Category Archives: TVD Los Angeles

Last Friday night’s REO Speedwagon show was nothing short of spectacular and renewed my faith that good-old fashioned rock and roll music is alive and well in 2023. Joined by Sir, Please, Kevin Cronin and company transported fans back in time with 16 classic tracks that had everyone in attendance singing and dancing all night long. It was the perfect setlist to welcome in the new year at Yaamava Theater, one of the newest and coolest live music venues in Southern California.

Looking to start out 2023 with a bang, I decided to hit up Yaamava Theater for the first time and rock out with arguably one of the most prolific and long-standing classic rock acts on the planet, REO Speedwagon. Joined by thousands of REO faithful, I made my way through the beautiful Yaamava Casino and entered the theater for what I anticipated to be one hell of a rock and roll show. Fans were smiling, beer was flowing, and I knew Friday’s show would be one for the ages. Let’s dig in.

Kicking off the festivities in Highland was a killer quartet from Agoura Hills known affectionately as Sir, Please. While their unassuming nature might catch you off guard, this band of brothers brought their “A” game to with a killer set that blended their own hits with classic covers in a fun and funky way that really hit home with the masses. While they only had time for a handful of songs, I was blown away by tracks like “Different,” “Dance With Me,” and “If I Run.” I’d seen Sir, Please many years ago at one of their first performances and they have really evolved into a well-oiled machine with a super clean sound, unique style, and amazing stage presence. Catch em’ if you can live as these cats are poised for greatness in the not-so-distant future.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

To dream the impossible dream / To fight the unbeatable foe / To bear with unbearable sorrow / And to run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong / And to love pure and chaste from afar / To try when your arms are too weary / To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest / To follow that star / No matter how hopeless / No matter how far

As this cold California January sets in, I’ve found my priority has been staying warm in my cool, old canyon, mid-century pad. It’s honestly kept me off turntables on my iPad.

Looking for random inspiration, I’ve been listening to an old playlist of songs made by a friend of a band I used to work with. It’s a fascinating blend of hippie obscurities. The other morning a song called “Did You Dream Of Unicorns” popped up.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I’ve been from Tuscon to Tucumcari / Tehachapi to Tonapah / Driven every kind of rig that’s ever been made / Now driven the back roads so I wouldn’t get weighed / And if you give me weed, whites and wine / And you show me a sign and I’ll be willin’, to be movin’

Now smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico / Baked by the sun, almost every time I go to Mexico, and I’m willin’ / And I’ve been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet / Had my head stoved in, but I’m still on my feet / And I’m willin’, oh I’m willin’

Today, I’m optimistic. Why the fuck not? Our cool crib and neighborhood didn’t slide down the canyon Tuesday. Could happen tomorrow. In 2023 anything, really anything, could happen. So why not enjoy dreaming big. Well, at least that’s what the guy at the liquor store and I were chatting about when I bought my lottery ticket this morning.

I’m just gonna hold onto that “ticket” like it’s a winner. No matter what the outcome. This life, this rock ‘n’ roll journey, my kids, wife, kitty, house, family, and all those groovy tunes buzzing thru my silly brain…

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

We’ve come a long, long way together / Through the hard times and the good / I have to celebrate you, baby / I have to praise you like I should

We’ve come a long, long way together / Through the hard times and the good / I have to celebrate you, baby / I have to praise you like I should

I’m having deja vu writing about the first days of the new year being like a blank canvas. Call this week’s “Idelic column” a rerun, but I have say that when it comes to my music consumption, I find myself a total creature of habit. I’ve spent the weeks from Thanksgiving to the new year listening to my favorite songs.

I’m a listener—looking, searching, seeking inspiration. Someone mentioned Mercury is in retrograde so I’m taking cues from this week’s playlist. I’m “taking my time,” but ready to move on to new pastures.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Continuing my month long “Best of 2022 Idelic Hits,” episode three is ordered differently than our top two episodes. For one thing, I spaced and only spun 19 instead of 20 songs (ha!), the top of which have a an extremely mellow vibe. Some of the songs from the top of 22 feel like oldies and some feel unfamiliar.

