Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023

The Bellwether marquee 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

 

Slightly over a month ago, LA's newest concert venue, The Bellwether, opened it's doors to an irresistable roster of live shows! Phantogram headlined the sold-out grand opening on July 11th. People packed into the 1600 capacity room which had up until then only been known as a night club in years past. Reserected by the combined forces of the Bay Area based Another Planet Entertainment and LA's own Teragram Presents the walls of 333 Boylston Street dripped with sweat that warm summer night as fans rocked out at the very first show there. 

Show number two the next night boasted a different type of appeal. About half the max cap amout of tickets were sold for the duo headlining on July 12: Puerto Rican expatriates from Brooklyn, Raquel Berrios and Luis Alfredo Del Valle better known as Buscabulla with like minded opening band Brijean, a new music discovery from 2021. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Though only half the amount of tickets were sold, the show room filled up comfortably in comparssion to the stuffed and sweaty grand opening the night before.

Fans arrived early with a laid back air, ready to have a good time. 

The duo miticulously deliever a unqie blend of melodies created by an orchestra of instruments including different sized and shaped bongos, keys, synths, wind chimes, maracas just to name a few. Watching the two of them bring their music to life is quiet awe inspiring and as the crowd learned on July 12th, can also lead to some techinical difficuluites. After already running behind shcedule, Brjean was off to a shakey start yet impressively kept the show going as they  worked through the kinks.

To untrained ears, I thought they sounded great. As fans encouraed them as we anxiously watched the on stage struggle which both bandmates picked up on. After they got through the first two songs of the night, "Hey Boy" and "Ooo La La" Brijean seemed to let go and go with the flow. The crowd followed suit and soon enough everyone there was vibing. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Front lady and namesake Brijean Murphy, took time to converse with the crowd, sharing how she grew up not too far from The Bellwether and learned to swin at the YMCA nearby. She shared graditude for playing at the brand new venue before trasitioning into the next song. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

There were a couple instrumental interludes where the two just jammed, allowing the crowd to get lost in their sauce. The combined easygoing energies of the encouraging crowd and chill vibrations that flow from Brijean made for a non-judgemental room as more and more people in the intimate venue started finding their dancing shoes and intrepreting the band's music into their own groove.

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

 

Brijean played a good mix of songs off their 2021 album, Feelings as well as their 2022 album, Angelo. 

One of my favoite songs of theirs, "Moody" made it to the set list near the end of their set. Brijean commented on what a big fan of Buscabulla and how special it was to be opening for them. With that said reflecting back it's fitting that "Daydreaming" closed out Brijean's opening set for one of their personal favorite bands. 

Brijean @ The Bellwether 7/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Another Planet Entertainment Grand Opening in SoCal @ The Bellwether!

Today is the Grand Opening of LA's newest concert venue, The Bellwether! 

Once owned by Prince and known as Glam Slam nightclub, 333 South Boylston Street will open it's doors as a 1,600 capacity concert venue and is the birthchild of the partnership of Another Planet Enterainment and Teragram Presents'. 

Based out of the Bay Area, opporating numerious venues and putting on Outside Lands Music Festival Another Planet Entertainment is the largest independently owned concert promoter in North America and The Bellwether is the company's first stint down in Souther California. 

When the upcoming roster of shows dropped a few weeks ago it was plain to see that The Bellwether is here and it means business. There are so many good shows! The first two weeks alone will see the likes of Phantogram, Tycho, Haim, Andrew Bird, DRAMA + more! So far there are shows slated all through mid November with new shows being added on the daily. 

Along with offering live music in a brand new alluring space with a vibey ambiance, there's also food offerings upstairs in The Virginan resturant. The whole venue is GA, allowing guests to wander and enjoy where they please. VIP ticket upgrades are available for those who like the idea of a VIP viewing area, a priavte bar and private bathrooms. 

Check out The Bellwether website for more info and to buy tickets to the next show!

Utah Pride with Trixie Mattel + more! June 2nd - 4th, 2023

Last weekend the Utah Pride Festival kicked off Pride month celebrations! 2023 marked a more elevated experience for the Utah audience with performances from Icona Pop, Dragonette, Drama, Crystal Waters, Trixie Mattel herself plus more! 

