It’s a good thing the Specials made it into Los Angeles before the volcanic ash cloud grounded all flights from the UK, or there would be a squadron of California boot boys swimming across the ocean to beat the crap out of Iceland right now. The atmosphere inside an unusually tightly-clamped Club Nokia fifteen minutes before showtime was tense and hot, as hundreds of patrons were ushered up to the balcony due to overcrowding downstairs, only to find that every seat had been filled. Lots of them looked like they might have a go with the security, or each other, as they roamed the aisles, ready to eat someone alive in order to take their spot. But as the band took the stage and hit the opening notes of “Do The Dog”, all the tension diffused as the balcony began to bounce up and down and people partied where they stood. more ›

How good is Oreskaband, the all-girl teenage Japanese ska band? They're so good that after two weeks of non-stop rocking blogging and partying at SXSW in Austin (highlighted by our first exposure to Oreskaband at their show at the Elysium), and after a stressful flight home, instead of taking a break from rock shows we landed in LA, unpacked, and hit the Knitting Factory to see our favorite new discovery play again at Japan... more ›