#71 Redwood Bar on 11-11-11

This was the release of our new album 11, and proved to be an unforgettable evening for all the wrong reasons. Except for Blond Goblin, we hand picked the acts who played with us. Dark Furs were kind enough to open the evening, only this time minus keys for a bit more of a stripped-back sound. New Room had been on our list of people to play with for quite some time, and their music proved to be deeper and darker than I had remembered, but (I felt) fit us perfectly.

Strangely enough, a friend of a friend was having a going away party at the venue, so I kept running into people I knew. They kept saying "Oh, I finally get to see you play!" When we took the stage, one of these friends was beyond drunk and insisted on coming on stage. I did my best to shuffle her away, but time after time she kept returning to dance, bump into things, unplug things accidentally and pull my mic down to talk. My blood was boiling, and this was not getting any better. The rest of the band seemed amused, and I was pleased that they weren't phased, at the very least. The show ended, not a moment too soon.

#52 Redwood Bar on 1-4-2011

(photo by Danit Sigler)

We were invited to play this show by Cinderella Motel. The lead singer is a bit New Romantic looking, and can play the accordion. Redwood Bar has a nautical theme, and though the stage is small, there is a nice painting with a busty mermaid behind it.

We were pleased to have our video director and cinematographer in town to finally see a live show. I was using new bass equipment, and trying to get used to it. The sound on stage was very odd, and nothing was sounding right. I became discouraged, and after finishing a song I announced that we would not be playing another until we got the sound sorted out. The sound man made some adjustments, which helped a little, but overall the performance felt like a challenge. It was well received though, and we were pleased to have some familiar friends with us.

I left my hooded sweatshirt at the club, but luckily Michael retrieved it. 

#33 Artwalk rooftop show on 9-10-09

(photo by Mariah Buian)

A nice gentleman named Louis invited us to be a part of this. The lineup changed a bit leading up to the show, but we wound up playing with rockabilly band The Rocketz.

Downtown Artwalk is exactly what it sounds like. There are galleries and venues and restaurants all opening their doors to showcase art, music and otherwise. We played on the outdoor roof of a gallery, and brought our own PA.

The show was enjoyable, and there were a lot of people there. We were joined onstage at one point by a drunk girl who was permitted to play the tambourine. Sadly, she wasn't very present mentally and missed out on the possible 'rock show with guest performer' interaction that could have taken place. We actually put a box of CDs out for free consumption, and many people took advantage of this.

A nice surprise was a visit by old school friends of mine as well as an old fan/friend from my days in The Briggs.

New Video: Let The Games Begin

This is our first official music video, directed by Israeli director Lior Molcho. He has long been a fan of Los Angeles, and is pleased to be directed his first American video with us, having directed over 200 videos in Israel.

It is fitting that so much of downtown Los Angeles is featured here, as we have enjoyed having Downtown Rehearsals as our practice space. Welcome home.