Kenny Loggins Trusts the Sh*t Out of His Son

At first glance, MTV's celebrity-offspring singing competition Rock the Cradle doesn't seem like much more than a third-rate American Idol knock off. The dueling karaoke numbers of these celebrities-by-default isn't helped much by the ludicrous over-hosting, the asinine judging panel, and the contestants' syrupy vows that they have what it takes to "make it" on their own (except, you know, for being the child of someone famous and getting on the show in the first place). This glorious train wreck of a television show does have one saving grace--the parents. Some of them have a bizarre synergistic relationship with their kids, as if it's another way to extend mom or dad's fame just a bit longer. Witness: the Dee and Jesse "Blaze" Snider tag team... Many of the parents appear at the live show taping to appraise their progeny's talents after they have been harshly judged by a blue-ribbon panel that includes Avril Lavigne's choreographer and the lead singer of the Go-Gos. And nearly all of them star in completely natural and fluid staged video packages, dispensing essential rock-star parental advice with varying degrees of verisimilitude. But at least everyone seems to genuinely care about each other amidst the wackiest jet set talent show ever conceived. It's nice to see Bobby Brown on TV again outside the context of an E! True Hollywood Story. Particularly sympathetic is Crosby "Son of Kenny" Loggins, who possesses a disarming humility (on silver spoons: "I used to get a lot of crap for what my dad did. I didn't care. 'Danger Zone' put food on my table.") that is incredibly out of place in RtC's world of whiz-bang presentation and contrived verbal sparring. Surely MTV knows this too and has prescribed some of the least convincing cockiness and the most unexpected bleep in TV history to give the family Loggins more "edge": Soft rockers don't swear! But at least they're setting a better example than Lil B. Sure! (son of obscure R&B veteran Al B. Sure!):

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Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza in Los Angeles? Oh, Hells Yes!

There is a world of cuisine outside of Figueroa fast food, Viztango, and Malibu Subs. I know that the busy slump sucks and the lure of cheap, quick food is hard to resist. Venturing further away from campus involves temporal, monetary, and logistical constraints. Luckily, with proper planning, you can beat these obstacles and get to eating some delicious ass food. Masa - Echo Park Bakery & Cafe boasts a relatively large menu, but is known for their Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza. A large pizza easily feeds four people, and at a rate of $22+ for a large, you can leave well fed for about $7. Or, if you're only in a twosome, get a small pizza and you'll still achieve some serious expanding of your waistband. Deep dish pizza takes about an hour to make, so they welcome you to phone in your order beforehand. I also highly recommend their garlic bread, salads, and desserts. You can BYOB with no corkage fee, so make it a classy night and bring along some two-buck chuck. Large Deep Dish Pizza with Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Now you're wondering how the hell you're going to get there. (This map I made shows you how close the bus stop, the restaurant, and the Echo are to each other.) Well, it just so happens that 200 Metro Bus goes directly from USC to Echo Park, whence you will get off at Sunset and only walk a few short blocks East to get there.

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KSCR Presents: The Dodos, Thee Oh Sees, Goodbye Gadget, and Clue Junior

On March 7, KSCR was pleased to present our second concert this semester at Ground Zero Performance Cafe featuring The Dodos, Thee Oh Sees, Goodbye Gadget, and Clue Junior. (Photo by: Charles Mallison) The night began with the eclectic sounds and an unpredictable set from Clue Junior. The on-campus band quickly and quietly played hot potato with their instruments between songs and delighted the audience with their unpredictability. (Photo by: Goodbye Gadget) Goodbye Gadget brought a more lighthearted set delivering female-fronted pop punk complete with keyboards. The band stopped in-studio earlier in the day. (Photo by: Jeffrey Long) Later in the night, Thee Oh Sees upped the intimacy of the show, opting to play on the floor and choosing to leave the lights on (wink). They brought distortion, jokes, and energy. The lead singer John Dwyer harmonized with Brigid Dawson, who also brought the occasional tamborine. The band combined psychadelic, experimental sounds with folk-inspired vocals to produce a captivating performance. (Photo by: Ross Stephenson) (Photo by: Charles Mallison) Finally, Meric Long and Logan Kroeber took the stage. Seeing The Dodos live is mesmerizing. As expected, the more detectable intricacies of sound and timing made the live experience phenomenal, but I was particularly blown away by the accompanying visual experience. Throughout the night we saw high levels of energy from all of the bands, but The Dodos had the unique ability to simultaneously convey sensitivity and serenity along with movement-inducing liveliness (which helps to explain the sitters and the standers all havin' good times).

