Latest news with #TheeOhSees
CBS News
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
LA-based psych band Wand returns to the Chapel
Songwriter Cory Hanson's rising psychedelic rock outfit Wand visits its stronghold of Bay Area fans this week, headlining the Chapel in San Francisco Thursday night. Though arguably not quite as prolific as his fellow Los Angeles psych merchants (and former Bay Area residents) Ty Segall and John Dwyer of Osees, Hanson and company have released an impressive string of albums since first coming together in 2013. Guitarist and vocalist Hanson got his start playing in the band Thief with high school friend Chad Ubovich, a future Segall collaborator who leads his own band Meatbodies in addition to playing bass in Segall's power trio Fuzz. While Ubovich has dismissed Thief as "a pretty boy to be Radiohead," the experience started Hanson down a steady path of playing music. He would work with another Segall collaborator in Mikal Cronin as well as playing stints with SoCal punk band togetherPangea and Ubovich's band the Meatbodies before striking out on his own. After recording demos of songs that would make up the first Wand album, Hanson convened the first version of the group with art school friends Lee Landey (bass) and Evan Burrows (drums). The band would eventually expand to a quartet with second guitarist Daniel Martens. Released on Segall's Drag City imprint God? Records in 2014, Ganglion Reef quickly established Wand as a new force on the LA garage-psych scene with its mix of soaring melodies and sludgy guitar riffs. Their first tour opening for Segall found the band warmly embraced by a ready made audience happy to mosh to Hanson's tuneful, fuzzed-out anthems. The band quickly followed with Golem for In the Red Records, which teamed Wand with regular producer/engineer for Thee Oh Sees Chris Woodhouse for an even heavier sound, before issuing their third more folk-pop psych effort 1000 Days within the space of just over a year. While Hanson would take more time for the next Wand album, if anything his productivity increased. In addition to expanding the band to a quintet with guitarist Robert Cody (Martens had left the year prior) and keyboardist/vocalist Sofia Arreguin and touring extensively, Hanson also issued his first solo album -- the delicate acoustic guitar and strings effort The Unborn Capitalist In Limbo that had echoes of Love's Forever Changes and Nick Drake -- and toured as a member of Ty Segall's new band project, the Muggers. 2017 saw the release of Wand's fourth album Plum . The accomplished tunes further distanced the group from its raw, garage-psych beginnings as they embraced an expansive chamber pop approach with more intricate vocal harmonies. During an exhaustive live schedule of shows to promote the album, the band proved it could still deliver the more sophisticated material (and older gems) without skimping on the ferocity that had marked their performances in the early days. A follow-up EP Perfume also showcased the broader sonic palette. Building on that continued refinement, in 2019 Wand delivered what may be its most experimental collection of songs to date. The sprawling double LP Laughing Matter echoes Radiohead, '90s avant-pop synth group Stereolab and krautrock pioneers Can mixed with Hanson's infectious vocal melodies and the band's kinetic, propulsive energy. The group toured extensively to promote the album, closing out the year with a celebrated run of performances supporting Stereolab. While the pandemic curtailed band activity, Hanson remained busy, releasing his second solo album Pale Horse Rider on Drag City Records. Turning away from the psychedelic chamber folk of his debut, the album found Hanson exploring a style of cosmic Americana that nods to the work of genre pioneer Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers with its wind-swept desert soundscapes and swelling pedal-steel guitar. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Hanson also launched the web series Limited Hangout on YouTube that featured surreal comedic vignettes interspersed with performances of the new songs. Hanson has been splitting his time between his solo efforts and Wand of late, with the band releasing the sprawling live recording Spiders in the Rain late last year that drew from performances during the 2020 tour to promote Laughing Matter. Meanwhile, Hanson's third solo album Western Cum issued in the spring hews closer to the loud, electric-guitar dominated sound of the songwriter's main band. Last summer, Wand released its long-awaited sixth album Vertigo. The new quartet line-up of the group featuring Burrows, Cody and bassist Evan Backer has delivered another woozy dose of psychedelia fleshed out by horn and string arrangements (provided by Backer) that in some ways find Hanson coming full circle with fragile, hypnotic art-rock tunes that could be long lost Radiohead outtakes. That fall, group released an additional 12" single featuring music and remixes of songs recorded during the Vertigo sessions. Drag City also issued In a Capsule Underground , a collection of demos and unreleased material from the band's Ganglion Reef -era recordings. Wand returns to San Francisco Thursday night when it plays the Chapel in the Mission District for this performance with no support acts that will include a liquid light show by regular collaborators Mad Alchemy. An Evening with Wand Wednesday, March 27, 8 p.m. $25-$28 The Chapel
