Review | ChinaShop

Music Epigene’s Wall Street Odyssey is a Modern Day Rock Opera

May 5, 2011 - 11:10 am

If it weren’t for Green Day, the rock opera would still be a musical phenomenon largely frozen in time alongside Sportflic baseball cards, Hypercolor clothing and pet rocks. Think of it as a concept album for theatre majors, fueled by an unwavering storyline but brought to life by something greater than just the music. Most often it’s a grandiose stage production of sorts, but for Woodstock, NY band Epigene, it’s two discs of vibey prog-rock tucked inside a hardcover booklet that features full song lyrics accompanied by vividly colored illustrations.

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Gallery Music Linkin Park and The Prodigy Bridge the Gap at Staples Center

by Rich Thomas and E.M.S.

February 25, 2011 - 2:09 pm

When Linkin Park released their latest album, A Thousand Suns, longtime fans had a bit of a meltdown. The diehards wanted so much to embrace its heavily electronic undertones and conceptual themes, but for many, their loyalty to the style LP helped pioneer with albums like Hybrid Theory and Meteora was just too strong. For me, a longtime electronic music fan, the change was a bold step in the right direction. So when it came time for Linkin Park to take their show on the road, a pairing with dance music kingpins The Prodigy at Staples Center in Los Angeles felt like a reinforcement of that new path.

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Music Radiohead: The Kings Of Limbo

by Rich Thomas

February 22, 2011 - 11:16 am

It was ironic that news of Radiohead’s latest album came like a flash while early morning risers were still scanning Facebook for lingering commentary of the previous night’s Grammy Awards. Indeed, the undisputed sovereigns of post-rock had slipped quietly through the night, undetected even by those who considered Esperanza Spalding a shoo-in for Best New Artist. But here we are in the wake of Radiohead’s latest foray into the great unknown—The King Of Limbs—a “newspaper album” named as such for the large collection of artwork that accompanies the physical version, or because it reports on the current state of its creators, or maybe it’s a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the “hear today, gone tomorrow” nature of today’s recorded music product. With Radiohead, there’s rarely one definitive answer. No doubt you’ve already heard bits and pieces of it, so let’s get on with the show.

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Music The Best of 2010 (Live)…according to Max Herman

by Max Herman

December 30, 2010 - 12:41 pm

Some of the best live shows that I saw in 2010 were not necessarily by artists that I have been faithfully listening to for years. As a hip-hop head, of course it was great seeing De La Soul again who are still in top form twenty-plus years into their careers. But this past year the sets that resonated with me most came from artists/groups that I saw on stage for the first time—those who have only recently begun to gain proper recognition for their individual innovations in music. Yes, the list could have been longer, but this handful of performances were the ones that reminded me why I still cover concerts. These were the shows that made 2010—both sonically and visually—a year to remember.

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Los Angeles NIGHT + MARKET Brings A Taste Of Southeast Asia To The Sunset Strip

by Shop Keeper

December 29, 2010 - 11:01 am

Just down the street from The Roxy Theatre, Talésai on The Sunset Strip has been dishing out tasty Thai cuisine to notoriously picky L.A. palates for nearly 30 years. Family owned and operated since the beginning, the restaurant is now expanding on their recipe for success and opening a neighboring “sister space”, serving up simple yet delectable street food.

The vision of chef/owner Kris Yenbamroong, Night + Market delivers a menu of Thai tapas in a unique gallery like setting. Having practically grown up in the restaurant’s kitchen, the chef has been cooking almost as long as he’s been able to hold a fork. “I’ve always been a fan of food that tastes amazing and isn’t fussy. I want everything on the plate to be essential to the dish, so that means no garnish, or fluff. That’s what street food is; it’s one thing that tastes really good and maybe one other element, like a condiment.”

For the full article, go To theroxyonsunset.com

Fashion MooShoes: Giving Leather The Boot

by Carrie Tucker

December 27, 2010 - 10:05 am

From stylish shoes and accessories to The Sexual Politics of Meat, vegan haven MooShoes has a little something for everyone.

Hey, all you vegans out there – have a hard time finding 100% cruelty-free motorcycle boots? Or party-appropriate heels that consist of absolutely no animal products whatsoever? Then let us introduce you to MooShoes.

Started by sisters Erica and Sara Kubersky in 2001, the online and brick-and-mortar store in NYC will not only hook you up with handpicked vegan lines (including their own called Novacas – Spanish for “no cows”), but also with handbags, wallets, belts, tees, and faux leather jackets that look as good as the real thing. They even carry books with provocative titles like The Sexual Politics of Meat, along with vegan cookbooks so you can whip up the best dairy-free, gluten-free cupcake ever.

We sat down with co-founder Erica Kubersky for a little Q&A. Read on to find out about factory farms’ symbiotic relationship with the leather industry, those crap Davy Crockett-style hats, and advice on going vegan (if you aren’t already). Make sure to check out the image gallery for Erica’s holiday gift suggestions from the store!

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Featured Gallery Music Florence & The Machine Take Over The Wiltern

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

November 9, 2010 - 10:57 am

As I walked up to L.A.’s Wiltern Theater on Saturday, I glanced at the sign that read “Florence & The Machine Nov 6, 7, 8 Sold Out,” a symbol that a city so saturated with musicians can still make time to celebrate worthy talent. 89.9 (KCRW) was a weekend hero as they hosted the beloved Florence Welch and her almighty backing band she’s affectionately labeled “The Machine.” Fans gathered outside the Wiltern begging anyone within the venue’s vicinity for extra tickets. One gentleman was so persistent that he asked me multiple times if I could provide him with tickets, in the hopes that I had magically unearthed a pair in the five minutes that passed before I saw him again.

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Gallery Music The New Politics

by Mike Bucher and Dustin Downing

July 29, 2010 - 10:51 am

Yep, that’s David standing on his head again… and yep those are “The New Politics,” A 3 piece Rock/Pop trio originally haling from Copenhagen Denmark. The group consisting of David Boyd, guitar/vocalist Soren Hansen, and drummer Poul Amaliel released their self-titled debut album June 13th of this year and played the Viper Room Tuesday night to a room full of zealous fans.

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interview Q and A With Manchester’s Delphic 

by Nicole Pajer and Dustin Downing

June 24, 2010 - 10:42 am

Thursday night, Manchester’s own Delphic took the outdoor stage at Dangerbird Records to bestow the crowd below with the urge to dance. After a set perfectly infused with a wreath of synth, guitar, vocals, and drums, the boys headed backstage to relax, while coyly avoiding the crowd gathered around the television that was showing the last quarter of the Lakers game. It’s OK guys, we all know that “football” is the thing in the UK and doing an interview for China Shop over watching Kobe Bryant was a good enough excuse for me.

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