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Concert Review: Grizzly Bear & the LA Philharmonic

Whether you've just heard "Knife" or had the "Yellow House" album on repeat for all of '06 and '07, it's undeniable that Grizzly Bear have established themselves as beloved musicians of the indie world, receiving props from some guy named Paul Simon and having their most well-known song covered by a gazillion bands like Cansei de Ser Sexy and Band of Horses. Looks like those kids had a pretty good year. Now it can be said that if Grizzly Bear's music is known for anything, it's all in the feeling. It's warm, it's fuzzy, and it just feels so damn good. Their magic is in the personal connection made between musician and listener and every sleepless night or beautiful morning could be soundtracked with this band's songs. So now, imagine yourself late at night, drifting off to the soft sound of Dan Rossen's voice and guitar piping through your headphones. Now ditch those headphones and imagine you're in a giant wooden box with the LA Philharmonic and the best acoustics you've ever heard in your life. That's the best way I can describe Grizzly Bear and the LA Phil's show on Saturday, March 1 at Disney Hall. It's a large venue and the band somehow filled the space while keeping things feeling intimate. First off, some clarification: some people thought that the orchestra and Grizzly Bear were going to play simultaneously, but while that would have been completely insane and amazing, it was not to be. The LA Phil opened with an hour set of pieces picked by GB, conducted by Joana Carneiro. It's a bit of a surreal experience to see such expertly-performed classical music played right before modern rock, but the evolution of music became pleasantly clearer. The ties between the classics and musicians who are inspired by such pieces were worn proudly and at the root of it all, I think the purpose of this concert was to bring new audiences to the roots of music. After an intermission and a lengthy conversation with the ushers on why there were so many "young people" at Disney Hall, Grizzly Bear took the stage. Starting with the nostalgic "Easier," the band established the mood pretty quickly. I'm convinced that Ed Droste (vocals/guitar), Dan Rossen (vocals/guitar), Chris Taylor (bass/woodwinds/electronics/vocals/what else?!), and Chris Bear (drums/vocals) are getting better and better every time they play, picking better venues and smarter gigs. "Lullabye" never sounded prettier, "Little Brother" never sounded more electric, and they even squeezed in live rarity "Marla" (written by Droste's great-aunt in the 1930's). My personal favorite of the night? Dan Rossen's "Deep Blue Sea," a cover of an old folk traditional and simply one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my life. I've never seen it performed live before and the second I heard those familiar chords, I was gone. In between songs, Droste jokingly commented on the floral carpet design of the building and Taylor was surprisingly playful with his on-stage banter. Unsurprisingly, "Knife" got the big cheers of familiarity and the volume on "Colorado" was epic. Grizzly Bear closed with a bit of a parting gift, their brand new song, "While You Wait for the Others." With bits of '60s pop influence and some sunnier tones, the track points to an exciting direction for the band and one that could be explored more fully in their next album. Leaving us with an encore of "Shift" and Crystals' cover "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)," they left on an ethereal note. The biggest thing? The acoustics! If there is anywhere a band like this should be playing, it's in a concert hall. One, because the sound quality is amplified to an astronomical level you will never hear anywhere else. Two, because the crowd stays quiet for most of the playing, letting every note soak in. It's the only way to listen to such moving music. You know, it's been almost a week and I still find myself wishing I could go back to Saturday night. It's a rare thing when that happens and a testament to the talents of the band. If there is anything to be said about Grizzly Bear, it's that they're a true force to be reckoned with, a group of musicians that is growing in such a beautiful way. Every re-working of a song or an arrangement shows progression and every live show brings the listener closer to the musicians; that's a huge thing, feeling like you have a deep relationship with the creators of the music you listen to. What I'm saying has been said innumerable times before but what the hey, what's a few more gushing compliments and professions of love?

LA Philharmonic (conducted by Joana Carneiro):
• Boccherini (arr. Berio) "Ritirata notturna di Madrid"
• Britten "Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33"
• Stravinsky "Suite (1919) from The Firebird"

Grizzly Bear:
• Easier
• Alligator
• Lullabye
• Little Brother
• Service Bell
• Marla
• Knife
• Deep Blue Sea
• Colorado
• On A Neck, On A Spit
• While You Wait for the Others
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• Shift
• He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)

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