Saturday, July 31, 2010

Arthur Adams : Get it on The Floor


The great Arthur Adams rocking Santa Monica @ Harvelle's.



- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Arthur Adams :
There's A Red House Over Yonder

Arthur Adams knows the blues.
He's seen it, lived it, and he's bringing it to Harvelle's to share it with a Satur-night crowd here in Santa Monica. If you want the real deal, this is it. Last October, I shot this video of Mr. Adams performing the classic "Red House".



Tomorrow night:
Part funky cabaret, part erotic burlesque show.
If you don't know, you better Google it.
Or just show up. 9:30 sharp.

Vivian Campbell : Metalheads Sing The Blues

In the 90s I worked for local underground label Metal Blade Records, so when I saw that perineal "metal" axeman Vivian Campbell was going to be playing at Harvelle's (under the name Sir Sodoff and The Trainwrecks), I was flooded with memories and sugarcoated affection for big hair, gated snare and loud guitars - often played by skinny boys in day-glo bandanas.
But that part was silly and simple, and a parody of what real "hard rock/heavy metal" was capable of.

During my metal travels, I became aware of a movement in the late 70s & early 80s known as The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).
This derivation took rock away from it's blues based heros like Zep, Foghat, Clapton and Aerosmith and added the youthful kick-in-the-crotch that made it relevant and exciting for the kids coming up.

Among them, Def Lepperd, Venom, Iron Maiden, (Metallica faves) Diamond Head and (a young Vivian Campbell's group) Sweet Savage.

Tonight, Vivian's old school roots shone through - he is currently a member of both Def Lepperd AND the (late Phil Lynott's) current incarnation of Thin Lizzy, - but he definitely brought it all back home, performing not only the blues that Harvelle's is known for, but taking it to a different direction with lots of twin leads in tandem with guitarist Kara Grainger.

He indulged his heavy side when necessary, and the crowd responded to his slow sexy version of Lepperd's "Pour Some Sugar On Me".

People wanna dance on a Friday, and augmented by harpist Michael Fell, drummer Glen Sobel and bassist Lou Castro, Vivian Campbell pulled off the party of the week, rockin' the club, until last call forced him off of the stage.


- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone

Friday, July 30, 2010

Harlow Gold : The Westside's Burlesque

Under the radar for the last couple of months, Harlow Gold has been producing their sultry, provocative bump 'n' grind fest the last 2 Thursdays of each month exclusively at Harvelle's since April.

There is little I can write here without giving much away, and the show MUST be seen to be appreciated. There are 6 or 7 dancers in the revue each with her own gorgeous signature style, moves and individual characters; i.e. the pouty pole climbing redhead, the broken hearted chanteuse, the sado-masochistic military chain of command, the "stewardesses" who direct air traffic and dispense snacks, the 6 legged ultra-fem human fly, or my fave: the jaded sexually aggressive stripper dancing - one more time - to Tom Waits' "Pasties & A G-String". Special kudos to Beez (above), the night's Mohawk-ed host.

The Toledo Show's Malik Pointer (below, left) was in the house. I asked him what he thought of Harlow Gold, "FUCKING RIDICULOUS!... There's people that say that they can do shit, and there's THIS!! There is a difference!"
This show is consistently sold out, so reservations are highly recommend.

- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic app on the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Harvelle's Weekend : Plan Accordingly!

Click to enlarge.

Thursday:
Harlow Gold
Friday:
Sir Sodoff & The Trainwrecks
(Vivian Campbell)
Saturday:
Arthur Adams
Sunday:
The Toledo Show

Housin' and Vibin' @ Harvelle's!!

House Of Vibe is the Wednesday night house band at Harvelle's. Their combination of hip-hop, jazz, r&b, soul, rock and funk is as original as it is infectious. Tonight (as noted in the last entry) is Bif Chitlin's birthday. It is also Michael Bolger's, who sat in on trumpet!!
Besides being a birthday party, it was also a homecoming of sorts - band leader Brew has been on the road with De La Soul (and recently backed Talib Kweli on the Jimmy Kimmel Show) - and that's always cause for celebration.
Brew is thankful for what he gots
Deploi
Amy Lou
Jon Swift
Ijeoma Njaka
Kris Hawkins
Greg Raymond
Fish
Michael Bolger
T-Smidi


- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Maggot Brain : Bif's Bday

It's officially Bif Chitlins b-day!!! Talk about your maggot brains!! The House Of Vibe crew is blowin' up Harvelle's in celebration. Right now!!! Come down!!

Brew and Bif



- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Vintage Trouble : Hold On!!

Weekday nights at Harvelle's have become a respite from the grind, and thusly created a Saturday Night experience, even though it's only a Tuesday.

Vintage Trouble have a real "veni vidi vici" approach and the packed(!) house is testament to that!! Heavily populated by pretty young girls, the crowd sang along with wild abandon, shook their asses on the dance floor and screamed and shouted in response to everything that sharp-dressed lead singer Ty Taylor put out there.

Soulful rock is too benign a term, but their rock 'n' roll is a mix of hyped-up vintage Rolling Stones with a benzedrine-d Otis Redding on vocals!! They're smooth as silk and hard as nails.

Check them out every Tuesday.
Come early and be prepared to get down on Harvelle's black & white checkerboard dance floor.

Special thanks to bartender Mika for keeping everybody liquid and happy.

Tomorrow night : Get your party on with the House Of Vibe All Stars!!! Brew and the crew will be setting the roof ablaze, and hosting The Boxing Ghandis, so come early to check them out! DJ Vicious Lee will be on the wheels of steel, and I think it's Biff Chitlin's birthday; you never know what will happen when that guy's around!!! Guess I'll see you there - and as Brew likes to say "Chea!!"



- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic photo app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Monday, July 26, 2010

Kirk Fletcher : Down To The Bone

It's a blue Monday today.

I'm a little disoriented from last night's Toledo show.

A blaze of funk fire gave way to nightmarish sleeplessness. Crying toddler tears from down the alley woke me repeatedly and tonight I sit perched on my fave bar stool with my fave bartender and my fave cocktail waitress on my least fave night of the week. Seems like everyone I know outside of this bar is out of town, out of love, out of luck or in the morgue.
So it looks like I'm in the right place.

Oh yeah!!!
I see the Miss Willie Brown crew is here, so big double long neck clinks to them.
Amanda and Kasey!!
Luv ya ladies!!!

- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Toledo Show : Sunday Night's Alright For Funkin'


The Sunday night place to be.
Toledo being Toledo
Shamari funks it up!!
the Walter Davis double-up
Spoon on the bass


happy bday Asa!!!