Joshua Pressman

Fuck Yeah Fest has officially ended and it was Fuck Yeah-tastic. I was on my feet for nearly seven hours, regularly traversing Sunset Blvd to see eleven bands perform on Saturday. Between eight rolls of film and hundreds of digital pictures, this is day one through my lens....

On a Thursday night in Los Feliz, the dudes who throw on the Fuck Yeah Fest set aside an hour to sit on a stoop and have a lengthy, convoluted conversation with me. Despite the perpetual interruptions and digression, I arrived at a very straightforward conclusion. Keith Morris (of Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, and Midget Handjob) and Sean Carlson are two friends who are real characters. They hate doing interviews, they love ice...

Earlimart Mentor Tormentor Majordomo Records released August 21st, 2007 Let me be the first to say that this year will be huge for LA bands. I've written about the not-so obvious, Acute, and the obvious, Sea Wolf. Despite their associations, Earlimart fits in with the former category, but not for long. Their forthcoming album Mentor Tormentor is a prodigious effort that links them to various well-known Los Angeles musicians. The connections begin with The...

I was walking along the infamous stretch of head shops and happen to stumble upon this spectacle. Tons of spectators gathered as these dudes lifted a cross-legged plastic man into the back of a convertible. Classic. I was completely bewildered by this bizarre procession. Was I in Venice Beach? Was I on the planet earth? Definitely fit for a caption contest of sorts....

Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton What Is Free to a Good Home? Last Gang Records released, July 24, 2007 Emily Haines' (of Metric) latest EP What is Free to a Good Home? is by far her greatest solo work to date. I've always felt that her debut full length Knives Don't Have Your Back was hit or miss, mostly the latter. I expect a lot from Ms. Haines. The songs just weren't as hard...

Last night marked the first time in nearly two years that Rilo Kiley has perfomed live. Between Jenny Lewis' and Blake Sennett's side projects and recording their hotly anticipated forthcoming album Under the Blacklight, it's clear they simply haven't had the time. Despite the occasional, somewhat expected blunders, Rilo Kiley rocked a set consisting of half old and half new material. Eagle Rock's own All Star Lanes hosted their first show ever as a...

If you haven't made your daily Rilo Kiley Myspace check, then you've missed some important news. As a part of the continuing Myspace Secret Shows series, Rilo Kiley will be playing tonight at the All Star Lanes bowling alley in Eagle Rock. Ahh, good ole All Star Lanes. I've spent many a night there drinking, bowling, and laughing at the karaoke regulars. It will always hold a fond place in my heart. My advice...

I'm not quite sure what lured me into going to see Hanson. I saw an e-mail about it, contemplated replying with a not-so-elaborate joke at their expense, and quickly snagged the opportunity without thinking twice. However, when I called my friend to jokingly present the Hanson show as a concert option for the night she vehemently lurched at it. I began to think twice. Apparently, I was completely unaware of her Hanson phase. I'm...

Last Saturday evening, the overwhelmingly beautiful, Audrey Hepburn-esque Annie Clark, a.k.a St. Vincent, performed a stellar set of songs from her latest Beggars Banquet release Marry Me. I've watched her play solo via the internet before, but her independent renditions just don't do her record justice. For the first time, Clark nearly duplicated the orchestral vibe strewn throughout her debut album, incorporating sampling and the backing of a three-piece band. I'm beginning to believe...

I'm pretty sure that this qualifies as the WTF of the day, maybe even of the week. My mother called me moments ago to impart something "bizarre". Bizarre indeed. Apparently, a woman told her that she saw a missing poster with her name on it. I do a quick Google search and it turns out to be true. Someone hijacked my mom's name...for a terrible movie? The film Where is Amy Pressman? involves a...