Icona Pop hit the dance scene with their 2012 singles "I love it" and "All Night" and remained a fixture on the dance floor at club nights in the LGBTQ+ community ever since. The Swedish electropop duo are not a couple but they are both advocates for and icons in the LGBTQ+ community. The girls hit the stage from 10pm-11pm on Friday night DJing, singing their hits and sharing the stage with guest performer Ultra Nate for the tailend of their set. 

Trixie Mattel @ Utah Pride Festival 6/3/2023

The Friday night dance party kept going because up next was the biggest star of them all. Trixie Mattel herself closed out show day one with an 11pm  to midnight DJ set and yes,  she looked good and had us feeling gorgeous ourselves. 

She also ended up drawing the biggest crowd of the weekend by far!

Saturday's lightning delays didn't stop the music acts lined up that evening which included the OG gay icon, Crystal Waters, Canadian singer/song writer Dragonette and best friends from Chicago, Drama. 

Crystal Waters brought it to the stage with some fierce, flirty and even X rated dance moves during an extended rendition of her 1994 hit, "100% Pure Love." Her energy and enthusiam left the crowd in awe and riled up for more! 

Dragonette @ Utah Pride Festival 6/3/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Dragonette followed and she's just as fun as I remember her. Without the backing band, Martina Sorbara held it down with only a DJ cranking out the tunes behind her as she worked the stage. Small
but mighty, she rallied up the crowd before bidding ado with her hit single, "Hello." 

Dragonette @ Utah Pride Festival 6/3/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Indie crooners, Drama put their party pants on and hit the stage with a club set in the 11pm - midnight slot on Saturday night. Na'el Shehade and Via Rosa started out at the DJ deck, Shehade spinning while Rosa encourgaed her bandmate on as this was one of their first club sets. 

Drama @ Utah Pride Festival 6/3/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

While he didn't mix songs off their 2020 album, Dance Without Me, Rosa hopped on the mic for a more dancey version of their 2022 single "Don't Hold Back". She was jubilent as she swayed around the stage, happily engaging with fans as the duo's super chill vibe ended the night on a light note.
It was so fun to see them having fun up there. 

Drama @ Utah Pride Festival 6/3/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Drama @ Utah Pride Festival 6/3/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Icona Pop just released their first single in years "Shit We Do For Love". Dragonette released her first new album in six years last year and this year she's bringing Twenties on the road. "Feel the Same" is the latest from Drama and they'll be playing more club sets this Summer!

The party doesn't stop there, Pride is just getting started!

This weekend LA Pride welcomes thee hottie, Megan Thee Stallion and no it's not a fantasy, Mariah Carey!  

Next weekend San Francisco hosts their Pride celebrations and festivies!  

National Wine Day on the eve of BottleRock Napa Valley 2023

Today is the eve of BottleRock Napa Valley but did you know it's National Wine Day?! What a perfect pairing, don't you think? 

Bottlerock Napa Valley 2023 line-up 

Along with an amazing food line-up and fun interactive cooking demos on the culinary stage all day long, Bottlerock is sponsered by the local JamCellars winery to keep the wine flowing all weeked.
 The 3 day music festival which marks it's 10 year anniversary this year, easily caters to it's more mature audience hence why it is known as the Mom fest. 

Culinary Stage line-up 2023

Updates to the line-up have been trickling in as the show approaches. Just yesterday, the culinary stage line up finally dropped, Killer Mike of Run the Jewels was added. A little over a week ago Keanu Reeves' band, Dogstar, was added to the line up and Mr. Neo himself will also make an appearance on the culinary stage. 

Kara's cupcakes is celebrating both Bottlerock Napa Valley 2023 by suggesting wine and cupcake pairings at their Oxbow Public Market location which happens to be not too far from the festival grounds. Kara's cupcakes is also a vendor at Bottlerock this year so you can mix and match and enjoy as get your first tatse of Summer at Bottlerock Napa Valley this memorial day weekend!

