EVENTS for WEEK ENDING MAY 30th

May 24th, 2010

MONDAY, MAY 24th – DISTORTED PONY + THE MORMONS + DEVIN SARNO 9p doors $5 – DISTORTED PONY had me by the short and curlies when I first heard them back in college.  The cacophony of two drummers, one battering trashcan lids and pots, while the other stomped out a frightening tattoo could only be outdone by their seismic guitar washs of distortion and their all-too-faint vocal shrieks and calls and tantrums.  The other thing about the album was that the band was nameless and faceless, identity-less in the age before internet.  The mystique made the sounds even more arcane and amazing.  THE MORMONS have been creaming music for many years too, and only recently did I finally get to see them here at the Curio.  Now, they are back again, and we’re ready to watch their bicycle-helmeted heads bob around the space in distorted unity.  DEVIN SARNO has also visited the Curio and we’re psyched to have him back for another dose of cello and drone.

TUESDAY, MAY 25th – GALANIS + OLENTANGY JOHN + EVAN ap ROBERTS 9p doors $5 – Old time country meets new rock-n-roll for a little brewskee action.  We’re like the bar without the brawls and the peanut shells on the floor for this show.  EVAN apROBERTS, also of the stunningly awesome CAVE COUNTRY (here in July), captures the righteous realm between Hank and Graham, with a healthy dose of Neil, Stephen, Dave, and whatever Nash’s first name is.  GALANIS is visiting us from up north, but they seem to working up a revivalist following here in the area, so expect some medicine show shenanigans and some ripping guitar.  OLENTANGY JOHN is like a werewolf of music, sometimes a calm and sorta sad kinda folky, and then “RIP” “TEAR” out comes the electric guitar and the night suddenly has a blood red moon.  Expect me to play a lot of Bonnie Prince Billy and Songs:Ohia for the breaks in this show!!!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26th – PUSSYGUT + ROBEDOOR + STORY OF RATS + SASQROTCH 9p doors $5 – Darker and darker still, the night may end to soon for some and never for others.  Spirits walk at the edges of the fog, as these four forces of darkness and drone sit in séance at the Echo Curio.  The earth will shake and rumble but we’ll all survive on the glimmerings of distorted hope in their scorched ballads.

THURSDAY, MAY 27th – LEARNING MUSIC RESIDENCY with VIDEO + MOOEY MOOBAU 9p doors $5 – Our second monthly residency with LEARNING MUSIC finds us surrounded with good friends and even gooder music. 

FRIDAY, MAY 28th – SUNDAY, MAY 30th – BOTTLED SMOKE II – A FESTIVAL OF HIDDEN MUSIC – see our larger description and schedule here

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

guess who got a facebook group!!!

May 21st, 2010

man, you’re good… of course, we finally did!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=124026970955464

join us

Posted in Administrative | No Comments »

Events for week ending 5/23

May 18th, 2010

Man, time is flying as we zoom through May. Already we’ve had two spectacular Heard of Elephants’ curated jams and are about to head towards two more – the Friday night show which can only be considered the warm-up show for the Silver Lake Jubilee, and the Sunday afternoon sermon!!!!!

Anyhow, we got some great stuff coming up, starting with tonight’s not-to-be-missed show, especially with all the touring goodness, as well as Mike Watt!!!!

Tues, May 18th – DOS + FRENCH QUARTER + TSIGOTI + MARRIED IN BERDICHEV + WHITMAN 9p $5

Not only do you get Mike Watt’s serpentine bass duets with Kira but you get the crazed avante-acoustic protest punk of TSIGOTI (on the famed NYC label ESP-Disc, like our friends TALIBAM!). Crossing the other direction in age, but still reveling in the independent world of DIY music, we have the haunting MARRIED IN BERDICHEV, mixing noise and beauty into a hazy mass. Joining her is FRENCH QUARTER, the 21st century’s Paul Simon mixed with Nick Drake mixed with Elton John, but without the weird sunglasses. Also opening the show is LA”s own WHITMAN, as punk and as folky as you can get, but still willing to go out on a limb for a striking performance.

