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Event Got My Sci Fi On Thursday Night at Bordello Bar

May 19, 2009 - 9:17 am

Thursday night I walked into the doors of Bordello Bar and entered a world far beyond my own. I could not fight back the “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” vibe as I stepped to the bar to order a vodka soda. Soon enough, I was greeted by many friendly people wearing wigs, a man walked by on stilts in a glittery costume-his radiant smile accented in face paint, and a DJ started playing jams like: “Yummy yummy yummy I got love in my tummy and I feel like lovin’ you.”

“A bundle of happy, fabulous, magical, wonderful, sparkly people” was how host Jean Natalia labeled the crowd at last night’s Wig Out. Created in 2005 by Jean and inspired by a group of her performance artist friends, Wig Out is a monthly performance art wig cabaret home to the Bordello Bar in downtown Los Angeles. Each month boasts a different theme, Thursday night it was: ‘Get Your Sci Fi On!’ Past themes have ranged from: ‘Get Your Evel Knieval On!’ to ‘Get Your Bubblegum On!’

The evening entertainment kicked off with a performance by Orange County based electro/pop/punk band: Romak and the Space Pirates, whose dark and energetic tunes conquered any resistance to dance by those in the audience. The band poked fun at the state of the CD industry by offering wearable USB flash bracelets containing their album for sale after the show. Free downloads of the disc, in exchange for fan reviews, are available here.
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Music Turbonegro: Punk as F@#K!

by Barbie Brady and Fever Dragon

May 7, 2009 - 2:42 pm

You may think to be truly punk rock you have to hail from London or New York? But you might be surprised if I told you that Oslo Norway was were it’s actually happening!

Turbonegro has been living the punk rock drama for the past 20 years. When speaking with Happy Tom this weekend I likened them to the Andy Warhol’s of the punk rock scene. He wasn’t especially impressed with my comparison. He said,”That’s terrible, didn’t he get shot”. But my point, and I did have one, was that Warhol really paid attention to popular culture, took the opinion and vices of the day and served it right back to the Richies all the while mocking their moral high ground. In essence Turbonegro has been paying attention to the most ridiculous trends in rock culture and then serving it right back to the world, only suped up, fast, hard, and totally rock. As Happy Tom says, “We started off as a parody, and ended up a revolution”.

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Music Band of Horses

by Barbie Brady and Fever Dragon

May 5, 2009 - 10:23 am

Band of Horses played this years Coachella. Their runaway hit The Funeral has an emo vibe that one would assume might make them a good fit for the alt rock lineup. Clearly the thousands of people paying rapt attention to them at the show made me re-think my initial impression…which was “what is this southern rock band doing playing Coachella”? But you know, that’s just me.

Words by Barbie Brady, photos by Fever Dragon

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Music TV on the Radio

by Fever Dragon

May 4, 2009 - 9:38 am

TV on the Radio has been making music since 2001 in New York City. Their sound is like a mixing bowl full of electronica, jazz, hop-hop with a dash of soul. Its unique fusion has made these guys a critically acclaimed act. When I see them play it feels as though they have been around inventing sounds forever, and yet, they are younger than me. What have I been doing with my life?

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Music Calexico

by Fever Dragon

April 29, 2009 - 10:57 pm

Fans of Calexico have already come to expect the unexpected from Tucson, Arizona residents Joey Burns and John Convertino. Each of their albums, from their dusty, lo-fi debut Spoke (1996) to the noir-infused dramatic power of The Black Light (1998), the breakthrough, mariachi madness of Hot Rail (2000), to their hugely successful most recent album, Feast of Wire (2003), which flirted with ambient electronica and Gil Evans infused jazz, charting in 14 European countries.

In 2006 comes Garden Ruin, officially the band’s fifth album, apart from their many tour-only CDs. Written in Bisbee, AZ. Recorded in Tucson, AZ. Mixed in Brooklyn. Mastered in California. It sees a new, and surprising episode unfolding in the Calexico story.

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Art/Design The Lucent Dossier Experience

by Barbie Brady and Fever Dragon

April 29, 2009 - 10:57 pm

If you suffer for a vaudeville cirque fix you might try to catch a Lucent Dossier show. This group of creative, performing, sexy gypsy’s is good for the cure. They recently ruled the Do Lab at Coachella, with up to 3 shows a day. Their particular blend of singing, dancing, and swinging from various objects high off the ground will have you feeling better in no time. Based out of Los Angeles, if you are in the ‘hood, seek out their delightful brand of entertainment.

Words by Barbie Brady, photos by Fever Dragon

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Music Taming the Mastodon

by Barbie Brady and Fever Dragon

April 29, 2009 - 8:15 am

Bill Kelliher, guitar player for the heavy metal monster, Mastodon, isn’t listening to much new music lately. He’s far too busy out on the road supporting the bands 4th album, Crack the Skye. We caught up with him just long enough to get the low-down on what its like being Bill, in a band that’s a beast.

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Event Coachella: Just Say Yes

by Christine Spehar and Fever Dragon

April 29, 2009 - 7:56 am

My advice for enjoying Coachella? Embrace sleep deprivation and heat stroke: there’s so much to do and see at this music and arts festival in Indio, CA, you won’t want to bother resting, and it’s so hot you won’t be able to sleep much past 9am anyway. (Plus when you combine the two, they add up to a wonderfully loopy and perfectly free high, if you’re into that sort of thing.) I suppose you could go the easy route and stay in a hotel, but then you’d be denying yourself some of the precious and hilarious bonding moments that transpire when you go a little bit feral (i.e.: shower like I did, with a hose!), and surround yourself with people who are able to laugh at anything, most importantly themselves.

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Music I Fly Like Paper Get High Like Planes

by Barbie Brady and Fever Dragon

April 28, 2009 - 9:22 am

If you have been living in a cave, or crawl space for the past year you may not know M.I.A. But the rest of us know her as the energetic, charismatic ball of controversy who sings the song Paper Planes “All I want to do is…bang…bang…bang…bang…bang…bang…cock.click.ching…and take your money”! Yes! That song! And it is the cheeriest, playground, gangsta rap single I think I’ve ever sung along to.

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