Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
My Little Underground w/ Evan Way, Sarah Negahdari, Timothy James, Andrew Spitser & Mikel Jollett @ Bordello, 7/8/08
()
Last night, the frontpeople for five of the best bands in the local indie music scene, Evan Way from The Parson Redheads (MySpace), Sarah Negahdari from The Happy Hollows (MySpace), Timothy James from The Movies (MySpace), Andrew Spitser from Radars To The Sky (MySpace), and Mikel Jollett from The Airborne Toxic Event (MySpace), participated in the inaugural edition of My Little Underground at Bordello (MySpace) in Downtown LA.
The show was presented by Travis Woods from Web In Front and Mouse from Classical Geek Theatre, and with LA-Underground, Joe Fielder from Radio Free Silver Lake, JAX from Rock Insider, Elaine Layabout, and Kevin Bronson in the audience, not to mention a Squaregirl manning the DJ booth, the music blogger contingent was impressive.
Besides bandmembers from The Happy Hollows (aka "The Sad Solids"), The Movies, and Radars To The Sky supporting their respective frontpeople onstage, among those in attendance were bandmembers from The Airborne Toxic Event, The Afternoons (MySpace), The Henry Clay People (MySpace), The Monolators (MySpace), and The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra (MySpace), not to mention music photographer Simon Cardoza (MySpace).
Support for LAist comes from
Not only were original songs performed (Jollett explained after some prompting that his audience was originally a neighbor's cat), but stripped-down versions of band favorites (e.g. The Movies' "When I Was In 'Nam" and "Missed Opportunities") and covers (e.g. Way's Red House Painters, Negahdari's "Heart Of Gold" by Neil Young, James' "Clouds" by Joni Mitchell). According to JAX, "The standout performance of the night though was Mr Tim James of The Movies. Part comedy, part vaudeville, part drunken tomfoolery - Tim had the audience in stiches from start to finish and positively SLAYED a cover of Joni Mitchell's 'Clouds.'" Indeed, he started his set by the bar with a cover of The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", asked a woman in the audience to sit by him onstage, and even ad-libbed during one of his songs that "By the way, 9/11 was an inside job." All without a setlist and entirely improvised, yet completely entertaining.
More after the jump.
Afterwards, Jollett answered, when asked why he selflessly goes out of his way to praise other local bands and music bloggers, with the very succinct "karma," but no, there's more to it than just that. There's a network of astonishingly talented musicians out here who genuinely respect and support each other, practically like family, and to see that comraderie and warmth last night was extremely refreshing, especially given the cutthroat nature of the music industry. Which is why the show felt like an intimate coffee house or "living room" performance, with Way gushing that "I'm excited to play with my friends," Negahdari explaining that "This is experimental night, we're all friends here," and James confiding that "I'm so fucking nervous right now" and "I haven't played a guitar in ten years."
Woods and Mouse mentioned that they'd like to make My Little Underground a regular event, but the only problem is that bar was set so high last night that it's going to be extremely tough to beat. But that's a good thing.
Special thanks to Evan Way, Sarah Negahdari, Timothy James, Andrew Spitser, Mikel Jollett, Web In Front, Classical Geek Theatre, and Bordello.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago. -
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
Best of LAist