Coachella Weekend 1

Courtesy of Maryshaw16.

Surely by now all the dust is finally out of your mouth. And hair. And clothes.

All that lingers is the blissful memories of the music you witnessed over the first Coachella weekend?

First, a disclaimer. I didn't attend. But I'm doing what so many other social media mavens seem to be doing: commenting on the action as if I were there. After all, all weekend long, youtube and Coachella itself ran wonderful streams of the music playing. I watched much of those three days, and that's what I'm reporting on.

I also manned the social media desk, and monitored much Coachella activity, just to get a feel of what others were going through.

Just to show you that I'm not alone in all this, at least HALF of the photos that I perused on Twitter were people showing their fancy big TV setup on which they, too, were viewing the action at Coachella.

Let it be known that easily half of the music performed was not on the stream. Thus, I was not privy to the blissful music of LA favorite IO Echo, nor did I see the long-awaited reunion show of The Three O'Clock (though I did hear Sky Daniels wonderful interview with them on KCSN on Monday afternoon). I also was not privy to photos of the extremely sparse attendance of the Friday headliner, Stone Roses.

And, just like at the real Coachella, you cannot (physically cannot) see everything. Although some people described how they had three browser windows open, watching all three streams at once, I preferred to (as I would do if I were there) pick a band I liked and watch what they had to offer. So the following list is by no means comprehensive.

It smacks of Miche's preferential treatment, just seeking out bands I know I'm going to like, and ignoring those COUGHFranzFerdinandCOUGH I'm well over.

There were some surprises.

First, the WORST of the weekend's Coachella offerings.

Let me say this, Coachella itself keeps getting pricier and pricier. If you don't know this, you had to purchase all three days (not to mention the lodging to go with it), and the gas to drive out there. Coachella is no poor man's walk in the park. And for that money, you expect at least ONE headliner is going to knock your socks off. From what I've heard, the only thing knocked off was clothing that blew away in Sunday's wind and dust storms.

Here are the ones I perused that I just didn't like.

I tripped over Wu Tang Clan, whom many were raving about and which reportedly had huge crowds (hoping beyond hope for that ODB hologram which never appeared). But Wu Tang Clan is not my kind of music, so I didn't stay there long.

In the "boring me to tears" category, there was James Blake, Of Monsters and Men, Modest Mouse and The Postal Service, who commented that they weren't really a band. Sure seemed accurate. Worst offenders, though, were Polica.

Mister Shovel, at KCSN, has a real uncanny knack of always finding a band's hit song. KCSN, in fact, is playing a Polica song which is great. I love it. However, this band, in concert, was DREADFUL. No stage presence whatsoever. One of those bands who spend too much time in the studio and not enough on tour. BLECH. Hated it.

Even worse, though, was the return of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now, I admit. I'm more of a film and TV geek. I pretty much am clueless about band members and their names. I am. So I spent the first few songs wondering where the hell Dave Navarro was. I actually even looked it up on Wikipedia. Apparently, he left the band in 1998. Well, that's when the poetry left then, cause man, they were really lacking whatever it was that made them great. I couldn't even watch more than a couple songs. AWFUL.

Thankfully, there were many more bands whom I either liked or truly loved. I put together a ranking of the Top 12, based both on music presented, and flexibility from their normal show to the venue. One must take in one's surroundings and work accordingly.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, Metric, Grizzly Bear, Japandroids, Dinosaur Jr., Social Distortion, Cafe Tacvba, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra

DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE: The XX, Janelle Monae, How to Destroy Angels, Eric someone that everyone was raving about, Blur, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dead Can Dance, Spiritualized

MIA: Lou Reed, who backed out

Without further ado:

Coachella's Top 12, Weekend 1

12. SPARKS
I love love love Sparks. They have been around forever, and I have loved them (no joke) since my cousin Julian first gave me one of their albums in 1968. I saw them again at a recent show in Los Angeles, and they were wonderful. For Coachella, they decided to strip down to just the two main masterminds. I am not sure about this decision. Or, for that matter, how well they play at Coachella in general. They are on this list because I love them. But I think the crowd that witnessed them pretty much left scratching their heads.

