Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish
a kate west recommendation

Not that she needs any promotional help from me, but I'm praising her nonetheless. Billie Eilish, at 15 years old, is pop music's fastest rising star. From appearances on shows like The Late Late Show with James Corden and acoustical sets at Apple Stores, Eilish is making her presence known internationally, including a whirlwind tour at all the usual hot cities (you can buy your tickets here, but just so you know, she sells out - fast). 

An instant sensation, Eilish has the voice of a sophisticated adult, with the energy of a (duh) fifteen-year old and her collaborations with her brother Finneas O'Connell (another pro - be sure to check out his fab band, The Slightlys) have produced numerous accessible and nuanced tunes like her runaway hit Ocean Eyes. 

Growing up in a musical family (some of them act too), Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell, was born to perform. She learned to dance, sing and act at an early age, quickly deciding to focus on music to make her mark. Her songs are simultaneously dark and upbeat and her talent is undeniable. Judging by the screaming teens at one of her latest gigs at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco (side note: the upside to that night was an uncrowded bar for those of us, er, just a tad over drinking age), her appeal is universal. She's super fun to listen to and dance to, and then to play again to really hear those lyrics and wonder at the masterful poetry pouring out of someone so young. Really young, but with an old soul. Seriously.

Check out her more prominent tunes, such as Six Feet Under (lyrically beautiful and poignant) or Bellyache (punchy in just the right spots). It's all on Spotify. Or iTunes. Or pretty much everywhere now. And she's only just started her career. Can't wait to see what comes next.

You can check out her family's amazing talent by watching the delightful film Life Inside Out (my previous review is here), with mom Maggie Baird and brother Finneas. It's a love note to family, in the musical and familial sense.

And by the way, if you haven't heard of Billie Eilish yet, don't worry, you will.

Music Videos

www.billieeilish.com

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LA Phil Live With Gustavo Dudamel

a kate west review
Los Angeles Philharmonic and
Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
John Lithgow, host

MAHLER: Symphony No. 8

LIVE from Caracas, Venezuela
Sat FEB 18, 2012 5PM ET / 4PM CT / 3PM MT / 2PM PT
US Encore Broadcast on February 29
Get tickets: http://www.laphil.com/laphillive/tickets.cfm
or check your local movie theater listings

Ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Venezuelan-born Gustavo Dudamel took the Los Angeles Philharmonic all the way to South America to perform with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra. He recreated his fabulous sold out performance in Los Angeles, using multiple choirs and soloists in Mahler’s 8th, “Symphony of a Thousand”. More than 1,000 musicians performed on stage in Caracas, Venezuela, all telecast live at a movie theater near you. That's more than he wrangled in California.

Just so you know, it's important to pick a movie theater with an excellent sound system if you want that same I-feel-like-I'm-there feeling you get with the New York Met Live HD operas. Today was a mediocre theater (everything else was sold out) and some of the patrons grumbled a bit. You had to close your eyes to really soak in the fact that so many voices were harmonizing together to tell a story of heaven. Yet there are some fun behind-the-scenes looks with Host John Lithgow, to set your expectations on just what a great accomplishment this is for Dudamel. So taking all that into consideration, open your ears (and heart) and let the music transform and transport you.

Background: The innovative conductor wanted to take on the "Mahler Project" which meant performing all the composer's symphonies, recruiting two orchestras and several choirs to help achieve this stunning feat. Since they were unable to fit everyone in their home turf at the Walt Disney Hall downtown, voices and instruments were moved to the Shrine Auditorium where they wowed audiences and brought the house down. Local musicians then got to adventure on to the next continent, while sharing the simulcast with the rest of us. The voices are sublime, especially the soloists Anna Larsson, Klara Ek, Alexander Vinogradov, Brian Mulligan, Burkhard Fritz, Charlotte Hellekant, Julianna di Giacomo, Kiera Duffy and Manuela Uhl. Dudamel also introduces us to "El Sistema" which brings music to youth of all ages and promotes a message of peace and unity.

