We Just Can't Get Enough of this City
A Chat with Strangelove and The Singularity's Julia Shah-Tayler & What's Going on this Week- including Echo Park Rising, Spinning Sunset and Tomata Du Plenty's art show
From top left : Tomato du Plenty/ Screamers Art Show Promo, Strangelove, Devo, Echo Park Rising map.
Celebrating our beautiful city and its events every week while still acknowledging the horrifying things happening in the streets due to the current administration’s targeting of immigrants (and my fellow Latinos in general) has been disconcerting to say the least.
But as I continue to highlight L.A. people and places that deserve it (past and present), it’s important to acknowledge how scary it is out there for so many. Even those who don’t have to fear racial profiling when leaving the house can be mentally affected by what’s going on.
Overall life is tough for a lot of us right now (prices at the grocery store are higher than ever!) and we all have personal struggles we don’t share on social media whether they be health issues, relationship woes or work stress.
As Nikka Costa once said, “Everybody Got Their Something.”
I hope you are all protecting your mental and physical health as you stay informed and make your voice heard (if you so choose). Reportedly, there’s a new way to do so on social media….
Don’t Call it a Protest, Call it a ‘Music Festival’
No one can blame you if you choose not to engage in political exchange on socials. But if you do appreciate seeing it (and being seen), keep in mind that algorithms are specifically designed to skew your perception. Shadow banning happens, maybe now more than ever.
In response, online creators have come up with a clever get-around. Replace the word “protest” with the words “music festival.” Apparently these two words in particular are algo-friendly, while “protest” is not… it’s the reason “unalive” has replaced “dead” these days on social sites. And by the way “stages” are protest locations now and just in case some don’t get it- “bands” like “Rage Against the Machine” will definitely be playing there. Nudge nudge…
Beyond protest, there really is a music festival this weekend in Echo Park… no really! Echo Park Rising is also about supporting local businesses who are struggling due to Trump’s terrible economy and persisting post-pandemic slumps (scroll down for more info).
(Photo by Alex Tovar)
For me, celebrating life always starts with music! So for this week’s Zoom chat I catch up with one of my favorite local artists, Julian Shah-Tayler, known for his work paying tribute to David Bowie (via The Band That Fell To Earth), Depeche Mode (Strangelove) and his own thoughtful sonic expressions (The Singularity)— the latter of which deals with heartbreak as of late.
My coverage of Bowie, Depeche Mode and Tayler himself is ample, but here are some related links to a few favorites:
⭐️ Depeche Mode LA Weekly cover story
Tayler pulls double duty this weekend, at the House of Blues Anaheim performing with Strangelove and The Singularity (which sold out last night) as well as at The Wiltern alongside OG’s Stabbing Westward and Julien-K on Saturday.
I have a pair of tickets to give away for tonight’s show and all you need to do for a chance to win is be the first to post a story on Instagram, tagging me and The Singularity Music. Subscribe to this newsletter if you haven’t yet, too.
Enjoy our little chat below, which covers Tayler’s Bowie shows, his Strangelove work and his brand new album featuring stellar guest musicians including Bowie’s legendary pianist Mike Garson, as well as his bass player Carmine Rojas, Bauhaus’ David J and many more.
For more on Julian’s various music projects, check out his LINKTREE.
Flashback photo: LA Weekly Echo Park Rising cover story by Brett Callwood ad me featuring Trap Girl from 2020
WHAT’S GOING ON (AUG. 15-22)
⭐️ ECHO PARK RISING
EPR may be the closest thing we’ll probably ever get to the iconic Sunset Junction Street Fair of yore. In a future newsletter I will diving deep into that gathering’s history and my own reflections as I worked it as a teen, selling t-shirts at Y-Que Trading Post and later, covering for LA Weekly every year as a young adult.
Rising has a similar community feel, especially the in-store events that reflect what each business’ is all about, attracting regulars and wanderers alike. Our pal Liz Garo (Stories, The Echo, etc.) shared some doozies she’ll be involved with this year, which should be a great start crafting your schedule.
For another significant slice of the Parque party scene, check out our friends at Sick City Records, who’ve been throwing the coolest EPR events in their store for years!
⭐️ SPINNING SUNSET
Speaking of records, if you’re a vinyl freak hitting the Strip just might be worth it for Spinning Sunset, a new vinyl music event put on by the street’s tourism folks. Meet at the Pink Dot, and no, "rage against the machine” will not be there…
⭐️ TOMATA
Mark Motherbaugh’s MutMuz Gallery is showcasing works by local legend Tomata du Plenty, best known for his music with seminal punk band The Screamers, and as an artist and contributor to LA Weekly (before my time).
Multimedia paintings and photos make up the artshow and if last night’s elder scenester-packed opening is any indication, this one will be a real history lesson for those who want to understand what the LA underground was like pre-pre-internet. Click the image below for more info.
⭐️ DEVO DOC
Speaking of Mr. Mothersbaugh, mark your calendars of the debut of the much-touted DEVO documentary on Netflix, this Tuesday. Aug. 19. Next week I’ll share clips from my multiple video chats with Mark to celebrate!
⭐️ MIDSUMMER SCREAM
Happening now, the annual Midsummer Scream Halloween Convention is a must-go for fans of slashers, monsters and creeps. Look out for my friends from Killer Fitness (who I just covered in LA Times), Zombie Joe’s Underground and 13th Floor Entertainment — who will be making a big announcement today about a brand new partnership with Elvira. I got the exclusive scoop which will go live on The Hollywood Reporter’s website at 1:30 p.m.