11. LOCAL NATIVES
A band I love from listening to Mister Shovel's "City of Night" show on KCSN. They are local (to LA). And they are great. Really enjoyed their show. Check out their music, if you can.

10. FATHER JOHN MISTY
Mister Shovel again alerted us to this incredible musical talent, another local native. Watching him was just a revelation. His music incredible. His full beard very en vogue at the moment. His songs, his lyrics just wondrous. Not to be missed anywhere he plays.

9. TANLINES
I actually first heard this band on Mister Shovel's side radio project, Radio Free Indie, then heard them again on City of Night and KCSN in general. Can't get their music out of my head, they were also very fun to watch. The term "catchy tune" was made for these guys.

8. ALT J
Now, pretty much the music I follow is the stuff Mister Shovel has played. That's pretty much it. And I don't recall him ever playing or mentioning Alt J. I'm not sure why I landed on him, but I did, and he was wonderful. Great music. I really want to check out more of his stuff. The crowd seemed to be really into him (and more aware of his music than I was).

7. PHOENIX
Surely when people talk about this first weekend of Coachella, one of the big hits is/was Phoenix. Although many in the Twitterverse seemed to not know they are French, everyone seemed to really dig their vibe. And their surprise guest. (No, not Daft Punk, whom everyone was rumoring, but never happened.) Phoenix, a definite hit.

6. HOT CHIP
Hot Chip is one of those rare bands who play Coachella more than once. The first time I saw them, at Coachella a few years ago, I was blown away. This time, they were good, but not superb. But they are the kind of band that Coachella should have back year after year, they really fit the vibe.

5. STARS
This band was kind of a stumble upon thing. Started watching them in between other things, and they were so great I couldn't turn them off. Really enjoyed their music, their presentation, the lead female singer, all of it.

4. TAME IMPALA
I know this is getting to be redundant, but I heard them first on Radio Free Indie, then on City of Night, then on KCSN. Loved every single song they played. Could be seen muttering, "Tame Impala. WOW," over and over, through their entire set. So freaking good it's painful.

3. AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT
Man, oh man. This band, I first heard on Mister Shovel's Check One Two program, on Indie 103.1 FM. I remember when they, one Christmas, decided they wanted to play an acoustic version of a new number they had for him. A little ditty called "Sometime Around Midnight." From that moment to this one, they've become huge rock stars, traveled and traversed the world a couple times or more. Sweet Anna Bulbrook now has this Parisian blonde tinge to her hair, always gorgeous. Lead singer Mikel has survived a couple of deaths of those close to him. And here we are, now, at Coachella.

This time around, they are gracing the main stage, not the Outdoor as they were last time. Unfortunately, they have a very early set time. They really should've been put on later. (You know how certain bands just lend themselves to a darkness? ATE is one such band, IMHO.) But there they were, in the bright sunlight, with Anna bouncing onto the bass player's shoulders.

Gosh, it was just so great to see them. They are fantastic. I have loved them every time I've seen them. This time is no different. And "Sometime Around Midnight" still makes me cry. Every time. LOVED them.

2. GRINDERMAN
Now, you will notice (in my list of bands I hated and these bands I loved) that nowhere did I list Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, whom I also watched. Nick Cave, you see, had two bands at Coachella. Grinderman was Friday. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was Sunday.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was too much of a downer for me. I love them normally, and loved the parts of the video I was watching of his LA concert recently. But some of his music (this music) was just really dark. Not just sad and somber but kinda scary. I wasn't into it.

But Grinderman, which also walked the line of dark places, even seedy moments... was just better. Maybe it was just the "No P***y Blues" which spoke to me. I dunno. I just LOVED Grinderman.

The kids' choir and all the scary dark lyrics just didn't fit the location or the venue or the people there. So Grinderman gets on the list, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds don't.

The number one act to me is also a total shock to me. In fact, I was at the end of my evening, waiting for another band to start up on a channel, and I thought, eh. I guess I'll check them out for a minute. I watched every song. THEY WERE PHENOMENAL.

1. ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVERS IN THE DARK (aka OMD)
Phenomenal. Wait, wait, seriously, I first heard them on Mister Shovel's radio station in the 80s, called WLBS. They were so much of that time, that gnarly 80s time. I still have vinyl of them from that time. But what shocked me was how bloody current they sound today. Song after song after song. They sounded the most modern of anyone. They just stunned me with how great their music still is.

And their performance was also amazing. The lead singer was dancing the way we danced in the 80s, and truth to tell, the way I still dance now. It was very comforting. But it also fit this very modern music.

OMD just blew my mind. I still cannot get over how great they were. So for me, OMD were, far and away, the standout of the first weekend of Coachella.

Let's see who gets the prize next weekend!~ ;-)

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LobsterFest Braves Heat with Great Music

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NOTE: All LobsterFest music (except the first KROQ band winner) curated by Mark Sovel, aka @MisterShovel.
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The annual LobsterFest in San Pedro is many things to many people. To some, it's a chance to eat massive amounts of lobster and drink lots of beer. To others, they are there to take their sweetie on a few rides and have some food.

To me (and increasingly to other music cognoscenti), it's about the music. Mr. Shovel's music, to be specific.

Anyone who knows Mark Sovel, aka Mr. Shovel, from Indie 103 (its beloved music director) or his Internet radio project, Radio Free Indie, or from his now must-listen astounding music show every Saturday night from 7-10 pm on Sky Daniels' reinvigorated KCSN (City of Night), knows that his music choices are unique and a quite bit of genius.

On his radio show, you never know if it's going to be a local band, a new artist or a "legend," but whatever the mix, it's intriguing. So, too, with LobsterFest.

I have been dipping my foot into the LobsterFest mix in the past few years, sometimes just going Saturday. Then the last couple years, both Saturday and Sunday. But I know that, for me, I need to hear City of Night from the first note to the last. I need to hear the music composition that Mr. Shovel compiles in its totality.

This year, I made a commitment to hearing LobsterFest from nearly the first note to the last. Listening to every band (I missed the KROQ band winners who were first and also Sara Radle, but other than that, I heard every band). Here are my observations of the weekend.

FRIDAY NIGHT

I'm glad that I missed the only non-Shovel-chosen band of the fest, makes it more pure somehow. My LobsterFest kicked off with Indie favorite Great Northern.

I have long loved their music, but their stage show continues to evoke all the passion of a couple who play music together. It was intense and dramatic. Amazing how two people alone on a stage can whip up such an intense presentation. Loved them, and it was a very fitting beginning.

They were followed by another Radio Free Indie favorite, Races.

They gave a lighter presentation, more of a breather after Great Northern. They were frothy and fun.

Last of the night were local favorite Saint Motel. Here's where Shovel's expertise comes in. Each night, the evening ended (as one would want it to) with an anticipated flavor. A band with a following, which would leave you happily remembering their music as you walked out.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

The theme of Friday night was "Locals Only." All three local bands. All three very different flavors of music, but all hot and worth watching. Saint Motel has a big following with the ladies (being a band of hot young guys).

I loved how this picture turned out: Guys onstage. Girls watching them. Says it all.

SATURDAY

Saturday was about two things: the heat. (Dear GOD, the HEAT!!!!) And the ladies.

For a long time, I was under the misimpression that women's music didn't factor into Mr. Shovel's choices often. I officially and publicly take that statement back. Cause there it was, from Sara Radle to kick it off on Saturday to the huge finish with the Dum Dum Girls (with the stunning Lili Hayden in the middle), Saturday was about all flavors of women.

Oh, and here's another wonderful thing about this year's LobsterFest: in between acts, Mr. Shovel announced all the bands. It gave the whole event a professional cohesion, and made you feel like he was welcoming us to his home with some personally selected music.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

(One sincerely hopes that the management continues this tradition.) Shovel gave us little tidbits about each band (as he does on his radio show).

