THE WRIGHT STUFF: OUT IN THE VENUES

THE WRIGHT STUFF: OUT IN THE VENUES

Sometimes it is good to go out into your local areas and support the bands that are around. Some might be traveling, and some might be a good local band. Supporting the live music scene also helps those who work for the clubs as well to make a living or for extra income for taking on an extra night job beside their regular day jobs. This article is some of the shows I have seen from January through June of 2018. So here’s to music in the first half of the year…Salude…Cheers.

SUPERNOVICE
March 17, 2018
The Milhous, Yorba Linda California

With the Luck of the Irish this St Patrick’s evening, Supernovice re-united to perform a set of classic surf punk pop ditties of theirs from over their last four albums. Oh sure the lineup has changed from the 1990’s till now and marriage and two kids have been had as well. But, Dave Turbow was in good form and still carried the vocals clear in the cold outside breezy venue.

The line-up tonight as a three piece worked Dave’s songs fresh and lively so much that it got 15 kids, the ages of 4 to 14, to dance in front of the stage during the bands entire full set. The songs played tonight were Lost Again, Uno Mas (One More), Contrived, The Depths Best Wishes Remedy, Let Bygones Fester, Impervious. It was really cool that in the middle of the set Dave played his solo song Out On The Grass to a very loud applause. A good time was definitely had tonight in Orange County. This all happened before the rain started coming down hard too. It is rumored that Supernovice might play a few more shows in the near future but in the meantime head over to www.CDBaby.com to find all four of the bands CD’s still available. Just remember the first CD of Supernovice came out in 1993. So feel young again and have a brew and sit back and get motivated again from Supernovice.

THE DOLLYROTS
THE DARTS
THE TWO TENS
HONEYCHAIN
March 23rd, 2018
The Hi Hat
Highland Park/Eagle Rock Los Angles California

Punk fun energy seemed to flow over the awesome lineup of bands which played at this particular Friday night. All of the bands had a sort of Homecoming to play with The Dollyrots who used to live here in Los Angles for most of the bands career. With two kids tagging along for the ride to promote The Dollyrots newest CD release Whiplash Splash.

HONEYCHAIN

First up was Honeychain who are currently promoting their first full length CD of Crushed. This is a three piece band with a female lead vocalist. They play a more of a pop punk style with catchy grooves and hum along melodies. From their last CD they played a great version of the song “Messy Love.” The surprise from this band is they did a Material Issue cover of their hit “Going Through Your Purse.”

THE TWO TENS

This is a two piece guitar and drums band. The drummer is female who does backing vocals. The bands sound is a bit heavier truer punk style with occasional cross over pop punk. The bands best song was “Kissing Under The Street Light.”

THE DARTS

They are a definitely hard core glam horror all female punkers quartet. With authority they slammed down their song quick and harsh. They were also shooting for a promo video this evening at the club as well for an upcoming tour in Europe. Best songs done were “I Wanna Get You Off” and the song “Get Messy”. Sexy and sadistic but you’ll never forget this bands performance.

THE DOLLYROTS

Hailing these days from St.Petersberg Florida and touring the country a lot, The Hi – Hat got the bands Local home coming show for this fun punk pop band. Still a three piece this time though they used a male drummer instead of their usual female drummer. The home crowd was in the bands pockets slamming around with delight smashed up and around the stage too. This tour ended up being two nights, within Southern California, with the other show being in Fullerton at The Side Bar which ended up being a free show.

The Dollyrots have a new single “Rah Rah Radical”. So the tour was known by their album “Whiplash Splash Tour” or by “The Rah Rad Radical tour”. The crowd really liked the newer songs like: “City Of Angels, I Do “ and “Come And Get It”. The crowd really went dancing around to the known songs: “Jackie Chan, My Best Friends Hot” and “Because I Am Awesome”. I liked when they did the new song “Dance Like A Maniac”. It made everyone feel right at home to be themselves and dance along anyways and any how they wanted. This made for a great couple of evenings. Thanks to Hi Dana Pr and to The Dollyrots as well for their hospitality and friendship. The Dollyrots are currently touring with Bowling For Soup and will play three southern California Warped Tour dates this summer as well in June.

THE MOTELS
Amoeba Records (Store)
April 4th 2018

This happened to be an in-store performance. The Motels have just released a new album “The Last Few Beautiful Days”. This was a premiere of the album with a couple classics thrown in for good measure for a good over an hour performance. The band also stuck around for pictures and autographs of their new album as well. Hollywood got an up-close show. Only about 150 were in attendance for this special one off live performance. Martha Davis vocals are as pure as they have ever been. She is so excited to have new material to perform and play and it showed in her appreciation for her band and musicians. Even on the last song of the album and performance here of the title song “The Last Few Beautiful Days” Martha Davis not only sang vocals but also played the piano as well. Some of the other new songs performed well were: “Criminal,” “Punchline,” “Lucky Stars” and “Imposters.” They are currently on tour so catch them out. Recently they performed at Totally 80’s show in Huntington Beach California.

