El Paso yo Asso!

Phoenix and El Paso.....please note Taco Cabana looks better coming out then it does going in and that's not a good thing.

Im Back!

I went on vaca not only from the band but also from OuttaSight. I am however sitting in Scottsdale, AZ at the Rogue Bar writing instead of socializing. I dont know if that makes me a hard worker or a complete nerd?

We just embarked on our 4 1/2 week tour. A bus fell through and a new van emerged victorious. I never liked buses owned by people who don't like us......I'll rephrase that to I never liked buses owned by people who seem to not like people in general:). We did get our hands on a nice midnight blue van and now we are off and running. Our first night at The Gypsy Lounge was very nice. Tonight I'd give it a solid C. I personally could hear myself very well on stage which is great as long a you are playing a solid set. The band was steady with a few little cracks here and there. Tomorrow is El Paso.....I'll let you know. Look at them pics!

Andy
Local Natives

Tis the season

Its Friday, its the end of the week! Time to go home and take a big long leak! I always used to sing that when I was a little kid. I have no idea why other than the fact that it refers to peeing.

I think tonight I'm going to head over to Spaceland to rock out and go dance crazy. I just messaged Joe over at RadiofreeSilverlake and requested he play "Airplanes" in his set tonight. We'll see?

So we released "We Come Back" our holiday tune about a week ago. Listening to it today got me in a thankful mood. One Gujogillion thanks yous to everyone who has been taking any interest in Local Natives over these past couple of short months!! We haven't even released the record yet! Weirdos:)

And since it is the season of giving and Im broke Ill give you some art as a gift:) Heres We Come Back(Holiday Song) MP3 for download:
http://www.thelocalnatives.com/WeComeBack.mp3

Andy
Local Natives

Monday Update

Sunday aint joking around anymore.

Last night we got Airplanes played on KROQ Locals Only(thank you Kat and Union Line) and Camera Talk played on Indie 103.1 Check 1 2! If you guys follow my blog you know that I've been pushin for Check 1 2. Don't let anyone tell you that Garbage Pale Kids won't get you where you need to be in life:)

Saturday night was the Zero Film Festival in downtown LA. Sunday was Continental Room in Fullerton. Both very fun shows but someone stole my fucking purple cardigan at Continental Room! It was a really nice sweater and I'm pissed. Who steals purple cardigans? Whomever took it may they get stung by a thousand angry wasps and dipped into a pile of Elephant diahearea.

Tonight we got a free show at Silver Lake Lounge. We play at 945pm.

Andy
Local Natives

Local Natives at Zero Film Festival

This is a big one people....We are happy to be playing the Zero Film Festival this Saturday. We've done parties before with our new found ZFF friends and I can guarantee a good time.

Andy
Local Natives

Turkey Day w/a Local Native

"Little Nemo comic by Winsor McCay" he's good! Look at that giant turkey eating him.


The key points to make when celebrating Thanksgiving in Texas:

1. One bag of pre-made stuffing will not feed twelve people

2. Sliced deli turkey does not count as Thanksgiving Turkey

3. "Y'all" is not only fun to say but gets your point across faster and more efficiently

4. Skee-ball played with white plastic balls isn't nearly as fun as with the heavy brown ones

5. Mario Kart for Wii is fun

6. Nickelback and Three Doors Down are bigger than Starbucks.

Ill let the picture below describe last nights adventure. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Andy
Local Natives

Please play this song on the radio

We wrote this song, it's not too short, not too long
It's got back-up vocals in just the right places (in just the right places)
It's got a few oohs and ahhs (oooh aaah)
And it takes a little pause
Just before I sing the F word

Please play this song on the radio

Almost every line is sung on time
Almost every verse ends in a rhyme
The only problem we had was writing enough words
(oooh aaah)
But that's okay, because the chorus is
Coming up again now

Please play this song on the radio
Please play this song on the radio

Please play this song on the radio
Please play this song on the radio
Please play this song on the radio
Please play this song on the radio
Please play this song on the radio (please play this song)
Please play this song on the radio (please play this song)

-Fat Mike

So yesterday I sent some of our new tunes off to Indie 103 check 1 2 to see if they might be interested in putting 1, 2 or 10 of our tunes up on their local show Check 1 2 hosted by Mark Shovel. Super curious to see what they think about Local Natives? We play shows a lot with many of the bands that are on the show and I think they just might like us. I took some time and spit a little Hammbone taste into the packaging of the disc using some arts and krafts know how, paired with some old Garbage Pale Kids cards and Local Natives artwork. I almost didn't want to send it out and keep it instead:) Included was a personal letter from me and a promo copy of our unreleased album. Pics below.

