Cool shows: The Dream Syndicate, Mike Watt & The Secondmen, Baja Bugs, King Tuff, TV on the Radio

Cleaning out the SD card and airing out some of the better photos before they are banished to the hard drive. Above: The Dream Syndicate freaking out at the Echoplex (November 22, 2014).

Froth at the Echoplex (November 22, 2014). They opened for The Dream Syndicate and were kind of like Phaseshifter-era Redd Kross with more droning.

The Dream Syndicate at the Echoplex (November 22, 2014). So noisy, so refined, such perfect songwriting and execution by the self-described “just a punk band from L.A.”

The Dream Syndicate at the Echoplex (November 22, 2014). Key songs: When You Smile, Tell Me When It’s Over, Halloween, Medicine Show, That’s What You Always Say, Days of Wine and Roses.

Backbiter at Cafe NELA (November 21, 2014). The Raji’s regulars ended their sludgy-but-never-dragging set with a badass cover of “Kick Out The Jams.”

Mike Watt & The Secondmen at Cafe NELA (November 21, 2014). Loved their Echoplex set earlier in the week, but this one was much cozier and heavier and they played “The Red and the Black”! Afterward, I handed them flyers and said thanks for the next Save Music in Chinatown show that they’re playing…

Neverland Ranch Davidians at Cafe NELA (November 21, 2014). Stripped-down, and sweaty punkabilly trio led by Tex Mosley.

Baja Bugs at Rebecca’s in South Park (November 8, 2014). Saw our pal Hector Penalosa (My Revenge, The Zeros) play with his ripping early Beatles band at a benefit for cats and dogs. So much fun, such a great guy.

Colleen Green and La Sera at the El Rey (November 6 2014). Perfect openers for King Tuff’s homecoming show. Musically cool as a cucumber and sweet as sunshine, respectively.

King Tuff at the El Rey (November 6 2014). Recently saw KT at Amoeba (and the car wash) but had to see him again in a full-on concert. The new album is awesome and his live show is a blast.

TV on the Radio at the Fonda (November 22, 2014). After digging TVOTR at the massive Hollywood Bowl a couple of times, I got to preview the band’s great new songs in a theater. Instant classics along with old favorites, and later I got to meet the great Kyp Malone from Jon Moritsugu’s Scumrock, too. But that’s another story for another post…

Eloise Explains How To Make the King Puff (King Tuff) at Donut Friend

Who doesn’t love Donut Friend? The two-headed monster of tasty treats and rad music is unbeatable and founder Mark Trombino’s taste in both is on target. Cherry Three (Channel Three), Javabreaker (Jawbreaker), Chocolate From The Crypt (Rocket From The Crypt), Drive Like Jelly (Drive Like Jehu)–it isn’t easy to choose which one to devour.

Unless you’re Eloise who wants to mix and match her own custom donut, filling, and topping. When we dropped in on Donut Friend a couple of weeks ago, she assembled her own creation and in the spirit of the punk rock donut shop, named it after one of her favorite bands: The King Puff (King Tuff).

Last weekend, our first-grader vanished in her bedroom emerging only to ask, “How do you spell ‘glazed’?” And then she emerged with a saddle-stitched zine titled How To Make The King Puff!

The pages are reproduced here so you can make your own King Puff next time you’re on York Blvd. (Maybe right after visiting Permanent Records and the Thank You shop?) I had a bite of Eloise’s and it was great. Bon appétit and rock out!