Nightbeat: Mindless Self Indulgence
It won’t be quite the same, seeing homocore New Yorkers Mindless Self Indulgence headlining their own show, in front of their own baying fans, as it is when they open for anyone else … like supporting some macho metal group, for example. (There’s nothing like the sheer spectacle of this quite swishy electro-punk band baiting a bunch of hostile knuckle-draggers out for a night in the mosh pit.) Taking elements of Soft Cell, Atari Teenage Riot, and PiL and throwing them all into a jarring industrial mélange, MSI has somehow thrived for a decade, leaving their dozens of doubters with gaping, yet strangely inviting, mouths.
With the Birthday Massacre, and London After Midnight. 8 p.m. Sat. at the Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., (213) 388-1400.
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, May 22
Camp Freddy: The ego-stroking continues as the all-star lineup rolls on. The Roxy.
El-P, Dizzee Rascal, Busdriver: Modern American indie hip-hop (El-P, Busdriver) joins forces with Dizzee, London’s mush-mouthed rapper. El Rey Theatre.
French Kicks: Art-punk from the home of art-punk, New York City. The Echo.
Daryl Hall and John Oates: Back to the clubs, eh? Those chart-topping Philly soul boys make an intimate appearance. Also Fri. The Troubadour.
Eugene Mirman, Andy Kindler, Marc Maron: Alternative comedy with Mirman (Flight of the Conchords), Kindler (The Daily Show), and Maron (formerly of Air America Radio). Echoplex.
Radar Bros.: Desert-dry space-rock from these local studio rats. Knitting Factory.
Friday, May 23
Oliver Future: Experimental, indie-pop charmers formerly of Austin, Texas, and now they’re locals! Echoplex.
The Phenomenauts, The A.K.A.’s: Oakland wackos the Phenomenauts mix ’70s punk, surf rock, and rockabilly; Philly’s the A.K.A.’s are always an enjoyable punk blast as well. Knitting Factory.
The Von Bondies, Die! Die! Die!: Detroit’s Von Bondies mix sex with garage rock for cheap thrillz; New Zealand’s Die! Die! Die! meld dissonance and raw fury to mind-warping effect. Safari Sam’s.
Saturday, May 24
Death Angel: The venerable Bay Area head-bangers have returned with a blazing new disc, Killing Season. With worthy support from God Forbid, and Soilent Green. House of Blues, Sunset Strip.
Foals: Oxford, England-based crew with a nice line in minimalist dance-rock. The Troubadour.
Jordan Zevon, The Living Sisters (Inara George, Eleni Mandell, Becky Stark): Just two of the names playing this year’s Topanga Days Fair, day one. Topanga Community House.
Sunday, May 25
Marc Ford & the Neptune Blues Club, Gary Louris, Johnathan Rice: More artists performing at the Topanga Days Fair, day two. Topanga Community House.
The Roots, John Densmore’s Tribal Jazz, and more: The first day of the Jazz and Reggae Festival is heavily slanted toward jazz. UCLA Intramural Field.
Russell Brand: British TV personality Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) closes a month of shows. The Roxy.
Monday, May 26
Chevy Metal (Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters), Venice, Everest: Topanga Days Fair, day three. Topanga Community House.
Stephen Marley, Capleton, Mr. Vegas, and more: It’s “reggae day” of the Jazz and Reggae Festival. UCLA Intramural Field.
Tuesday, May 27
Jaguar Love: The sound of cats being strangled sounds better than this whine-punk offshoot of the Blood Brothers. The Echo.
Wednesday, May 28
Superdrag: Knoxville power-poppers stage a comeback from major-label dumpage. Also Thurs., May 29. The Troubadour.
White Rabbits, Happy Hollows: Acclaimed “honky-tonk calypso” sextet White Rabbits are from New York; high-energy local trio the Happy Hallows might just blow them off the stage. The Echo.
Published: 05/21/2008
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