Show Alert: Thom Yorke & Friends @ The Echoplex - 10/2/09

Hot off the announcement of two nights at The Orpheum Theater, Thom Yorke, Flea, Nigel Godrich and others have added another show for TONIGHT, this time at the much smaller Echoplex. Per Dead Air Space:

"so yes that band thats doesnt really have a name that im working with at the moment??????
have decided to do a warm-up show on Friday Oct 2nd around 9pm at the Echoplex in Los Angeles
Its not that big, it'll be total chaos and its kind of a rehearsal but .. if you are near by..
below is a link to get tickets.
hope you get lucky with it.

so ain't no point hanging around if u dont im afraid

all the best"

Tickets available at NOON. Now go!

Thanks to alert SSM reader Kfuture for the tip.

Show Alert: No Age and Friends (Bigler Benefit) - The Echoplex - 10/12/08

On October 12, SSM faves No Age are heading up a benefit show on behalf of their friend Michele Bigler, who is currently battling cancer without any health insurance. The lineup includes David Scott Stone, The Movies, Modern Memory, The Tyde and Dublab DJs Ale and Jimmy Tamborello. Barbara Levin of Progressive Democrats of Amercia will also be speaking. Tickets are only $12 and include a raffle ticket for one of many prizes from "conscientious and super" sponsors.

This Week's Recommended Music: Ratatat, Architecture In Helsinki

If you are familiar with SSM, you'll know that Ratatat is a preferred artist around these parts. Their third LP -- aptly titled LP3 -- came out yesterday, and features the duo's driving mix of synths, guitar, and layered effects. So give it a listen and catch them on tour, with shows at The Echoplex and Henry Fonda on the radar. LP4 is no doubt on the horizon.

Also out this week is the physical release of the EP Like It Or Not from zany Australian collective Architecture In Helsinki. Technically the third single from their LP Places Like This, Like It Or Not includes recordings of "One Heavy February" and "Beef in Box," two "long-time crowd favorites". Not much on the tour schedule for this year, but you can catch them at a November 6, 2010 gig at Carl Sagan's Pad.

Show Alert: Ratatat @ The Echoplex - 7/12/08

Instrumental electro-guitar duo Ratatat are hitting the road for a short tour this summer. They will be appearing at The Echoplex on July 12, in support of LP3, out July 8 on Beggars Group USA. If their opening performance for Bjork's Nokia Theater concert was any indication, this will be a fantastic gig. Tickets are on sale now for $20.

Live: Super Furry Animals @ The Echoplex - 2/8/08

On Friday, the Lady Doc and I caught the Super Furry Animals at The Echoplex. Now, I've been to this venue before and have never had a problem getting in. This time was awful. Parking took forever, and then the line into the venue was dishearteningly long and slow. To make matters worse, everyone was forced to jump through the same hoops, regardless of if one had their tickets in hand or were picking them up from will call. Once we got past the ID check, I was so frustrated that I just waved our tickets in the air, bypassed the swarm of will call tediousness, and finally got us into the venue. I actually think the employees appreciated my act of frustration.

We caught the end of Holy Fuck, and it was probably a combination of my anger from the admissions process combined with our distance from the stage, but I found their performance totally uninspiring. That's probably my fault. But it didn't make matters any better.

Finally Holy Fuck ended. But then began the insanely long SFA set-up period. I know they have a lot of gear, and I know I'm not part of their crew, but I've seen them before and their set-up has always been really efficient. But this was torture. At least by this point we were just a few people back from the stage, so we'd have a good view.

SFA started. Unfortunately, it was nasty hot, smoky (even though The Echoplex is non-smoking), and late. And, for some reason, they didn't have their fun video experience. But what we saw was good, even if it was a carbon copy of past performances. We heard "Slow Life", "Rings Around the World", "The Gateway Song", "Runaway", "Golden Retriever", "Do or Die", "Neo Consumer", and "She's Got Spies". At this point, the Lady Doc was passing out on my shoulder and offered to sleep in the car (which I lovingly vetoed). So, we left. Thankfully they did not play "Run! Christian, Run!", one of SSM's live SFA favorites. Ah, the conflicted life of young professionals who insist on going to shows.

See a full set of pics at Losanjealous.

Super Furry Animals - Request Line Open!

This is probably a little late for tonight's show at The Echoplex, but if you're heading to any of SFA's upcoming shows, feel free to submit a request!