With Davis Fetter, for example, the second act of the day, he enlightened us that Mr. Fetter's previous band was one we knew and loved from Indie: Venus Infers.

A strong submission. I look forward to hearing more from him.

Here's another thing I've come to learn about the music at Mr. Shovel's LobsterFest. There will be plenty of bands I don't know. (Much as on his radio show.) But by now, Mr. Shovel has made a name around town (and around the world) with his taste-making choices. So I knew that even the bands with strange sounding names were going to be an enjoyable experience.

Here's the first such: Damselles and TC4. Never heard of 'em. But WOW. Wait. Let me show you.

Note where the crowd is (in the shade). The line before them where the sun begins was blistering heat. Blistering. As the shade moved up, the crowd moved up. It was quite comical. Very nearly unbearable, and I'm sure it affected attendance.

Ah, but back to Damselles and TC4:

Those red-hot mamas in their red fringe dresses and lobster hats knocked me out with their sweet harmonies. And the guys in the band were all wearing lobster ties. It was sweetness. So perky, so wonderful. It made the heat much easier to bear.

So remember that name: Damselles and TC4. Another thing about  bands that play LobsterFest (thanks to Mr. Shovel): you'll often see them later on Jimmy Kimmel or Letterman, as they shoot to the top. So actually, remember all these bands' names.

One last shot of the cheeky young lasses:

Loved them.

One such band (soon shooting to stardom, likely) is Youngblood Hawke. As you can see here:

Their hot, touseld-hair singer led a raucous rock set. They were so on fire, at one point, their power blew out.

I had very few quibbles with the presentation of acts at this year's LobsterFest. By and large, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. One such quibble though was with Taiko Project. Mind you, Taiko Project were at last year's LobsterFest. They took my (and everyone else's) breath away. They are a stunning group, an amazing display of musicianship and choreography showcasing the poetry of taiko drumming.

When I spoke of last year's LobsterFest to friends, invariably, they were the first group I mentioned.

So I was really looking forward to seeing them again this year.

What I discovered, though, is that with the combination of the sunshine (beating down) and the heat (even more beating down)... the magic of Taiko Project was lost. They are a band which needs to be seen under cover of darkness, when everyone is quiet and paying attention. People chatting and walking around really doesn't lend itself to seeing Taiko Project.

That said, they are worth seeing, and seeking out.

One of the highlights of this year's LobsterFest, that I'll be speaking about when I talk about it to friends between now and next year's LobsterFest is Lili Hayden. I always had a vague memory of liking her music, but I wasn't sure why, other than I'd heard Mr. Shovel play her. She left an indelible impression this time.

In his introduction, Mr. Shovel spoke about how George Clinton (Parliament Funkadelic) referred to her as "the Jimi Hendrix of violin." Pretty high praise, that. As she was about to prove, well warranted. Wow.

So many things about this performance.

First, on the right side of the stage, there was a guy who continuously painted. Art, during the show. It was amazing.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

But the other art, the music, was just as amazing. Her violin, her voice, her singers. All in all, a stunning and incredible musicianship on display.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

Even now, thinking about how great Lili Hayden was, just makes me swoon. A real highlight. (Photo below, courtesy of Leah Saga.)

Then, to balance her powerful femininity, a whallop of maleness with local boys No.
As the freighters rolled by, No's rock knocked us out.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

At dinner, the night before, my friend and I had been discussing this concept of the "supergroup" (a band made up of members of other bands). The next band, JJAMZ, is such a band. A supergroup. Indie 103 fans will remember Z from The Like (who played Indie's first Christmas party). Others may cotton to the Maroon 5 member of the band. Well, wherever they came from, I love JJAMZ as it is.

Z brought her own brand of girlish femininity, speaking about her transparent top that she spilled water on (girlish giggle). JJAMZ was also quite memorable.

 Many of these bands have their songs prominently playing on Radio Free Indie right now (which I listen to constantly). But of them, JJAMZ's Heartbeat is one of the catchiest. I find myself humming it constantly. Their live peformance of this hit did not disappoint.

