October Surprise!

 

After a whirlwind week running around NY for the CMJ Music Marathon I saw lots of bands I’d been looking forward to like Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Dent May, and (the about-to-supernova) Icona Pop. Thankfully, unlike Lance Armstrong and the Boston Marathon, no one was disqualified for PED’s.
However, my favorite aspect of the festival is all the unexpected discoveries of acts playing the slots immediately before or after your band of choice, which is how I chanced upon the 17yr old kids in The Orwells (think The Black Lips pre-high school expulsion). That, or passing up surefire crowd-pleasers like GZA doing Liquid Swords to see Australian knob-twiddling wunderkind Flume on a friend’s recommendation (and being so happy I did I saw him twice in one night).
Now that I’ve managed to reacquaint myself with sun, sleep, and sobriety back in Los Angeles, my iTunes is bursting with new music, both from CMJ and recent releases that we’ve been cranking out at the Woofer offices by the likes of Tame Imapala, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and the all-star soundtrack to RZA’s directorial debut Man With An Iron Fist.
So in what I hope will be a game-changer for your fall music enjoyment, I’m pleased to present you with the Woofer October Surprise Mix! 

 (Click the link above for automatic download)

28 Years Later

Now in its 28th year, 2012’s Twilight Concert Series goes out with a bang on Thursday Sept 6th with a great  lineup of LA bands for the summer finale.

The Santa Monica Pier should provide a fitting backdrop for headliner Best Coast’s reverb-drenched wall of sound. Opening act NO has also been making waves in the local scene and deserves you ducking out of the office a little earlier than you (maybe) otherwise would.

Labor Day Soundtrack

Other Music has served up Nude Beach’s II just in time to become the soundtrack to your Labor Day Weekend.

Their rootsy, lo-fi but enthusiastic sound will allow lovers of hipster-approved bands like The Black Lips and The Alabama Shakes as well as classic rock radio stalwarts like CCR and Tom Petty to finally nod in agreement over some beers and bbq. Yes, it’s a cool sound (and formula) that’s been used before, but practically every song on the sophomore album has real hooks, a commitment to craft that is all-too-rare these days.

Double Whammy @ The Getty Sat 7/28/12

One of our favorite recurring free events in LA is the Saturdays Off the 405 concert series. There’s only a handful each summer, the bands are well curated, and the outdoor plazas and gardens offer a beautiful setting to mingle, listen to music, and enjoy the sunset with a drink in hand.

Even the view of the freeway as you ride the tram up from the parking lot is remarkable, especially at night. This Saturday Nick Waterhouse treats the crowd to his 60’s-inspired soul, which should make for a great live set. Kudos to LA’s own Innovative Leisure for unearthing yet another gem. The concert officially starts at 6pm but I would advise getting there earlier so you have time to check out the Gustav Klimt exhibit inside. It reveals the illustrations that were at the core of the Austrian modernist’s paintings. The visual and sonic one-two punch should make for an amazing evening! Both close at 9pm.