Whatever you make of it, I’m pretty sure the gods of rock ‘n’ roll are smiling upon this stack of records

Here’s the third installment of The Idelic Hour’s golden shower of Idelic Hits for 2022.

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On a chilly evening in Anaheim, Social Distortion turned up the heat in front of thousands of rabid fans at the world-famous House of Blues. Mike Ness and company blew the doors off the joint with a 17-song set that had the capacity crowd singing, dancing, and moshing all-night long. It’s what one would expect at a Social D show, and highlighted why this band is so beloved and appreciated here in the OC.

For many, Social D is the epitome of the local punk rock scene in OC. Most shows are sold out immediately and fans wait for hours to grab rail positions in order to be up close and personal with Mike Ness and the boys. Well, that script got flipped on Monday night—for the very first time, I was front and center for my first Social Distortion show. Let’s dig in.

Opening the night was a killer band from So Cal called Greg Antista & The Lonely Streets. From the jump, their set was raucous and upbeat, priming the pump for the headliners which were about an hour and a half from liftoff. As Greg Antista took the stage with a huge grin, I knew the set would be special—and it ended up being that and a whole lot more. The band as a whole killed their set with a reckless abandon, rarely seen from openers. Closing my eyes, the band had a Ramones type of sound that l really loved. I’ll definitely be digging into this band more in the not-so-distant future and recommend you do the same.

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It was the final stop on W.A.S.P.’s 40 Years Live World Tour 2022, and it lived up to all the hype and then some in front of a sold out crowd in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Joined by hometown heroes Armored Saint, both bands crushed their respective sets and highlighted why each are still at the pinnacle of their game some four decades later. This was metal at its finest in the City of Angels, and a perfect performance to wrap up an insane year of concerts here in Southern California.

I’ve been following W.A.S.P. and Armored Saint since I was a teenager, and they are still just as relevant today as they were back then in the heyday of metal here in Los Angeles. On a chilly Sunday evening, both bands left it all on the table as they wrapped up their 40 Years Live World Tour in front of a capacity crowd at The Wiltern Theater. Each set was sonically amazing and transported me back to a time when all that mattered was the music.

Opening Sunday’s show was none other than the mighty Armored Saint. I’ve seen this band many times over the years, but this particular show was by far the best I have ever seen them live. They took the stage with a reckless abandon and had the pedal to the metal throughout their 11-song set. John Bush’s vocals were spot on, and his typical high intensity performances paled in comparison to the supercharged version we saw on Sunday night.

The Sandoval Brothers (Phil, lead guitar and Gonzo, drums) were simply incredible and were nicely complemented by vicious rhythms of guitarist Jeff Duncan. And I’d be remiss not to mention the bad ass mother fucker on bass, Joey Vera. His energy was pegging at 11 all night long and such a joy to watch.

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The Trinity of Terror Tour rolled through Southern California on Wednesday night and set the YouTube Theater ablaze with four full hours of metal mayhem courtesy of Motionless in White, Ice Nine Kills, Black Veil Brides, and special guests Atreyu. It was pound for pound one of the best metal shows I have seen this year and fired on all cylinders in front of a packed house in Inglewood. This show was special and the tour separated itself positively from others in the metal genre this year. Let’s dig into the devilish details.

As 2022 is finally coming to an end, its easy to look back upon the shows I have attended throughout the year and make judgements as to which ones made the grade and others which may have fell short of my lofty expectations. While live music in general is trending up, some tours took it to a whole new level this year. The Trinity of Terror was just such a tour and quite honestly packaged what might have been some of the best metal performances I have seen this year. Let me explain.

Typically, a headliner may bring out a solid band on tour and then fill in with a few local bands as filler. I have nothing against these types of lineups, but they leave something to be desired and quite frankly never hit the mark. And when you analyze it from a fan perspective, many just avoid those bands and make their way into the arena just prior to the main acts. The Trinity of Terror Tour was the complete opposite. All of the named bands are spectacular in their own right, and it was awesome to see a near packed house before the first act even took the stage. Incredible.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Continuing my month long “Best of 2022 Idelic Hits,” episode 2 came to together by “flippin thru” my recently assembled “crate” of new albums and singles—all released over the last year. For this episode I abandoned “counting down” records 21-41, and opted instead for piecing these recent gems in an elegant fashion to create a luscious hour of music.

