Celebrating it's six months in existence, Harvelle's in Long Beach hosted the mighty Vintage Trouble on Friday Mar 9. VT started their career with a weekly residency in 2010 at Harvelle's Santa Monica, and they've been touring and recording and making fans around the world ever since. Tonight was their first L.A. (adjacent) performance since January when they sold out The Troubadour in Hollywood. The night was filled with the hardcore fans (aka Troublemakers) along with the curious, as well as locals who just happened to be there because it's Harvelle's and a Friday night, which is always a great combo.
VT has been in the studio and is on the verge of releasing their 2nd album of dynamite hits and rockin' soon-to-be classics! So tonight was a soulful work-out of the new stuff and some new arrangements of the favorites. You know how these guys rock!
Rock n' roll with it baby : Nalle Colt and his Les Paul
Richard Danielson pounds the skins into submission
Rick Barrio Dill is straight up steady mobbin'!
With the new album in the can, Vintage Trouble are off to Austin, TX for SXSW, and then they're on tour with Van Hunt and later this year Lenny Kravitz! With less than a quarter of 2012 gone, this is shaping up to be a truly stellar year for the boys in the band.
Calling all troublemakers, pelvis pushers, dirty mouthed straight-shooters and music fans from all walks of life, this Friday Harvelle's is proud to welcome Vintage Trouble to Long Beach. VT played every Tuesday night at the original Santa Monica location in 2010/2011, but Friday they will christen the new Harvelle's in Long Beach! Y'all know the deal...
The current issue of Los Angeles Magazine ("Classic L.A." issue) features a glowing review of my favorite Westside bar. If you read this blog, then you are already aware of Harvelle's.
If not, check out the write-up, and if it sounds good to you, come pay a visit.
Besides the decor and the speakeasy vibe, besides the custom cocktails and authentic nightly blues & jazz, there's always plenty of parking in the structure adjacent to the club and there's a spot next door (West 4th/Jane) that serves great food (you can order and have it delivered to the bar) until about midnight. If you love live music, enjoy a night out dancing, or imbibing with like-minded people over delicious one-of-a-kind cocktails, check out Harvelle's (1432 4th St. between Broadway & Santa Monica Blvd. in downtown Santa Monica) [Harvelle's Santa Monica]
Some other things you may not be aware of:
Harlow Gold - the spectacular underground burlesque revue that consistently sells out (It's the last 2 Thursdays of each month - reservations are highly suggested.) [Reservations link]
There's Westside Wednesdays - local Venice collective House Of Vibe All Stars mid-week massive that combines live hip-hop, reggae, jazz, funk and r&b played by some of the industry's most in-demand musicians. [House Of Vibe All-Stars]
Every Monday night is Ultralove - infamous local singer/songwriter who's faithful fan base makes a ritual of kicking the week off with a dose of the band's illest medicine. [Ultralove]
And there's The Toledo Show.
The longest running show of it's kind, having just celebrated it's 10 year anniversary at Harvelle's, it's a wild burlesque road trip to hell and back. The must-see spectacle is a Westside institution and you really should be indoctrinated. Every Sunday night, the tall, dark and handsome Toledo Diamond mounts his Show - his gravely baritone tells erotic stories of hard living in the back alleys of this grimy urban metropolis, while the impossibly funky band jams tirelessly. A bevy of dancing "Dames" gyrate electrically throughout the evening, enticing you with their bouncy bodices, ripped stockings, red lips and high heels. They're a thing of beauty. [The Toledo Show]
Last year, the up and coming Vintage Trouble left their sold-out year long Tuesday night residency at the club to launch their first European tour. They've been back twice since and are currently in Australia playing sold-out stadiums and festivals. They will be back in Europe this summer touring with Lenny Kravitz. Congrats to VT for being the next big thing. It's completely deserved. [Vintage Trouble]
Additionally, there is now a second Harvelle's in Long Beach.
Larger in size with the same attention to the light and sound systems, the venue is garnering accolades and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The bluegrass/ragtime of Capt Jeffrey & His Musical Chumbuckets have been packing 'em in on Sunday nights (Phil Alvin of The Blasters has stopped by and sat in a couple of times). The very cool The Vespertines take over on Monday nights. And on Feb 4, Sheila E. will be bringing her family (Pete, Juan, and Peter Michael Escovedo) for what promises to be an exciting night of incredible latin flavored funk!! That's what the Escovedos do!! The club is located at 201 E. BROADWAY beneath The Congregation Ale House. [Harvelle's Long Beach]
Their Nancy Lee video - which was filmed exclusively using the iPhone 4 - is the winner of the 2012 iPhone Film Festival!
