Category Archives: TVD Los Angeles

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

The golden age of rock and roll will never die / As long as the children feel the need to laugh and cry / Don’t wanna wreck, just recreation / Don’t wanna fight but if you turn us down / We’re gonna turn you ’round / Don’t mess with the sound / The show’s gotta move everybody groove / There ain’t no trouble on the streets now / So if the going gets rough don’t you blame us

Oh oh oh gotta stay young you can never grow old / Oh oh the golden age of rock and roll

It’s no secret that I’m a highly emotional and over sentimental rock ‘n’ roller. As my 15 year old son Jonah barks at me, “Dad, you old hippie. What, you gonna cry? Fucking pussy.” He’s not far off, ha ha! It’s my DNA make-up and it’s become clear that songs have the ability to transport my emotional state to a time and a place.

These last couple of weeks I’ve been triggered by a playlist I compiled of favorite albums from 1974. It’s totally insane, surreal and frightening that I’m recounting summers past in the late 1970s, but it’s the first week in June. Final exams have been taken, books, pencils, and computers tossed to the side. There is an exhale of relief… and then joy. The joy of possibility. The freedom of youth. I feel it, like voices on the wind.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

In America you get food to eat / Won’t have to run through the jungle / And scuff up your feet / You just sing about Jesus and drink wine all day / It’s great to be an American

Ain’t no lion or tiger, ain’t no mamba snake / Just the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake / Ev’rybody is as happy as a man can be / Climb aboard, little wog, sail away with me / Sail away, sail away

Rolling into June with Idelic muses. Ronny, my fishing buddy, sent me a photo from a trip we took a dozen years ago. We caught big fish and had such big smiles—waking up, far out at sea, carefree on a sunny morning. It’s just a special feeling. It has to be said, it’s not always calm and sunny. As I dug through crates, I came across a Morrissey song, “Seasick, Yet Still Docked,” and I thought.

Ooooo, I’ve been there too. The fact is, we encounter dilemmas that are not always cool. So with the high seas in mind, I head into June. Everything is just as it should be. In fact, yesterday I had a good “hair day.”

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

You give me the reason, you give me control / I gave you my purity, my purity you stole / Did you think I wouldn’t recognize this compromise? / Am I just too stupid to realize? / Stale incense, old sweat / And lies, lies, lies

It comes down to this / Your kiss, your fist / And your strain, it gets under my skin / Within, take in / The extent of my sin

I’m still on a roll with Idelic muses. This week I saw an article in The New York Times featuring photos by Clayton Patterson, who documented NYC’s Lower East Side in the ’80s. Images of “heroin-bags,” the riots in Thompson Square Park in the summer of ’88, and the front door of LES’s notorious street gang, Satan’s Sinners Nomads.

All the songs of sin and sainthood, and I almost forgot. It was twenty years ago that I ran into Susan at Target and asked her out. I had never been to a Target before, but she said yes, and we’ve been together ever since!

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On Saturday afternoon, the Cruel World Festival returned to Brookside at the Rose Bowl, bringing together an extraordinary mix of legends for a rainy day of dark, nostalgic delight. Headliners New Order, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, and The Go-Go’s were what first drew the crowds, but from the moment gates opened, it was clear this festival was about so much more than just its top billing.

Fans endured steady showers to bask in the glow of unforgettable performances, from synthpop powerhouses to gothic rock kings and everything in between. It was a show for the ages and one I’m glad I get to experience every May here in Southern California.

The undeniable crown jewel of the day was Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whose set exemplified why they’re considered synthpop pioneers. Andy McCluskey was unstoppable, twirling and thrusting with contagious energy that had even the dampest attendees moving. Whether it was the rarely played “Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)” or fan-favorite “Electricity,” the band’s live sound was both nostalgic and refreshingly alive.