Hey, that’s what Idelic Hours are all about.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Funny girl, you look so unassuming / Right up until the room you’re captivating / Starts to fill with gut-busting laughter / And you’re transformed into a five-foot Cleopatra / Funny girl, your schedule’s pretty crazy / Doing interviews for the new live action Cathy / Could you pencil in an industry outsider? / Yeah, you’re young but, baby, you’re not getting younger

Funny girl / For once your timing wasn’t great / I must have missed you by a day / But, baby, things have turned out pretty good this way / And I don’t think either of us yearns to share the stage

Funny girl, you seem pretty indifferent / But you knocked me out when you charmed the pants off Letterman / Oh, I wish you’d flash that manic smile in my direction / And let me lead you to your seat like we were old friends

Thanksgiving marks the end of new music for 2022. For years, blogs and websites have competed to be the first on the block to stake their claim for their “Best Of” prominence. I’ve always been excited to “dig through crates” and review all of the new records I’ve listened to and shared over the year. The act of sharing music is really at the core of who I am. It’s my dairy, my life’s work.

Over the course of 2022, I’ve observed a few things:

The state of music is currently upside-down.

2022 had more releases by known artists than any single year I can remember.

In a world of streaming services, there is no such thing as “Best of” lists.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

You’re heard enough / Of the blues and stuff / You’re pretty swell now / ‘Cause you’re pretty tough / But I don’t have to tell you / How hard it can be to get by

You never bothered / About anyone else / You’re well educated / With no common sense / But love, that’s one thing / You really need to get by

All your troubles / Come from yourself / Nobody hurts you / They don’t care / Just as long as you show them / A really good time

There is no greater day than the day your album comes out. Not that I’ve released many albums as an artist. Two actually, but being in the music business I’ve had the good fortune to share the joy of many album releases. Today is one of those days. In fact two artists I work with, Paper Idol and Jacklen Ro, released albums this week. Most of of the the week has been celebrating in the creative achievements of these fine artists.

In this day and age the process of releasing an album is so different—such a long digital “hike, climb, or march.” Maybe it’s why having a physical product, vinyl or cassette, becomes something to covet. I’m gonna hold onto the one cassette of my band I have and shake it and toast to the sky with joy.

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Judas Priest has been riding the wind since 1969 and have been screaming for vengeance (and breaking the law) ever since. The metal god Rob Halford broke out the major firepower on Monday night in front of a near-capacity crowd in Ontario, crushing an 18-song set that would make any Priest fan drool. The thousands in attendance were hell bent for leather from the very first note, and were living after midnight when the dust finally settled. This was metal mayhem at its finest, and one of the finest live metal performances I have seen in 2022!

Fresh off their induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Judas Priest graced the stage of the Toyota Arena on Monday for what ended up being one kick ass rock and roll show for the ages. Joined by the legendary Queensrÿche, fans from all over southern California rocked out to nearly 3 full hours of jaw dropping, in your face metal that transported fans back to a time where all that mattered was the music. It was horns up, barricade crushing insanity in the IE, and a show that had been circled on my calendar for nearly a year. Let’s dig in.

Up first was one of my favorite bands of all-time, Queensrÿche. While I have seen this band well over 30 times, I go into each performance knowing that the set I am about to catch will somehow be unique or different. Monday’s show was no exception. The boys kicked things off with their very first single, 1981’s “Queen of the Ryche.” While classic for sure, it never gets old and is always a fan favorite. Next up was the “Warning,” and I’m here to say Todd La Torre nailed the vocals on it with precision and accuracy. Good lord, this man has some pipes.

