London’s The Clientele brought their psychedelic pop sounds to Spaceland last weekend. Playing with the Austin’s The Wooden Birds, it was quite the ethereal show. The Clientele have the aural power to take you back to the hazy times of the 60’s when experimental sounds and dreamy vocals were all the rage. Step into their time machine and enjoy the ride.

Check out the live videos and photos of The Clientele in action below!

Photos and Video: Craig Parker

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Can’t wait for the movie to hit the theaters? Well you’re in some serious luck! Check out this kick-ass “The Runaways” prize-pack we’ll be contesting off to one lucky winner. Not only will the winner score a pair of tickets to one of their private screenings (LA, SF, OC, and Santa Clara) but you’ll get a whole bunch of other goods!

Prize-Pack Goodies:

• 1 Pair of Tickets to “The Runaways” Film Screening
• 1 “The Runaways” T-shirt
• 1  “The Runaways” Poster
• 1  Copy of “Neon Angel” (Cheri Curri’s story)
• 1 “Best of Joan Jett” CD
• 1 “The Runaways” CD soundtrack (it fuckin’ slays!)

Starting today through midnight on Sunday, March 14 we’ll be running “The Runaways” contest. All you have to do to enter the contest is follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/grimygoods and send us a reply with why you think we should pick you  to win the “ultimate @RunawaysFilm prize pack.”

The person with the most creative answer wins! Dare to be clever, witty, funny, snarky or just straight up sorry-ass! The winner will be notified via Twitter on Monday morning! Good luck!

There’s a lot of lovely pregnant performers floating around LA venues of the late. It seems to be a glowing epidemic. Last Friday we saw The Bird and The Bee’s Inara George radiating across the stage with her preggo belly and now we have the alt-folk artist, Laura Veirs taking the stage with her cute lil pregnant belly too! Veirs played an awesome set this past Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at Spaceland. From guitar to banjo, she switched her instrumentation up with an inviting sound. Veirs’ vocals are sweet and gentle like most folk artists but they carry this enticing edge that sets her apart. Paired with the classic and at times experimental instrumentation, Veirs puts on a show that was candy to our ears.

Check out the live video of her songs  “Judy Flame” and “I Can See Your Tracks” , and the vibrant photos below!

Words:  Sandy B.

Photos and Video: Craig Parker

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Listening to “American Ghetto,” the brain categorizes sounds and rhythms heard by referencing them against other bands and sounds heard before, but it isn’t long before it’s apparent that nothing quite fits for Portugal. The Man. Because the band creates an intriguing blend of snyth-laden ambience, delicate vocals, beautiful harmonies, and inspiring lyrics that pull from many different artists, but without copying them completely. So the result is still very unique.

Made up of former members of Anatomy of a Ghost, Portugal. The Man writes soundscapes that sweep up from the cold tundra of their native Wasilla, Alaska, and meld hotly with the indie thoughtfulness of current home-base Portland, Oregon. “American Ghetto” is the latest of the band’s six-album stretch that started back in 2006, and it marks a turn in the band’s cohesion of songs and album order. From the beginning of the first track, “The Dead Dog,” Portugal. The Man gives you finely produced layered guitars played slow and wet, buzzing basses and keys, sharp drums, and excellent singing from John Gourley.

From there, the album strengthens with a pace similar to a live performance warming into a room. The synths become slightly abstract, and drums more driving when needed, and most impressive of all come the vocal teamwork of Gourley along with Ryan Neighbors and Zachary Scott. As the band progresses through tracks, Gourley frees his vocal range to spill into his signature high-pitch yet watery tone, with Neighbors and Scott supporting. The vocals really begin to shine and their mixing is superb, with voices emanating from different depths and directions and with impeccable timing.

The rhythm of the entire album is so tasteful, with songs ending when they should and stretching when necessary. The album climaxes eight songs in with the catchy “Do What We Do.” With the bass driving, vocals riding, and synths paving the way, you can’t help but shimmer backseat with them as they steer into desert horizons.

Portugal. The Man then lights a cigarette for the comedown, and through a three-track finish brings you full circle back to feeling good, “When the war ends, we’ll wonder what it was about. When we grow old, we’ll all wonder how we missed out.” And with that they leave you, no doubt eager for a chance to see them live.

Words: Tim Crowley

There’s always that one chump that has to photo bomb a perfectly good picture. Sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn’t. In this case, dude ruined a perfectly good photo of two super hotties!

Local band the Moonrats are taking part in their first LA residency at Spaceland for the remainder of March. Last Monday the Moonrats kicked off their residency with a very nice sized crowd of music lovers all there to enjoy their textured, luscious sounds and catchy yet at times thrashing melodies.

