Hip hop and strippers brought to you by The 87 Stick Up Kids

Last night I set out to see Intuition lay it down at Crazy Girls (the strip club) in Hollywood. This was my first experience being a patron of such a fine establishment. Contrary to popular belief, I have never set foot in a strip club until last night. It was pretty mellow and mild as far as the girls were concerned...a lot of fun really. I'm a fan of burlesque, but this was much more obvious than a saucy burlesque show. Aside from my shoes sticking to the floor it really wasn't anything like I had pictured it to be. While the hip hop show was the main draw for me the girls definitely helped with the ambiance. They all looked like they could easily be suicide girls especially my favorite Miss Malice. It was kind of like being in a rap video LOL.

When I arrived at Crazy Girls I walked straight to the back of the club where there was a merch table and asked about the other artists performing that night. I had never heard of The 87 Pick Up Kids before last night and it was their merch table that I wondered over to. They eagerly tried to explain what their style of music was and then I just decided to buy the EP. I often spend $5 bucks on a cup of coffee so why not spend that on some local independent talent. The 87 Pick Up Kids are made up of Deacon, Nashville, Squishy, and DJ Rockwell and their EP is titled Out 4 Fame. I spent some time chattin it up with DJ Rockwell about MC's, influences, and his personal style while watching the girls shake their money makers.



Intuition was first up on the line up and he killed it. The girls were on stage dancing and flirting with him during his set which made it even better. Next up was King Fantastic with some gritty and grimy beats and hard hitting lyrics. They weren't quite as playful with the girls, but gangster as f**k! And last but not least, The 87 Stick Up Kids brought the house down. Their big & bouncy booty shaking beats got the crowd movin and shakin along with all the lovely stripper ladies. Not to mention the diverse rap style of all the MC's that mix together perfectly to make a delicious hip hop smoothie. They were playful, silly, and wildin' out. These boys are clearly overflowing with love for hip hop. When I left the show I instantly popped the EP in the CD player and I had to listen to it on full blast. The influences of the Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, NAS, and De La Soul are strong in the Out 4 Fame EP. Honestly the best $5 dollars I've spent in long time and such a happy accident.




The 87 Stick Up Kids are holdin down a residency at Crazy Girls once a month I believe. If you don't have an aversion to strip clubs and you've got $10 bucks to go to a great local show, you should definitely make it out to see these guys. Check out their website to get a taste and get info on upcoming shows www.the87stickupkids.com.

It’s a School Night with Voxhaul Broadcast and Robotanists at Bardot

LA natives Voxhaul Broadcast stole the show Monday night at Bardot with their incredibly abundant energy and engrossing sound. Delivering an infectious set that was saturated with powerful and passionate vocals layered over psychedelic guitars. David Dennis (lead vox/guitar) possesses amazing range and sounds like Jeff Buckley reincarnate with a dash of Hamilton Leithauser from The Walkmen. Pouring every ounce of their hearts into each and every song.



The band is as tight as a sailor’s knot with a very charming stage presence while they engaged with the audience in banter. Almost every person in the place was on their feet and bouncing around. Voxhaul Broadcast is comparative to the old school 70’s progressive jam bands with a definite surf rock vibe. It’s clear that they are influenced by the music of The Doors and The Beach Boys. A layer of soul floats on top of Voxhaul Broadcast like whipped cream on a sundae.

The Robotanists closed the set out with a more melodic style reminiscent of Radiohead with a female singer. A little electro pop synth mixed in underneath lead vocals of the sun kissed bleached blonde Sara E. Deblanke. Drawing the audience in like kittens to a saucer of milk. The mike stand covered with a strand of sparkling star shaped Christmas lights that danced to the beat of every song.



At Bardot it feels almost like the band is playing a private show in your living room. Crimson walls surround the lush vintage style couches and armchairs scattered throughout. As soon as you make your way up the staircase to the club that sits atop Avalon, you are transcended to another place in time. Chris Douridas (kcrw), MFG, and Valida present School Night every Monday at Bardot and it’s free if you RSVP at www.itsaschoolnight.com.

FYF FEST at Los Angeles State Historic Park on 09/04/10

Check it out on TicketWeb - FYF FEST at Los Angeles State Historic Park on 09/04/10

The line up for this is absolutely amazing! And right in my very own back yard. If you live in the LA area and you're into indie music at all, you kind of have to go to FYF Fest. This will be right after Sunset Junction as well. The summer is ripe with luscious live music all around.

Grieves & Budo - Cloud Man

I'm just finding out about Grieves & Budo and can't believe I didn't find out about them sooner. They will be supporting Atmosphere with Blueprint on the To All My Friends Tour beginning September 8. Grieves mellifluous voice is layerd smooth on top of the eclectic beats and live instrumental accompaniment provided by Budo. The song Cloud Man is somewhat of a detour from their previous sound, but this is the song that hooked me into google searching all damn day! They provide a very diverse collection across the board and lyrically cut deep enough to make a wicked flesh wound. Check it out and enjoy!

Intuition, serves everyone well!

I went to a little show at a hole in the wall in Echo Park last night and discovered this guy Intuition. Hailing from Alaska, he’s a white guy covered in tattoos with a shaved head and somewhat resembles a young Henry Rollins. His voice is soulful and emotive while he spits tales about booty calls, future ex’s, his love of California, and a kismet connection to Otis Redding on his album Girls Like Me that dropped earlier this year. The beats remind me of something straight out of the early 90’s hip hop scene. Bumpy, jazzy, sweet, and chill. Lyrically witty and intelligent with humor laced throughout. Some of the songs are a bit explicit so if you are squeamish with stuff like curse words, this may not be your cup of tea. His honesty and talent far outweigh the naughty bits in this album. I, for one, love the naughty bits!

The player above is from the album I Ruined These Songs For You that came out in March 2010 available as a free download on his website.

About the album from Intuition:

Remember when you used to make actual tapes for your friends, or a girl you liked? You'd spend hours trying to come up with the right songs in the right order, trying to appease your friend's preferences but show your tastes as well. This side project uses that exact idea, but takes it one step farther. I took a collection of 11 songs that I love (no rap music), songs that I think fans of any type of music would love, and I added a verse to each. I didn't chop the songs up and flip the samples for brownie points. I didn't try to make something new out of these songs. I just tried to leave the original songs alone as much as I could, and added one verse over each song to make it seem as if I was invited into the studio with the band to collaborate. All of these collaborations are, of course, unauthorized, but I tried to make each verse as relevant to the songs' original lyrics as I possibly could. The genres range from classic soul to modern indie rock, with a little bit of everything sprinkled in between. Some of the songs might be very familiar to you, and others may not, but I feel that I've added a nice little compliment to each of them (you might think I ruined them though). Enjoy.

www.intuition.bandcamp.com

Maxence Cyrin - Where Is My Mind (The Pixies Piano Cover)

Bon Iver - Skinny Love (Music Video)