“I’m really excited about everything, even if I don’t sound like I am,” Elizabeth Le Fey, aka Globelamp, explained to the crowd at the Bootleg Theater Wednesday night.

Le Fey’s stage presence was decidedly tame for being at her own album release show, due perhaps less to the jet lag she credited than to the stripped-down and deeply personal nature of the songs she was performing.

The Orange Glow, a beautiful psych-folk album, was born out of an ugly year for Le Fey. In addition to dealing with the death of one of her dearest friends, her breakup with Foxygen’s Sam France turned nasty, as everything from a lawsuit to rabid internet hate derailed her personal life and career (she was a touring member of Foxygen and working on another project with France). The resulting album is filled with references to both occurrences, giving it a raw emotionality and intimacy, that’s only emphasized by Le Fey’s dynamic voice.

What is layered and ornamented on record was presented on Wednesday in its purest form: Le Fey and a guitar. The effect was like home demos being played live, which worked well for songs like the melodic “Master of Lonely”. She grew slightly more timid after moving to the keyboard (borrowed last-minute from her 11 year old brother) for a few songs, then thundered back with fan favorite “Gypsie’s Lost.”

What always work across the 10 song set was Le Fey’s haunting delivery. Songs like “The Negative” and “Controversial/Confrontational,” had Le Fey throwing her voice from a child-like whisper to full-blown range, often in the same line. While “Daddy’s Gone,” a blues-stomper and show highlight off of 2014’s Star Dust, threatened to blow the roof off the place.

Despite her cotton candy hair, knee socks, and glittery makeup, there’s an undeniable seriousness and wise-beyond-her-years wisdom to Le Fey, an impressive self-assuredness that allows her to get up on stage alone, and bare her soul and pain.

Watching her perform the wistful “Washington Moon,” to a crowd of 50, one gets the feeling that she would have played the same exact way to five people. She’s a poet and songwriter at heart, taking more stock in the creative process than the limelight of performing. Her philosophy is beautifully spelled out in the excellent “Artist/Traveler,” singing, “You’ll know the real point of art and poetry is to somehow connect with the mystery.”

Looking to fill up on some new music? The band Fuel is back and ready to fill any tanks with a new ensemble of band mates and a closet full of new tunes. The platinum-selling band is hitting North America, stopping May 27 at The Coach House.

1998’s debut album Sunburn went double platinum, featuring songs such as “Shimmer” and “Bittersweet” while 2000’s Something Like Human also went double platinum and featured “Hemorrhage (In My Hands). 2003’s Natural Selection went gold, was nominated for a Grammy Award and included the hit “Falls On Me”.

Concert Guide Live caught up with front man Brett Scallions for a little insight on what’s going on with the new Fuel.

CONCERT GUIDE LIVE: How did the band form?

BRETT SCALLIONS: Fuel began back in the mid-90’s. We were just a group of guys playing at every bar we could, trying to be fulltime musicians. Five or six years ago I started Fuel again and put a new outfit together. They’re all friends of mine that I’ve met over the years.

CGL: How often do you tour now as opposed to before?

Scallions: I haven’t done any tours this year, just getting started for the summer. Last year we were on the road 75% of the year. This year I’m pulling the reigns back a little bit, just doing enough shows to have fun getting my rocks off and giving the fans a good time.

CGL: Do you play old stuff or new?

Scallions: We do clusters from different records. We try to put a little of something from each album in there.

CGL: How is the rock star life different from then and now, for you?

Scallions: The industry is different now. It used to be that you would invest around $250,000 on a record and now you try to keep it under $50,000. These days the artists have to split the bill on making the record for the most part. You’re not sending in demos anymore, you’re sending in albums.

CGL: What do you think makes a band good?

Scallions: Persistence. You can’t just sit in a room and write five songs and then stop and rely on those five songs. You have to continue to hone your craft. Practice your instrument. Just keep practicing, performing and writing with the band.