In two parts, Symphony No. 8 alternates between the dramatic and the poignant. If you are lucky enough to hear all the Symphonies, be sure to carry that memory with you always. And if you can only do one, make it this one, the Symphony that carries a thousand voices, invoking chills and tears in spectators and inspiring creativity in our souls. Really, words will not do, when the music speaks for itself. Kudos LA Phil and Dudamel. Well done! Read more!

U2 Live at the Rose Bowl

a kate west live event watch
Sunday, October 25, 2009

In these tough economic times, who goes to concerts anymore? Plenty of people, based on ticket sales. Well, but you can't and you hate that. But wait, there is a solution, especially for U2 fans. The famous Irishmen are appearing tonight at the Rose Bowl and YOU can watch them in the comfort of your own armchair with beer fridge armrests. Go to YOUTUBE at 8:30 p.m. and catch the legendary musicians in action. And don't drive to Pasadena - talk about serious traffic jams.

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South Pasadena Transit Authority

a kate west recommendation

What do Entertainment Industry types do to blow off steam? Form a band, of course (and maybe one of them did Production Design on "Angel" and "Dollhouse", my geekdom). Read on from www.spef4kids.com:

1st Annual School-Aid Benefit

On Saturday, September 19 at 8 PM, get ready to sing, dance and "bah bah bah BAH" along as our own local Chicago cover band, South Pasadena Transit Authority, plays a benefit concert in the parking lot of the South Pasadena Music Center with proceeds going to SPEF. By day... they're South Pasadenans like you and me: a film production designer, two writers, an Emmy-winning set decorator (okay South Pasadenans with more Emmys than you and me), a principal, two art directors, a school counselor, a physics teacher and a film location manager. By night, they're horn-blowin', guitar playin', harmony singin' hipsters who aren't ready to put their instruments or passion for music aside just yet. Opening for SPTA will be Cold Feet, a band of local youngsters from Walter Zooi's South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory's School of Rock program. So come on out, bring your neighbors and enjoy a sensational night of music as local musicians rock it for a great cause. South Pasadena Transit Authority is: Ellen Totleben - Lead Vocals, Nadia Hillman - Back-up Vocals & Percussion, Peter Knight - Guitars, David Ford - Bass Guitar & vocals, Stuart Blatt - Drums & Vocals, Tomas Gaspar - Flute & Saxophones, Kendall Bennett - Trumpet, Paul Kikuchi - Trumpet, Scott Barton - Trombone and Timothy Hillman - Keyboards, guitar & vocals. What: 1st Annual SCHOOL-AID Benefit Concert Where: Parking lot of SP Music Center, 1509 Mission Street Who: South Pasadena Transit Authority & Cold Feet. How Much: $5.00 SPEF donation at the gate.

More Info:
http://southpasadenatoday.com/article.cfm?articleID=18195



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Vox Aurea

a kate west recommendation

Finland's latest export comes in the form of an extraordinary Children's Choir known as Vox Aurea (a.k.a. The Golden Voice, in Latin). The kids (ages 11-18) come from Jyväskylä, Finland and travel the world bringing awed audiences the gift of music. With choreographed movement, they showcase folk and modern pieces, all perfectly rehearsed. Founded by Torsten Lindfors in 1968, the touring company includes world famous composer and conductor Pekka Kostiainen and Sanna Salminen. They hit San Francisco and Los Angeles this summer and have performed all over.

Scaling the music staff from top to bottom, the children's remarkable range dazzles and delights. You may not understand all the words (although some pieces are in English), but you will most decidedly understand the emotions, as they act out little dramas, set to original and traditional songs. Chirping and clicking, they mimic atmospheric sounds, becoming wind or train whistles or whatever the piece may require and they are obviously having the time of their lives as they grin joyfully and sing their little hearts out. Bowing their heads during solemn lulls, they will invoke Rockette precision the very next moment. And as an added bonus, the costumes are beautiful, colorful and fitting.

