Highlights from Saturday's KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Concert

Thanks to Dave "the King of Mexico" Sanchez and the "Kevin & Bean" crew for inviting me to this year's KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas show (can you believe it's already the 26th year?). I headed down to the Forum for Saturday night's show, and was treated to sets from KROQ favorites like Weezer and Silversun Pickups (featuring Maria's former Rhino co-worker Nikki on bass).


Silversun Pickups sounded great, and played their crowd favorites.


More Silversun Pickups


Bastille: Eheu eh-o eheu eh-o, Eheu eh-o eheu eh-o, Eheu eh-o eheu eh-o, Eheu eh-o eheu eh-o, Eheu eh-o eheu eh-o!


Now, this was a first: the drummer for Twenty One Pilots, "drum surfing" the crowd.


Yep, literally playing the drums over the crowd.


Kevin and Bean -- plus Allie Mc Kay, Chip, Dave the King of Mexico and Christine, along with the new Miss Double-D -- intro Weezer. And good news: Bean stayed on the stage!


More K&B crew


Weezer does their thing, playing many of their biggest hits.


"What's with these homies, dissin' my girl?"


"Beverly Hills, that's where I want to be!"


Some serious confetti at the end of the Weezer show.

The Franklin Avenue Playlist

March 2009

Time Lapse Lifeline -- Maria Taylor (3:59)
Paranoid -- Kanye West (feat. Mr. Hudson) (4:38)
Bang Bang -- K'naan (ft. Adam Levine) (3:07)
Dreams of 18 -- Lal Meri (4:38)
Nothing To Worry About -- Peter Bjorn & John (2:58)
Twice -- Little Dragon (3:06)
Zero -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs (4:26)
Long Long Time -- Rebel Souljahz (3:52)
When Your Mind's Made Up -- Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová (3:42)
People Got A Lotta Nerve -- Neko Case (2:33)
Everyday -- Vetiver (3:48)
Something Is Squeezing My Skull -- Morrissey (2:38)
Train Song -- Feist and Ben Gibbard (3:03)
Panic Switch -- Silversun Pickups (5:44)
Melody Day -- Caribou (4:11)
Walkin' My Baby Back Home -- Nat King Cole (ft. The Roots) (4:15)
Love Letter To Japan -- The Bird And The Bee (4:08)
Not Now But Soon -- Imogen Heap (3:47)
The Rake's Song -- The Decemberists (3:16)
Hiphopapotamus v Rhymenocerous -- Flight of The Conchords (3:46)

FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST: Six Days of Silversun Pickups, Day Five

Congrats to Franklin Avenue reader Eric Pardee, who scored a pair of tickets to Saturday night's Silversun Pickups show at the Wiltern. Blogger Toddler picked his name out of the hat; thanks to all who entered!

Maria's Thursday Three

1. Silversun Degrees Of Separation: Living in L.A., people are bound to have some association with members of the band -- I used to work with Nikki at Rhino; she's super sweet and always wear killer clothes. Also, in the blog-la-sphere, Celia's cousin is drummer Christopher. Any of you out there who somehow has some association with the band? (P.S. We'll announce the winner of tix to Saturday's show at the Wiltern tomorrow.)

2. Ugly Podcast: I listen to the Ugly Betty podcasts (go to iTunes) hosted by Becki Newton (Amanda) and Michael Urie (Mark) weekly and those two are quick-witted, super funny and seem to be extensions of their characters on the show. Every week, they tease the upcoming episode and talk about some inside stuff happening on production. This week's podcast, for example, features a couple of special guests and they all quickly get into playing like they have callers calling in the show and being stupidly funny.

3. High on Highland Park: On a rare night out a few weeks ago, we finally ventured to check out the Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park (right around the corner from Franklin Avenue HQ) -- but sadly they were closed. Not sure if they have re-opened but the Chowhound thread indicates that they may have liquor license issues. We ended up at The York, where they served some stiff top-shelf drinks for $6 a pop-- pretty good deal. The vibe was good (hipster, not the Marc Jacobs kind). Quickly checked out Johnnie's as well-- smaller but seems cool. Would definitely go back to these two bars again.

FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST: Six Days of Silversun Pickups, Day Three

(Flickr pic by eekthree.)

Today's your last chance to be added to the pool to score a pair of tickets to this Saturday's Silversun Pickups show at the Wiltern. Blogger Toddler will choose the winner tonight!

Just email us at franklin_avenue@yahoo.com. Don't forget to leave your email address and name... and if you win, we only ask that you write up a review afterward for Franklin Avenue!

Above, the Silver Lake liquor store that is said to be part inspiration for the band's name.

FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST: Six Days of Silversun Pickups

All this week, we're celebrating L.A.'s own Silversun Pickups.

Why? Well, for starters, we're giving away a pair of tickets to see the band this Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Wiltern.

Yup, thanks to the fine folks at Dangerbird Records, we'll be awarding the tix to a lucky Franklin Avenue reader, as chosen randomly by Blogger Toddler. Simply email franklin_avenue@yahoo.com with your name and email address. One catch: We're looking for you to review the show for Franklin Avenue.

Midnight Movies and The Happy Hollows are opening for the Silversun Pickups at this Saturday's show; doors open at 7:30.

But also, why not? It's been quite the year for the band from Silver Lake, starting in mid-2006 with the release of their CD "Carnavas," it's been a non-stop ride for Brian Aubert (lead vocals/guitar), Nikki Monninger (vocals/bass), Christopher Guanlao (drums), and Joe Lester (keyboards). They continue to tour the world, and have gone from local phenomenon to major alternative rock act in pretty quick order.