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
L.A. Weekend Guide: Intuition Fest at the Broad, Paley Fest at the Dolby, Butterfly Pavillion at NHM
Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best events in and around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule with our Weekend Guide to L.A., and don't forget to sign up to have the guide delivered to your inbox every week by clicking is here, and so are outdoor events. The forecast this weekend looks to be sunny and cool, and these enticing cultural gatherings offer a perfect excuse to leave the house and connect with others. Live music, short films, and art in conjunction with the museum's exhibit, 'Joseph Beuys: In Defense of Nature,' makes for an immersive outdoor and indoor Spring event. On Friday, Osees (formerly Thee Oh Sees) will headline the outdoor stage along with German artist and experimental musician Alva Noto. Harpist Mary Lattimore and accordionist Walt McClements perform inside along with Barr performing from her Kill Rock Stars label era. OUTCRY: Alchemists of Rage, about activist and sexual abuse survivor Whitney Bradshaw's photographs of women screaming in cathartic group sessions, will also be screened. Saturday, local punkers Sage Against the Machine and L.A. producer Money Mark rock crowds outdoors after Shabazz Palaces and German experimental musician Michael Rother (of Harmonia and NEU!). The all-ages, multi-faceted arts event is meant to delve into 'the impact of our collective experiences, the healing of body and mind, environmental consciousness, political activism, and social change.' Known for its revelatory entertainment panels featuring full cast gatherings from the biggest shows on television, The Paley Center for Media's multi-day festival also offers sneak peeks, previews, and premieres. This year's events highlight hits such as Apple TV+'s Severence, Netflix's Cobra Kai, Disney's Agatha All Along, and the work of Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). 'Chic pajamas, silk robes, and an appetite for champagne' are suggested for this sultry PJ party inside the Four Seasons Hotel's Veil & Velvet speakeasy. The luxurious evening promises champagne towers, caviar bumps, and plush five-star comfort. Live music and surprises also await, and if you don't have the right attire, the hotel's new sleepwear line is available for purchase (and embroidered personalization) on-site. Postponed from an earlier February date, the 126th procession gathers marching bands, lion dancers, Miss Chinatown Los Angeles, and spectators in Chinatown to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Hosted by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney (co-writer of the Oscar-winning 2016 film Moonlight, adapted from his play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue), this screening event features five shorts by YoungArts' award-winning filmmakers. UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) provides this showcase for YoungArts to further its mission of advancing new voices and views in filmmaking and storytelling. The Academy Museum's new exhibit chronicling the revered Parasite director's work gets an authentic and immersive boost via a dinner experience at the adjacent Fanny's restaurant. The new Korean Sunday Supper series, inspired by the Oscar-winning filmmaker, is designed by Chef Jun Bum Oh, who infuses his native Korean heritage into the menu. Spring is here and so are the fluttering winged creatures that bring color and whimsy to the season. Starting Sunday, you can walk among hundreds of butterflies (30 different species) in NHM's outdoor, open-air netted enclosure. See the lifecycle of the butterfly right before your eyes, from eggs to caterpillars and chrysalises. Museum experts will share info and answer questions during scheduled walk-throughs from now until summer. Korean beauty brands have become hot in the U.S. thanks to skincare results and the influencers who share them online. Medicube's cute packaging has been a standout and their pastel pink pop-up on Fairfax and Melrose is a must see to learn about the brand's products, including its magic wand booster device as used by stars like Hailey Bieber. Admission is free with exclusive deals, selfie moments and goodies on site. Make your appt here. Plan Your Perfect Weekend! Get the best events, dining, and activities around Los Angeles delivered to your inbox. Sign up for Los Angeles Magazine's Weekend Guide below or by clicking here.
