Maria Somerville concluded her five-week tour, which included the singer’s first U.S. jaunt, on Saturday, May 24 at Zebulon in L.A. (Pic: Liz O.)
On Saturday, May 24, Maria Somerville closed out a five week tour, which included her first U.S. jaunt, at Zebulon in Los Angeles. Playing with a full band, the Irish musician transformed the sublime, often atmospheric, sound of her two albums into a shoegaze blowout. It was loud and cathartic and I’m really glad that Zebulon keeps a bowl of earplugs near its entrance.
I grabbed a spot right in front of the bassist’s zone on stage, next to some dudes who were investigating the pedals. (I told you this was a shoegaze show!) A hodgepodge of tunes played as the small, Frogtown venue filled with people. Hearing “French Disko,” the Stereolab song, was an appropriate way to prepare for the show that was about to start. I noticed a My Bloody Valentine t-shirt in the crowd too, which was both completely expected and probably a bit of foreshadowing.
Bird songs open Luster, the sophomore album from Maria Somerville and her debut full-length with venerable indie label 4AD. Their chirps, taken from a field recording at the singer/producer’s home in Connemara, Ireland, slowly give away to a kind of ethereal ambience with Róisín Berkeley on harp and Henry Earnest on guitar.
Somerville, who also hosts “The Early Bird Show” on NTS, self-released her debut album, All My People. In between the two albums, she moved from Dublin back to her hometown. “It’s grounding and expansive there, and gives me spaciousness, which maybe subconsciously shapes how I make music,” she says of the move in an email interview.
I’m not DJing this weekend, but my friends are Saturday night, May 24, at the Grayson (351 S. Broadway DTLA 90013) for Dolce Vita’s Tribute to Scarface. David Christian and Mando Italo will be on the decks playing Italo disco and Giorgio Moroder faves. Dolce Vita’s Scarface parties are always a vibe and guests are encouraged to dress in theme, so don’t miss out on this. There’s no cover. Party starts at 9 p.m. and goes until last call. This is a 21+ event.
If you’re planning on going to the Scarface party you might as well make it a Brian De Palma kind of weekend at head to Gardena Cinema (14948 Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena 90249) on Sunday, May 25, where Carrie is screening. This is the real deal 1976 De Palma film, not an unnecessary remake, starring creepy Sissy Spacek and creepier Piper Laurie. It is, quite possibly, the best horror film ever made. There are three screenings, so check the times and get tickets.
Xmal Deutschland box set, Gift: The 4AD Years is out on May 9, 2025 (Photo: Kevin Cummins)
Last February, Anja Huwe took to the stage at the Grauzone Festival in The Hague for a set that included songs from Xmal Deutschland, the post-punk outfit she fronted throughout the 1980s. Huwe hadn’t performed these songs live since the band’s demise some 35 years earlier. In fact, after Xmal Deutschland, Huwe stepped away from the stage to focus on her career as a visual artist. Meanwhile, songs like “Mondlicht,”“Incubus Succubus” and “Qual” have become classics of the era. Out in the crowd were multiple generations of fans.
“I had to go out there and I saw these people, so many people, so I just tried to concentrate,” Huwe says, adding with a laugh, “I’ve got to get it right.”
