Author Archives: aaronhowell

L.A. the Blog: Local Band ‘Gangi’ Exploring the Frontier Of Electronica

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Not too long ago during a free show at the Bootleg Theater, L.A. the Blog came across local musicians Matt Gangi and Eric Chramosta, who play together as the band Gangi packing the stage area and filling the dark space with solid sounds in a live show that deserves respect.  Taking electronic music’s signature downbeats and electro-acid fills combined with some impressive live drumming by Eric, and psychedelic guitar, vocals and keyboards by Matt, the duo impressively drew all the technical elements together into a performance well worth experiencing.

Most reminiscent of the pysch-pop sounds of bands like Phantogram and more experimental psychedelic bands such as Animal Collective, Gangi finds a nice middle where they incorporate less of a pop sound, keeping the heavy and fast drums and/or guitar of rock’ n’ roll, while not falling into experimental limbo with enough hard electronic rhythms tempered by the psychedelic lyrics and keyboard to create songs that kept the crowd gasping for more.

Besides the great music at the show, L.A. the Blog was even more impressed watching them put the songs together.  Whether it was Eric pounding out the electronic bass lines on drum pads to loop during his own drum solos, or Matt switching from keyboard to guitar while providing the electro-acid background noise through any numerous distortion and frequency devices, their energy held the show together.

We shot some video with our trusty mobile device, and are happy to share.  So you don’t judge them by our crappy video, below also find a music video that the band posted to their own site gangimusic.com.  You can also find them on facebook and myspace!

If you get a chance head down to the Sunset Junction 2012 Jubilee on Sunday, May 27th, and catch them at El Cid for a show at 5 p.m.  You can also check their band page for other upcoming shows.  Well worth your time.

Gangi live Bootleg Theater – L.A. the Blog

L.A. the Blog: Short Film ‘Irreparable’

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Journeying throughout Los Angeles our contributor and editor Aaron Howell found himself in the midst of making a short film.  So in another self-aggrandizing attempt at self-promotion we are posting the film below.  The film written and directed by Will Converse-Richter, local Los Angeles film student and general-purpose artist, goes all out in its attempt to paint a dark picture of grief, where bloody reality mixes with the delusional pain of suffering loss.  When we say bloody and pain we literally mean blood and pain.  Did we mention it was dark?  A note of warning, if the film doesn’t disturb you then please contact Los Angeles the Blog immediately and we will put you in touch with our therapist who studies existential psychoanalysis.  The word “psycho” is the important one.  So without further hoopla we give you 6-minutes of “Irreparable.”  Enjoy.

L.A. the Blog: Lemmings CNN? A Metaphor For The U.S.? Really?

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While perusing various news sites L.A. the Blog stumbled on a wonderful and irreverent video posted on CNN’s website created by their very own Erin Burnett for the daily news show OutFront.  Before we jump into the video we want to quote what CNN writes as a description of the show:

Erin Burnett OutFront airs weeknights at 7 p.m. ET. Designed to showcase Erin’s unique style–casual, smart, and confident–OutFront stays ahead of the headlines, delivering a show that’s in-depth and informative.

While we admit we aren’t an avid watcher of OutFront and can’t comment overall on Ms. Burnett’s “casual, smart, and confident” style, we can sure the hell comment on this video report entitled “Steering Towards a Cliff,” that covers the upcoming need to raise the debt ceiling, and the likely showdown between the GOP House and the Obama White House.  Lemmings anyone?

Hell, L.A. the Blog can be just as irreverent – Jesus Christ and the Holy Mother of God did she actually find archival footage of lemmings to put in her video!?  Did she actually just compare us all to lemmings!?  It could be me but I think she was really trying to say the Bill Clinton and John Boehner look like lemmings.  Serious though (if I can be serious at this moment) we give Ms. Burnett the award for funniest video of the month, John Stewart eat your heart out!

The language of doom and overhanging sense of imminent, total destruction by something totally out of our control, something larger than woman and man combined, as she talks about our nation’s fiscal debt reminds us of reading William Faulkner, and his personified, indomitable description of nature when it overwhelms and runs wild.  We think her choice of words might be slightly exaggerated and with the lemming video a little over the top.  Makes for good fun though!

L.A. the Blog leaves you with our takeaway from the whole experience, for the report isn’t just a video it is an entire experience to be had down the dark path of human lunacy and intimate look into man’s deepest fears.   Our takeaway – if you are going to use an analogy, don’t use one that will make the animal rights people angry.  All those dead lemmings on TV, poor little things.

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