I was trying to figure out how to organize this week’s concert lineup but there are just too many shows to neatly fit together. There are so many shows that I had several alternative titles, like the Concrete Blonde/Barenaked Ladies edition or the Sea Wolf/Howling Brothers editions but I went with the She & Him/Hymn To Her tongue-twister.
Tuesday night the glorious Camera Obscura appears at the Wiltern. Desire Lines is their latest gem. Also on the 18th, Eleanor Friedberger showcases her solo outing, Personal Record, on an Echo bill with Teen and Icewater.
Hymn to Her stop by Genghis Cohen for a set of their rough-hewn roots music. Punk stalwarts Come, featuring guitarists Chris Brokaw and Thalia Zedek, have reunited for a few shows to salute the reissue of Eleven:Eleven. One show is the 19th at the Bootleg. Tara Jane O’Neil, an avant-garde vet, opens the show. You can dig The Dig at the Bootleg on the 20th. These New York rockers recently released a new CD, Midnight Flowers. Classic rock fans will be rockin’ down the highway to the Greek Theater to see the Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller playing the hits. By the way, Miller’s school pal and early bandmate, Boz Scaggs will bring his Memphis tour to the Segerstrom on Sunday.
Friday offers a range of choices. Pop classicist Jonathan Wilson performs (with string!) at Largo, while Sea Wolf and Savoir Adore make for an interesting pair at the El Rey. Meanwhile, the Howling Brothers serve up some raucous roots noise that careens from punkgrass to New Orleans stompers to other roadhouse stops along the Americana highway.
The Troubadour lives up to its name with weekend. Saturday’s headliner is the eclectic singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur, while Josh Rouse (whose new one The Happiness Waltz is his latest set of wonderfully well-crafted tunes). The Wadsworth Theatre hosts a “global fusion” concert (to benefit the Antelope Valley’s Hindu Temple) featuring jazz guitarist Larry Coryell, blues harmonica ace Corky Siegel among others. Blues guitarist Guitar Shorty will be at the Arcadia Blues Club and if you feel like a little drive, you can catch Father John Misty at the Glass House. If you can find the Invisible Manor near DTLA, you can see Jules Shear and Pal Shazar perform.
The First Unitarian Church hosts two special appearances with this weekend. Saturday, Iris DeMent will be there, while Iron & Wine performs on Sunday. Each show will be a religious experience in its own way.
Probably the standout show for this week is at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday where there’s the “musical showdown” pitting She & Him with Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell. Opening for these duos is a solo set from Matthew E. White.
A couple of L.A. music survivors have local shows too. Dave Alvin shares his treasury of tunes at McCabe’s Saturday and Sunday nights. Johnette Napolitano, of Concrete Blonde fame, has an acoustic set at Hotel Café, which rates as a rare treat.
The Toronto band, Austra showcases their electro-pop music at the Troubadour on the 23rd. Fellow Canadians the Barenaked Ladies are part of the Last Summer On Earth tour with Ben Folds Five and Guster. Those bright bands from the ‘90s play the Greek. Detroit area honky tonkers Whitey Morgan & the 78’s will kick up some Sunday afternoon fun at Long Beach’s Alex Bar. Lastly, but far from least, the Treetop Flyers – a UK band with a strong SoCal country rock vibe (beyond the fact that their name comes from a Stephen Stills song) – play the Bootleg on the 23rd. Their very impressive debut Mountain Moves is out on the 25th.
Musical Shapes 