Now we play the waiting game. For those of you who don't know Check 1 2 airs every Sunday night 6pm-8pm. If your feelin like a fan PLEASE request 'Airplanes' 1 877 900 1031 or visit http://www.indie1031.fm/check_one.._two.php and on the right hand side is a link to request online. This really does help and Ill come and plant a juicy one on your cheek if you let me know you requested us. Wish us luck!

Andy
Local Natives

Chad Vangaalen

So I just came across this.....amazing



Andy
Local Natives

The Reveal

So I just got myself a delicious iced coffee from the nicest vendor in downtown LA. If you're ever in the Fashion District make sure and visit the vendor at 9th and Los Angeles St. in The Mart. Iced coffee for $1.50! and it doesn't taste like poop....always a bonus. As my eyes start to open and my hands start typing I must say it feels more like a Monday than a Wednesday. I have been out for the past few days on the road again(Local Natives) with some really great friends of ours in The Union Line. For some reason unknown I decided not to take that many pics of our shows and shenanigans this time around. The one featured above was taken by the one and only Saddie at The Crepe Place in Santa Cruz. Which by the way has an excellent Thanksgiving Crepe special going on. If your looking for a good gig and free food give Mark a call over there.

All in all our three day up the coast and back "micro-tour" was way too much fun. We played an average of two shows a day with an average of two hours of sleep a night in the form of hard wood floors and cruppled up sweater pillows.(Brit if your reading this thank you so much for letting us stay at your place the last night! We scooted out early and I didnt get to say thanks. Oh and by the way I think Tulani left here crepe out over night and I woke up to one of the worst smelling rotten garlic pussie green molded crepes ever smelled on the West Coast.)

Last night was our last show on the string at Silverlake Lounge with our school yard chums Voxhaul Broadcast. This was our "industry" show. In other words we had a few labels and what not come out to check out the show.(Paul-thank you for the Anchor Steam and Michael-Why did you leave early?) We played 7 shows in three days with not so much as a scratchy throat, a broken guitar string or a missing band member so it would only be fitting that the waterflow of technical difficulties would break the dam in one giant flood at our Silverlake Lounge show. Three broken amps and one broken voice later we emerged from an "interesting" set. I think my bass went from "too quiet" to "turn the fuck down" without me so much as looking at my volume knob. Its always hard to know when to admit and when to reveal about off kilter shows or human mistakes without being self depricating or too negative nancy, but we had fun as always and sometimes things go a direction you wouldn't expect. Somebody also donated a box of cookies to us at the end of the night which was really good!

Andy
Local Natives

Here comes the Industry

I just remembered that I never posted our adventures in "The Industry" that happened last week at Nettwerk in LA. Through some good friends of ours we were asked to be part of a Marketing Music Industry event hosted by Terry Mcbride of Nettwerk Music(hes the gentlemen on the way too awesomely perfect flyer:). The idea behind the event was to take an up an coming band(us) and let a panel of "Industry" folks and room full of "Industry" friends assess our situation and make suggestions on how they could help us. The set up was....very....business. Instead of performing or listening to our music we were asked to put together a Power Point Presentation. Essentially a 15min business plan pitch given from an indie band. Being a recent college graduate we did our best and I must say it was pretty funny when we litterally met in our group the night before and rehearsed our secctions. University Marketing 101 eat your heart out!

For me it was a new, fun and weird expiereince. At the end of the day we are just a band that makes music. "Marketing tools" and "viral videos" and an "online precsence"... but to us its just a good cover song from an artist we love and admire, one of us filming one of many goofy-arse moments that one or all of us are involved in on the road or an overworked and overloved piece of artwork that I spent too many hours putting together and putting our name on. I met some really great and nice people that night and I told every single one them the same thing. Take this copy of our new album with you and listen to it because everything aside that is still what is most important to us as a band. I feel thankful that we have so many people and tools surrounding us and I hope that if you were there and you did grab a copy of Gorilla Manor(album) that you are enjoying it as much as we did making it.

