Artists To Watch At Echo Park Rising
This weekend marks the 5th year of Echo Park Rising‘s annual neighborhood event which curates the best in music, creativity, diversity and small businesses in Echo Park. With numerous stages and activities throughout the weekend, this totally free fest is a must-attend, and LA music geeks really have no excuse to miss it. Though at times it can get pretty tight and crowded, if you’re determined and patient enough to fight through the crowds you’ll find that there’s a huge spectrum of talented punks, alt-rockers, garage bands, electronic artists, comedy and storytelling acts, and you’ll find plenty of gems worthy of the struggle.
If you haven’t checked out the lineup so far, take a look at it now. The festival definitely showcases a well representation of the different scenes and genres coming out of Los Angeles. The headlining lineup this year is surprisingly exciting too and definitely worth going to all three days. And I mean come on, it’s FREE. Can’t beat free right? Well I could list probably 30 bands on this flyer that i could say are definitely worthy of checking out but i’m going to slim it down to 5 just to give you an idea of what EPR has to offer this weekend. Check out my 5 picks below..
1. Superhumanoids
When: Saturday
BIO: In the summer of 2010, Superhumanoids was birthed under the hazy air and bright blue skies of Los Angeles. A fascination for electronic sounds, instruments, pedals, and more, aesthetically united Max, Sarah, and Cameron. Like a petri dish growing each day, the band spent their time together intertwining and experimenting with their R&B upbringings and love for pop music. Bartered studio time, extensive touring, and the release of two EPs set the stage for what was to come and in the fall of 2011 these forces coalesced to create Exhibitionists.
Exhibitionists is the soundtrack to the last moments of dusk in LA. With swooning guitars, glimmering air, soaring melodies, the setting sun, and melting keyboards, something about the whole thing makes your breath stop short. Developed in the home studios of the Superhumanoids, the record takes a completely hands on approach from the trio. With each synth and guitar sound being completely made from scratch, the record brings a homegrown feel that encapsulates the thumps of the beating heart and lulls of swaying palm fronds from LA. And just as the record takes those elements and brings them to life, the live performance of Exhibitionists only continues to further that distinction. Despite being wrapped in an electronic blanket, the trio unravels each songs core to take the listener on a journey that highlights the living R&B undertones and driving groove that brings to light the soul of the record. What is found in the sticky air of the city of angels is found here in Exhibitionists, to ease between the spaces of your body, make you dance, and bring you home.
2. Maudlin Strangers
When: Saturday – 7:00pm – Echoplex Stage
Bio: Maudlin Strangers is the solo project of Agoura Hills, CA native Jake Hays. Recorded in Hays’ bedroom, the debut Overdose EP started as an “opportunity to play each instrument,” says Hays. “Live, I only get to play guitar and sing, so the recording process is my outlet to write and play different instruments.” What can only be described as dark-indie-rock, the 4-track EP combines somber lyricism masked by light, upbeat melodies. Hays not only writes all the music, but he designs all the band’s artwork as well. “ The EP is just an expression of all the thoughts in my weird, creepy mind,” Hays laughs. The result is an ambient yet catchy body of work with hints of MuteMath and even Pink Floyd strewn throughout.
Overdose EP will be available nationwide on January 20, 2015 via Vagrant Records.
4. Little Wolves
When: Friday – 9:20pm – Sesac Stage (Taix Restaurant Lounge)
Bio: Little Wolves is the project of longtime collaborators and Los Angeles producers Samuel Jacob and Ronnie Watson…
The duo, who started writing music together in 2010, are set to release their debut digital two-song single featuring “Home” and “Lost My Mind” on June 16th via Red Bull Sound Select.Both tracks were produced by the famed Andre Anjos, the visionary behind Remix Artist Collective, better known to the musical world as RAC. RAC rose to international prominence with reinterpretive remixes of songs for The Shins, Kings of Leon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Washed Out and others. Little Wolves fresh new sound of lush 80’s synths, psychedelic guitars, pulsating bass, and heavy beats is married perfectly with RAC’s fusion of rock and dance music sensibilities.
3. Pearl Charles
When: Sunday – 5:30pm – The Echo Stage
Bio: At the young age of 23, Pearl Charles already has deep roots in the Los Angeles music community. An LA Native, Pearl embodied California rock and roll cool even before she took her natural position as a figure in the local music scene (and beyond). Pearl started logging miles on the road with her first band, old-timey Americana duo The Driftwood Singers, at age 18, followed by a lengthy stint drumming and singing in garage-pop band, The Blank Tapes. The Blank Tapes toured extensively and earned accolades from Rolling Stone and The New Yorker for their sunny lo-fi surf rock. Along the way, Pearl collaborated with artists such as Jonathan Wilson, Stephen McBean (Black Mountain), Farmer Dave Scher (Beachwood Sparks) and Johnathan Rice and toured extensively internationally supporting diverse artists such as Father John Misty, Matt Costa, Thee Oh Sees, Kim Deal, The Growlers, Allah Las and Mystic Braves to name a few, as well as earning a BFA in Music from CalArts.
Embarking on a solo career in 2015, Pearl is set to solidify her own name and place by releasing a 6 song debut EP on Burger Records this summer. Pearl recorded her self-titled EP track by track with a select group of producers and a little help from her friends, many of whom are notable L.A. musicians in their own right including Joel Jerome (La Sera, Cherry Glazerr) and Taylor Locke (Rooney). Though she draws inspiration from the legendary scenes of the 60’s and 70’s, from Laurel Canyon to The Factory, from Haight-Ashbury to Muscle Shoals, she also counts contemporary artists amongst her influences such as Tame Impala, Mac DeMarco, Sharon Van Etten and Jenny Lewis, to name a few. Pearl Charles writes and sings songs with a distinctly unique voice, creating a sound that is both timeless yet undeniably here, now.
5. Liphemra
When: Saturday – 9:00pm – Buzzbands Stage (Taix Restaurant Lounge)
Liphemra, the creative endeavor of Los Angeles drummer Liv Marsico is still technically in its infancy, having only released demos to date. The quartet consists of Liv (drums & vocals), Trey Finley (guitar), Miles Gray (Bass) & Chris Parise (drums). Liphemra has performed to sold out crowds, sharing the stage with artists such as Connan Mockasin, Jessy Lanza, Young Fathers & most recently supporting Algiers on their west coast shows. For most of 2015 they have been in the studio preparing proper recordings.. all of which have been self recorded & mixed. They will be releasing material in July and preparing to drop an EP later this year. In the meantime they’ll keep melting faces with their live show.