Thurs, May 20th – “sounds in/and/about space” featuring short films and a set by RATS 8p (please note earlier time) $5

Short films created by Pearl Hsiung, Kate Hers, Katherine Nolfi ,Tara Samat, Alexandra Lippman, Matthew Monahan, and co-event creator Joanne Nucho will be shown, along with a set by LA’s finest guitar, bass, sax trio RATS. RATS make my musical brain do that thing when the cartoon dog eats the treat and gets so filled with happiness he shoots into the air, and floats back down gently.
Fri, May 21st – HEARD OF ELEPHANTS presents WOAH HUNX + CHRISTMAS ISLAND + TIJUANA PANTHERS 9p $5
Yeah, this will serve as the unofficial opener for a weekend of assured craziness. WOAH HUNX is like the 4 riders of the apocalypse, only one of the riders is a diminutive lady who just happens to be channeling the most apocalypse possible. I don’t have much to go on about the other two acts, though everything i have heard about CHRISTMAS ISLAND makes me want to have a vacation home there.
Sat, May 22nd – EVENING MATINEE with THE BABIES + HEAVY HAWAII 6p to 8p $5
Brooklyn supergroup featuring Kevin Morby, bassist of WOODS and Cassie Ramone of Vivian Girls joins us for some afternoon jams with San Diego’s own HEAVY HAWAII… a good way to come in from the evening’s chill and build up an appetite for dinner!
Sat, May 22nd – NIGHT BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION for ADRIAN XDUGEF featuring a crazy lineup of bent circuit and noise dudes 9p FREE.

Sun, May 23rd – SUNDAY SERMON – noon donations appreciated.

Sun, May 23rd – ECHO OBSCURA presents SILENT CLASSICS with real organ accompaniment 8p $5.

Posted in Event | No Comments »

New newletter sent out today, possibly our last?

May 13th, 2010

As we gear up for the sense-shattering fun that is BOB LOG III tonight, we have released our May/June newsletter, with art exhibition info for May – July and events for May and June. Most everything said there you can find here.. plus more more more. (guess who just got a camera, AND brought his recording computer back in the space… ME!!!! so expect some tastier updates in the future)

While you’re in a reading mood, check out KPCC’s little write-up on us here.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

OUR FIRST LIVE BLOG for CCR HEADCLEANER

May 11th, 2010

ok.  here we go… a mostly up-to-the minute blog about the show tonight with CCR HEADCLEANER + BACK TO THE FUTURE THE RIDE + DAKTARI + HEATROCK.

8p – Arrive at Echo Curio after making new signs for the front space.  First time being on time in a while because work isn’t crawling up my butt.

8:25 – Justin and I finished cleaning spsce… sipping coffee, waiting for bands to arrive… Notice that Brian Miller aka BACK TO THE FUTURE THE RIDE is in back looking at our dollar vinyl.  We discuss Foot Village recording techniques, his recent (?) marriage, yoga. and the mid 90’s golden age of Los Angeles post punk.  I am super jazzed about DISTORTED PONY getting back together and playing here May 24th.

9:35 – Wow, still nobody here besides Brian and one of the members of DAKTARI (a new project featuring Greg from RESIDUAL ECHOES, which obviously shares Adam’s innate need to be late all the time), but it is a new project and they probably just came from practice.

10:00 - DAKTARI setting up – pretty expansive set-up, evidently a space rockl kinda jam.  They are working to LOCUST ABORTION TECHNICIAN, best Butthole Surfers album ever.

10:06 – Man, this is the longest set up ever.

10:12 – Ok, hearing them play, this is going to be worth the wait, though really really really really loud.

10:20 – Hmm, three synth players… equals twelve times the set up time.

10:28 – it begins… DAKTARI eases into a slow fog, with intermittent bursts of noise and stuttering rhythms.  Hawkwind, indeed!  There is every frequency of the range going on. 

My only thought at this point is a desire for more low end!!!

10:32 – now i see the need for three synths.. .not to mention two guitars… wish i had mic’ed the drums.. our neighbors will not be happy.  Ah the wah.

10:34 – Jorgen just showed up… this night is looking up… several audience members plus other bands… was worried this would be a lonely night, through no fault of anyone, i guess… though i always feel responsible for poor attendance

10:36  Jorgen asks for ear plugs… a first!!! they are actually pretty awesomely loud without too much though the high end gets pretty stabby.

10:41 – first jam complete… justin looks angry outside… he’s got an early day tomorrow, as do I.  Just a note to bands to remember the guys who have to work in the morning.. though it is our fault ultimately for running this space.

10:45 really wished i put a mic on the drums, though they still cut through.. the drummer really holds these dudes together, though Adam’s lead is also pretty crucial to the whole whole.

10:47 – during this expansive song, i am driven to thinking “Where does music like this ultimately live and exist”… it honestly should be in great venues where the sounds can be bleached clean and pure… but it usually happens in muffled house shows or art galleries like ours with a better than adequate (hopefully) sound system.  The intensity makes for a better experience up close, but at what cost sonically?  just a thought

10:51 – i am going to actually say Sonic Youth meets Can moreso than Hawkwind.. driving, but with that really awesome guitar interplay… man, Adam can (f)rip!!!!

