Show reviews: X live at the Whisky a Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip, It’s Casual and Bongoloidz at The Troubadour, Chain and the Gang at The Smell’s 16th birthday celebration

I’d forgotten what a great venue The Whisk...Read more

Agenda Long Beach 2014: Babes, Dudes

I used to like attending ASR at the San Diego Convention Center. It was a great chance to see friends in the skateboarding world trapped under the same roof, and we got a couple of Giant Robot articles that way.  Of course the action sports retail trade show was famously ditched by vendors who refused to...Read more

Show reviews: The Muffs at The Satellite; Bill Bartell Tribute with Redd Kross, Adolescents, Germs; Weirdos and Middle Class at The Echoplex

We get to see some pretty rad shows here in Los Angeles. Of course, the thing is that you have to leave your...Read more

Celebrating 100 episodes of Los Angeles Nista

Congratulations to my friend Eddie Solis on his 100th episode of Los Angeles Nista. I was already a big fan of his heavy-as-hell skate rock band, It’s Casual, when he started the Internet radio s...Read more

Show Reviews: Save Music in Chinatown, Paisley Underground Reunion at the Fonda, Redd Kross at the El Rey, ASG at The Satellite, Channel 3 at Alex’s Bar

Photo: Ben Clark

I would have written about Sunday’s Save Music in Chinatown matinee at ...Read more

Save Music in Chinatown on Sunday, December 8!

Remember when my daughter Eloise modeled infant clothing in Giant Robot ads? Now she’s the poster child for a series of benefit concerts that my wife (and GR mag graphic designer) Wendy Lau and I are starting. Our first show takes place this Sunday–a matinee that brings together China...Read more

Show reviews: Beck at the Disney Hall, Obits, Wire, Quasi at The Echo and Echoplex (plus CASH Music: LA Summit)

Just got back from the Walt Disney Hall. Wow. While most artists consider releasing new music on vinyl to be O.G., Beck schooled everyone by releasing his last batch of songs in ...Read more

Save Music in Chinatown on Los Angeles Nista

Last Monday night I was a guest on one of my favorite Internet radio shows, Los Angeles Nista. In each episode host Eddie Solis (who is also the shredder/singer in It’s Casual) delves into a specific neighborhood of his hometown, and this time our focus was Chinatown. I talked about eating tomato b...Read more

Save Music in Chinatown 1: Bob Forrest, Lucky Dragons, LA Fog at Human Resources on Sunday, December 8

Editing Giant Robot mag was great. It gave me an excuse to fan out over all of my obsessions–music, art, film, and everything else–but be a journalist and not a stalker. And over 16 y...Read more

An interview with Sam Coomes of Quasi

Sometimes the world seems to good to be true. How cool is it that Sam Coomes (who’s played with Elliott Smith and Heatmiser) and Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag, The Jicks) can come together and form a unique and excellent musical bond that sounds nothing like those other top-shelf bands. Like The Beatles on s...Read more