CGL: What’s your favorite tour memory?

Scallions: I’ve toured around the world, and with Rob Krieger of The Doors for a number of years. I was with them at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France on Jim Morrison’s birthday lighting candles with those guys, then doing a show at Olympic Theatre that night. There’s too many amazing memories to pinpoint just one.

CGL: What do you do in your spare time?

Scallions: I’m a father with two boys, 5 and 8. I do father stuff like coach their sports teams from time to time. I love being a dad and just having fun with that. I do voiceover work for commercials and things like that. I try to keep myself busy doing fun things.

CGL: What’s the hardest part of being a parent?

Scallions: There are so many different little things about being a parent. I have to raise a couple of men. Teaching them respect. Teaching them manners, right from wrong. It can be challenging at times because us boys like to get into trouble. It’s a good time being a parent, though. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

CGL: Does global warming exist?

Scallions: I do believe in global warming. I think we all need to take care of the earth and preserve this land so our children’s children’s children’s children can enjoy it too.

CGL: What do you do for your part?

Scallions: I try to reduce our carbon footprint as much as I can. I don’t use plastic bottles that much anymore. I have a water bottle we refill on a daily basis.

CGL: How often do you shampoo?

Scallions: (Laughs) Two to three times a week.

CGL: What inspires you to write?

Scallions: Life inspires me. I like to reflect on how things make me feel and write about it and hope that it does the same for the listener. I can’t write about something that I don’t know about.

CGL: How are the shows different now?

Scallions: I’m 44 now so I don’t run around as much as I used to. At the same time, I am more focused on the actual performance and playing. I’m not banging on guitar like I used to as much. I focus more on a quality show.

The best shows, I believe, always start the same way: lead singer with a beer in their hand and fringe on their shirt. Well, maybe not all the best shows, but Fat White Family began their Apr. 14 show at The Constellation room just that way.

The six-piece group of English-born punks (in attitude and in musical style) covered the tiny room in what can only be described as the rebirthing of the UK punk sound we’ve all been missing. Although having only put out two albums, Champagne Holocaust (2013) and Songs for our Mothers (2016), the band holds their presence on the stage like any musical veteran.

Even if the band’s lead singer, Lias Saoudi, hadn’t been adorned in fringe, he definitely owned the stage, fluctuating his voice from a siren-type screech and immediately transitioning back to a deep, sultry growl. Both guitarists were not only perfectly in sync with each subtle lyrical change, but were also able to make an echo effect with singer Saul Adamczewski’s voice, creating a beauty of singing notes from each strum.

While already connecting intimately with the audience, the singer pulled down the mic stand and got on his knees to be eye level with the dancing crowd.

Members Saul Adamczewski (Guitar, vocals), Severin Black (Drums), Adam J Harmer (Guitar), Taishi Nagasaka (Bass), Lias Saoudi (Lead vocals) and Nathan Saoudi (Organ) are bringing back the post punk culture one gig at a time.

Fat White Family definitely didn’t do all of the fame stealing that night, though. The opening band, Gateway Drugs, was the perfect beginning, starting off with an almost surf-rock meets indie-punk style.

The female-fronted band began with soft, breathy vocals, which silenced the enraptured audience, followed by an explosive lead guitar that brought the vibe of punk to the stage.

The band consists of siblings Gabe, Noa, and Liv Niles, along with Blues Williams. If you’re looking for a band that captures all of your surf rock, punk-filled rage and Morrison-esque sex appeal, this is the band for you.

Each member, aside from the bassist, took their chance at vocals, one-by-one proving their multitalented abilities. Gateway Drugs are definitely addicting and, once you’ve seen them, expect to find their songs lingering on your “recently played” list.

