greenmachine

Ok, so I just moved to LA a few months ago.  Yea I am one of many who have moved out to Sunny LA in search of stardom, Im a musician/producer (And studying Recording Engineering just so I can be a little more well rounded) who has a great fall back plan if music doesnt work out. Acting.  Right… but seriously music and acting has been all I studied in college. I like to live dangerously.  ANYWAY, I moved to LA from St. Louis, MO. the city of everything, but nothing really all that great.  And I have to say that I have found a bit of solace in one thing not changing a bit from St. Louis to LA.  Local music is freaking random and weird.   Not to say that the music itself is random and weird, but just the scene.  I went to this bar last night called “Witches Brew” to see a band who wants me to fill in for one of the players sometimes (Plug for Maxwell Smart).  The bar is tended by two young ladies and one gentleman, all three wearing all black, tattoos everywhere, the two females are also sporting festive colored fishnets, and its as stereotypical “Witchey” as I couldn’t have imagined.   What really strikes me is as I walk in I hear the shrill obnoxious voice of some, not pleasent on the eyes, (Im sorry if you find this offensive, but I mean come on, guys watch the pussy cat dolls music videos all the time [on mute]) females “voice” as she plunks (trust me that is the most accurate description “Plunk”) a single note on here guitar over and over again.  Not my cup of tea exactly, and usually I concede that to it being my own personal taste.  But trust me this was just bad.  I almost left before even hearing my possible employer.  I thought how could this girl be playing here?  Then came the band I was waiting to see (Maxwell Smart), a punk/ska band with complete horn line. Hurah! Ska isnt dead.  And they dive right into it with a great rock tune and full horn harmonies.  Again, you wouldnt have thought to see a band in a venue with such a “Witch” theme, but those in attendance (Especially tall scary female bartender) seemed to really dig the whole thing.  My take on Maxwell Smart.  Good band, probably a 6.  They have the ability and the fundamentals. Great horn lines filling in the harmonies and playing good lead lines.  Solid Bass player laying down a great foundation.  Lyrics were NOT cheesy or sappy, or just awkward.  What brings them down in the rankings though?  Not a lot of variety, the start out intense, and really have no where up or down to go from there, everything was kind of the same in that respect.  Also that is musically where they falter too. The drums especially “Im going to rock your face off!!!” the whole time and no one in the band really uses a subtle yet affective trick in music called “Dynamics”!!!! If your a musician, and dont know that word. LOOK IT UP.  And I couldnt tell if the house sound system just sucked or if the lead singer was really as messy sounding as he sounded (did that make sense) so I want to see them again to decide that one for sure or not, but I wasnt really impressed by him. I love the fact though that you can go into a venue which already gives you an idea of what your going to hear, hear something completely different from your initial opinion, and then see another band next at the same place who isnt what you initially expected coming into the place, or even expected to hear after hearing the first performer.  I also truly am glad to see that live music is still alive and kicking. That is my biggest thing. Matter of fact I might make that my next blog. Keep local music alive! 

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