10:55 – appears to be entering third track… hmm…. they do appear to be ending… always better to play less than more, in my opinion

10:58  – ah, the stillness… put on Nadja’s cover album… this is sickness incarnate!

11:12 – BACK TO THE FUTURE THE RIDE begins… a little photosensitive guitar thru a reverb unit… simple but elegant… tones on tones… wish the entire floor was a pillow

11:16 – time seems to dilate… i used this reference earlier to describe a drug experience a “friend” of mine had at l’keg… it is the same here… things are floating in mid-air, the new led lights we got rule the school for this kinda shit.. my pride sometimes overwhelms my sense of humility and community… speaking of which, i am always on guard with how we fit into the many communities of LA… both the residential families and the hip singles…the jaded concert goers and the newly freed masses

11:36 – pretty sure HEATROCK just started….. complete blur of shredding and tumbling guitars…  now masses of feedback…  ahh , it is good to be young…. and deaf!

11:38  = that was fast…. HEATROCK is done… led zep on heavy reverrrrbb

11:42 – CCR HEADCLEANER is taking the rug

11:52 – feedback city.. from guitars, not PA… feel responsible but powerless… sometimes., there is nothing you can do but watch in stupified awe

11:59 – more of the same – waves of feedback backed by waves of muffled vocals,.. really intense shit though

12:08 – ok. that is over… stay tuned for more in the future, i am going to go find a taco and a bar.

In the end, it ended being a shorter night than usual even though we started an hour later than usual… time works in strange ways.

Posted in Live Event Blog | 2 Comments »

Events for week ending Sunday, May 16th

May 9th, 2010

Alrighty, first music show of the BLUEPRINTS exhibition was a sweaty success…  Big thanks to the FRITZ and FRENCH SHIP for blowing minds on their very first shows, and to 60 WATT KID for continuing to be the most consistently awesome band in Los Angeles.  And to CENTIPEDE EEST, visiting from Pittsburgh to lay some heavy jams on us, Can-style.  My ears are still ringing, but i got a lot of records out of the deal.. and lastly to the fine folks at HEARD OF ELEPHANTS who make these events easier to deal with.

Now on to the next week

TUESDAY, MAY 11th – CCR HEADCLEANER + BACK TO THE FUTURE THE RIDE + HEATROCK + DAKTARI

Rising from the ashes (and groundout blunt ends and little bits of joints) of LONG LEGGED WOMAN comes CCR HEADCLEANER.  Rising from the sweaty drums of FOOT VILLAGE and tangled electronics of GANG WIZARD comes BACK TO THE FUTURE THE RIDE.  Rising from the post-22nd century blues of RESIDUAL ECHOES comes the phenomenally new DAKTARI, so new we don’t know what to expect, except greatness!!!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th – HEARD OF ELEPHANTS presents WOOLEN + POPE ANYTHING + guests

Another amazing night curated by the folks of HEARD OF ELEPHANTS… this one even has a surprise guest, who will really surprise us all!!!

THURSDAY, MAY 13th – BOB LOG III + FRANK FAIRFIELD ($8 ticket)

Ohmigod, BOB LOG III is coming, and he is bringing his evil motorcycle space jumpsuit one man band onto our rug.  Not sure how many tit solos (don’t look at me like that, check out Bob’s site and you’ll see) Bob is going to get our patrons to do but if I had bigger breasts, I would be up there slapping away during his feverish slide guitar ragings. 

To counterpoint the evening, we have the one-man time traveling gent, Mr. FRANK FAIRFIELD, who is the model of polite 1930’s style, except for the way he rips through his banjo parts.

FRIDAY, MAY 14th – WRECK OF THE ZEPHYR + RANDOM PATTERNS + BOOMSNAKE + LOVELY BAD THINGS

The return of two amazing acts, BOOMSNAKE from San Diego, with their multi-drum, multivoice approach to making anthemic catchy outsider rock, which is only matched by RANDOM PATTERNS incredible technological knowledge, mixing together disparate computer and keyboard sounds into an alchemical formula for rock-n-roll. 

SATURDAY, MAY 15th – LEILA ADU + ORLANDO GREENHILL + HOWARDaMB + VOICE ON TAPE

Posted in Event | No Comments »

Updates on a Saturday morning

May 8th, 2010

May 8th -  Having woken from a slightly tipsy slumber, I realized that the BLUEPRINTS opening last night went really well.  The HEARD OF ELEPHANTS crew were helping out the whole time , and DJ NIETO (aka COMBAT aka a member of SEQUINS AND SKELETONS who is playing here the end of the month for BOTTLED SMOKE II)  killed it on the turntables (with some help from his friend).