The Knitts, an up-and-coming band from the San Fernando Valley, showed off their live chops at The Hi Hat in Highland Park on Feb. 15, where they played in celebration of their recent EP release, Simple Folk. The Hi Hat, housed in a building that still bares the neon name of Highland Park Billiards, is a secret; a great venue with a big stage, a nice beer selection, and tasty food. That’s pretty difficult to find unless you already know what you’re looking for. This made it the perfect venue for The Knitts, also difficult to find, but worth the effort.

Playing a jukebox shuffle of everything from garage rock, to psych, to soul, and back again, The Knitts are a mixed bag but in the best possible way. You never know what you’re going to hear next in the set, or even where a given song is going to take you. The insanely catchy “Erotic Aquatic,” off the new EP, starts out sunny and playful, but explodes into something completely different when lead singer Justin Volkens joins brother Brandon on the drums for a headbanging jam that would get any metalhead moving. In fact, most of the songs finish with this sentiment, even the ones that begin timidly enough with Volkens on a ukulele.

Other songs from the EP like the slinky “Knives,” and the Bloc Party-esque “Get Up Get Out,” were played with razor-like precision and plenty of volume. While non-EP songs seemed to steal the show. The catchy whistling and wacky carnival feel of “Carousel” really shook up the set, while “Lovers” was a nice mid-tempo change of pace. The fantastic rubber band riff-ed “Vamanos Mexico” seemed to be the biggest crowd pleaser, but the actual stand out was a new song, an old school soul throwback that featured Volkens’ strongest vocals of the night, as well as the best guitar riff.

There were some tiny timing issues, maybe a flubbed note here and there, but the foundation is solid. They have great energy and know their way around a stage, and if the non-EP songs are any indication, The Knitts’ material is just going to get better and better. With a little polishing, this diamond in the rough could really shine. A small, but enthusiastic crowd, who seemed to already be aware of this, showed up to support the band. With a little luck, and a lot of hard work, The Knitts could find that the crowds start getting a lot bigger.

The show was opened by Bedbugs and House of Affection.

Before launching into another tinnitus-inducing song Foals lead singer Yannis Philippakis paused to extend some gratitude to the sold-out crowd saying, “Thank you for staying up past everyone’s bedtime on a Sunday night. There’s nowhere else we’d rather fucking be!”

Kicking off the first night of their US tour at the Wiltern on Nov. 29, the show was part of Red Bull’s Sound Select 30 Days in LA. The Oxford quintet came out guns blazing, and it was pretty clear the rabid crowd didn’t want to be anywhere else, either.

Combining an impressive poetic lyricism with hi-hat heavy dance beats and 10-ton riffs, Foals have struck gold with their captivating mix of jittery math-rock, soaring and atmospheric melodies, and post-punk revivalism. This blend translates explosively to live shows, with the band making such an excitingly riotous noise on songs like the swaggering “Snake Oil” and the beastly “Providence,” one thinks the speakers are going to blow apart.

Grounding the thundering sound is Jack Bevan, a monster on the drum kit laying down behemoth, bone-rattling beats as well as the tight, mathematical, hi-hat rhythms that permeate the group’s work from the resounding heartbeat of “Olympic Airways” to the almost loop-like syncopated preciseness of “Red Socks Pugie.”

Each member is excellent instrumentally, with plenty of engaging energy in their performance, but no one steals the show like Philippakis. A true spark plug, he ignites everything with his energy that just won’t quit. He may be compact but he gets around, traipsing all corners of the stage, swinging around on the microphone stand, and tripping over speakers. Even with his thrilling crowd-dive during the earth-shaking rendition of “Inhaler,” it is Philippakis’ emoting voice, which went impressively from a whisper to an all out howl on the excellent “Late Night,” and his crying guitar riffs that are at the core of every song. It’s the airy, jangly, lightness of his playing, soaring over all the heavy underneath that give Foals songs their heartrending edge.

