Katrina Nattress

Cold War Kids
The Fonda
5/24/13

The Cold War Kids were blessed cursed with releasing an acclaimed debut album. Sure, 2006's Robbers & Cowards ascended the OC bred indie rockers to underground stardom with the snap of a few hipster music critics' fingers, but that's a lot to live up to, and in the subsequent years it was looking like the quintet peaked too early. But then they released Dear Miss Lonelyhearts - a concept album that's namesake comes from a Nathanael West novel in which an advice columnist has a crisis about his readers' suffering - and proved they're not to be forgotten quite yet.

On Friday night, the five-piece furthered its point by proficiently executing songs both old and new to a sold out crowd at The Fonda Theater. Led by vocalist/guitarist/pianist Nathan Willett, Cold War Kids played songs off each of their four albums during their 80-minute set. To the audience's surprise, they began their set with "Rubidoux," the slow-burning closing track off the coveted Robbers & Cowards. After supplying fans with faith that old songs would be played, they delved into 2008's "Mexican Dogs," and "Miracle Mile," the opening track and lead single off this year's release.

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Cynthia Chavez

Leo Levo at the Yost Theater Midnite Sessions in March

The vibe tonight at the Yost Theater will probably be a lot different than most weekend revelers are used to. All-black attire is a must, lights will be almost non-existent and there won't be a go-go dancer in sight. The focus on the music sways from progressive house to techno and tech-house grooves. It's kind of a rare staple to see an up-and-coming local DJ headlining a venue as big as the Yost Theater. Then again, few are as stylistically on point as Leo Levo. He headlines the Yost Theater again tonight for another Midnite Session of polished electronic music that strays away from the mainstream.

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Mathias Blom

By: Alex Distefano
Sweden is well known for producing some of the darkest, gloomiest metal bands on the planet--from Bathory, At The Gates, Entombed, Amon Amarth, Meshuugah Ghost, Opeth and many more.

Katatonia is no exception. Formed in 1991, the band launched into a sound that was a more melancholy doom/death metal vibe. Katatonia would come to be a band that would help to usher in a sensible mix of Swedish metal that was distinctly its own, even though it has been duplicated by many but replicated by few. With nine studio albums, and two decades worth of touring all around Europe, North and South America, Katatonia are ready to tour in America again, as the band just initiated the first show of a tour with fellow metal band Opeth.

Jonas Renkse, Katatonia's former drummer/current vocalist and founding member, took time to speak with the OC Weekly about how the band chooses a set list for each tour, how he plans to bring Katatonia to Japan soon, for the first time ever, and the possibility of performing old songs with Opeth singer Mikael Akerfedlt, (the vocalist appeared on the 1996 Kataonia release, Brave Murder Day).

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The Neighbourhood--See Friday

Friday, May 24

LA Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel
Segerstrom Concert Hall
Classical music isn't exactly "hot" right now as most of the original artists are long-dead. But with the talent of the Los Angeles Phil Harmonic Orchestra and the leadership of conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the works of the world's most beloved composers are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Dudamel's passion for music is palpable--as he forcefully waves his wand and passionately shakes his luxurious flowing locks, he commands the band to make our ears swoon and our hearts boom. From Disney Concert Hall to Disney County, the LA Philharmonic performs at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts for one night only. Resurrect your love for the instrumental works of late, great cadaverous composers as the LA Phil spices up Orange County. (Amanda Parsons)

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The Lions

By: Brittany Woolsey
When people think of reggae music, Bob Marley usually comes to mind. But Dan Ubick--guitarist/producer of the Lions--acknowledges some possibly lesser-known names. While the band prep for Saturday's show at Alex's Bar in Long Beach, we ask Ubick to reflect on the top five underrated reggae bands that inspired his band's creation and sound.

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Exene Cervenka

[Editor's Note: Exene Cervenka is a writer, visual artist and punk rock pioneer. The OC transplant is the lead singer for X, the Knitters and Original Sinners. Her column, Exene Says..., is her space to basically just write what's on her mind, everything from crazy life stories to political theories and observations about what's going on in this fucked up world of ours. To contact her, send all messages to askexene@ocweekly.com.]

