Sidney Bensimon | ChinaShop

Featured Gallery Music The Sound of Sweeney

August 18, 2011 - 10:27 am

It was last September when we last checked in with Tutu Sweeney and his talented sidekicks, The Brothers Band, as they record ed tracks at Red Bull Studios for his debut album. Fast forward to today and Tutu is happy to report that the record is finally complete and ready to shop to labels – a task which will occupy his every waking moment upon returning from an upcoming East Coast tour with Aloe Blacc and the Grand Scheme. While video chatting with his brother Te’Amir in Switzerland, Tutu showcased his multitasking skills by simultaneously answering interview questions over the phone.

Tutu gives us an insider look at tracks off the new album and discusses his latest show at the Santa Monica Pier, growing up near the chaos of Venice Beach, and almost getting his arm cut off alongside “The Rock” in The Scorpion King.

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Featured interview Music The Deftones’ Chino and Far’s Shaun Lopez Form CROSSES

by Jeff Nau and Sidney Bensimon

August 8, 2011 - 5:23 pm

For the past few months, if you tried to dig up any information on Crosses — Chino Moreno’s latest project with Far guitarist Shaun Lopez and a mysterious Clint Eastwood-type guitar-slinger named Chuck – you’d find next to nothing. There might be a reason for that: Crosses isn’t Deftones-ish at all. And it ain’t really even remotely Far-esque. It’s an unorthodox but heady mix of trip-hop, jazz, and some touches of that Northern California brand of hard rock they helped pioneer.

But days ago Chino dropped five free downloads of the Crosses project onto his Facebook page. Here’s an interview we got with the guys last month, when the album was still being mixed in Red Bull Studios.

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Gallery Music Trouncing The Troubadour: Alkaline Trio

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

July 26, 2011 - 11:32 am

Without spelling out the fact that Los Angeles concert audiences can be smug, which I might have just accidentally done, I’ll admit that we can be a tough crowd. In our defense, we’re spoiled; there is just so much good music around that it can be tricky to impress us enough to uncross our arms and let loose at a show.

Every now and then, a band will roll through town, however, that makes us throw all inhibitions out the window and rock out; that makes us show off our best dance moves, throw out energetic fist pumps, and convinces us that we will lose face if we go home without participating in the mosh pit or attempting to crowd surf. For many, this band is Alkaline Trio.

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Art Gallery One Dress. 51 Stories. Entropy. Redress.

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

July 7, 2011 - 11:34 am

It all started with a vision: One red dress, 51 artists, and creative attempts at employing emotional energy. Such was the idea behind Rhonda Soikowski’s “Entropy. Redress.” – Phase II of a research and development performance series that has been traveling across major U.S. cities for the past month.

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Gallery Music Dim Lights and Strobes: Yeasayer

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

June 1, 2011 - 10:48 am

It seemed as if everyone in the vicinity of Hollywood was at the Yeasayer show this past week. The Brooklyn-based experimental rock band took the stage at Hollywood’s Music Box on May 23rd and 24th, performing to a sea of eager Angelenos.

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Gallery Music Fun With Foster The People: Amoeba Music

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

May 31, 2011 - 11:06 am

Foster The People is in the midst of an extensive headlining tour. They won over thousands at Coachella and have already sold out their upcoming El Rey dates in Los Angeles in July. Last week, the titans of indie rock played a free set at Hollywood’s Amoeba Music to a crowd of over 600 fans.

The show kicked off shortly after 6:30 p.m., however, fans skipped out of work and got in line way before to solidify their spots; the earliest arriving at 10 a.m. Groups of Foster lovers crammed into CD aisles which were roped off once at capacity.

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Gallery Music Sparks Flying: Breanne Düren

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

May 24, 2011 - 10:26 am

Breanne Düren, the bubbly touring background vocalist/keyboard player for Owl City, has recently released an EP of her own. The 5-song disc, Sparks, debuted at number 3 on the iTunes pop chart on its May 3rd street date. Düren, who is currently on tour promoting her latest project, will be jumping back on the road with Owl City and opening up the set for several dates in major cities along the way.

Before her set at Hollywood’s Hotel Café, Düren sat down with ChinaShop to chat about her new solo career. She discusses leaving college to jump on the road for what she thought was a 2-month stint with Owl City, which turned into an opportunity that any artist would kill for, as well as how her experience touring inspired the songs she wrote for Sparks.

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Event Gallery The Best of LA’s Mobile Eateries : Truckit Fest

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

April 1, 2011 - 11:19 am

Food trucks are hard to keep track of. You can follow their Twitter feeds and burn your gas driving around trying to locate them, but wouldn’t it be nice if there was just one place where they all congregated? Fortunately, as of March 6th, food trucks of LA will unite at a monthly food lover’s paradise, otherwise known as Truckit Fest. The other good news is you can catch all these mobile muncharies this Sunday April 3rd and get your eat on.

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Music YG: Def Jam’s West Coast Rapping Prodigy

by Nicole Pajer

March 21, 2011 - 11:27 am

It had been 15 years since the infamous Def Jam Records had approached a West Coast rapper with a recording contract. That was the case until they stumbled upon YG. At just 19 years of age, YG signed with the prestigious label and began feverishly writing and recording. With the help of hit single “Toot it and Boot it,” YG found himself on a surreal track to stardom. He is currently working on a new album and is set to drop a mixtape in a few weeks.

The recent 21-year old is having the time of his life: a growing fan base, countless birthday celebrations, radio airplay, and a blossoming career. While in the studio to put the finishing touches on his mixtape, YG sat down with ChinaShop to explain how he landed his deal with Def Jam and how he’s celebrating his newly found success.

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Oddity Business Meets Pleasure at Pins and Needles

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon

February 1, 2011 - 12:12 pm

Not many people can say that they are able to combine business with pleasure but that is very much the case for Molly Atkinson, owner of Echo Park based Pins and Needles. Molly collects vintage pinball games and also makes a living as a seamstress. After finding a prime space above Bedrock Studios that would house her massive twenty game and growing collection as well as accommodate her tailoring business, Molly decided to set up shop and thus Pins and Needles was born.

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