The entire 13-song set was met with roars of approval from the audience. A fanatic bunch, they seemed to know what every song was before the first note was even done ringing out, pumping their fists and dancing freely beneath the seizure-inducing lights. Despite the constant adoration, there were crowd favorites. The ultra-fun 80’s dance groove of “My Number” just does not quit, and had the whole crowd on its feet, while the anthemic “Mountain At My Gates” featured some of Philippakis’ best playing of the night, along with some revelatory bass-playing from Walter Gervers.

Whipping the crowd into a fevered frenzy, Foals saved the monstrous, arena-worthy “What Went Down” for part of their three-song encore and somehow made it even more dead-waking, which turned out to be a necessity after their absolutely decimating performance.

Novosti and Son Little opened the show.

A band I saw over 2 years ago opening for Kill Devil Hill, Eyes Set To Kill (ESTK), impressed me and I became a huge fan. This time, playing at Brick By Brick in San Diego, I wanted to shoot their show.

While being new to this venue, I didn’t know what to expect. But Brick By Brick’s accommodations and staff were amazing. Small in space yet open to catering to the rock crowd, I was really impressed with the lighting when ESTK took stage.

Using a prime lens for low light conditions I captured great action shots of singer Alexia’s passionate singing and her sister Anissa’s solid bass playing, her yellow hair flaring away. This was the main reason that got me intrigued by this band. Drummer Caleb is nothing but solid behind the kit propelling the group through songs off their last album “Masks” and a few new tunes. The band can really play!

I’ve seen this band a few times so I was familiar with what to expect. In my opinion, I think was one of my most successful shoots. I was constantly looking at the display of my camera and was impressed at how well each shot was coming out. I didn’t have to move around too much to get great compositions.

It’s such a rare experience when you’re able to shoot a great band at a great venue with a great staff. I’m looking forward to returning to Brick By Brick for other shows and obviously looking forward to Eyes Set To Kill’s return to Southern California.

Alternative 90’s indie rock band Failure introduced the sultry side of rock to the House of Blues Anaheim on Oct. 28, bringing alongside support acts Local H and …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.

The show started off with a flash-happy stagehand in a room filled with strobe lights. Local H drew in the crowd with rock hard beats and a rad rendition of the always fun “Shock the Monkey.” Even with the show just coming to a start, it was obvious the members were ready to shake the crowd, and the crowd definitely followed along, rocking in unison. Local H finished on a high note (and more bright lights) and heard a roar from the building crowd chanting, “encore!”

Once the next band, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead came on, it was obvious that the eclectic crowd knew what they were in store for. The band perfectly blended mellow with a metal style of music that was performed by their silhouetted bodies on the stage. I’ve got to say, the lighting, although distracting at some times, definitely played a role into the drama of the performances.

They sent the fans into a flashback of UK 80’s punk, reminiscent of the Sex Pistols sound with some of the most impressive drumming I’ve seen to date! Their best song of the night was surely “Catatonic,” which reached out to the angst-ridden punk junkies.

At last the crowd was pumped and ready to hear the headliner, getting antsy during intermission. But, once the music started the crowd grew silent, with a three-panel backdrop flashing the word we didn’t think would ever be as exciting – “FAILURE”.

Failure began with a whisper of lyrics and the image of a music video production. The lights were the most impressive during this, giving focus to the backdrops behind the band that featured dystopian themes of fire and lightning contrasted with the beauty of galactic images.

The music is an incredible mark on the alternative rock genre, managing to sound sexy and sultry, yet evil and sinister with only guitar chord progressions.

“A.M. Amnesia” was an immediate fall-in-love-with-music sort of song. It’s chilling sound left the audience lusting for more as members Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards and Kellii Scott faded out with “The space comes in, the space goes out…”

This show was something that all fans, and newcomers alike could agree was definitely not a failure.

