Thursday night the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa was ... [more]
Music
Stray Cats Strut Their Stuff For Two Reunion Shows in Costa Mesa
Thursday night the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa was crowded with rockabillies, rockafillys, chilli-billies, psychobillies and whatever other sub-group you can slap that suffix on. Though the Orange County Fair is over, the venue’s amphitheater was filled with folks who lived through the first wave of rockabilly, the second wave of rockabilly, the third wave–what […]
The White Buffalo Returns Home to Tug Heartstrings
Free outdoor concerts tend to bring out the part of us that never wants to let the summer go—what summer meant before we spent most of it cooped up indoors at work. However, I began to rethink the reason for the healthy early crowd forming last night, early evening. In our short walk from the […]
The Best Concerts in OC Aug. 17-23
Friday, Aug. 17 Wes Brawler, Rodney Moon & The Little Dippers, 8 p.m., $5, 21+, The Wayfarer, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa (949) 764-0039, www.wayfarercm.com. Armored Saint performing “Symbol of Salvation in Its Entirety,” 7 p.m., $25, all ages, House of Blues Anaheim, 400 W. Disney Way, Anaheim (714) 778-2583, www.houseofblues.com/anaheim. The B-Sharps OC […]
The Aquabats Need Your Help to Kickstart Their Long Lost TV Show
It’s not often you hear a superhero asking mere mortals like us for assistance. Fortunately the Aquabats are never too afraid to summon the power of their legion of righteous camarades, i.e. fans, to get something done right. Now more than ever, MC Bat Commander and the crew of spandex wearing, ska-punk saviors of humanity […]
Mike Ness Allegedly Puts the Smack Down on a Trump Supporter
Say this much for Social Distortion at this stage in their career–they continue to make things interesting. At a show in Sacramento last month, singer Mike Ness railed against President Donald Trump on stage, which, for the most part, seemed to be greeted warmly. However, one fan — a Trump supporter named Tim Hildebrand — […]
At Feedback Fest, the Spirit of Inclusivity Is a Breath of Fresh Ear
Whether it’s onstage at a bar in OC or at a biker fest in South Dakota, Well Hung Heart are used to standing out, or in most cases, not fitting in. Over the years, the skill of embracing their rock oddity has become a way of life. “We get told we’re not heavy enough, we’re […]
Dance With The Dead’s Synthwave Unites Dance Kids and Metalheads
As members of synth-wave duo Dance With The Dead, Irvine natives Tony Kim and Justin Pointer take inspiration from the darkness of the horror and sci-fi movies they grew up watching to generate dance beat and guitar-driven instrumentals that serve as hyper-charged versions of era-appropriate soundtracks. Both musicians had been circling around the Orange County […]
The MC5’s Wayne Kramer is Still Kicking Out the Jams 50 Years Later
Before your favorite hard rock musicians were old enough to tie their own shoes, Wayne Kramer had already founded and dismantled one of the most influential bands of all time, put on one of the most legendary musical performances in the history of politics, gone to prison for selling drugs, and become a sought-after collaborator […]
Panic! at the Disco Fans Prove that Equality is Where the Heart Is
Brendon Urie has been in the music game a long time. But the Panic! at the Disco frontman couldn’t help but be taken aback by what he saw on July 1, 2016. That night, as Urie took to the stage to sing his song, “Girls/Girls/Boys,” pops of color began to illuminate the Xfinity Center in […]
Why Rockabilly Fans Still Rant n’ Rave Over the Stray Cats
It’s 2018, and there are a ton of great bands we can honestly say took part in making history. However, there are only a handful of them who are history. The Stray Cats just happen to be one of those bands who moved the needle. In a very retro way, they were ahead of their […]
Top 10 “Must-See” Bands at Psycho Las Vegas 2018
This weekend, from 12 Noon Thursday morning, August 16th through well after midnight on Sunday night, August 19th, hordes of metal-heads and stoner-rockers will descend upon the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the Psycho Las Vegas festival. Operating as “Psycho California” and originally as Psycho De Mayo during its Santa Ana origins, the annual festival is a haven for those that dig their riffs […]
The Pixies Have a Ball at the House of Blues in Anaheim
Heading out to see the Pixies is a bucket list moment for me. I’ve never seen them before. I have most of their CD’s — yes, I still have those. I bought most of them at the Goodwill for one dollar. (A deal compared to $20 for a record.) So seeing them and writing about […]
The Best Concerts in OC Aug 11-16
Friday, Aug. 10 Lil Baby, 11:15, $25, all ages, The Observatory, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 957-0600, www.observatoryoc.com The Higgs, WTFB, 8 p.m., $10, 21+, The Wayfarer, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa (949) 764-0039, www.wayfarercm.com. Nekromantix, The Black Rose Phantoms, The Thirsty Crows, 9 p.m., $20, 21+, Marty’s on Newport 14401 Newport […]
Janelle Monáe Added to The Second Day of Music Tastes Good 2018
Since last May when Long Beach festival Music Tastes Good announced its lineup, there was plenty of speculation about who would fill the void left by the rumored co-headliner Vince Staples. Little did we know the fest would make up for it by giving us an R&B android made of steel. Today MTG announced Janelle Monáe […]
Mike Vitale’s Life Hacks as a Working Musician Are Starting to Pay Off
No matter how big of a rockstar any musician these days hopes to become, the biggest stage they’ll ever play on is a cell phone. Few local troubadours understand that better than Mike Vitale. On a recent Saturday afternoon, a video of Vitale performing an hour-long set in his bedroom is garnering views from people […]
Belly Launches Dove Tour at Teragram Ballroom
Belly’s Dove tour began its journey last night at The Teragram Ballroom, in Los Angeles. The tour supports the band’s first new record in over 20 years. When band members Tanya Donelly (lead vocals, guitar), Gail Greenwood (bass), Tom Gorman (guitar), and Chris Gorman (drums) decided to get back together for a reunion tour in […]
OC Punks Invaded the UK at Rebellion Fest
On the Irish Sea coast in northern England sits Blackpool, a seaside resort town best known for its seven-mile stretch of sandy beaches, the amusement park Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and a slew of other family-friendly things to do. Cinderella-style carriages ferry hundreds of families up and down the beachfront. It’s definitely not the typical setting […]
How OC Institution the Harp Inn Became a Cover- and Tribute-Band Mecca
Inside a dimly lit bar in Costa Mesa, the late-night crowd gathered on the dance floor is small but mighty—and a little drunk. But to the sunglasses-sporting man presently standing on top of a cocktail table, his long, wavy hair flowing over the top of his bandana, it might as well be a packed arena […]
Baja Bop, a Rockabilly Weekender Cruise, to Set Sail From the Port of Long Beach
Rockabilly fans of the world….do you hear that sound? It’s tequila calling from the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar aboard the Baja Bop musical cruise sailing southbound for Ensenada this October. Titans from the retro roots music genre are going south of the border, down Mexico way, and they’ll be serenading fans aboard the high seas […]
Five K-Pop Acts to Look Out For at KCON 2018
Every year since its inception in 2012, the convention for all things Korean culture, KCON, comes back bigger than ever — and 2018 is no different. Taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Aug. 10-12, KCON is a K-pop fan’s Comic Con and Coachella, with two concert nights also being hosted at the […]
Thread Cred: How ASICS Found Footing in Irvine and Jumped Into the Music World
[Editor’s Note: This is a new monthly column where The Weekly dives into local streetwear, music, art, and culture. Our goal is to highlight brands and companies making an impact in their respective industries that call Orange County home.] The sneaker game is booming in 2018, from footwear connoisseurs and work out enthusiasts, to […]
