Title: Little Red Radio Hits The Scene
Subject: Music, Entertainment & Performing Arts [Band Of The Month]
Issue No.: 2
Publication: Blue Fire Magazine
Author: Skully Johnson
Source: Firsthand sources/interview
Date: Approx. 03/6/09

Right on our third lap around an unidentifiable old fashioned building--with those iron folding ladders, brick walls, and antique signs with the paint eroding off their surface--which is seemed to be fairly distinctive of Los Angeles and Hollywood in general. Finally, we spotted a familiar face be on the curbside. My roommate at the time gave a wave out the window at Jaysun. The two musicians, Kelsey of whom was a drummer, had been friends ever since they met in Texas before moving to California. He hopped off the sidewalk's rounded corner and climbed into the backseat of my white '92 Toyota.

Reaching over the seat back we shook hands and introduced ourselves. Noting the black vest and his colored tattoo sleeve on his arm he looked to be the musician type. "No doubt about it," as I looked at the black vintage-style leather shoes as well. I drove around the block, hugging the curb desperately as we spun round, glad to at last be parking and getting out of the L.A. traffic I learned to despise.

As we crossed the street and headed away from the general direction of a 99 cent store with a sign that bore its name in fading colors, we headed towards an entrance bedecked with velvet line-dividers--the type you find you find at the airport but maroon with the golden stands with the Hollywood feel to it.

I listened as Kelsey and Jason exchanged conversation, catching up with each other's lives and activities. It seems they had not seen each other in a while. Jason mentioned that they had been working on some new songs and mentioned possible venues and their latest shows they were expecting to perform at. I interjected, asking where they knew each other from in Texas. "We know each other from Grapevine." I laughed to myself remembering my roommate's stories about the small town, the parties, and the angst of a musician who wanted to escape from its "confining walls" that all artists seem to feel oppressed by in their hometowns. It seems that Jason, with a glint in his eye and an unwavering smile, was excited to have landed on the "New Frontier." I shared his enthusiasm, having come from a rural town with not much hustle and bustle myself.

Kelsey mentioned that I was an artist and Jason asked me about that. I told him that I too was an underground writer and would be honored to interview the band, take photos of the show, and get to know what Little Red Radio was all about. And that's when the adventure began--for just after that moment it was then got my first glimpse into the dim, yet intriguing club occupied by: secretive onlookers and slender artists in fashionably raggy attire mingling about with cocktails in hand. Armed with a big okay from Jason, my three dollars, and a friendly crowd at the club I climbed the stairs waiting to see would come next.

It was crowded enough that people were weaving in and between one another, but not so uncomfortable that I felt my lungs would collapse as I had in the New York and Tokyo subways in my travels. I was quick to run into Joseph Réohm, of whom turned out to be a wonderful and successful magician, and a generous host at the event. I suppose one couldn't say Réohm was the official host, but he was definitely a good one since he introduced me to everyone with Little Red Radio and two of their friends. When we met they played the part of the quiet, cool musicians with the "fly-on-the-wall" look to them as they watched another band play on stage. They were sipping beers and talking as they waited for their turn to perform. The mellow atmosphere was nice and I felt at home. However, there was a barrage of photographers which after a while can be slightly irritating. However, every good entertainer knows to be cooperative with the media and their helpers, and both the band up on stage and Little Red Radio was not hesitant to pose and sing for the cameras. I was not about to complain too much about photo-takers though, because unfortunately I was soon to be among them.

After I exhausted my minimal photographic talent on the band The Dance Party--of whom I admired for their ability to fly through the air while assaulting it with some heartfelt music that brought me back to the 60's--I made some small talk with the friendly Réohm and some friends of the band. I learned that Réohm was the older brother of the drummer Eli. Both Eli and Joseph Réohm were originally from Seattle, but Eli was currently living in Hollywood. However at the time Réohm was still in transition, currently commuting back and fourth from Washington to California. Jaysun, the musician of whom greeted Kelsey and I earlier on the curb had moved to Hollywood around the same time Kelsey moved to Orange County. Lara and Jason, the two singers on the other hand, were both Los Angeles natives. I mulled over the information as I tapped my foot to the beat and looked over my shoulder curious as to Kelsey's whereabouts. Laughing to myself at my friend's ability to mingle and disappear into crowds I talked to one of Lara's friend, of whom was wearing a beautiful blouse and some roaring twenties style shoes. She was in charge of selling t-shirts and albums for Little Red Radio.

Finally, as the crowd began to settle down from applauding The Dance Party and the singers finished announcing their next venue, Little Red Radio began adjusting their band equipment and testing the microphones. The first thing I noticed about the band once the music started raging? Just went I thought I should start raving I just as quickly got sucked up in the lyrics and next thing I knew I was simultaneously taking shots left and right like some film-glutton.

Magic of the moment was in their music, no doubt about it, I thought to myself as I happily got swept into the flow and the modern-style lyrics that could hardly be placed into a specific genre. If anything it could be labeled as a genre of its own or thrown into one of those hopelessly complicated genres that are actually just a silly but wonderful jumble of five other genres all in one package. Should we call it techno? Trance? House? Modern-trance-house-techno new hip-hop-junkie-addict-indi-altenative? I haven't a clue and do your best not to identify Little Red Radio with that jam-packed term, just know they their talent is as overwhelming as that sentence. However, it was no surprise to be so satisfied with the sounds coming from the drums, the singer and dancer team duo, the keyboard jive mingled with the occasional but nonetheless timely trumpet sound effects. A couple of the songs were familiar, since Kelsey had played them before, but in a way all the songs seemed new because lets face it: live shows when done well are exhilarating and remembered as moment that will never happen again.

Honing in on not just the vocal and instrumental good sense of flow and timing, but also had a fun and entertaining dance performance. I was happy to say that both Lara and Jason have a talent for keeping the audience engaged. Like I mentioned earlier as well, they were cooperative with photographers and made sure to pose a lot and look good for the camera. That's a bonus for the audience because I know personally from being in plays and musicals its a drag to have actors and entertainers who flee from the lens or become impatient with the flash photography. Also a nice bonus was that the band was friendly enough to mingle with the audience and dance with them as they sang, making the show that much more lively.

At the end of the show as everyone was winding down by pre-packing band equipment, switching off mics, and catching a last sip or two at the bar--I caught a couple of words with Lara. Lara was just calm and collected after the show as she was before.  It appeared as if she did even seem spent from the performance at all. The difference was that I got to talk to her more one on one, which was a nice opportunity to have. She was polite, open to conversation and ready to look back on the performance with an onlooker's eye. I found it interesting that she was so quick to size up the performance that had only just ended. Nonetheless I noted to myself that it was a smart tactic as an musician and I am positive that that type of attitude embracing the concept of, "Well now that that's done, what did we accomplish? Okay, let's move on and do even better," will be extremely helpful to ensure the success of the band in the future. Success is already in their hands, clearly, as I heard from my roommate, that multiple contracts have been offered as a means to sign the band. The amusing part is that they were still deciding who they wanted their contract to be with, and I thought it was a good move on their part to consider how they wanted to portray their image in relation to who they sign themselves over too. My last memory at the club consisted of the very kind friend of Lara's giving me a deal on their t-shirt and album sale and me trying to argue against it to no avail.