DYLAN GARDNER
April 21st, 2018
Freakbeat Records (Store)
Sherman Oaks, California

At 10 a.m., On Record Store Day, Dylan Gardner began his set, outside on the sidewalk in front of the line for this event. Dylan was there to promote his new album “Adventures In Real Time.” During the set Dylan also did a Beatles cover of their hit “Ticket To Ride” as well. Dylan Gardner is no longer signed to Warner Brothers Records and releasing this new album on his own with a digital download code inside the packaging. Dylan Gardner was on guitar and was helped out by his older brother on a cajón. Some of his fans came out just for his set which I was one of. After his first song, Dylan mentioned that Freakbeat was one of his favorite records stores, and that his new record, Almost Real, had just come out. Later in the set Dylan said that he had played for people in line two years ago, but that the line this year was much longer. Here is a copy of the set list performed this year. I remember I saw him last year do this same event and each time Dylan was awesome.

Dylan Gardner Set List: “Can’t Stop Thinking, I’m Nothing Without You, Sign Language, Too Afraid To Love You, You Got That Thing, Ticket To Ride (Beatles cover), The Way It Goes, Hit Me With The Lights Out, Let’s Get Started” and “I Want It Like That.”

THE DREAM SYNDICATE
Fingerprints (Record Store)
Long Beach, California
April 21st, 2018

Just after 2:00pm this show was also performed on Record Store Day to a packed filled audience. This was the entire band performance as well too. The band played mostly songs from their current newest album “How Do I Find Myself Here?” Steve Wynn felt right at home being here in Southern California. That is because this was where the band got its beginnings of showcasing all over town when they first got started. The set of tunes rocked the store with vibrant psychedelic guitar and fast beating drum and solid baselines that made Steve’s lyrics come alive in a sort of dreamy presence to almost haunting explorations. So if you missed the show on April 20th at The Troubador in West Hollywood California, this set of songs were performed in a half hour set which included: “Filter Me Through You, Out Of My Head, How Did I Find Myself Here, Glide” and a slamming version loud as the store could handle the bands first hit song “The Days Of Wine And Roses.” The band hung around for a good while and signed autographs for everyone in attendance for this intimate rocking show. I recorded this show with my digital HD Video camera with permission from the band as well.

TIFFANY
DRMARAMA
May 12, 2018
Like Totally 80’s
Huntington Beach, California

The sun broke through the clouds for this event on the California State beach parking lot at Beach Blvd and Pacific Couch Highway. A collection of great 1980’s bands performed for the large gathered audience. With it being the 1980’s music festival kind of a thing, the audience were very laid back and danced a lot. A positive atmosphere. DJ Richard Blade hosting the ceremonies and did some DJ work while bands were getting set up. Richard Blade does an 80’s music program every day on Sirius FM Richard Blade was known for being a local DJ for KROQ throughout the 1980’s for a long times in the radio business. Richard Blade was also there promoting his new book which talks about all of the bands he worked with over the years including all of them from the 1980’s as a radio and club DJ here in Southern California. But this show wasn’t all about him but was about the bands performing. A few bands I was able to listen to and enjoy these few bands but there were more. However, I wasn’t feeling all that well so I didn’t end up staying for The Motels and for The Human League beside it was getting cold down at the beach because the sun was setting.

Tiffany who is a local artist herself from Southern California, actually out of Orange County area, did her big cover song of Tommy James original hit of “I Think Were Alone Now” which everyone was thrilled to finally hear at the end of her set.

Dramarama is half based out of New York and the other half come from Los Angles California area. It’s with their biggest hits like “Last Cigarette” and “Anything Anything” that got the band onto the map and heard all over the radio. They mix a blend of guitar playful rock with a dash of pop and punk too. They give the listener a fast rumble feeling to get up and move around easily. They never disappoint at any their shows and are a treat to see and hear live.

CLOSING COMMENTS

With being June. This year marks the last of The Vans Warped Tour. This punk rock alternative rock festival that tours around the United States and Canada for the most part is coming to its finale end. Though I would of thought they would of lasted 25 years but nope its ending. So make sure you go out to support The Vans Warped Tour one more time and make it an lasting adventure. Elton John is also making his finale tour rounds and so is Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac as well. So there is a lot of concerts to choose from and try to see some of these greats as they won’t be playing touring wise and possibly finally retiring too.. Hope your summer and the rest of 2018 is filled with plenty of music. Don’t forget Music Taste Good Music Festival in Long Beach in September with New Order and The Church playing at this years weekend.

(All reviews by Jonathan D. Wright)

.