As you peruse the crowd throughout the LobsterFest day, you see plenty of people in shorts and just trying to stay cool. Every once in awhile though, you see someone and just know that they have to be in a band. When the statuesque blonde with the black stockings sauntered through, I had such a thought.

Sure enough, she turned out to be the lead singer in Dum Dum Girls. (There was a lot of the blonde, brunette, redhead thing between the girl singers. Not sure if that was intentional, or just happened that way.)

So while Friday brought out the hipster LA crowd, Dum Dum Girls brought out the alternative set. Like the boys of Saint Motel the night before, the Girls of Dum Dum pleased the crowd immensely.

(JJAMZ and Dum Dum Girls photos courtesy of Leah Saga) 

SUNDAY

I got there early on Sunday, as the empty chairs still lingered in the audience. I knew the first band was Neveready. The only thing I'd heard about the band was that "someone's son" was in the band. Which automaticallly makes me cringe and prepare for the worst. But then I figured out that said someone was none other than radio god and San Diego legend Mike Halloran (now at 91X again). So I vowed to suspend judgment and disbelief. Still, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come.

By now, everyone was used to Mr. Shovel announcing all the bands.

But there was this guy on stage, whom the promo guy said was "our lead guitar tech, Lil Buddy." If I'd thought about this for a moment (having seen more than half the bands, and never seen this guy before, I would've thought... how odd... but I didn't). OK. Sure.

The guy kinda looks like Gilligan, wearing a red shirt and white sailor's hat. He's testing the equipment, saying things into the microphones like "syphillis." (Hm, ok.)

"Lil Buddy" looks like he's about to walk offstage, as the band comes parading up through the crowd, playing their instruments. Then Lil Buddy too, takes up a guitar, and starts jamming and the ruse is revealed.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

You may not have had your coffee yet, but by this time in Sunday's festivities, I'll tell you, Neveready got your eyes open.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

They were by far the most choreographed of any band that played this LobsterFest. They were engaging with the crowd, making one poor lady blush, laying down on the ground with her, while still playing.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

They rocked the house and put it on fire. Whatever I was expecting from this first Sunday band, I was NOT expecting Neveready.

They were easily one of my favorite bands of the weekend. They were not only choreographed, they did tableau movements (where they freeze in place). It was stunning and amazing. Danced to some ska, they were all over the place.

(Photo courtesy of Leah Saga)

My breath was seriously taken away by Neveready. I really didn't even want to see any more bands after them.

The boys of Neveready, with a grateful fan at the (fully functional this year) merch table.

But this burst of energy was only beginning the day's festivities. Next up:

What was billed as "Captain Jeffrey and the Chumbuckets" turned out to be an expanded band which called themselves the "California Feetwarmers." Not that our feet needed warming, but our souls certainly did.

I knew it was going to be special when I looked at the arrayed musicians and saw a banjo, an accordian, a guitar, a tuba and a washboard. And a clarinet player. Wow. Extremely hard to top the exhuberance of Neveready, but wow. CA Feetwarmers was mind-blowing.

Mr. Shovel introducing the CA Feetwarmers. Look at all those instruments on stage!

The music was indeed, heartwarming. Old-timey, like you could've heard in Boardwalk Empire or something.

And wonderful lyrics, about kissing your baby in the moonlight. Sweet, charming, lovely.

But wait! There's more. Just when you thought the Feetwarmers had charmed your tired, cynical heart enough, they did this.

Came right down into the crowd and started playing for us while the next band was setting up. It was so incredible, I can't even describe it. Really really special.

Mr. Shovel, being the good journalist that he is, gets in primo spot to record this most special moment.

Next up was Battleme, from Portland, OR. Mr. Shovel noted that their music is being played a lot on "Sons of Anarchy." They spoke about how they are on a West Coast tour, since "that's what record companies do, they send you to Los Angeles."

I would recommend checking out Battleme's music. A fun listen.  (Closer and Touch are their hits on Radio Free Indie.)

Then, there was Jail Weddings. Let me preface by saying that Mr. Shovel is playing a wonderful song by them about the worst thing in the world being when a woman cries. Beautiful. Poignant.

