Share: It wasn’t just smoke from cigarettes and joints being emitted from The Smell in Los Angeles, but also the sound of shoegaze-like guitar riffs, head pounding drum breakdowns, and a vocalist reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk. On Sunday, Feb 19, this venue hosted three local bands opening with The Crymes, Grave Secrets, and then closing the show with the band Bed. The Smell has been part of Downtown Los Angeles since 1998. It’s not only a venue where musicians can practice and have …
Rihanna reappears, reignites Super Bowl ratings
Share: Super Bowl halftime performances are what many would call a national treasure, the biggest names in the industry performing some of their greatest hits on a stage as big as the world. Looking at the previous headliners like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Beyonce, it’s no secret this is reserved for the best of the best. The bar has been set so high the NFL can’t just pick any singer with a large following. They have to dig deep in their bag and get the …
Students spread love at PCC through music
Share: As she sits behind the Center for the Arts building waiting for her boyfriend to get out of class, sophomore nursing major Seidy De La Torre shares how her relationship has had an impact on her Valentine’s Day. From changing her traditions to even her music taste, her celebration of the holiday has changed greatly from previous years to now. In the past, De La Torre would spend Valentine’s Day at work and then go home. This year, she is spending it with her …
Exploring the legacy of X, LA’s legendary punks
Share: Of all of the punk bands that exploded out of the Los Angeles scene in the late 1970s, few were more influential, well-respected and long-lasting than X. On the 67th birthday of lead vocalist Exene Cervenka, X remains a monumental figure of the Los Angeles and international punk scene. Bassist John Doe and guitarist Billy Zoom met in 1977 after placing ads in the same paper in hopes of connecting with like minded musicians. Doe had moved from Baltimore and was familiar with the …
Concerts are back: Time to spend good money on Bad Bunny
Share: 2022 was stacked with music across the board, with bodies of work coming from top stars like Beyonce, The Weeknd, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, and more. On top of that, there were a number of newer artists taking that next step to make a name for themselves such as Steve Lacy, JID, Latto, the list goes on. Looking ahead to this year it wouldn’t be a reach to expect more album releases from artists you might already have on your rotation. With the world …
Megan Thee Stallion incites ‘hot girl shit’ at private concert
Share: Looking through my emails on a random Thursday afternoon, the title of one screams out to me by saying “You have been selected to the Amazon Music Live event Ft. Megan Thee Stallion!”. The disbelief that ran through my body that I was chosen to see Megan Thee Stallion perform her new album Traumazine the following Thursday made me jump out of my seat with glee! A building in Melrose was held as the venue that seemed to be a small space to have …
PCC’s Latin Jazz Ensemble serenades Lancers in live concert
Share: PCC’s Latin Jazz Ensemble serenaded Lancer’s Pass last week, collecting passing students who were entranced by the genre’s infectious rhythms. The ensemble, led by Dave Tull, played classics from the Latin jazz repertoire, such as Mama Guela, Como Fué, Llegó La Banda and Mambo Diablo, and swing songs redone in the Latin style. Cantaloupe Island is a jazz standard that the ensemble played as a samba and There Will Never Be Another You was played as a mambo. The ensemble played the jazz standard …
Restless nights never end with Taylor Swift’s latest ‘Midnights’
Share: Following a reveal at the MTV music awards, weeks of cryptic teasers on TikTok, and several fan theories, Taylor Swift has released her tenth studio album, “Midnights”. The album combines aspects like the theming of “Reputation”, the upbeat pop of “1989” and the deep, spiritual lyrics of “Folklore” to deliver a rollercoaster of emotions. “Midnights” follows 13 sleepless nights throughout Swift’s life, whether it’s staying up wondering if that special someone actually loves you or being provoked by thoughts of revenge, this album has …
‘CHARLIE’: Puth produces perfectly fine pop on imperfect third album
Share: Released on Oct. 7, “CHARLIE” shows 30-year-old Charlie Puth in the depths of romantic melodramas as he yearns, mourns, and details his past relationships with pop and rock influences spanning the 80s to now. Coming off of the heat of a 2018 Grammy-nominated album, Puth’s self-titled 2022 project continues the artistic exhibition of his divided attentions as an overtly intellectual, perfectionist producer and a desperate-to-be-liked, but never-in-love singer-songwriter. The first track, “That’s Hilarious”, starts off the album with a rebuttal to a pitiful and …