Echo Park Rising, 2023

Shiro

 

Echo Park Rising returned to Echo Park Saturday. This year it was a one-day event, and the stages seemed a bit more spread out than in the past. Whoever was in charge neglected to create maps showing just where all the stages were and listing the bands playing at each stage, so people like me were walking around with their own home-made maps and lists, and everyone else just sort of wandered about, I suppose. I always have certain bands in mind that I want to see, but one thing that is wonderful about this event is that I end up getting turned onto some artists that I hadn’t heard of. This year one of the groups that I saw for the first time and ended up loving was Shiro.

The music started at noon, but we didn’t get there until after 2:30 p.m. We were lucky to get a parking spot right on Sunset, just a few buildings down from The Echo. So that was our first stop. No one was yet playing out on the patio, so we went downstairs and caught The Neighborhood Orchestra at Echoplex, a good way to start the day. They were a lot of fun, and toward the end of the set Murs joined them on vocals for a few songs. He caught me by surprise when at the end of the set he called himself the best rapper in Los Angeles. Is it true? Perhaps. I don’t listen to much rap, so I have no opinion. But that sort of ego I find amusing. My girlfriend was hungry by that time, so we stopped at Sage Vegan Bistro, at the corner of Sunset and Logan, where a stage was set up outside, along with several tables. Easy Love was playing. Actually, it was a solo performance by that band’s vocalist/guitarist. We caught only the last two or three songs of her set, but enjoyed what we heard. We were going to wander farther up the road, but it took a while for Theresa to get her food. Good thing, because the next band, Shiro, was one we both loved. At first, it was just the atmosphere they created, the sound, because we had trouble hearing the lyrics from our table. There was something soothing and beautiful about the trio’s music. I need to catch a longer set of theirs at some point.

The Neighborhood Orchestra

John Hollywood

We did wander farther along Sunset after that, but nothing caught our interest, so we turned around, fed the meter, and headed to Cosmic Vinyl. The band I was most excited to see at this year’s Echo Park Rising was Tar & Flowers. I loved the band’s 2018 record, Indian Summer, but for one reason or another had never seen them perform. They were scheduled to go on at 5:40 p.m., and we made it to Cosmic Vinyl in time to catch a lot of John Hollywood’s set. This was another band I knew nothing about, but ended up loving. It was incredibly hot inside that small record shop, and we thought about waiting outside, but couldn’t do it. The music was too good to miss. I need to pick up copies of the group’s albums as soon as this Hollywood strike ends and I am earning money again. I particularly appreciated his song about cell phones. My girlfriend and I grabbed two of the three available seats after John Hollywood’s set, and while we were waiting for Tar & Flowers I took a look at some of the records that were for sale. Below the main shelf was a small section of records for a dollar. There were like maybe a dozen records down there, and the second one I saw was a Papa John Creach album from 1971, a record that not only features the members of Jefferson Airplane but also Jerry Garcia. So, yeah, I had to buy it. Music fans understand. When money has been tight, I have often chosen music over food. And, hey, it was only a dollar. At 5:40 p.m., Tar & Flowers hadn’t even started setting up yet. It wouldn’t be a big deal, but my meter was going to run out at 6:55 p.m., and I definitely could not afford a parking ticket. At 6:10 p.m., Tar & Flowers started their set without their bass player, who was still parking. It was their first time playing Echo Park Rising. Their set, as I expected, was excellent. They focused on material from the 2021 album Western Symphony, another record I need to purchase, opening the show with “Outward Boundary.” Their set ended at 6:50, and I was out the door within seconds and down the road, having to go several blocks before the meter ran out.

Tar & Flowers

After that, we wandered around a bit more, and ended up at Sticky Rice, where a stage was set up outside. It was much too crowded in front of the stage, and we could hear the music from across the street, so that is where we stayed. I had found two lists of bands playing at Sticky Rice, and so Saturday night we thought we were seeing a band called Life Is A Constant Extortion, but now I’m sure the band we saw is called Mackandgold. The lead singer/guitarist wore a sports jersey with the number 666 on it. We dug their set, and when they were done, so were we.

Mackandgold

 

  Here are a few more photos:

The Neighborhood Orchestra with Murs

Easy Love

Shiro

 

John Hollywood

Tar & Flowers