However, as I listened to (or tried to listen to) their lyrics, I was pretty shocked. I'm not easily shocked. Let me just put it this way. One of their lyrics, if I made it out right, was about having sex with a woman who liked to be choked. And that was one of the more upbeat ones. Kinda made me gasp, these lyrics. Someone please cover that baby's ears.

I think that Jail Weddings, too, would have benefited more from the cover of darkness.

You know how the name "Jail Weddings" seems kinda cool, but kinda just off, too? Their music is like that. On the dangerous, scary dark side of kinky.

Although, I will say, their musicianship and stage presence were absolutely superb. So, all in all, not sure how I feel about Jail Weddings.

Luckily, there were big boats passing by to distract us.

And then, we have the final act of this superb wonderful music weekend, of many treasures. And who doesn't love a little rockabilly?

Believe me, there were many who really were looking forward to The Blasters. And, for those keeping score, every final act of every night (and thank you again, Mr. Shovel) was a band with a big following whose numbers showed up to enjoy. Crowds showed up for The Blasters, as they had for Saint Motel and Dum Dum Girls on the two nights previous.

And unlike 90% of regular LA audiences, who will not dance, fans of rockabilly are all about the dancing. Most of this LobsterFest even for those who wanted to dance, it was just too darn hot.

But the final show of the final night finally had a cool breeze blowing through and everyone, young, old, children, babies, dads, moms, everyone was up and dancing. Even the pirate wenches came back for a dance.

Fun was had by all. Thanks for that go to Mr. Shovel, and the coordinator Jim (who received a plaque this year), and all the wonderful people who present LobsterFest to us grateful public each and every year. Even though it was blisteringly hot, it was worth it to brave the heat to hear this dazzling array of music you laid before us.

Can't wait to do it again next year!

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Mr. Shovel Weaves His Magic on a New City of Night

It was three years ago, to the day that Mark Sovel, Indie 103.1’s illustrious music director (aka Mr. Shovel) had his last airshift on Indie. The next day, for all intents and purposes, Indie died.

It continued on (and continues on to this day, a shell of its former self) in Internet-only format. Which would be great if the powers that program it really knew what to do with it. And, of course, if Mr. Shovel was still there.

I remember it well. I turned on my radio (yes, I actually had a box sitting by my window that had FM stations, though the only one it was tuned to was Indie 103.1, of course). I turned on TK’s program in the morning, and everyone was talking about how great the station had been. Like using past tense about it.

Soon enough, with one final My Way (not the Frank Sinatra version), Indie was gone.

I sobbed at my radio that day, I sobbed all the way up to Sundance (driving, that’s a whole lotta sobbing). In many ways, I’m sobbing still. It hurts when the best radio station that ever existed goes away.

And what has been my music repast in the intervening three years? Well, being a digital girl, I’m big on Internet radio. I keep hoping someone somewhere will develop actual radio on the Internet. Like a Huffington Post for radio. (Well, except that pays people. Ok, bad example.)

I never really got into Pandora or Slacker, though I have friends who swear by both. I have friends who seek out all kinds of stations on the Internet. One cool one that played 60s music from Paris really intrigued me for awhile.

But after the wealth of musical treasure that was Indie, nothing really sufficed. There were people from Indie who left to develop other things. Kurt St. Thomas went off to develop Houndstooth Radio (www.houndstoothradio.com ), which I admit, I listen to more than anything.

Chuck P. and Henry Rollins ended up over at KCRW.

Chris Morris still puts out a great show on the Scion Network:

http://scionav.com/radio17/12/Watusi-Rodeo

And a whole passel of ex-Indie-ites migrated over to Moheak Radio. Trouble is, every time I try to listen to it, it either pushes a bunch of annoying ads at me, or I have technological problems receiving it. Every time. So I don’t.