And when Paul Humphreys took center stage to sing “(Forever) Live and Die”, well, that was was pure magic. But it was the show-closing “Enola Gay” that solidified their place as the best set of the day. Rain or no rain, the estimated 50,000 fans erupted in synchronicity as the iconic synth riff echoed against the gray skies of Pasadena. It was an emphatic reminder of why OMD remains so loved by fans all around the world.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Blue / Songs are like tattoos / You know I’ve been to sea before / Crown and anchor me / Or let me sail away

Hey, blue / There is a song for you / Ink on a pin / Underneath the skin / An empty space to fill in

Well, there’s so many sinking now / You gotta keep thinking / You can make it through these waves / Acid, booze, and ass / Needles, guns, and grass / Lots of laughs / Lots of laughs

Everybody’s saying that / Hell’s the hippest way to go / Well, I don’t think so / But I’m gonna take a look around it, though / Blue, I love you

I guess I’m on a roll with Idelic muses. This week, it’s my enchanting daughter, Zoe Blue. Her mother always told her (and Joni) she was named after the title track from the Mitchell classic. I claim to be the first punk rocker obsessed with Joni, and honestly, the words could not be more fitting.

This said, Zoe was named after Blue, a tough, skinny kid from the schoolyards of New York City. Dude was kinda like a mini George Girvin on the asphalt playgrounds of 1970s NYC hoop lore.

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WORDS AND IMAGES: DANIEL GRAY | The beginning of May means it’s time to hit the beach—Redondo Beach, that is—for the annual BeachLife Festival, a three-day celebration of music, art, and beach life culture. The 6th annual BeachLife Festival took over Redondo Beach from May 2–4, 2025, delivering a first-class festival experience under the warm California sun. As one of the premier festivals in the country, BeachLife once again exceeded expectations with a spectacular lineup and unforgettable vibes.

Day three of BeachLife Festival started a bit gloomy and overcast weather-wise. But that in no way affected the performances or the crowd’s enjoyment. Kicking things off at noon on the Hightide stage was Lily Meola. The Maui-native brought her own sunshine and being the opening act didn’t stop her from walking through the center ramp and interacting with the crowd.

Next, it was the Lowtide stage for Big Head Todd and the Monsters. This veteran band out of Colorado was a great contrast to Meola. Namesake Todd Park Mohr provided ripping guitar work, and Jeremy Lawton on lap steel guitar made sure the audience was awake and moving.

Marcus King continued the guitar work at 2:20. Hailing from South Carolina, King’s soulful voice and soaring guitar playing, combined with Drew Smithers’ incredible slide guitar, brought more and more people to the Hidetidestage. More than one audience member walked away in awe of what they heard and saw, and more than a few were still talking about the performance at the end of the evening.

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WORDS AND IMAGES: CHRIS LOOMIS | The beginning of May means it’s time to hit the beach—Redondo Beach, that is—for the annual BeachLife Festival, a three-day celebration of music, art, and beach life culture. The 6th annual BeachLife Festival took over Redondo Beach from May 2-4, 2025, delivering a first-class festival experience under the warm California sun. As one of the premier festivals in the country, BeachLife once again exceeded expectations with a spectacular lineup and unforgettable vibes.

The 2025 edition of BeachLife featured headlining sets from Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, and Alanis Morissette, as well as performances from Aloe Blacc, Train, The Pretenders, Jackson Browne, The Beach Boys, and many more. The festival curates an eclectic lineup spanning rock, indie pop, country, new wave, punk, reggae, and everything in between, making it one of Southern California’s premier music events.

The festival grounds were set up with four stages strategically placed to maximize the experience. The Hightide and Lowtide stages hosted the larger, well-known acts, while the Speakeasy stage offered intimate acoustic performances from punk legends and indie artists. The Riptide stage mixed established artists with up-and-coming acts. What sets BeachLife apart is that the Hightide and Lowtide stages never overlap performances, and each artist gets a full 60 minutes on stage, eliminating the tough decisions of choosing between acts.

Gates opened at 11:30 AM on Saturday, and Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds kicked off the day at noon to a light crowd. By 2:00 PM, when Sugar Ray hit the Hightide stage, the area was already jam-packed. Frontman Mark McGrath knows how to work a crowd, and the band, decked out in all-white suits, opened with a cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony.” Their set was full of hits, including “Fly,” “Someday,” and “Every Morning.” Hailing from nearby Newport Beach, Sugar Ray is the only band to have played every BeachLife Festival since its inception.

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 WORDS AND IMAGES: CHRIS LOOMIS | The beginning of May means it’s time to hit the beach—Redondo Beach, that is—for the annual BeachLife Festival, a three-day celebration of music, art, and beach life culture. The 6th annual BeachLife Festival took over Redondo Beach from May 2-4, 2025, delivering a first-class festival experience under the warm California sun. As one of the premier festivals in the country, BeachLife once again exceeded expectations with a spectacular lineup and unforgettable vibes.

