Review | Music Junkie Press

Muchachito vibrates Eastside Luv Wednesday night in a “total hoot”

April 8, 2019

Patrick O’Heffernan ( Boyle Heights) eights, CA) HEastside Luv Wine Bar, one of the focal points of the Mexican-American culture in LA, was vibrated down to its foundation Wednesday night by a Spaniard, Muchachito Bombo Infierno. Standing at the end of the bar with his personalized acoustic guitar and an amplified zapeteado platform, he bought his frenetic energy, stomping rhythms and howling humorous lyrics to the raised stage of ESL’s long bar. It was a not-to-be-forgotten night – or, as one fan said to me, a total hoot. Presented by Sunset Eclectico, la’s homegrown Latino fusion music, arts and dance promotor credited for bringing such talents as Flor Amargo and Mono Sound to La audiences, Muchachito put on a nonstop, rocket-fueled show that lasted forever – actually around 2 hours – and migrated from the stage to the dance pole at the other end of the bar and down to the floor where he sang, stomped, and laughed, surrounded by a forest of flashing cellphones. Muchachito (Jairo Perera) started as a singer and guitarist [Read More]

Amanda Abizaid smoothly shifts to gentle jazz Upstairs at Vitello’s.

March 26, 2019

Patrick O’Heffernan (Studio City, CA) I have seen Amanda Abizaid live twice, once at the Irish-themed rock club Molly Malone’s in the Fairfax district of LA and last week at Upstairs at Vitello’s jazz club in Studio City, a celebrity enclave just over the hill from Hollywood. Same songs, same orchestration, but different feels – both very entertaining. Abizaid is a tall, honey blond, green-eyed singer/songwriter originally from Lebanon but ensconced in LA for years. She was backed at Upstairs at Vitello’s by a new band working with her for the evening that was down-to earth and rock solid. As with all of her music it included Middle Eastern instruments like the saz (long-necked mandolin), and hand and frame drums. There was also a percussion rack with a collection of hanging metal devices whose names I do not know but whose sounds work really well. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, to an American mother and a Mexican/Lebanese father, she traveled the Middle East and Europe with her family until she was ten years [Read More]

SHOW ALERT: James Bay at Fox Theater, Oakland March 27

March 18, 2019

We are just about a week away from the rescheduled James Bay Greek Theatre concert. James was set to perform at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on October 7th, 2018. The show was unfortunately cancelled and rescheduled for March 27th, 2019 and has been moved to the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA. You don’t want to miss this show as James continues to deliver high energy crowd pleasing sets that will have you begging for more. You can head over to https://thefoxoakland.com/events/james-bay-3 and pick up tickets. In case you missed it, James recently released his new song, Peer Pressure ft. Julia Michaels. The infectiously catchy track has been on featured on our daily playlists. Check it out below: We hope to bring you coverage of the upcoming Oakland show. For now, check out photos by our Rockin Ryan of James 2018 performance at BFD. Make sure to visit his social media sites and stay up to date on the latest news. Information & Links: Website: http://www.jamesbaymusic.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesbaymusic Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesbaymusic Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesbayofficial Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbaymusic

SJae’s debut EP, FIRST: listen and enjoy

March 12, 2019

Patrick O’Heffernan I am always curious – and sometimes a bit apprehensive – when a music producer decides to put out a personal record. Many producers are good musicians and songwriters, but a smaller number actually have the voice, the songwriting and music chops, and the feel for a personal album. FIRST, the debut album by long-time producer SJae (Sammy Jay) shows clearly that she has the songwriting and musical chops plus an extraordinary feel for what works and what grabs a listener. FIRST is an expansive display of her talents and a musical and emotional delight. SJae was the UK’s first female music producer – and she excelled in a very tough business for a woman…all the way to a Mercury nomination, the UK equivalent of a Grammy. After a decade in the UK, she moved to LA, America’s music capital and a very competitive environment for anyone of any gender. But despite the competition, she continued to excel to the point where she has been called “the best in the business” by [Read More]

X.ARI at Sayers Club in Hollywood: agony and ecstasy in a wonder to behold

February 4, 2019

Patrick O’Heffernan (Hollywood, CA) X.ARI not only brings a high level of creativity to her music, but a kind of creativity that is unique, that stands out in a very crowded space, not because it is loud or shocking – which it sometimes is – but because it is hers; it comes from a depth and a life that generates a musical agony and ecstasy that is a wonder to behold. That wonder was on full display this weekend at Hollywood’s upscale Sayers Club for the release of her new video and song “Break Point”. For the packed crowd in the newly revamped club, it was an unforgettable look into the mind and talent of a contemporary millennial who has made the journey from agony to ecstasy many times, a journey that some in the audience make also and many struggles to circumvent. “Break-Point” is about PTSD — which is not limited to soldiers – and the moments before breakdown, specifically her breakdown in late 2016. “Having a mental health breakdown doesn’t just happen [Read More]

AM TAXI’s new album, Shiver By Me, is sure to warm you up!

January 30, 2019

With the arrival of the Polar Vortex, it has sent extreme frigid conditions across America. Hopefully those affected are curled up at home. If so, we have the perfect album to warm you up! AM Taxi have just released their new album, Shiver By Me and it is spectacular from start to finish. It delivers exactly what we have been craving; their infectious blend of punk rock that is sure to rejuvenate your spirit. We were first introduced to AM Taxi and were mesmerized by their performance at Slim’s in San Francisco opening for The Spill Canvas. With the release of their new album, we can proclaim that we are just as hooked as that first night. They have returned with a sound that is addictive in every sense of the word. Check out one of our fave tracks, Harpoon, that just screams that addictive AM Taxi sound: As many bands come and go experimenting or changing their style and sound to become unrecognizable, and more seem to stray from what everyone loves. Not AM Taxi. [Read More]

Freshly Cut: jazz, blues and something extra in The Strands debut album.

January 30, 2019

Patrick O’Heffernan Freshly Cut, the debut full length album by The Strands, will not only excite their local following, but introduce the wider world to Amanda Campbell’s languid pop/jazz and incisive love lyrics that manage to simultaneously chronicle ordinary life and higher principles. While evoking the smooth performances of the band’s beloved live shows, branded by Amanda Campbell’s slender swaying body and undulating voice and Paul Campbell’s perfectly pitched bass, the album expands their sound and emotional valence. Nine songs in all, and each one precisely crafted and accurately pointed to the listeners’ hearts and minds. “The Time is Right for Love” moves gently forward with a delicious hook that tells of the importance of timing and patience in romantic growth, while “Change of Heart” speaks to the same of romantic termination. In both , Campbell is talking both to the listener personally, as if they are in her personal drama, and to a wider audience grooving on the physicality of her notes. The pace picks up perceptively with “Everything Can’t Always Go [Read More]