There are still some good tunes on Indie dot com, but the heart and soul (aka Mark Sovel) is gone. As he said when he left, “it’s like someone’s just playing their iPod for you.” (There are a couple of good shows here or there. I particularly like Bob Forrest’s Wednesday night show, “All Up in the Interweb,” which airs at 8 pm PST. Native Wayne’s show is fun too. My friend still listens to Retrograde, and wins tickets from them.

But pretty much, for me, there is nothing there worth listening to anymore. Nothing that made Indie Indie. (This is true of Moheak, too, btw, no matter how many ex-Indieites are there.)

Cause what made Indie “one of the best stations in the country,” according to Rolling Stone magazine, was quite simply its music director, Mark Sovel.

And he has been very quiet on the music front in that three years. Giving us bits of his genius with an amazing LobsterFest regularly, and other concerts curated here or there. But on the radio scene, he’s been silent.

Until now.

Mark Sovel’s first air show in three years (other than filling in for folks occasionally) aired Saturday, Jan. 14. Three years to the day of his last one.

It’s called “City of Night,” and it airs on college radio station KCSN (88.5 on your terrestrial radio dial, also available online and with a cool iPhone app that will record shows for you. LOVE that.). From 8 – 11 pm every Saturday.

One can’t help but wonder what’s up with this college station, KCSN. Sovel thanked the program director, Sky Daniels, by saying that he “made him want to get into radio.” He wasn’t kidding either. Hm.

In addition to Mr. Shovel, Daniels also brought on Sat Bisla, who has been airing Passport Approved on every station that’ll have him, it seems; and Terry Nunn, of Berlin fame. He had already brought on KCRW’s Nic Harcourt to do a show and Julie Slater. Radio heavyweights, to be sure. Hm.

The rest of the program schedule is an odd mix, a local blues maven called “Ann the Raven” has a show on Sundays. So does Robert Hilburn, the writer. There’s some Dylan, some roots music, some Americana and some bluegrass. And opera. Mr. Daniels, it seems has no problem with specialty shows.

Well, I don’t know about all that. Not sure if I’ll be checking out all those other choices. I do know this.

Mr. Shovel is on Saturday nights. His first show was like manna in the desert. Such great music played, and all over the musical spectrum. Some things you would expect: a number of local bands, some OMD, some Jam. Many things you wouldn’t expect.

He kicked it all off with the Rolling Stones’ “On with the Show.” Perfect. Not long after, some Pink Floyd. You heard me. Pink Floyd. And Zepplin, as in Led. One song from Indie’s regular rotation: Depeche Mode’s “Get the Balance Right,” and boy DID HE!

As usual with a Shovel show, it was all perfectly timed. Like puzzle pieces falling into place. The Kinks, for heaven’s sake. Followed by local band, Saint Motel, who enlivened Tar Fest this fall (Shovel curated part of it).

A song I can’t get enough of: Split Endz’ “Six Months in a Leaky Boat.” And another (I love it so much) Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” It just makes me happy to hear that song.

Gil Scott-Heron. Jimi Hendrix. Wow. LA band The Blood Arm from their “Berlin period” (aka now). Brand-new Giant Drag, and Sharkey’s Night, for gosh sakes (with William S. Burroughs).

And, if you’ll recall, Mr. Shovel is the one who spots the hot bands before anyone else does. His recommendation from this show? Electric Guest. Watch that name. You heard it here first (I promise you).

I could go on and on, but if you want to know where Indie went, you could look to that whole passel of people who talk about it incessantly, or you could simply look at this playlist for a minute.

http://www.mrshovel.com/2012/01/15/city-of-night-playlist-january-14-2012/


That Dylan song he played made me cry. Followed up by some cuts from local bands from a Dylan tribute album, which is a fundraiser for Amnesty International called “Chimes of Freedom.” Airborne Toxic Event doing “Boots of Spanish Leather.” Silversun Pickups doing “Not Dark Yet.” Cage the Elephant (ok, they’re not from LA, but the song was great) doing “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.”

I was literally so overwhelmed after all this good music after his show, it took me several hours to calm down. Oh, Mr. Shovel how we’ve missed you!

Tune in to the next City of Night next week at 8 pm. And pray really hard that they get podcasts sometime.

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