Political upheaval is always just around the corner. Witness the sudden flood of scandal coming ashore at the White House over the Tea Party's tax returns. People will be fired, relieved of duty or exiled to desk jobs, but generally, these "public servants" resurface in other positions of privilege. They rarely have to answer for what they've done. Even when they are caught red-handed violating the law, they get away with it.

Nothing changes, right? Business as usual, right? Yes, that's right. Political revolution is always a phantasm, a mirage. Taxpayer-funded, corporate government controls the false, fear-based hologram we know as reality.

Financially, we are slaves. Legally, we have little power. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights have been eaten by worms in the basement of the Library of Congress while we played video games, watched TV, texted, Facebooked and emailed each other about nothing, really.

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Print by thedigitalarttree on etsy.

There must be something about those banjos that inspire Mumford & Sons fans to steal their words and sell them online. Just please stop us before we send this print of bitterly beautiful lyrics to our exes.

See Also: Six Pieces of Dave Grohl Fan Art You Really Must Own

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Gustavo Arellano

Paul's

[Editor's Note: We all know local music and dive bars go hand-in-hand. So in the interest of merging the two together on Heard Mentality, we bring you our newest nightlife column Dive, Dive, My Darling. Read this week as our bold editor-in-chief, Gustavo Arellano takes over for web editor Taylor "Hellcat" Hamby and stumbles into the dive bar scene to find crazy stories, meet random weirdos and guzzle good booze.]

There's apparently a Chapman University tradition that dictates seniors hit Paul's Cocktails off the Orange Circle the morning of Graduation Day for a precommencement drink. That sure wasn't around when I graduated from the private college in 2001 (nor was its infamous Undie Run, for that matter). And such a august ritual certainly doesn't mesh with my Paul's tradition: nearly getting into fights.

Oh, I never sought them--they just came. One time, a cholo kept trying to hit me up, not content with me claiming a P.O. Box in Anaheim as my set. Another year, a lowlife out of Ask the Dusk had a problem with my pal and I talking in Spanish so early in the afternoon--if I remember correctly, he called us wetbacks, spics, beaners and wabs (and did I mention that the gabacho was darker than us light-skinned Mexis?). And I can't remember the exact details of the third near-fight, except it involved a girl I once knew, a jealous boyfriend, how he once fainted when she broke up with him for me, and how I laughed about it at a dinner party years before. In each case, a wise, sober friend stepped in to avert me cracking a pool cue over someone's head, and that was the Paul's I loved: a rough-and-tumble hole filled with locals ornery enough to keep the hipsters and bros at bay forever.

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Door ill & Lauw | Isidoor van Esch

Carnage at TIKTAK Eclectic Music Festival

There are some artists who are destined for the lime-light. Even their names offer some insight to their future and Carnage is no exception. Born Diamante (which means "Diamond" in Spanish) Blackmon, the big "black man" from Guatemala was like a rare diamond in the rough who moved to Maryland at six years old to live with his mother. She encouraged him to start producing beats and dance tracks since he was in high school in his hometown of Frederick. Hollywood and hip clubs that played electronic music were nothing but a distant dream though, so he became a self proclaimed "computer nerd" and was making beats with his rap friends after school. It took him five long ass years to perfect his producing game, but eventually he nailed it.

Carnage also learned early on that he could make a living out of being a super-star DJ through his friendship with Niles from The Cataracs who stumbled upon his music through Myspace. He later realized he would have to leave his country home "which smelled like manure," he says to move to LA and make that dream a reality. Eight months after his move to the City of Angels, his "Festival Trap" remix of Hardwell's "Spaceman" went viral and now he's headlining his own tour all over the world and playing major festivals like Ultra in Miami and EDC. Carnage's "I'm Fucking Pumped Tour" rolls through the Yost Theater tonight as part of White Rabbit's Havoc Thursday so we caught up with the Chipotle loving guy to chat about playing in Europe and his bromance with Borgore.

See Also:
Jack Beats, Carnage and Whiiite at CONTROL's 4 Year Anniversary - Avalon - Friday, Feb. 22, 2013

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