I’ve got a last minute contest that’s sure to appeal to fans of football, food, and/or fantastic music! AWOLNATION will be playing the new 5 Towers Concert Venue on Universal CityWalk this Sunday as part of KROQ’s Big Game Party at the Hard Rock Cafe. Attendance to the show is free, but LA Music Blog is giving away a special prize pack to one lucky reader: dinner for 4 at Hard Rock Café CityWalk (2 appetizers, 4 entrees, 4 desserts, and soft drinks) during the Super Bowl and a VIP pass for the show and meet and greet with the band!
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As a kid, I remember waking up ridiculously early every Saturday morning, almost religiously, eager to hop out of bed even on the “coldest” SoCal winter mornings (50s are freezing for us, so get off our asses), and braving the harsh weather conditions to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Though this little reminiscence might not be as relatable these days (I assume kids don’t have to get out of bed to watch TV anymore, only needing their iPad-synced Roombahs to take care of all that menial stuff), I’m pretty sure everyone within my generation (give or take a few years) will remember a couple of things.
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In 2011, Wouter “Wally” De Backer, best known as Gotye, blindsided music lovers both here in the States and internationally with his universally relatable single, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” off his recently released album Making Mirrors. He’s sent musical shock waves worldwide and this week embarked on a completely sold-out tour, with LA’s El Rey Theatre running out of tickets after only five minutes. This Belgian-Australian artist is well on his way to conquering our country, and LA Music Blog was on site to catch his United States television debut on the Jimmy Kimmel live outdoor stage on February 1st.
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For over a decade, Anthony Raneri has fronted one of the biggest punk bands in the music scene, but this multi-talented artist has proven he has a few more tricks up his sleeve with the release of his solo EP, New Cathedrals. Released independently on January 17 via Raneri’s newly-minted label, Gumshoe Records. The decision to self-release was any easy one for Raneri. Continue reading…

It’s been five long years since the Shins released their last long player, Wincing The Night Away, but the indie rock giants are back on March 20th with a brand spanking new album Port Of Morrow. In advance of the album’s release, Shins frontman James Mercer will be the latest star to be featured at 987FM Penthouse Live (hosted by 98.7FM Radio), an exclusive series of incredibly intimate shows taking place in the unique setting of the penthouse at the historic Hollywood Tower, opposite the 101 Cafe (who do great eggs benedict, by the way). The show is taking place next Tuesday, February 7th, and you could be there!
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After all that controversy with her Saturday Night Live performance, Lana Del Rey tops my list of must-hear album releases today with her debut, Born to Die. And after listening to Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” about a billion times, what I know is that I really want to check out his full-length, Making Mirrors. How about you, dear readers? What releases have you excited today? Let me know in the comments!
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You can try to categorize They Might Be Giants, but you’ll find yourself in a bit of a pickle as there really is no easy way to define this dynamic duo from New York (consisting of John Flansburgh and John Linnell), but one thing is certain: the special 30th anniversary show that they performed at UCLA’s harmonic Royce Hall on Saturday night was a fantastically fun-filled free-for-all. Take from that description what you will, but with thirty years now behind them and another thirty to hopefully come, They Might Be Giants proved that their eccentric musical style is still alive and well, and their performance was indeed a joyous one.
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