This is for you Los Angeles-area types:

My powerpop band Receiver is playing next Wednesday, July 30th, as part of
the 6th Annual International Pop Overthrow Festival. I'm completely blown
away by the band line-up -- seriously. Here it is, with a few of my
comments:

Kenny Howes - 8:00 PM -- High-octane, Beatle-esque melodic pop. Think
Rickenbackers and high harmonies delivered with furious energy.

Marizane - 8:30 PM -- The story is that David Bowie heard Marizane's EP,
turned to his manager and said "I don't remember writing these songs!".
Marizane roll out one of the coolest, trippiest shows in all of Los Angeles
(theremin!), and their Ziggy-inspired music has more DPM (diminished chords
per minute) than anyone. A killer, killer band composed of virtuoso
musicians, these guys also play with The Negro Problem, Carolyn Edwards,
Candypants, and The Wondermints, plus they wrote the theme song for the
"Mayor of Sunset Strip" movie. Put that in your SuperBong(tm) and smoke it!

Kristian Hoffman - 9:00 PM -- Remember proto-punksters Lance Loud and The
Mumps? Kristian was a big part of that band, and, later, the legendary
Swingin' Madisons. A true musical legend, his solo material is *excellent*,
extremely well-written, witty melodic pop music with -- sometimes -- a
cabaret-like ambience. Campy, fun, poignant: Kristian does it all. His
recent album "&" includes duets with Rufus Wainwright, Stew, Van Dyke Parks
and Russell Mael (Sparks), among a bunch of other big names. A great
showman, he also plays in the Abbey Travis band, piano man-style (Abbey
lying across the top of The Derby's baby grand was a sight to see, let me
tell ya). He gave me one of his lime-green silk shirts after his last show,
for whatever that can be taken to mean.

The 88 - 9:30 PM -- The 88 recently won the LA Weekly "Best Pop Band" award.
Fuck, and we have to follow them -- gulp! Trust me: this is a big band with
some freaky-ass musicians and twisted, Buddy-Holly-on-acid material, hookier
than velcro, and their stage show is fucking insane. Check them out, if only
to see Quazar's (Lutefisk, Quazar and the Bamboozled) GIANT hair. If the
hair doesn't get you, the hooks will. Gua-ran-tee-d.

Receiver - 10:00 PM -- The power and the pop. Moody, classic melodic rock.
My big chance to perform my Colin Moulding impersonation. Actually, I'll be
rockin' pretty hard. This is a reunion of sorts with our original guitarist,
Wil O'Brien (The Andersons!, Manic 5), who, after his first gig with
Receiver, was stolen away by Scotland's The Scruffs (wankers!). We're
looking to have a great time up on the near-legendary Spaceland stage (where
I just saw Tsar the other night; tore my face to shreds, they did). Note:
this is my first-ever gig with my own bass tech; blame him if my sound sucks
(which it BETTER NOT, if you're reading this, Vann). :)

Gigolo Aunts - 10:30 PM -- Powerpop gods. Nuff 'said.

London Calling - 11:30 PM -- Don't know a damn thing about these guys; a
Clash-influenced thing, perhaps? I'll be 4 sheets by this time anyway...

Club Info:

Spaceland
1717 Silverlake Blvd.
Los Angeles
323-661-4380
Cover = $8

Be there early, or I'll spray Nair all over your hairy backs. Rock me like
Clamato.

kErrY kOMpOsT

www.mp3.com/kompost
www.receiveronline.com
www.internationalpopoverthrow.com

NP: IPO Disc 3 - "Resin or Amber" by The Holidays is an INSANELY COOL,
XTC-influenced cut, probably my favorite song of the three disks.