[view the other nominees]
The music video was shot, directed and edited by 3 time Emmy Award winner Alen Petkovic and also features Carmit Bachar of the Pussycat Dolls. Filmed in one day in July 2010, this is from Vintage Trouble’s self-released first album The Bomb Shelter Sessions. Re-released in the UK last year, it is available through the band's website and Amazon.
Vintage Trouble is Ty Taylor (v) Nalle Colt (g) Rick Barrio Dill (b) Richard Danielson (d). The band thanks Charlie Brumbly, Lori Forbes, Jo McMullen, Ben Caron, Cindy Robinson, Derek Ferguson, Debi Adut, Halo Summerlin, Hannah Bornstein, Tawny Dolley, Bonnie Harris, Rob Russel, Lemuel Thornton Harrison, Daphne Gabriel, Ryan Boone, Melanie Reese, Dane Biren
The UK has long been known for appreciating "American" music (jazz/blues/soul/r&b) in a much more fanatical way then us, their Yankee counterparts. True to form, those across the pond have discovered Vintage Trouble, in a way that America just hasn't yet. Despite their countless performances across this land and over there, perhaps we're just too vast to embrace them. As hard as they are to miss once you've met 'em, if you don't know, well... then you just don't know.
If great songs, amazing musicianship, hard work, cool clothes and real "soul" music are not enough stimulus for ya, it might be time to check off this planet or at least develop a relationship with mind-altering substances on the regular, cuz you just ain't wit it!
Here's some notes from the road:
Nov 12, 2011 (Middlesbrough, UK) "Tonight, had great day with 200 kids as we did a show for them at Malsis School, Cross Hills. Yeah they rocked!" - Nalle Colt"We played a show today in Yorkshire - UK for 100s of private school kids from 6 years old to high school. My life has been changed this day. I have been reconnected to youthful joy. Tonight we play Middlesboro - UK. Bring it, TroubleMakers. Reconnect me with adult joy. (wink wink)" - Ty Taylor
CONGRATULATIONS!!Nov 9 2011 (London)Vintage Trouble Accepting their 2011 CLASSIC ROCK AWARDS for BEST NEW BAND!!
Click below to read this brief interview with the band upon accepting their "Best New Band 2011" award:
After touring in the UK for the summer, the boys returned to their Westside home (aka Harvelle's) after playing 80 shows in 100 days! This baptism by fire has created a huge buzz - not just hype - as the music fans in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France and England have seen the future and it's name is Vintage Trouble.
The guys in the band - Ty, Nalle, Rick and Richard - made friends coast-to-coast - playing everywhere that had electricity - from tiny pubs to stadiums (in Germany to 70,000 people) - released their first album in the UK to incredible sales figures, recorded at Abbey Road studios, did a few BBC sessions, and kicked the whole thing off with an appearance on the TV show Later With Jools Holland.
An unprecedented line all the way down 4th St. to Broadway in Santa Monica indicated something special was happening this Friday night. Sure enough, the marquee said Vintage Trouble, but if you were inside, you might have thought a much more established group was playing. Even with the A/C cranked, it was like a sauna, and rabid fans from all over L.A. waited patiently to celebrate the triumph of these local heroes - who have only been together a little over a year. This - their only show in town - was as much of a bon voyage as a home coming, as the boys will be returning to parts other than North America post haste, in their continued quest to spread the word that Vintage Trouble has arrived!!
While Vintage Trouble conquer Europe, we here back in Santa Monica still lament the end of what we called "Trouble Tuesday".
This past Friday night über-cool lounge singer Brenna Whitaker - a mid-west native now living in Los Angeles - was the headliner. Brenna has been officially VT-approved, which apparently is enough to spark a little of that old flame, as a couple of my fave VT fans (aka 'Troublemakers') showed their faces. Cheers to Anna and Horacio. Great seeing you both tonight!!
Brenna isn't bad, she's just drawn that way. She works a little "blue", likes to reference hip-hop lyrics and often shares her whimsical thoughts with the audience in-between songs. Her prescence is without pretense and she can sing whatever she wants, as she possess one helluva instrument. She grabs notes and bounces 'em around - adding or subtracting - letting go or holding on until she's good and ready to let it go. This is obviously what she was born to do.
The band included Tommy King (keys), Stacey Lamont Sydnor (drums) Frank Abraham (bass), Wes Smith (sax), Adam Lasher (guitar) and William Artope (trumpet).