The 2025 edition of BeachLife featured headlining sets from Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, and Alanis Morissette, as well as performances from Aloe Blacc, Train, The Pretenders, Jackson Browne, The Beach Boys, and many more. The festival curates an eclectic lineup spanning rock, indie pop, country, new wave, punk, reggae, and everything in between, making it one of Southern California’s premier music events.

The festival grounds were set up with four stages strategically placed to maximize the experience. The Hightide and Lowtide stages hosted the larger, well-known acts, while the Speakeasy stage offered intimate acoustic performances from punk legends and indie artists. The Riptide stage mixed established artists with up-and-coming acts. What sets BeachLife apart is that the Hightide and Lowtide stages never overlap performances, and each artist gets a full 60 minutes on stage, eliminating the tough decisions of choosing between acts.

Gates opened at 1:30 PM on Friday, and husband-and-wife folk duo Shovels & Rope kicked off the music at 2:20 PM with a low-key set of folk-infused rock and roll with a country flair. Over on the Speakeasy stage, Phantom Planet delivered the first up-close, intimate performance of the weekend. Meanwhile, old-school hip-hop trio Digable Planets brought the funk to the Lowtide stage, with Butter Fly, Doodlebug, and Ladybug Mecca trading rhymes. Their set closed with the Grammy-winning single “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat).”

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Good morning, mister sunshine / You brighten up my day / Come sit beside me in your way / I see you every morning / Outside the restaurants / The music plays so nonchalant

Lonely days, lonely nights / Where would I be without my woman?

To start today’s Idelic playlist, I came up with the muse “where would I be?” I’m not sure if the Bee Gees’ classic came first or followed, but “where would I be if…” is an interesting thought.

Maybe I’m reacting to a challenging week. It feels like the Sidels are juggling a vast amount of balls. Nothing has fallen to the ground, but there’s a lot of balls in the air.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Can I sleep in your brain tonight, stranger? / Can I rest my bones in your head? / I won’t make too much noise while I stay here / I just need some kind of shelter

Anywhere I try to go / I’m still stuck in my own skull / And lately that’s no kind of place to call home / All the walls have fallen down / Garbage lying all around / Is there maybe room in your temporal lobe?

Can I sleep in your brain tonight, stranger? / Can I spend just one night on your mind? / I can’t live with this pain, with this anger / And I need some place else to go

I’m not sure there are coincidences.

Happy Friday from Laurel Canyon. Saw kid Jonah hurl a baseball, hung with groovy Zoe Blue. We rented a long red jeep and blasted her album. And somewhere out there …a dude is wearing some leather threads that have treaded many rock ‘n’ roll adventures.

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On Saturday night, the House of Blues in Anaheim transformed into a fiery haven for thrash metal maniacs as the 40 Years of Blood tour tore through town, celebrating the past, present, and future of thrash. Headlined by Bay Area legends Exodus, this sold-out show was a thunderous tribute to their groundbreaking debut album, Bonded by Blood, which turned 40 this year. From Gary Holt’s first blistering note, the night was a relentless assault of mosh pits, electrifying riffs, and raw, unfiltered chaos. By the time the dust settled, Anaheim was left in ruins—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The night kicked off with Nukem, San Diego’s thrash metal wrecking crew, who wasted no time whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Known for their lethal mix of aggression and precision, Nukem ripped through tracks from their album The Unholy Trinity, closing their set with the aptly titled “Nukem All.” Circle pits erupted, crowd surfers launched themselves into the void, and vocalist/guitarist Steve Brogden delivered ferocious vocals that set the perfect tone for the carnage to come. Short but impactful, Nukem left the crowd hungry for more.

Next up was the thrash juggernaut Hirax, hailing from nearby Cypress, CA. Led by the ever-charismatic Katon W. De Pena, these old-school warriors brought the 1980s straight to the stage with crowd favorites like “Black Smoke,” “Drill Into the Brain,” and the blistering “Bombs of Death.” De Pena was a force of nature, diving into the audience not once but twice, all while belting out vocals as fans carried him across a sea of raised fists. The band’s chemistry and ferocity were undeniable, and by the end of their set, the energy in the room was absolutely nuclear.