Tobias Jesso Jr. is a goofball, a showman, and one talented dude. Taking the stage at The Fonda Theatre on Oct. 30 in a Bigfoot costume, Jesso provided a night of laughs, good music, and surprise guests, both real-deal and costumed. Since releasing his appropriately titled debut, “Goon” earlier this year, Jesso has become a critical darling, with his genuine and intimate style and an obvious gift for melody. The drawing of comparisons to 70’s tunesmiths like Paul McCartney and Randy Newman has become commonplace, serving as both a huge compliment and a description of Jesso’s sound.

What is lean and cozy on record was brought to life fully by The Duk Band, Jesso’s backing crew on the tour, who were dressed as the boy scouts to Jesso’s Bigfoot. Consisting of horns, a violin, guitars, and drums, Duk displayed the ability to change it up at a moment’s notice (a necessity with Jesso basically building his setlist from audience requests). Whether it was the Harry Nilsson-esque “Crocodile Tears” or an outstanding, on-the-fly cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya,” for which Jesso had to read the lyrics off of his phone, the band was tight, injecting necessary moxie into Jesso’s piano ballads and muted vocals.

Speaking of moxie, Jesso has it in spades. A natural entertainer, he filled out the slim setlist of 14 songs with plenty of jokes and antics, bringing out his manager Drake, who was dressed like “Hotline Bling”, talked about Duk’s drummer’s past as a child actor on “Monk,” and brought out an old buddy to do an incredible rendition of The Ghostbusters theme song. Each song was also given a “Halloween ending” consisting of dissonant chords and Jesso and Duk members howling and making ghost sounds, often providing hilarious results.

Just when it seemed the show couldn’t get any better, Jesso spotted the Haim sisters in the audience and brought them up on stage to do their hit, “Forever,” which never sounded so good. All three sisters dancing euphorically with Bigfoot was a sight to see, the kind of authentically spontaneous, once in a lifetime moment that makes live music so special.

Once Haim left the stage, Jesso couldn’t get over it. “That was the high point of the night. You’re going to want to go home now.” Definitely not giving himself proper credit, excellent renditions of “Leaving LA,” “Without You” and “The Wait” were played, as well as the poignant “Just A Dream.” Written to a future child, he dedicated it to an audience member’s son, saying “This one’s for Frankie,” and sweetly put his name throughout the lyrics.

“Hollywood,” earnest and plaintive, was a highlight for the crowd down on Hollywood Boulevard, and garnered huge applause before The Duk Band left the stage leaving Jesso alone to play the tender love song “True Love.” With an achingly lovely piano riff that uncannily recalls John Lennon’s post-Beatles home demos, it was a breathtaking moment. The band then rejoined Jesso for “How Could You Babe,” Jesso’s calling card which he delivered in an appropriately show-stopping fashion.

Jesso’s music is simple and heartfelt, beautiful on record, but potentially monotonous in a live setting. He avoids that trap with the The Duk Band live arrangements, and his own ultra charming stage presence. The Fonda show was a real night to remember, the kind that could become lore and legend if Jesso’s star continues to rise. And that seems most certain.

The show was opened by Wet.

Lead vocalist, Justin Hawkins began the night in a flashy black and white striped suit.

He ended it in his underwear.

With the temperature hovering close to 90 degrees Friday night at The Glass House in Pomona, British rockers The Darkness powered through the opening show of their first North American tour since 2012.

The absence of an opening act did little in hampering the mood of the crowd and as soon as the band graced the stage all was well.
The Darkness, comprised of Hawkins, his brother Dan (lead guitar), Frankie Poullain (bass) and Rufus Taylor (drums), got things started off with a lively performance of “Barbarian”, the opening track of the group’s latest album Last of Our Kind.

At the conclusion of the song, Hawkins began to slowly peel off his shirt in acknowledgement of the stifling heat.

“It’s fucking hot in here isn’t it?” Hawkins declared. “We are the mother fucking Darkness!”

Hawkins’ colorful onstage antics alone would be well worth the price of a ticket. His vigorous energy and over the top dance moves are not only entertaining but at times downright hilarious. There could’ve been a dozen people in the audience and you get the feeling he still would have brought the same fire and tenacity to his performance. As a front man, Hawkins understands his role and runs with it.

