Silversun Pickups "Substitution" Video, Tour Dates

One of the gems of the Silver Lake, CA scene, Silversun Pickups truly blew me away when I saw them for the first time at last year's Monolith Festival. So much so that their completely packed SX set at Antones was the one I pulled out all the stops to get into. Lead singer/guitarist Brian Aubert's vocals continually intrigue me: he starts out sort of breathy and light, almost crooning, until he hits certain passages where he lets forth a gravel-laced yell that just knocks you off your feet.

SSPU's "Substitution"


If you like what you hear on record, be sure you catch them live, it's really something rad. The Pickups start their US tour today in support of Swoon, and then hit Europe November-December (dates below). Let's hope they add a DC or NYC date in there somewhere!

Silversun Pickups Fall Tour
US LEG/September 2009
-15- Grand Rapids, MI @ Orbit Room
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-16- Green Bay, WI @ The Club
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-18-Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-19- Des Moines, IA @ Hoyt Sherman Place
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-21- Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic Lounge
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-22- Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-23- Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-25- Little Rock, AR @ The Rev Room
with Manchester Orchestra
-26- Huntsville, AL @ Big Spring Jam @ Big Spring International Park
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-28- Lexington, KY @ Buster's
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-29- Johnson City, TN @ Electric Cowboy
with Manchester Orchestra & Cage the Elephant
-30- Knoxville, TN USA @ The Valarium
w/ Cage The Elephant

US LEG/October 2009
-2- Gainsville, FL @ The Venue
with An Horse
-3- Ft. Myers, FL @ Ricochet
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-4- Jacksonville, FL @ The Florida Theatre
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-5- Columbia, SC @ Headliners
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-7- Hilton Head, SC @ Shoreline Ballroom
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-9- Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-10- Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
with An Horse
-11- Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-13- Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-14- Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-15- Toronto, ON @ The Sound Academy
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-17- Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-18- Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-20- Hartford, CT @ The Webster
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-21- Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-23- Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-24- Pittsburgh, PA @ Ches-A-Rena
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-26- Toledo, OH @ Headliners
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-28- Peoria, IL @ Exposition Gardens
with Cage the Elephant & An Horse
-30- New Orleans, Louisiana @ City Park
Doors @ 10am, music from 11am-11pm. Set times TBA.

EUROPEAN LEG/November-December 2009
-November 29, 2009 - Bologna, Italy @ Futurshow Station
with Placebo
-30- Milan, Italy @ Palasharp
with Placebo
-December 1, 2009 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion
with Placebo
-3- Rotterdamn, Holland @ Ahoy
with Placebo
-4- Cologne, Germany @ Lanxess Arena
with Placebo
-6- Antwerp, Belgium @ Sportpalais
with Placebo
-8- Birmingham, UK @ LG Arena
with Placebo and The Horrors
-9- London, UK @ O2 Arena
with Placebo and The Horrors
-11 - Bridlington, UK @ Bridlington Spa
with Placebo and The Horrors
-12- Manchester, UK @ Manchester Central
with Placebo and The Horrors
-14- Glasgow, UK @ SECC
with Placebo and The Horrors
-15- Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia Theatre
with Placebo
-16- Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia Theatre

The Adventures of an East Coast Kid in Denver....

Been gearing up for covering the Monolith Festival in Denver this weekend....be covering lots of super cool kids out of the Silver Lake, CA area, among others, so check back!

"My Little Underground" or "How Friggin' Incredible is the Silver Lake Music Scene?"

This past Tuesday, my pal and fellow music writer Travis Woods and another LA music writer Mouse hosted the first of many celebrations of the local-to-them Silver Lake music scene, a little shindig they called My Little Underground. With solo performances from the lead singers of local bands. The list of performers was a venerable whos-who of the scene, including Mikel Jollett of the Airborne Toxic Event, Andrew Spitser of Radars to the Sky, Timothy James of the Movies, Sarah Negahdari of the Happy Hollows, and Evan Way of the Parson Red Heads.

Travis writes:

It was an alternately eclectic, moving, hilarious, and triumphant night of local music, one in which we were all reminded why this matters so much to us—because it’s our little underground, and it’s one that is a privilege, a real privilege, to know and to hear.

Such an incredible idea, and from the sounds of things, an amazing evening for both performers and attendees (especially if you like the Everly Brothers heh). Each site provides both great photos of everyone as well as performance videos so go check them out: Travis' review and Mouse's review.

Great job boys, we're looking forward to the next one! Ideas and enthusiasm like this might just make the New York kids here at Between Love and Like rethink their mantra of "Hell no, I could never live on the west coast!"

In NYC tonight and looking for a good band to see?

Yes, I know the Cure is playing MSG but what if you want something different, more raucous and definitely cheaper? Come down to the no-longer-as-dirty-as-I-recall Alphabet City (specifically Avenue A and E. Houston Street) and check out The Weather Underground from Los Angeles. The Silver Lake/Echo Park area to be exact.

Where? Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston Street (corner of Avenue A and E. Houston Street)
When? 9:30

Besides how many bands do you typically see whose lead singers sing sans shoes? None probably, plus they're all hot as hell, so go check them out. They will blow your mind.