Kara's cupcakes OxBow Public Market location 

Not sure what wine would pair with your favorite cupcake? Here are some pairing ideas from Sprinkles cupcakes, yum!

Please don't drink and drive!

Grand RE-OPening of The Bungalow in Long Beach with Anderson .Paak 5/13/2023

In March the modern luxury, formal dining joint known as The Bungalow nestled in Long Beach closed for renovations. The 10,000 sqaure foot space, designed to look like a house with five seperate rooms is set to welcome people back at it's grand re-opening tomrorow night with special guest, Anderson .Paak! 

Find the Grammy-Award winning artist on on the turn-tables as DJ Pee-Wee, spinning grooves to set the mood. Paak's taste in funk and soul is an appealing pairing with the fine dining estabilishment's soul food inspired menu making for a fun and yum filled Saturday night.

Anderson .Pakk. will start DJing around 11:30pm. 

Paak.'s Paak House is also back for it's fifth installment today at the Ventura Fairgrounds, not too far from where his hometown of Oxnard, California. Paak. House is a festival birthed from the Brandon Paak non-profit Foundation. It supports underserved youth through access to the arts, community outreach, after-school programs, etc. giving everyone the resources needed to have the oppertunity to live life to their full potential and we love that. 

 The line-up for today's fetsival still hasn't been annouced but is promised to be a "surprise all-star list". Past performers include: Thundercat, Rae Khalil, Joyce Wrice, D Smoke, Ty Dolla $ign, Kali Uchis and of course the man himself, Mr. Anderson .Paak. Tickets were only $40 but the show is sold-out! 

It's going to be a Anderson .Paak packed weekend supporting local bussinesses and non-profits for underserved youth. Cheers to this cool dude doing cool things!

Boygenius at The Fox Theater Pomona 4/12/2023

Fox Theater Pomona 4/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

 

Earlier this year when the return of Boygenius was announced it seemed as though everybody who was anybody who even remotely cares about music was excited. Having only released an EP when they surfaced five years ago, the all girl indie trio would return with a debut album and tour in support of it. As the news broke and buzz grew at eceptional speeds, the faces of the girls of Boygenius: Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus started to pop up everywhere. From Nirvana inspired Rollingstone Magazine covers to internet articles and billboards, there was/is no escaping them (genius?). 

Then the Coachella 2023 line-up was dropped and after that the unveiling of local chella shows and Boygenius was featured on both. Ahead of their tour, which kicks off June 2nd at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Boygenius were set to play the Outdoor Stage on day two both weekends of Coachella. But before that, the first place fans saw Boygenius back on stage was at The Fox Theater Pomona on Wednesday April 12th, their first official show of their triumphant return!

After working a 12 hour day prepping for Coachella weekend 1, I was a bat out of hell leaving site headed to Pomona. The more I drove the more my NorCal showed as I had not realized how far Pomona is from Coachella Valley, though I should have guessed it was 100+ miles.
I heard the faint hum of live music in the warm night air as I ran a couple of blocks from my parked car to the venue. I wondered if the show was sold-out and as I turned the corner to The Fox Theater Pomona the anwser lit up right before my eyes, Boygenuis sold-out spelled out on the marquee for all to see. 

Boygenius at The Fox Theater Pomona 4/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Phoebe Bridgers of Boygenius at The Fox Theater Pomona
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Boygenius was already on stage and the place was packed! If The Fox Pomona was anything like The Fox Oakland I knew there'd be a straight shot down the right and or left of house that leads pretty much to the photo pit, side stage. I b-lined it down the house left side and I was right! I found myself right up front just in time for one of my favorite tracks off the new album, "Satanist". 

The three ladies had their respective bass or guitar in hand and being that I was house left I wound up closer to Phoebe Bridgers who played a dope looking BC rich, Eddie Muson Stranger Things guitar. An awesomely aporopriate guitar to play on an aptly titled song.
  The roar from the crowd when at the top of the song was loud and the roars only got louder from there. People were spilling out of isles on the floor and standing in their seats up in the balcony. Each new song brought thunderous roars of admiration, the next louder than the last. 

