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The Brooklyn-based Vivian Girls is an all-female trio who have seem to make their way into the hearts of hipsters and critics everywhere overnight.
It’s sad when being an girl band is (still) considered a gimmick—but despite the cute clothes, cute looks and being from the “right” borough, Vivian Girls are actually (surprisingly?) deserving of the hype.
With passive lyrics, near indecipherable vocals, fuzzy hooks and a distinctly lazy garage rock sound, the Vivian Girls sound a whole lot more like their west coast counterparts—K Records, San Francisco, the whole bit. You know, lo-fi, feedback, jangly rhythms. It’s a watered down version of the Jesus and Mary Chain, shoegaze and Cocteau Twins for a new generation.
Vivian Girls: Fri., 9 p.m., $10. Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, 949.642.0600. 21+. T
Everyone likes the story of the underdog. Everyone also likes the story of a second chance—Canadian heavy metal band Anvil got just that.
Made up of Steve “Lips” Kudlow (lead vocals, guitar), Robb Reiner (drums) and Glenn Five (bass), Anvil first formed while in high school in 1973. But despite being together for so may decades, Anvil only recently shot to fame with the release of documentary, ‘Anvil! The Story of Anvil in 2009.’
Here’s the story: Anvil once performed at rock festivals, such as the Super Rock festival in Japan. The line-up in 1984? Anvil, Scorpions, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi—all household, commercial names; all with millions of records sold. That is, of course, for Anvil.
Fast forward some 20 years later and members of Anvil are instead truck drivers, construction workers… homeless. They receive an inquiry from a fan in Europe, offering a tour. They accept but it’s all downhill from there—dismal crowds, scuffles between venue owners, scuffles between bandmates. Though Anvil! The Story of Anvil may seem like a downer, it’s actually pretty heartwarming to watch—especially when it came down to the optimistic ending.
But the best news here? Anvil is experiencing a nice amount of fame as a result of the positive reception to the documentary, and now they’re taking the show on the road. Again. But this time, we have a feeling people will actually show up.
The Anvil Experience: Thurs., Feb. 4, 8 p.m., $20-$25. House of Blues, 1530 S. Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, 714.778.2583. All ages.
In 2006, a survey was taken amongst UK students and American students, asking what their favorite dance floor songs were. The Europeans, even the young ones, are so much cooler: Their list included the Smiths and Joy Division while the top ten iTunes tracks in America included “Smack That” by Akon.
Here’s a chance to tap into the that whole “so much cooler” thing: The Cribs hail from West Yorkshire and draw all the “hip” influences from the hipster world: The Strokes come to mind, and so do the Smiths, the Futureheads, the Kaiser Chiefs, Gang of Four, maybe even a bit of the Clash. Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo even collaborated with the band for their third full-length album, Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever.
It’s that classic dancey English post-punk sound that’s so infectious and fun—perfect for, well, a dance floor.
Big, big, big bonus: The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr is now officially a member of the Cribs.
The Cribs: Tues., Jan. 26, 7 p.m., $15. Glass House, 200 W. 2nd St., Pomona, 909.865.3802. All ages.
Yup: Rufio. As in the crowing, red-tinged, mohawk-wearing, bad boy leader of the Lost Boys (in Hook, at least).
Rufio formed in 2001—straight outta Rancho Cucamonga. The four piece band signed to Garden Grove’s Nitro Records just caught the tail end of the ridiculously popular pop punk genre in the late ‘90s to the early ‘00s. Rufio had the whole package: The hurried songs; the high-pitched, somewhat cartoony vocals of frontman Scott Sellers; the young, rabid fanbase.
The quartet dissolved in 2007, playing a farewell show at the Glass House in June. Rufio reunited not too long after their breakup, starting with a July 2008 show in Jakarta. They’re set for a brand new album in 2010, and you can check out their new material on their MySpace page, myspace.com/rufio.
The band might just be most known now for their fast-paced pop punk covers of popular radio hits like “Don’t You Forget About Me” and “Like a Prayer,” but they’ve also grown up considerably since their heyday. If you still put on your Blink-182 records and sigh, this might just be the show to check out.
Rufio: Sat., Jan. 23, 7 p.m., $15. Glass House, 200 W. 2nd St., Pomona, 909.865.3802. All ages.
There’s some strangely named sub-genres of music out there. There’s “freak folk,” “shitgaze,” “crunk,” “merenhouse,” “bachatango,” “deathcore” and “sludge metal.”
And then there’s “flower punk,” which is exactly how Atlanta’s Black Lips describe their music. And you know, it actually does kind of sound like what you think “flower punk” would sound like: A mellowed out garage rock, jangly, rough, youthful and carefree.
Black Lips were once known for their anything but mellow live stage show—in fact, they were known for onstage puke fests; live, self-inflicted injuries (and the subsequent squirtage of blood); making out with each other; making out with audience members; using their genitalia to strum their guitars; spitting everywhere. And believe us when we say no one was safe from their bodily fluids—no one.
Sanitary it wasn’t, but entertaining it was. But don’t let that deter you from catching Black Lips live: They’ve since toned down (which we’re kind of sad about) but the dirty grunge and low growls remain.
Black Lips: Wed., Jan. 20, 10 p.m., $15. Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, 949.642.0600. 21+. They also play Fri., Jan. 22 at the Glass House, 200 W. 2nd St., Pomona, 909.865.3802. All ages. $12.
