Ne-Yo the last time he played Nokia Theatre, in December at KIIS-FM’s Jingle Ball. Photo: Getty Images
As expected, the concert biz slowly started waking up this week. Despite the unveiling of March’s sixth Musink Fest and an Elton John show in Anaheim later this month that you won’t get into, things are still on the quiet side. Some of these we mentioned nearly a month ago. Shows are on sale now unless otherwise indicated.
• Power 106′s Double Shot of Love: The radio giant has put a whopper pairing — Ne-Yo plus T.I. — for its Valentine’s Crush, providing guys who date honeys heavy into rap and R&B with something to do on Feb. 14. Location: Nokia Theatre. Opening act: RaVaughn. Tickets: $59.50-$99.50, on sale Friday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m.
• Steven Wilson: On Feb. 25, the frontman for British art-rockers Porcupine Tree issues his third solo disc, The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories), soon after launching a stateside trek that winds down with a May 10 gig at Club Nokia, $19.50-$35, on sale Friday at 10 a.m. And while we’re talking prog-rock …
• Yes: As we noted before Christmas, when the prog-rock pioneers appear March 6 at the Orpheum Theatre, they will perform three classics (well, two and a sleeper) in their entirety: The Yes Album (essential), Close to the Edge (epic) and Going for the One (unpretentious). Tickets, $35-$125, are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
• Wait, one more: Queensrÿche, “starring” vocalist Geoff Tate, will tackle 1988′s Operation: Mindcrime in full (plus its 2006 sequel? the billing isn’t clear) on April 17 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, $39.50.
Also at the club: American Idol champ Lee DeWyze, with Child 44 and Johnny Oskam, Feb. 20, $15-$18; reggae stalwart Israel Vibration, Feb. 26, $20-$23; London troubadour Marcus Foster, spawned from the same scene that begat Mumford & Sons, Feb. 27, $15; veteran roots figures Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks on Feb. 28, $25, followed by David Lindley with Toulouse Engelhardt and the Delta 88s on March 1, $20; California Guitar Trio, May 2, $17-$20; and Y&T, May 11, $20.
• The Hives: The fiercely entertaining Swedes, already slated to open for Pink at Staples Center on Feb. 16, keep adding small-venue appearances before and after that high-profile gig. Before the year ended they announced a Valentine’s Day show at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, $26. Now they’ve added a Feb. 17 performance at House of Blues Anaheim, $22.50 in advance, $25 day of show, on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
Also at the Mouse House are two heavier shows – Flyleaf and Drowning Pool on March 21, $17.50, and Anthrax performing its 1987 album Among the Living on March 22, $29.99 – plus the Ready Set with Outasight on March 9, $12.50. And Social Distortion had to postpone its Jan. 8 set to Jan. 27 because of another illness. Tickets will be honored on the later date. If needed, refunds are available at point of purchase.
• Sufjan Stevens: Add the offbeat composer and multi-instrumentalist to the growing list of highly possible Coachella attractions, along with the Antlers and Chairlift, as all three acts have announced performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall around then, as part of the L.A. Philharmonic’s Brooklyn Festival.
Stevens, along with the National’s Bryce Dessner and classical composer Nico Muhly will be there April 22 for the West Coast premiere of their song cycle Planetarium, $44-$84, while the Antlers and Chairlift make their Disney Hall debuts on April 19, $30-$43. Both performances go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.
• Pre-Grammy gigs: House of Blues Sunset Strip has added a string of hip-hop and urban-soul shows (all presented by Roc Nation) that lead up to the Grammy Awards on Feb. 10 at Staples Center. Solange appears first, on Feb. 7, $25, followed by Meek Mill and Wale on Feb. 8, $40, and Santigold on Feb. 9, $27.
Also new at that venue: two more Social D. dates, Jan. 25-26, $30; David Bisbal, March 12, $32.50; that same Anthrax show that Anaheim has, which also includes Exodus, High on Fire, Municipal Waste and Holy Grail, March 27, $30; and the Expendables’ Life’s a Beach Tour, April 20, with Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds, $17.50.
• Black Label Society: Zakk Wylde, one of metal’s reigning guitar heroes, brings his band to Club Nokia on March 6, $28.50-$35, on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Also at the L.A. Live venue: K-pop duo LeeSang featuring Jung In, Jan. 26, $53.50-$153.50; the previously mentioned co-headlining outing teaming the Devil Wears Prada with As I Lay Dying on Feb. 28, with For Today and the Color Morale, $22-$30; Mindless Self Indulgence with Morningwood’s spitfire Chantal Claret, May 4, $26.50.
• STS9: The electronically enhanced jam band (properly known as Sound Tribe Sector 9) returns March 2 to headline the Hollywood Palladium, $28.50. Also at the venue: a pairing of Pierce the Veil with All Time Low, with openers Mayday Parade and You Me at Six, May 9, $22. Both shows go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
• George Lopez: The perennially popular comedian, who always seems to keep busy in the dead of Southern California winters, has added a second show at the Long Beach Terrace Theater, Jan. 25, $39.50-$59.50.
• The Observatory: rapper Gucci Mane, Feb. 8, $25; punk group Angry Samoans, with JFA, Naked Aggression, Luicidal and more, Feb. 22, $12; L.A. singer-songwriter Jake Smith, who does business as the White Buffalo, March 1, $15; and Figure, March 15, $15.
• The Constellation Room: Newly added in the Observatory’s smaller room are Cro-Mags on Feb. 3, $15; Hard, Fast & Loud’s record-release show on Feb. 10, free; South African-born vocal newcomer St. Lucia, Feb. 11, $15; Swedish synth duo Icona Pop, Feb. 15, $15; and A Silent Film with Gold Fields, March 2, $10.
• Detroit Bar: L.A.’s best Cambodian rock band Dengue Fever performs Feb. 2 at the corner club, $15.
• The Tiki Bar: The Costa Mesa joint delivers Nashville Pussy on Feb. 2, $15.
• The Fonda Theatre: Feed Me with Teeth and Mord Fustang, Feb. 16-17, $25; and Daedelus with Two Flesh, Ryan Hemsworth and Samo Sound Boy, March 29, $17.50.
• El Rey Theatre: Lotus headlines March 22, with VibeSquaD opening, $20, while enduring heavy rock innovators Living Colour play March 30, $30. Both are on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.
• The Glass House: the Ghost Inside, Stick to Your Guns, more, March 8, $12.50, on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
• The Roxy: Terror and H20, Feb. 14, Backtrack and Code Orange Kids, $15.
More shows:
New shows: Ne-Yo & T.I., Steven Wilson, STS9 is a post from: Soundcheck