Local Music: Laura Veirs, Tom Odell, Jordie Lane

We started in the website business with a music blog…it was quite fun and seemed to be enjoyed by those who read it. But at 5 cents commission on every song we sold…it was a lot of research and writing for just 20 cents a story. OK – sometimes it was $1 a story.

We are still big music fans. Music fills our homes and for me, there’s nothing like discovering a new band or a song that lights up the room.

A take away from writing the music blog was that it opened up the world of live music to us. Not the Staples Center/Club Nokia world…but the small venue music world where you catch an act on its way up. Where tickets are $10-$30 and you hear 2 bands in 2 hours. Standing.

October has us motivated to go check out some great local offerings and we want to share.

Laura Veirs | Bootleg Theater | October 1st, 8pm – Tickets $15-$25

Singer-songwriter Laura Veirs is on tour with her most recent album ‘Warp and Weft’. The Bootleg Theater – just east of Alvarado on Beverly – provides a space that’s well-suited for the Portland based band to work out the bigger sounds on some of these new songs.  Listen to: Sun Song and July Flame.

Tom Odell | El Rey | October 9th, 8pm – Tickets $20

This 22-year-old British musician, who once studied classical piano and recently won the coveted Critics Choice Award at the UK’s BRIT Awards, is the real deal.  Tickets are available…but won’t last long.

Jordie Lane | The Hotel Cafe | October 16th, 7pm – Tickets $10

A dynamic performer, he has sold-out numerous Australian and New Zealand tours and shared the stage with artists including Billy Bragg, Ruthie Foster, Neko Case, Gotye, Loudon Wainwright III, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Moody Blues, and Cat Power.

Currently living in Eagle Rock, Lane traveled to Nashville in June to record a new EP with Skylar Wilson (Justin Townes Earle, Caitilin Rose, Wanda Jackson). “Not Built To Last” will be out in early 2014.