Andy
Local Natives

Price is Right

So we went on The Price is Right yesterday! Guess what fu*&king what!!? Our good friend Rachel got picked and made it to the Showcase Showdown. She didn't win but I don't think she really was in need of a new hot tub anyways:)

Word to the wise: If you do decide to partake in this show it is an ALL DAY event so bring your snack attack sack and plenty of patience.

ps. Drew is not as good as Bob. PLINKO!

Andy
Local Natives

Local Natives New art

Monday Monday...La la...La la la la(is it even las?)

My weekend was good...not great, not bad but good. No complaints. In spite of nothing too crazy going on I figured Id give you a little inside scoop de poop on whats going on in the world of Local Natives.

NEw myspace up! So I have been working for awhile now on new artwork and general aesthetic for us and the first phase is now up and runinng. Matt described the style as "Crazy Creep Pop Art". I guess I can see that. The idea was to do something original while still keeping it "Local Natives" style. When you see artwork from us I wanted the listener/viewer to 1. Get at least a little idea of what our music would be like and 2. to entice thier eyes enough to make them want to look into us more.

The color sheme is borderline psychadelic. Lots of colors put together and washed out. Pastel reds and blues with grayscale backgrounds. Cut and pastey style artwork to keep it sloopy(which I love) with random objects and landscapes cut together to make just enough sense.

Matt designed the new tour poster which also plays into the new aesthetic. So well in fact that we used the Ostriches as our background. Tell me what you think?

In other news/gossip we are almost finished with a Talking Heads cover of 'Warning Sign'. Oooooooooooweiiiiiii it sounds good. We definetely made it our own and I can't wait to get it up. Due date most likely next week.

We are also working on a Christmas Song to be released in early Dec. This aint no "Jingle Bells" bullshit. This is the real deal. Its truly a beautiful song with lots of layers and something that will park your ass in front of a fire with a cup of rumnog and a smile.

Andy
Local Natives

Philadelphia isnt Sunny

Willy Nilly Philly. Just got back yesterday from a business trip to Urban Outfitters which is located in Philadelphia. I have never been to this old city and after only one and a half days I would give it a......solid B.

From some reason unknown I wanted to give it an A+ before I even got there. I dont know why I wanted to like it so much and realistically it was more about the circumstances surrounding my timing of the trip that lowered it's score. The world series is in full swing there and unfortunately the night we went out was the only night a game was canceled. You pair this cancellation with sleet rain and tyrant winds and Philadelphia's nightlife turns into a graveyard filled with librarians. The city itself is truly beautiful and its history and architecture really does put LA to shame.

Weather and human life aside, I did encounter some great new friends and ended up having a blast with this group scampering from bar, to bar, to club to bar.

We ended up at last call in a bar where people go to commit suicide. The photo below was taken at 2am in a small depressing bar. Keep in mind my iphone does not have a flash. The entire bar was light as day lit with flourescent lights!!! However that Cat is pretty cool:)

Andy
Local Natives

Griffith Park

Sometimes we skip over the obvious. We are constantly looking for the super unknown, the too legit and the "only if your invited." Sitting around on Sundays looking for a Sunday Funday when all along it was right under our noses. Griffith Park is huge and wonderful! Remember how much fun grass is? Thats right, green grass! Grab some cheese, some crackers, some wine and maybe a frisbee or three and get down here. My trusted iphone didn't know what to do with all the joy it was looking at and took this picture at the park.

Andy
Local Natives

Thursday Night

Dance Right/Dress Right
I will be here.....I think Local Natives will be here? They haven't got back to me yet.

80s Purple(cool online retailer that I work with), Orthodox(Ive known these guys for a awhile now. Great mens and womens fashion collection) and Han Cholo(just getting into their ghetto jewels) Downtown LA Party. Come on over Rover!!

Andy
Local Natives

People verses Cars

I have officially deemed October as the "People vs. Cars" month.

Monday through Friday I commute home from downtown LA to Silver Lake using side streets. Since Oct. 1st, my peaceful and relaxing drive home has quickly turned into a stress-case game of dodge the crazy street crossing people. Downtown LA is known for its "unique" blend of nomads, crack heads and well meaning homeless societies. It's no surprise to suddenly have a skinny muscle ripped 55yr old homeless man jump out in front of your car waving a styrofoam cup with a hole in the bottom at you and wondering why his change keeps dissapearing. But what I'm experiencing this month is a whole new level.

