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It was looking like another quiet week for Will Call during this recovery period between the psychedelic indie-rock funk fest of the Prince and Roger Waters-led Coachella Festival and the Eagles-summited Stagecoach country music festival. For a few days there, it seemed like the only notable announcement would be coming from ’70s studio geeks Steely Dan. And a notable announcement it was, with two big-venue dates for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers — a July 23 show at the Nokia Theatre and another at the Honda Center on Aug. 4 — going on sale Monday.
But then all those publicists awoke from their desert hangover and opened the floodgates.
First up, local indie-pop institution Rilo Kiley will be playing a big show at the Greek Theatre on June 18, while Portland’s indie-pop champs Death Cab for Cutie will play the Nokia Theatre on June 23 with notable openers Rogue Wave. Get tickets for both shows on Saturday.
In slightly funkier news, UK dance-rock darlings Bloc Party announced two shows with up-and-comers Does It Offend You, Yeah? at the Glass House on July 28 (get tickets Friday) and the Mayan Theatre on July 29 (get tickets Saturday). And dropping presale tickets right now, Dim Mak Records announced news of the Hard Summer Music Festival with N.E.R.D., MSTRKRFT, Spank Rock, Kid Sister, A Trak, Steve Aoki and KCRW DJ Jason Bentley to go down July 19; public tickets go on sale on Monday for that one.
If that weren’t enough indie-dom, two new wave icons announced L.A. shows: Boy George will play the El Rey on July 15-16 (tickets go on sale Saturday), while Squeeze will play the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 10 (tickets on sale Sunday).
And they’re not the only big names from the ’80s with upcoming local dates. John Mellencamp will play the Greek Theatre with Lucinda Williams on July 31 (tickets Sunday), while Bryan Adams will play — get this — the little ol’ Roxy on May 19. Get your tickets for that one on Thursday, if you can.
So who’s the winner? That’d be Steely Dan. Any band named after a steam-powered sexual aid envisioned by William Burroughs in “Naked Lunch” has my vote.
– Liam Gowing
Photo of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker by AFP Photo / Stan Honda