There were a lot of debuts that night at The Fox Theater Pomona. Not only was it Boygenuis' first offical live show of 2023 but The Record which dropped March 31st is the band's offical debut studio album which means that a lot of the new stuff they played that night was a live debut: "$20", "Satanist", "Leonard Cohen", "We're in Love", "Anti-Curse", "Letter to an Old Pet", "Revolution 0". 

Boygenius at The Fox Theater Pomona 4/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

"True Blue", another one of my faves from The Record garnered one of the biggest, most enthused cheering and applause of the night. It left me in awe as the whole venue seemed to be singing along in almost perfect unison. It was then I noticed how young the crowd was which kind of surprised me because of how mature Boygenius' sound and style is. But, I reminded myself, it was a pre-Chella show.

Julien Baker donned a banjo and lead the way on vocals for the meloncholy love song "Cool About It". She gave me chills as she sang and my chills multiplied as the song went on as Phoebe and Lucy each took a verse on lead vocals before all three blended their singing voices in what was the loveliest harmonizing of the night. Phoebe and Julien fell back into the shadows, giving Lucy the spot light for "We're in Love". The house went dark, the crowd got quiet and Lucy almost stole the show with this slow-tempo number before turning things back up a few notches with "Anti Curse" with Julien at the helm. 

Boygenius at The Fox Theater Pomona 4/12/2023
photo by Nikki DeMartini

I've read that Boygenuis was formed as sort of a felmale power group, each solo artist individually praised for her musicianship joining forces to bring us more good music.
The way their styles and sounds blend  together is a work of genius.
Their harmonies? Near flawless.
Transitions? Seamless.
Stage presence? Reserved yet personalable at the same time thanks to the smirks and laughs that slip out on stage.
They play together as if they only play together as Boygenius not three solo artists doing a side project.
The show will warm your heart while their music gives you goosebumps. 

The crowd at Coachella weekend 1 got their treat now it's Coachella weekend 2's turn before the girls of Boygenius hit the road on their own tour this Summer!

Phoebe Bridgers of Boygenius at The Fox Theater Pomona
photo by Nikki DeMartini

set-list 4/12/2023

1. Without you without them

2. $20

3. Satanist 

4. Emily I'm Sorry 

5. True Blue 

6. Cool About It 

7. Souviner 

8. Me and My Dog 

9. Leonard Cohen 

10. We're In Love

11. Anti Curse

12. Letter to an Old Poet

13. Not Strong Enough 

14. Old Wound 

15. Bite the Hand  

16. Revolution 0 

17. Stay Down 

18. Ketchum, ID 

Little Big is back!

 Last year on March 3rd Ilya "Ilich" Prusikin and Sonya Tayurskaya of the DJ duo, Little Big, packed their bags and moved from Moscow to Los Angeles to show their support fro Ukraine against the Russian invasion.  

These punk-punk-ravers hit pause back in 2018 after releasing the second instalment of their forth album, Antipositive, teasing new music with the single "Generation Cancellation" last year. 

Photo credit Karim Belkasemi and Alina Pasok, tour flyer

Today they're celebrating 10 years of music making!
 Little Big is keeping the celebration going on April 12th when they release a brand new song "Pendejo" and accompaning music video before hitting the road this Summer! 

Little Big North American Tour 

June 9th: Miami, FL @ Sport of Kings

June 10th: Orlando, FL @ Level13 

June 11th: Atlanta, GA @ The Loft

June 14th: Washington, D.C @ Karma Lounge 

June 15th: Philadelphia, PA @ Admore Hall 

June 16th: New York, NY @ Melrose Ballroom

June 17th: Boston, MA @ Royale

June 18th: Chicago, IL @ Joe's Live 

June 22nd: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar 

June 23rd: Austin, TX @ Come & Take It Live 

June 25th: Denver, CO @ Oriental Theatre

June 27th: Phoenix, AZ @ TBA

June 28th: Portland, OR @Wonder Ballroom 

June 29th: Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon Ballroom 

June 30th: Seattle, WA @ Showbox

July 1st: San Francisco, CA @ Roccapulco