If anyone could match the momentum Hirax left behind, it was the Bay Area titans Death Angel. Directly supporting Exodus, they delivered a performance that balanced thrash fury with heartfelt gratitude. Frontman Mark Osegueda, who’s been pulling double duty with Kerry King’s new project, was a whirlwind of energy and charisma. Between songs, he connected with the crowd, expressing his deep appreciation for their unwavering support.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Beautiful people are queuing to drown / They wait for the lifeguard to put on his crown / But he’s up at the other end of town / Trying to talk to the mirror / The scientist talks and he knows what he means / He sits on the floor and has beautiful dreams / Then he gets brought down by a woman who screams / But he knows it’s only a record¡ oh yes it is

A song for insane times? Huh? I guess whatever you say.

My grind towards spring continues. Kid Jonah made it back safely from Coachella to pitch well on Tuesday. So life is as good as it can be. Oh, and I made it out to see Bar Italia at Fonda Theatre last night.

These days I’m not used to standing with a thousand people to watch a band. From the NY Dolls to Fugazi to Led Zeppelin I’ve seen ’em all. What made me want to add Bar Italia to that list? Italia’s debut album was one of the sparks of 2023.

Happy to report that so did many cool kids made the scene. There was even a nice touch of rock ‘n’ roll fashion in the crowd. The band has room to grow live, but they finished off last night’s gig strong.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

As soon as I get my head ’round you / I come around catching sparks off you / I get an electric charge from you / That second hand living, it just won’t do

And the way I feel tonight / Oh, I could die and I wouldn’t mind / And there’s something going on inside

Makes you want to feel, makes you want to try / Makes you want to blow the stars from the sky / I can’t stand up, I can’t cool down / I can’t get my head off the ground

This week had most human heads spinning. Stuck in the middle of a con game, the “time to buy,” is over. Maybe we’ll have better luck at next week’s Easter egg hunt.

Out in the desert is this year’s Coachella festival. Thanks to Goldenvoice and Circle Jerks for hooking young Sidel.

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A dazzling fusion of theatrical flair and musical talent, Spencer Sutherland’s performance at The Belasco made every inch of the venue feel alive. One of the final shows of his aptly named “The Drama Tour,” the singer, songwriter, and actor defined what it means to exude star power.

Kicking, strutting, and pouring every ounce of energy into his performance, Sutherland—clad in a sequined jumpsuit that only he could so effortlessly pull off—commanded the stage with a presence that was impossible to ignore.

The setlist, a dynamic mix of hits and deep cuts, showcased his range not only as a vocalist but as a storyteller. Highlights included a rousing rendition of “Everybody” and an emotionally charged performance of “Chicken Little,” leaving the crowd breathless as they tried to match with the singer’s boundless energy.

Just before belting a climactic high note in “Modern Heartbreak,” Sutherland paused dramatically, grinning as he told the crowd, “It’s to build drama”—a fitting nod to the theme that pulsed through every beat of the night. That same energy carried over when he welcomed Luke Spiller of The Struts to the stage, and together, the powerhouse vocalists tore through a fiery duet of “Don’t Stop Me Now,” transforming the venue into a full-blown rock opera. Their voices, attitude, and shared theatricality made for one of the night’s most unforgettable moments.

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Banter, barking, and a genuine venue-shaking performance, Role Model (Tucker Pillsbury) captivated crowds with two electrifying, sold-out shows at The Wiltern.

Self-releasing his debut EP in 2017 after recording it in his closet, the 27 year old artist quickly gained a dedicated online following. Combining honest storytelling with catchy melodies, his infectious energy and laid back persona has made him a standout in the indie pop scene.

A couple of tunes into his 19 song set, Pillsbury paused to connect with the buzzing crowd, admitting that while he cherished his time on the international leg of his “No Place Like Tour,” he missed the unmatched energy of US audiences. Rising to the occasion, the crowd erupted into cheers, barking, and nonstop noise between every song, ensuring the atmosphere remained rowdy from start to finish.

That energy wasn’t just heard—it was felt. If it hadn’t been for the sheer intensity of the moment and the lack of concern from fellow attendees, I legitimately would’ve thought there was an earthquake as the balcony shook beneath the weight of the crowd’s movement. My brief concern quickly faded as the singer-songwriter danced across the stage, grinning from ear to ear as the crowd’s excitement only continued to reach new heights.

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