2017 SMiLE! Progressive Rock Festival in LA June 3

[davidz]

Have not seen anything on this yet so wanted to help get the word out:

Come and get into a progrock state of mind at
The SMiLE! Progressive Rock Festival at HM157
with
SENSATIONS' FIX (Italy)
NECROMONKEY (Sweden)
CASH PONY (Oakland)
BLACKBERRY TONGUES (LA)
OORT SMOG (LA)
+ Christof Certik spinning sides (LP sides)
+ Projections by Wes Johanson
at HM157 3110 N. Broadway at Hancock 90031
$10 • All Ages • NO byo

necromonkey.bandcamp.com
igetrvng.com/artists/sensations-fix/
cashpony.bandcamp.com
blackberrytongues.bandcamp.com
oortsmog.bandcamp.com

[davidz]

Anyone planning on going? I plan to go and have prog cds and records from my collection for sale.

[davidz]

no one interested or going?

[moecurlythanu]

no one interested or going?

Too far away.

[JKL2000]

I'd need to know why the i in SMiLE! is lower-case first.

[Baribrotzer]

Because Brian Wilson.

[progholio]

Because Brian Wilson.

They should at least have the Wondermints or Explorers Club somewhere in the mix.

[JKL2000]

Because Brian Wilson.

He hallucinated it?

[Roth-Handle Studios]

Well.... Ill be there and Ill be bringing David too!

// Mattias

[manxman]

Just heard about it from this thread. I'll likely be going. Thanks for the "heads up"

[AncientChord]

I will definitely be there. Progressive rock in Los Angeles is a rare commodity especially when it's not huge names. I'm looking forward to it time to break out the edibles!

[Garyhead]

Sorry.....Same weekend as Seaprog in Seattle.

[littleatlas_steve]

No Heliopolis?

[davidz]

Glad to see there is at least some interest. We need to support shows like this. Really looking forward to seeing you Mattias.

David

[davidz]

Bump. Show this Sat. Hope folks will come out to support it. Should be great.

[Miciah]

Hope everyone has a great time tonight. If I was anywhere near, I would be there.

[moecurlythanu]

Yep. If I lived out there, I'd be there.

[Kenny]

I attended the SMiLE! festival last night in Los Angeles. What a surprising and fun night it was.

First off the venue was an old Victorian era house built in the 1880s. It is called HM157 because it is a historical monument. It is a charming and quite different venue from what I am used to. The first 3 bands performed in the back yard area where a stage is set up against the side wall of the next door neighbor restaurant. This was great because this large wall is used to project running video that compliments the music. The seating is made up of various couches and comfy chairs with pillows. On a nice evening like Saturday night this made for a lovely setting to watch the bands.

1st up was Oort Smog who are a duo from LA made up of drums and saxophone. They are rather avant garde compared to the usual symphonic prog that is featured here on Progears. Effected sax played very well and a killer drummer made this quite enjoyable.
Then Cash Pony, who made the long drive down from Oakland Ca, were up. They are a four piece group with 2 guitars, drums and bass. They are a bit more toward symphonic prog but with their own take on it. At one point one of the guitarists played sitar. They closed with a cool version of Blue Rondo Ala Turk. Good music from this band.
Sensations Fix all the way from Italy were next and after a kind of unannounced start to their set they slowly just began and did an excellent set of streaming electronic music complimented by bass and sometimes electric guitar. Really nice stuff.
Then things moved inside the old house to a very small stage up against the front window with Necromonkey from Sweden. Just keys and drums but considering this they put up a thundering sound. As usual the drumming of Mattius Olsson was spectacular. He was playing a small kit but that didn't matter. David Lundberg played a very small keyboard and added some well played bass pedals to fill out the sound. A very powerful set for just 2 people.
Finally, starting well after 1:00 AM was Blackberry Tongues, also from LA, consisting of drums, bass and 2 keyboards played by 2 young ladies who both sing. It apparently was great drummer night because their drummer is another one. With very tasteful and well played bass they set up the foundation while the keyboards add color and then comes the excellent vocals. They have a dissonant approach to vocals but it works well with the overall sound. Another very interesting and fun band.

I have to say that the mix of bands was wonderful. And except for 2 or 3 of them all of the musicians appeared to be younger in years then what one normally sees at a prog festival. For those who say that the younger generation aren't making good or interesting music I have to say that this was proof that they are out there folks and they are doing it well even if they aren't known the way the older proggers are. Well done and thank you to everybody involved including the host and organizer of the SMiLE! Festival. It was great to have this event here in Los Angeles.
Kenny

[Gruno]

How big was the audience?

[Kenny]

During the set by Sensations Fix which looked to be about the peak crowd time I'd estimate that there were something like 50 to 70 people in the outside area plus others floating in and out of the house. Since the place isn't set up like a typical theater it is more difficult to guess at.

[moecurlythanu]

Ouch.

[boilk]

Thanks for the report Kenny. I think that 50-75 is decent for a smaller venue and a new festival. There are no well known (outside of our inner circle of prog) bands on the bill. I wish I had been there.

neil