Tonight, Vintage Trouble performed on the show "Later Live With Jools Holland". The band introduced themselves to the world on live TV with the blistering track "Blues Hand Me Down" from their album The Bomb Shelter Sessions.
Congrats to the guys, VT is trending worldwide as I write this....
Topping off their Tuesday night residency here, the boys from Vintage Trouble are gonna strut their stuff on the Westside one more time before heading across the Atlantic. First stop - an appearance on UK show "Later" with Jools Holland. The format of the show includes 5 bands from different aspects of the music world. The episode they are appearing on will also feature performances by k.d. land, Dr. John and Tom Jones. After that they will be out with Queen guitarist Brian May's spring tour. After that...??
(watch this space or their website for future developements.)
Tonight is the final Trouble Tuesday.
Like the birth of a new nation, there's an uprising going down and tonight, it's on the Westside.
Tonight is final chance to see Vintage Trouble live.
Something old, something new.
Something borrowed and something blue.
Vintage Trouble.
The blog wishes VT well in it's travels and looks forward to hearing about all the adventure upon your return.
Adrian Hibbs stepped his game up this past Tuesday, throwing down two sets of soulful originals backed ably by a 7 piece band, whose pieces fit together like a sonic jigsaw puzzle. Keeping the dance floor stocked and the club on fire, Hibbs brought his uptight pocket grooves to the right place; keepin' it real (real funky)!!
The "gang" was stacked with players well known around Harvelle's; specifically sax man Paulie Cerra, drummer Vincent Fosset Jr and Sam Meek on guitar. Additionally, Kasi Jones rocked the house with her dynamic vocals in tandem with Mr. Hibbs, who at times channelled Donny Hathaway, singing and playing his keyboard with grace, ease and much melody. (The rest of the band included Ed Cartwright Jr, Robin Rountree and Paul Literal.)
Tuesday at Harvelle's is the final Trouble Tuesday; Vintage Trouble's swan song performance before their European tour. Tuesday's just won't be the same! And tonight is the smoothed out hip-house funk of the man they call UltraLove. A grooved out Monday hang is the perfect way to ease into the week. See you there?
While the band Vintage Trouble conquered the UK, singer Brenna Whitaker took Trouble Tuesday in a different direction. Jazzing and blues-ing, she commanded the packed house who responded in kind.
Well... guess who's back?
Brenna will be at Harvelle's Friday - April 1 (I feel journalistically obligated to say that this is no joke). I encourage all who are unfamiliar with her, to come check her out.
...and for a whole 'nother vibe, the owners of Trouble Tuesday - the mighty Vintage Trouble - will be playing Saturday night!! Their Saturday night shows at Harvelle's are legendary, so this is gonna be a hot one. Vintage Trouble is blowing up bigtime and gearing up for their second trip to the UK in May, this time as support for (Queen guitarist) Brian May's tour. UK readers take note!!
Vintage Trouble is about to invade England. Those Brits ain't gonna know what hit 'em!! If you follow this blog even casually, you know about Vintage Trouble. Together now for just a year, they have signed a management deal with Doc McGhee. Doc has managed the careers of Motley Crue and Bon Jovi. He took those bands to the highest levels and made 'em both household names. Doc needs a new band he can make as big as them. Hello Vintage Trouble!!
The confirmed dates as they have been printed are the following : Tue 8th Feb - Gibson Rooms, Showcase, Wed 9th Feb - Proud Galleries, Camden (Music Week presents "Breakout") and Sat 12th Feb - Barfly, Camden, HMV best new bands show.
There won't be a "Trouble Tuesday" for a couple of weeks, which kinda sucks. I'm addicted to my Tuesday nights at Harvelle's. The "Troublemakers" are a great group to hang out with. And it's always fun watching the people who are there for the first time as they witness the band and the jaw-dropping power they project. Lead singer Ty Taylor is a master at pleasing the crowd. He sings, he shakes, he sweats, he shouts, he smiles...
The TroubleMakers turned out in big numbers preparing to dance and drink and have a good time. "Good times" was the night's theme and we all rocked out til we were sweaty and the band ran out of encores.
The year is starting out big for Vintage Trouble with the announcement that Doc McGhee will be managing their career's direction; first stop - the UK.
Opening the night was blues-singer/r&b diva Gedina (pictured at the bottom of this post).
We'll do it again next Tuesday! See you then.
Thanks always to Vintage Trouble - Ty, Nalle, Rick, Richard and Charlie!
Thanks always to Vintage Trouble - Ty, Nalle, Rick, Richard and Charlie!