The air we breathe has been infused with suicide confidence. Nomads no longer step out in front of your car but instead run from lane to lane in heavy moving traffic screaming and jumping like a lost frog on speed. Elderly women will suddenly decide that the giant red lit hand they see means to cross the street immediately without looking anywhere but to their small cart of bundled clothes and cans for protection from the oncoming Honda Accord. A fixed gear bike can somehow magically create a protective force field that allows the rider to glide through intersections without hesitation. Those feet absolutely cannot hit the ground even if that means an oncoming vehicle has to slam on his brakes in fear for his own life. The best part about it is......these indestructible people are having fun doing it! They walk, run, ride and hobble without a care in the world and I am jealous. October is quickly coming to a close and I fear this secret society of happy anarchists will disappear. I wish to run free with them.

Andy
Local Natives
ps. Would love to know if anyone else is expieriencing this?

Halloween Local Natives Style

FOOD FIGHT!

There are a handful of things in life that still can inject a no holds bar rush of sheer, immature joy into our hearts and minds. One of those is the feat of the Food Fight! 1 part 2am, 10 parts people, 177 parts fun juice and 1 part kitchen with nothing else better to do and you have yourselves the makings for the ideal food fight.

Creatures involved: Local Natives, Aushua and assorted friends.
Elements involved: Honey Nut cheerios, Flour, Sugar, Water, Pasta(both spaghetti and penne), Peanut butter and I believe some chips and sweat.

I like and live in LA but Orange, CA knows how to throw a mean food fight.
ps. Check us out in Costa Mesa on Saturday playing with our good friends in Aushua(pictured below)

Andy

LA short for LAME

How was my weekend you ask? My weekend was wonderful and thanks for asking!
Friday- Hanging with the friends to prepare for Saturday
Saturday- Union Line and Aushua Show at Karl Strauss festival(one six pack of water bottles and literally seven cases of beer and two kegs for 20 people backstage)

Enter...Saturday night.

I moved to LA/Silverlake about a year ago and thus far no huge complaints. I have always really thought that any place you decide to live is as good as you decide to make it. That is not to say of course that LA doesn't come with its own unique character and guidelines that one must try to follow especially when hanging out in the local music scene. In my neck of the woods there are a good amount of great indie venues and a handful of great indie bands. We have played the circuit a few times and are working our way to try and become one of the few. Lets just say its a close knit scene in our area and as indie and artsy as we all want it to be, at the end of the day LA's local music scene is run just like any other entertainment industry here. You gotta know somebody who knows somebody who needs a favor and knows someone who can get you what you want. So goes the nature of the beast.

With that being said on Saturday I happened to know someone who knew someone at Los Angeles's annual Detour Festival in Downtown LA. I would have to say being completely honest that I have been the last three years and each year has taken a step or two down from last and this year was no exception. On paper, an event such as this seems like the ultimate horaaaaay! for LA music loving locals. You get to see and hear great music from big and small artists who for one day take over city hall and let us all experience downtown LA in a whole new wonderful light. The reality is, that if you don't know someone(which I'm sure more than half the crowd did) for $45 you get a chance to see a few good artists and $7 cocktails. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the ingenious system they installed for purchasing food and drink this year(lathered in thick sarcasm). Upon entering if you happen to have the hearing of a rabbit with elephantiasis in it's ears, you come across a man shouting the guidelines for deciding to purchase food or drink. To expedite the process and keep the lines moving quicker you first purchase an "Event Card". The overjoyed people at Event Card Tent will put your hard earned cash onto a small plastic card which you can then take to the various drink/food stands. Once you arrive to the stand of choice the employee will swipe this magical card which electronically takes the cash from the card in exchange for the goods you ordered. What a world we live in! Wait, this "Card" reminds me of something.....oh yeah its called a fucking Credit Card and we all already have and use them! On top of the annoying "Event Card" process which most people didn't find out about until getting to the front of the drink line after waiting for 30min. They also forget to mention that you needed to go to a separate booth to get an id wristband if you wish to consume alcohol. I know, I know, we all have been to many festivals where this is the case and at every single festival we all think the same thing: "These id booths are retarded and a pain in my ass!!" After all, waiting in three lines for a cocktail is much better than one.

In light of keeping my head from exploding I'll stop here. In conclusion being a new local LA music citizen is fun and good, just in a really weird way that may lead to some opinions.....some much needed opinions.

Andy
Local Natives

TOUR!!!!

Ill let the photos and movies speak for themselves.

Andy
Local Natives