Kudos to the parents for providing this great opportunity to cross culture. Look them up and see if you can become a lucky host family and get to know Finland like no one else. You can regale your neighbors with fun Finnish facts. Well worth catching their act and here's how:

Performing at:
International Choral Exchange
with Los Angeles Children's Chorus
at Pasadena Presbyterian Church
July 21, 2009 @7pm
www.ppc.net
585 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101-2036
(626) 793-2191

Tour Dates
July 9 - 23, 2009
www.voxaurea.org

Or Catch them on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/VoxAureaFIN Read more!

Mike Got Spiked

Mike Got Spiked
a kate west recommendation

Mike Got Spiked is a kick-ass Irish rock band, currently taking the American musical scene by storm. Consisting of Gavin McGuire (lead vocals), Conall McMahon (lead guitar, vocals), Johnny Myles (bass guitar), David Lodge (drums, vocals) and ranging from all over Eastern Ireland (County Meath, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, Drumconrath and Dublin), they've quickly grown from a local Irish group playing pubs to an international sensation, in just a few short years, and even recently seen at Los Angeles' famous Whiskey A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip.

First formed in June 2002, enchanted critics have labeled MSG "blender music" (mixing jazz, funk, ska, rock, punk, and metal). After debuting their amazing album, "Caveat Emptor", the band claimed influences from Incubus, Ben Folds, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice in Chains, Pantera and Slayer, to name a few, and the sound is unmistakeably hip. Their hit "Come Dancing" was featured on Irish television's "The Ex-Files". One can only assume that their irrepressible energy will take them down the path of stardom, faster than you can say "Danny Boy". Fiercely alive and vibrantly raucous, the passion of the band will send you into a joyous rockin' frenzy and you won't be able to resist buying their ultra cool Cd's and t-shirts, available at every concert. Then you can say you knew them when.

Singles:

1	All You Need	2:55
2	Whiskey For Me Tae	2:21

Mike Got Spiked videos:

1. 5 Second Heaven
   
2. All You Need
   
3. Aversion
4. To Have You Here

1. Live acoustic performance of speechless on Stim TV in Oxnard, CA. February 2007
2. Live acoustic performance of speechless on NTV in Kearney, NE. November 2007

Touring America in 2009!

WHISKEY A-GO-GO
8901 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90069
310-652-4202
GET HERE EARLY.
On stage 8pm. Tickets $12 advance, $15 at the door.
www.whiskyagogo.com

From their very own blog:

Ireland got real small, real fast for mike got spiked, who bagged themselves a top 30 single and international five-star reviews for debut album Caveat Emptor within a couple of years of their formation in late 2002.

America beckoned for the schizo-rock four-piece, and a slot on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour alongside the likes of My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and The Dillinger Escape Plan strengthened their conviction.

Subsequent support slots with Anthrax, Head Automatica, Biffy Clyro and Kerbdog showed them they were well able to take on the best in the business, and so began an 18-month American odyssey that took in 42 states, 130,000 miles and more than 300 shows.

Now based full-time in the USA, they are signed to Los Angeles management company Associated Talent Management, who also boasts the likes of The Dead Kennedys on their roster.

Relentless touring, record sales topping 11,000 units, hundreds of thousands of MySpace plays and a top 10 slot on the Warped Tour's official download chart have predictably helped the band turn the heads of record labels.

But rather than put out on the first date, the band is still flirting outrageously with the labels hovering nearby, having turned down a couple of deals last year.

Having finally parked the van for a couple of months to write their second album - slated for release by 2009's end - the band members are now preparing themselves for an all-out assault on minds and ears in the US and beyond.


Give a listen:
www.mikegotspiked.com and www.myspace.com/mikegotspiked


Hear them live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq-H8IMxYAo
&
http://www.flashrock.com/tv/video/786/MIKE-GOT-SPIKED-Rock-Experimental-Alternative

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