70s greats keep on puffing. (Just don’t look for original Grand Funker Mark Farner.) L.A. County Fair.
Inara George & Greg Kurstin. The duo of the Bird & the Bee play with good friends. Tangier Restaurant, foldsilverlake.com.
Grand Ol’ Echo. The hoedown begins at 5 p.m. with guests Mike Stinson, West of Texas, the Lincoln Bedroom, the Hello Darlins, and more. The Echo, Echo Park, attheecho.com.
Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters. The character actor sings about American characters, with his band of “electric hillbillies.” House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Monday, September 8
Amos Lee, Lucy Wainwright Roche. The young soul-jazz prodigy headlines his first major local show. Plus, the daughter of two musical dynasties, Lucy Wainwright Roche, performs. Music Box @ Fonda, Hollywood, henryfondatheatre.com.
Sigh, Zimmers Hole. Japanese black metallers Sigh join forces with humorous Canadian extreme types Zimmers Hole (featuring the awesome Gene Hoglan on drums). Knitting Factory.
Tuesday, September 9
Balkan Beat Box, DeLeon. Mixing eclectic and global folk music with beat-box sounds, Israeli-American duo Balkan Beat Box has a devoted fanbase. Brooklyn’s DeLeon and their Spanish pop opens the event. El Rey Theatre, Miracle Mile, theelrey.com.
Alejandro Escovedo. The return of the iconic Austin-based punk guitarist-songwriter. With David Garza, and Carrie Rodriguez. The Troubadour.
Damien Jurado, Jennifer O’Connor. Christian singer-songwriter Jurado is promoting latest disc Caught in the Trees. Jennifer O’Connor’s latest album for Matador is Here With Me. Spaceland.
Mogwai, Fuck Buttons. Post-rock fans are hailing the return of Scotland’s adventurous and experimental Mogwai after a long absence from Californian stages; Fuck Buttons’s noisy drone is always welcome, as well. The Wiltern, Los Angeles, livenation.com.
Ratatat. Is everyone from Brooklyn in town this week? Seems like it. Here’s the borough’s best electronica duo, for two nights. Music Box @ Fonda. Also Wed.
Wednesday, September 10
Built to Spill. Doug Martsch’s crew plays its 1997 masterpiece, Perfect From Now On, in its entirety. The Troubadour.
Nels Cline & Jon Brion. Collaborative jams from avant-jazz guitarist Cline and songwriter Brion. Largo.
Eleni Mandell. The acclaimed singer-songwriter plays a low-key, free show. Tangier.
Nebula, Totimoshi, Chingalera. More stoner rock and soupy guitar jams. Viper Room.
Squeeze. The British tunesmiths first formed back in 1973, if you can believe it! Orpheum Theatre, downtown L.A., laorpheum.com.
Kate Voegele. Youthful Ohioan big with Radio Disney listeners. The Roxy, West Hollywood, theroxyonsunset.com.
Published: 09/03/2008
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