The Jarvis Lounge

It’s been a year since my last blog, which was on April 15, 2022. So what happened? Why did I stop before live music really got going? I don’t really have a good excuse, so I’ll give you a bad one: I got bombarded with live music festivals. Shortly, after my last blog, I went to Coachella, followed a few weeks later by my birthday, Just Like Heaven, Bottlerock, and Primavera (Barcelona edition). After an eventual bout with Covid, I just never regained momentum, and laid low on the live music front the rest of the year.

So here I am, just three weeks before Weekend 2 of Coachella, with lots to talk about: new music, old music, live music, live appearances, music books, and music films/docs. I decided to put it all under one new site – thejarvislounge.com, where I’ll also include playlists, my weekly JarFIVE, recommendations, video clips, and of course tons of photos I take at live events. Next week, I’ll dive into that massive Coachella lineup. In the meantime, I wanted to reintroduce myself, and welcome you to the Lounge.

The JarFIVE

1. Power Trip Festival – Word of this new festival leaked on Reddit earlier this week, where someone saw some of the names leaked on a billboard. This looks to be a replacement for Desert Trip (the 2016 festival at the same location, that featured The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Roger Waters, among others). This lineup (shown below) features Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, and Tool. Think of it as a fall Coachella (also produced by Goldenvoice, and in Indio), for people my age and older. There’s been some concern about Ozzy’s health, as he suggested he was done touring. But this could be a one-off show for him, and he may not be done. If you’ve got the money (GA tix are $599 before fees), and a place to stay out there, this might be the one fest you do this year. Personally, I’d love to watch this, but I’m already booked up at festivals. But ask me again in late September, and I may have a different answer. If you’re interested, here’s the site. Be sure to register for tickets, as they go on sale on Tuesday 4/6.

2. boygenius – ‘the record’ – The new album from the indie supergroup delivers. Officially released today, the trio of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus lives up to some lofty expectations. With listening parties at various record stores for the release, the trio showed up to Amoeba Music in Hollywood, pleasantly surprising fans. They are also one of my must-sees at Coachella this year. Here is a video they made for the album release, directed by Kristen Stewart, and a link to their album on Spotify.

3. Questlove Supreme – Ice-T Part 1 – One of my favorite podcasts just released a new episode where they interview hip hop legend Ice-T. Always one to never mince his words, his interview is everything you would hope for. Ice recalls his youth, becoming an up and coming voice in West Coast rap, and his thoughts on being a voice for hip hop (and stating that there’s a need for artists that move people, like Public Enemy and Lauryn Hill did for a previous generation. Also, Amir gives some details on that Grammy Hip Hop Tribute last month. A major artist backed out last minute, and apparently Lil Uzi Vert answered the call and filled in last second. And this is only Part 1 (Part 2 is due next week). Check out the clip for some wisdom from a man who is one of the foundations of Hip Hop.

4. Lana Del Rey – ‘Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’– The latest offering from Lana Del Rey takes on a localized twist, directly referencing my beloved Long Beach in its title. While not a consistent listener of LDR, I did really enjoy her album “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” from 2019, so I gave this a listen. This album was also promoted with a number of listening parties, including one I attended here in Long Beach at Fingerprints Music. Last weekend, there was also a 3-day pop-up in the Shoreline Aquatic Park, requiring tickets purchased ahead of time (which sold out before the weekend). Here’s a link to her album, and a YouTube clip of the title track.

5. Mae Deline – “Black Hole” – For my fifth mention, I want to highlight new music from one of my favorite voices in LA, Mae Deline. I first heard her back when she went by Madeline Spooner, releasing ethereal goodness, musically, vocally, and lyrically. She’s released a couple of new cuts this year, including my favorite of the two (with the visually stunning video), “Black Hole.” One of these years, I’ll be able to see her live and photograph her. In the meantime, here’s the video for ‘Black Hole,’ released almost three weeks ago. Give her a follow here on Instagram.

Here’s my lounge mix, which is always being updated. This playlist will be available on all my posts, along with an ongoing playlist of new music to check out (coming next week).