It was also great seeing Michael Wilton (guitar) and Eddie Jackson (bass) ripping it up on stage with smiles ear to ear for the entire set. Their musicianship is simply incredible and are best in class in my opinion. And let’s not forget about Mike Stone (guitar) and Casey Grillo (drums). These cats are sonically amazing and are such an integral part of the current lineup. Queensrÿche wrapped up their set with “Screaming in Digital” and “Eyes of a Stranger,” and they crushed em’ both. While it was a limited set—8 songs in all—it hit on all cylinders and was a perfect segue to Monday’s headliner, the mighty Judas Priest.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Did she wake you up to tell you that / It was only a change of plan? / Dream up, dream up, let me fill your cup

Yesterday was Veterans Day. No school for the kid so it was more quiet than most. These canyon mornings have been very cold, so I chose to have coffee in bed and read the iPad and listened to ol’ Neil’s Harvest album.

Over the past few weeks it’s dawned on me more than once that Neil Young songs are no longer available on Spotify. Have you ever looked closely at your old copy of Harvest? The original package concept was to have it entirely biodegradable. The album, now 50, has a distinct California wintery, stoney, reflective quality that I found as smooth as my my morning brew.

I recall an early ’90s Neil solo, acoustic show. My good pal Barry (aka The Double B) and I were seated in the fourth row among many friends. I think Rick (Rubin) and Anthony (Kiedis) were next to us. Neil came out and sat on a stool surrounded by acoustic guitars. He picked one or two up and hit a few strings until he found a “friend” tuned to his liking. Then he simply busted into a spot on version of “Old Man.”

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Fans of progressive music were treated to one hell of a show on Saturday night as Dream Theater’s John Petrucci blew the roof off of one of Southern California’s premier concert venues, the Anaheim House of Blues. Joined by former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and Flying Colors bassist Dave Larue, Petrucci crushed an 11-song set that highlighted why he is considered by many to be one of the most talented guitarists on the planet today. 

I’ve been a fan of progressive music as far back as I can remember. Bands like Yes and Rush were always on my shortlist of favorites growing up, and it was an easy jump to the new wave of prog with bands such as Queensrÿche and Dream Theater. Listening to these legends touched my soul as the musicianship of these acts was second to none. On Saturday night, I was treated to an extension of those legacies as Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci headlined his first ever solo tour here in Anaheim. Let’s dig in.

Opening for John Petrucci on Saturday was an all-female thrash band from the ’80s called Meanstreak. While these ladies haven’t toured in quite some time, you never would have known by the amazing chemistry each exhibited on stage during their 45-minute set.

I was immediately captured by their opening song “Giant Speaks,” and held captive until their final curtain call after they offered Anaheim “The Dark Gift.” Walking away from the pit, I couldn’t help but smile as I’m rarely dazzled by opening acts. However, these ladies—Bettina France (vocals), Martens Myung (bass), Yael Rallis (drums), Marlene Portnoy (guitar), and Rena Sands (guitar)—were solid on all levels and their musicianship was second to none.

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Please don’t hate me, but I left my 18th floor balcony and dove into the ocean prior to Blue October’s near sell out at the Anaheim House of Blues on Thursday night. Joined by Beatnik Bandits, congratulations were definitely in order as Justin and company had the place feeling like home throughout an incredible 21-song set—and oh my my was it a special one. I hope you’re happy with the review and photos, and dare I say it, this is what I live for.

I’ve seen Blue October countless times over the years, and I can honestly say that each and every show is a unique and special experience for me. From killer merch tables to beautifully curated setlists, fans always walk away smiling when they see the band live. Add special VIP meet and greets (which typically include a killer soundcheck experience), and their shows rocket to a whole new level. Thursday’s show in Anaheim was no different as fans from all over the country gathered to rock out to one of the premier live acts on the planet.

Kicking off the festivities at the House of Blues was none other than Texas’ very own, Beatnik Bandits. While I can honestly say I’ve never heard of this band before, I became an instant fan after their opening set on Thursday. Some might describe their unique brand of music as “folksy” or “Americana,” but to me their sound was 100% kickass, take no prisoners rock and roll. Christian Sparks and company exploded a powder keg in front of Blue October’s faithful, and in return gained a ton of new fans and immediate respect during their abbreviated opening set. Catch these cats live when you can—they’re definitely on the rise and a band that needs to be on your radar if they are not already.

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