Also, simultaneously hitting the web with our opening, LA RECORD has posted a rad mix tape of artists playing this month during the HEARD’s residency.  Go check it out here

more updates soon, i need coffee

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

EVENTS for week ending Sunday, May 9th

May 6th, 2010

FRIDAY, MAY 7th – BLUEPRINTS opening

8p to midnite!!!!  FREE!!!! DJ MARK NIETO is spinning

the usual facebook invite is here

here is the lovely show flyer, made by Heard of Elephants member

here is the blurb from the collective:

HEARD of Elephants is back and curating the month of May at the Echo Curio!

We are happy to announce the theme for the month of May as BLUEPRINTS. The concept we want to explore for this residency is to create a universal piece by combining all the pieces submitted into one – creating a map collective. For those of you interested in participating in the art aspect of this residency, below you will find a short prompt to help guide your piece:

Throughout our life, maps are constantly mirroring us on a daily basis. Internal and external structures are dictated by maps. These maps could be the framework of the human body or the blueprint of a building. We are constantly reminded of the structure in which upholds our surroundings. How would you create a map that would be part of the larger universe around us? Would it be a visual overview of a particular city or an abstracted version of the human body? As a collective of artists we call on you to help add to our map. What’s your blueprint?

SATURDAY, MAY 8th – HEARD OF ELEPHANTS presents 60 WATT KID + CENTIPEDE EEST + THE FRITZ + FRIEND SHIP
Oh man, what do you get when you put two first time performing bands with two old hats in the biz… some crazy good times!!!  Our favorite dream police 60 WATT KID kick our asses meditatively every time they play here or the millions of other places they have performed.  Their newest slab of heavenly sonic fuzz, WE COME FROM THE BRIGHT SIDE  is so completely cyclical in its twin paths of destruction (fueled by Kevin’s manic yelps and Dylan’s thunderous drums) and healing (fueled also by Kevin’s gentle side of his voice, and Derrick’s effortless guitar magick) that we almost imagined the record turning into a moebius strip before our eyes.
CENTIPEDE EEST is joining us from the hilly blue-collar world of Pittsburgh, PA.  And while some might know it as the place where they filmed the live action Inspector Gadget movie, still others know it as the birthplace of Don Caballero and some other sludgy math rock giants.  Well, now it will be forever known as Centipede Central (Eest) to us here at the Curio, as they bring their hybrid improv-rock internationalism to our rug, kicking out the jams in like 8 different languages, some of which can only be sensed by third eyes or two left feet, but what the heck, these dudes have come a long freaking way.
The other two groups, we got nothing on, but i bet they rule if the Heard of Elephant folks like em.
SUNDAY, MAY 9th – COLLISIONS + SPEAK + KID INFINITY + TUBBY BOOTS
 
Check this link, it has pretty much everything you’ll need to know, though it probably won’t tell you how VERBS turned into SPEAK on the bill or how KID INFINITY has pretty much risen to the top of the under-rated performance duos in our fine city, or that I am pretty psyched to see TUBBY BOOTS, given the hype certain nameless people have heaped upon them, and then there is always COLLISIONS, who usually sitting outside the shop drinking beers and acting crazy, but will instead have a chance to do such inside the shop this time, with electrical guitars and microphones… YIKES!!!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Event | No Comments »

BLUEPRINTS opens tomorrow

May 6th, 2010

The walls are painted.

The art is waiting patiently to be hung in crazy interpretive clusters.

We are anxiously awaiting the opening of BLUEPRINTS, our new collaborative exhibition with HEARD OF ELEPHANTS, that monument of LA arts and music.

So, get down here on Friday, May 7th between 8p and midnight for some free fun, booze, and art… djs will be spinning and so will your head!!!

ubiquitous facebook invite here

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Event | No Comments »

Welcome to the new world

May 5th, 2010

Hey kids, here it is… the replacement to that monstrous email you’ve been getting every month.  This is gonna tell you about the past, present, and future of the Echo Curio much smoother and faster than that other way ever could.

This little baby is gonna cover events on a weekly basis with an eye cast towards the future as well, though the website itself is gonna pick up that slack once we get it redesigned.

So get ready for the future of blogging, art and music… hopefully we’re not too far behind!

the curians

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Administrative | No Comments »