Maybe it’s the unnatural heat of fall in Los Angeles, or the encouragement of the mass consumption of beer with the highly celebrated and numerous Octoberfests around the city, or the winding down of the festival season that brings a heavy concentration of rock to LA. This is the first installment of some of the most Rocktober shows this month.
The War on Drugs | October 2 and 3 at the Fonda | Last time the War on Drugs were in town they did two sold out nights at the Troubadour (a 650 person room) and now they are doubling that and moving up to the 1,300 cap Fonda and success could not be more well deserved for a band who put out one of the best records of the year.
It’s atmospheric but feels deeply personal, and I cannot wait to see how big their wall of sound will grow as they move to larger venues.
Kasabian | October 8 at the Wiltern | What do you do after headlining Glastonbury? Manifest Destiny my friends. Kasabian are headed west to tear their way through our amber waves of grain and conquer America.
Yes America, Kasabian is a BIG BIG band, maybe not here in the States yet, but everywhere else in the world they are massive and have a colossal anthemic sound to match.
Sebadoh | October 10 at the Echoplex | After a 14 year hiatus from recording, the lofi heroes, lead by D. Jr. bass player Lou Barlow are back with their “Defend Yourself” EP. This new music sounds like the trio haven’t missed a beat since the late ’90s and is the perfect blend of noise and heartache.
Sebadoh are opening for Thurston Moore …so get there early.
Gerard Way | October 14 at the Fonda | Yes…it’s that guy from My Chemical Romance. Gerard Way has struck out on his own for the release of his solo debut Hesitant Alien…which is damn good. Before you indie rock purists roll your eyes and go back to reading Pitchfork…I have a surprise for you, this is the sound of modern rock.
Leaving the emo wails and gradeur of My Chemical Romance behind, Gerard Way has created a heavier, deeper, and damn catchy sound that involves his worship of comic books and proves that he does not need a black parade or marching band to make an epic record.
J.Roddy Walston and the Business | October 15 at the Troubadour | The last time I saw J. Roddy Waltson and the Business play at the Troubadour I think I was served the largest of amount of Bud Light and Whiskey ever at the bar of the famed venue. Needless to say, THIS was a rowdy rock show.
This piano fronted band plays loud, stomping, dance inducing tunes that have gotten even heavier on their latest album, Heavy Bells. I think Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard would be pleased to see the direction in which J. Roddy & Co have lead piano rock.
White Denim | October 21 at the Fonda | Was it just a saying or was it just a straight up fact that every indie rock band used to be a Jam Band? White Demin has done the opposite. Their brand of rock has gotten, spacey, experimental, and down right awesome.
I know hipster kids, it’s a very dirty word but what you will be seeing at this show is a band JAMMING. And it’s okay, I promise. You won’t get hurt by watching incredible musicians taking liberties with their instruments.
Sloan | October 23 at the Bootleg | The Canadian power pop trio and cult favorites, Sloan hit LA in support of the double (or quadruple) album Commonwealth.
Following in the footsteps of the Beatles White Album which has been rumored to be four solo albums in one, Sloan’s Commonwealth is broken up into four distinct albums each one penned and recorded by the individual songwriters. A clever concept that on paper sounds like a mess, but to these ears divine.
The Stone Foxes | October 30 at the Bootleg | The San Francisco garage laden blues rockers kick off their residency in October. The band will be doing a raucous residency at the Bootleg playing songs from the forthcoming Twelve Spells. Circumventing the traditional album release, the band is releasing a song a month for a year leading up to an album that will not only include these songs, but live tracks, demos, and artwork and photos from their year of touring.
Remember to bring a can good to the show to support the band’s Goodnight Moon Project—a campaign they developed to help combat hunger and homelessness.
Queens of the Stone Age, The Kills, JD MacPherson, Nick Oliveri and Sideshow Freaks | October 31 at the Forum | Double, double, toil and trouble… get ready to freak n’ roll with heavy guitars pushing air through amplifiers and whatever other weird delights Josh Homme and Co. have been dreaming up in the desert.
This is the best way to spend All Hallows Eve, possibly blow your ears out, and put a nail in the Rocktober coffin.