Hiding his face behind his locks scattered under his hoodie, front-man Nathan Thelen’s vocals were anything but shy. With an enticing cantor full of fun melodies and inviting hooks, Thelen’s vocals bounced over his echoing guitar and smoothly along the vibrant orchestrations of the band. While Japanese hottie, Aska Matsumiya played up some enchanting keys (and some bass), drummer Jason Echeverria kept the beats rolling smoothly with some nice drum lines. And we can’t forget the other hottie, Warpaint’s Jenny Lee Lindberg! Handling the bass thumps and a set of bongo drums, it’s always a treat to see Lindberg in action. She moves so well with the music and looks super cute doing it too!

With supporting bands Soko and  Adanowsky, towards the end of their set Thelen had to borrow Soko’s guitar. I’m not quite sure what happened to his axe, but it was pretty funny when he called out to the crowd, “does anyone have a guitar?” Regardless, the Moonrats played a very fuckin’ cool set and got the crowd moving to their tunes. Make sure you get to Spaceland one of the next Mondays to check out the Moonrats. I’m sure you will be more than pleased.

Words:  Sandy B.

Photos: Craig Parker

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Fans at the El Rey Theatre this past Friday, March 5, 2010 were in for a special treat at the sold-out The Bird and the Bee show. Not only was the lovely Inara George glowing with her pregnancy (baby due end of April), but John Oats of the 70’s pop duo Hall & Oates, came out to join the fun on stage. The Bird and the Bee are about to drop their new album, “Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates” on March 23, 2010. It was great to see some of the songs performed live with Oates!

Check out the amazing photos of a glowing Inara Georg and her cute preggo belly ready to pop below! We also got some candid and sweet live footage of The Bird and the Bee performing the fun and sexy “Love Letter to Japan,” and Hall & Oates covers, “She’s Gone” and “Sara Smile.”

Words:  Sandy B.

Photos and Video: Craig Parker

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Check it out! SPIN has complied a killer album full of their top picks of 2010 SXSW bands. Download the entire album for FREE here!

SPIN Presents AUSTIN POWER Tracklisting

1. The Constellations, “Setback”
2. Cymbals Eat Guitars, “And the Hazy Sea”
3. A Classic Education, “What My Life Could Have Been”
4. Japandroids, “Art Czars”
5. Fucked Up, “No Epiphany”
6. Codeine Velvet Club, “Hollywood”
7. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, “I Learned the Hard Way”
8. Best Coast, “When I’m With You”
9. Harlem, “Friendly Ghost”
10. Surfer Blood, “Swim”
11. Everybody Was In the French Resistance…Now, “G.I.R.L.F.R.E.N. (You Know I Got A)”
12. Oh No Ono, “Helplessly Young”
13. Free Energy, “Hope Child”
14. Chatmonchy, “Hira Hira Hiraku Himitsu No Tobira”
15. The Morning Benders, “Excuses”
16. Olof Arnalds, “Klara”
17. Frightened Rabbit, “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”
18. Freelance Whales, “Generator ^ Second Floor”
19. J-Roddy Walston and the Business, “Brave Man’s Death”
20. Titus Andronicus, “A More Perfect Union”
21. Foxy Shazam, “Oh Lord”
22. The Jim Jones Revue, “Rock’N'Roll Psychosis”
23. Priestess, “Ladykiller”
24. Miike Snow, “Animal”
25. Das Racist, “Who’s That Brown”
26. Yelawolf, “Good to Go (featuring Bun B)”
27. Anti-Pop Consortium, “Capricon One”
28. Rhymefest, “Say Wassup”
29. The xx, “Basic Space”

The band that made its debut last year with its colorful album “Psychic Chasms,” Neon Indian has now dropped their new single called “Sleep Paralysist” via Mountain Dew’s Green Label Sound imprint (yeah, I know weird, Mountain Dew?) Have a listen to the track below! It’s co-produced by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor. It’s fun and spacey, makes you want to take a groovy “trip” to outerspace.

Time to check out one of San Francisco’s finest up-and-coming bands, Sleepy Sun. Love their style, love their “sleepy” psychedelic sound and I love their wailing guitars … love it all! And so should you if you know what’s good.

Win tickets to their show at The Echo this Friday, March 12, 2010 with supporting band Slang Chickens!

Just shoot us an email telling us why we should hook you up with these tickets. The person with the most creative, witty, funny or sorry-ass answer, WINS! Email your response here!