WEEZER TO HEADLINE THE U.S. OPEN OF SURFING
While the U.S. Open of Surfing has never had such renowned bands perform at the weeklong competition, asking Weezer to headline the event makes sense. (Does anyone else remember “Surf Wax America” from their debut album?) To be held at the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier July 31 through Aug. 8, the event will also feature Cold War Kids, Hot Hot Heat, Bedouin Soundclash, Iration, Switchfoot and Cobra Starship. It’s the first show Cold War Kids are playing in OC in a while. “It’ll be fun to play in front of a home crowd again,” Nathan Willett says. From a June 30 Heard Mentality post.
YELLOW RED SPARKS INVADE LA
Yellow Red Sparks have a Spaceland residency this month, but why watch them in LA when they often perform here? A few good reasons: “We got to pick all the other bands on the bill, so it’s pretty cool,” drummer Darren “Goldy” Goldstein says. On July 12, Pacific Hurt will provide support. On July 19, the Fling, and on July 26, the Color Turning and the Sweet Hurt will be around to fill your ears with aural candy. It also allows Yellow Red Sparks the opportunity to try out some new material: “Every show feels like a rehearsal for us. . . . It should have a good, loose feel,” Goldy says. From a July 1 post by Paul Saitowitz.
PINBACK FAIL
Last July 1, Pinback kicked off the Rob and Zach Show at Detroit Bar. That meant no band, just Rob Crow and Zach Smith playing stripped-down versions of their nervy math-rock tunes. The musical experiment failed on several levels: The show often felt more like watching a young band’s rehearsal, not veterans returning to the stage after a few months’ layoff. From miscues to forgotten lyrics to technical difficulties, the whole show seemed like an unrehearsed work-in-progress. Maybe Pinback will redeem themselves when they perform at the Coach House on July 25. From a July 2 post by Danielle Bacher.
A GUIDED BY VOICES REUNION
When Matador Records announced seminal lo-fi band Guided By Voices were going to be present at the label’s 21st- anniversary show in Las Vegas, every aging hipster jumped to attention. To be held Oct. 1 to 3 at the Palms Casino & Resort, the event features a lineup including Pavement, Sonic Youth, Belle and Sebastian, Spoon, Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, the New Pornographers, and more. The “classic 1993 to 1996” reunion, says singer Robert Pollard, which means Tobin Sprout and Mitch Mitchell on guitars, Kevin Fennell on the drums, and Greg Demos on bass. The group will also play music from that same period, focusing on albums Propeller, Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes and Under the Bushes Under the Stars. Awww, yeah. From a June 29 post.