Even when he draws a mental blank and forgets the lyrics, as was the case with one of the band’s newest songs “Roaring Waters”, Hawkins managed to turn the potentially awkward situation into a humorous one.

“What’s the first line?” Hawkins asked the crowd. “I recently turned 28 so it might be my age.”

Complementing the band’s boisterous guitar solos and soaring falsettos was an effectively produced light show consisting of a wide range of different colors.

The Darkness concluded the main set with “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” arguably their most well known song. Following a brief five-minute break, the band returned to the stage for a three-song encore performance.

While Hawkins reappeared for the encore dressed in a plain white t-shirt, he quickly shed it along with his pants by the start of the final song of the night “Love on the Rocks With No Ice.”

Extending the song well beyond its six minute track listing, Hawkins hopped onto a movable platform and pointed to a member of the stage crew who subsequently pushed him through the crowd. Donning nothing more than a pair of boxer shorts, Hawkins marked the end of the show with what was surely a first, and possibly last, for many in the audience–a wandering underwear guitar solo.

Midway through Beth Hart’s performance at The House of Blues in Anaheim, the woman standing behind me couldn’t help but ask her friend a question.

“Isn’t she amazing?” she muttered. “Absolutely incredible.”

Over the course of her 90-minute set on Wednesday night, Hart was exactly that.

With the backing of her band mates–lead guitarist Jon Nichols, bassist Bob Marinelli, guitarist P.J. Barth and drummer Bill Ransom, Hart danced around the stage and serenaded the crowd with her fiery, impassioned voice.

Matt Andersen, who served as the opening act, was in a sense Hart’s male counterpart. Taking the stage with nothing more than his acoustic guitar, Andersen delivered his own robust voice to the awaiting crowd for nearly half an hour.

Just as the crowd began to grow anxious, the curtains peeled away at precisely 9 p.m. and Hart got immediately to work with a rousing rendition of “Can’t Let Go.” Hart didn’t say more than a quick ‘thank you’ to the audience in between her first few songs, almost as if she was wordlessly relaying a message to the crowd of ‘we can talk later but first check this out.’

Following her fourth song of the night “I’ll Take Care of You”, Hart’s husband Scott Guetzkow walked onto the stage and surprised his wife with a quick kiss, resulting in a thunderous applause from the crowd. Guetzkow, who also serves as his wife’s tour manager, has often been described by Hart as being a pivotal figure in helping overcome her drug addiction and sobriety.

As the concert progressed, so did Hart’s voice, gradually amplifying in a controlled yet compelling manner. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of witnessing Hart on stage isn’t necessarily her presence but the genuine vibe she emits. While performing is something she obviously has a special relationship with, you never get the feeling she takes herself too seriously, a problem some artists are guilty of.

All three of Hart’s guitarists complimented her voice effectively as well, understanding when and how to play in a style that never stole the stage from the front woman.

Undoubtedly the finest moments of the concert came when it was reduced to simply Hart and her piano. Beginning with “Bang Bang Boom Boom”, she launched head first into a string of her strongest and most fan friendly songs. By the time she was ready to play “Better Than Home”, Hart offered a brief word of advice to her fans.

“If you’re afraid of something…definitely do it.”

Hart’s husband made his second appearance of the night a short time later following “My California”, a song written about her complicated past with her hometown of LA.

“I always wanted to be on the road and stay away but he made me feel back in love with it again,” she told the audience while embracing her husband.

Before the audience could even get a steady chant of ‘Encore!’ going, Hart and her band mates were back on stage, less than two minutes from the final note of the concluding song of the concert.
After giving the crowd three more songs, she pointed to her father on the second floor and ended the night with a bow.
The quick stop in Orange County was one of Hart’s final shows in America before she heads off for a month-long European tour beginning in November.