Sunset Junction Band at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 7-13-23: Photos

One of the first bands I saw after moving to Los Angeles was Kanary, an excellent trio made up of Leslie Knauer on vocals and guitar, Mary Kay on bass, and Tony Matteucci on drums. Well, Leslie Knauer is still rocking with her current band, Sunset Junction Band, and still playing some of the old favorites she did with Kanary. Last night Sunset Junction Band delivered a seriously fun set at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon in Tarzana. During the soundcheck, they played “Bad Luck,” “Haunted” and “Don’t Be Scared,” all songs Leslie used to do with Kanary, and then promptly at 8:30 p.m. (actually, I think even a minute or two before that time) they began their set with “You Are.” It was clear immediately that the band was having a good time, and Al Teman soon began a running joke, ending each song with the same lick. The band did “Mr. Logic” late in the set, giving it a very different arrangement than it used to have in the Kanary days, but one that worked really well. A fresh approach that made it feel like a new song. That was followed by “Stung,” a song that Leslie said she wrote about Al. “I just want to be heard,” she sings at one point in that song. Oh, I can’t imagine her not being heard.

Here are a few photos from their set:

Set List

1. You Are
2. Woke Me Up
3. Poor Puppy Face
4. Chords
5. Pops
6. Flowers And Lingerie
7. Glitter Pavement
   
8. Mr. Logic
9. Stung
10. After
11. Girl With Black Hair
12. Bad Luck

Maui Sugar Mill Saloon is located at 18389 Ventura Blvd., in Tarzana, California.