Do It Live! Concert Previews

Looking for a chance to see some fresh musical acts and get off campus? Be sure to check out all the concerts coming up this month.The Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival is next weekend, Oct. 10 and 11.Tickets to this so-called “rootsicana newgrassy folkadelic experience” are $50 for Saturday, or $70 for the entire weekend. It looks like a great little festival, headlined by Toubab Krewe and the seven-time Juno Award-winners Blue Rodeo, among many others.Toubab Krewe are a group of childhood friends from North Carolina who developed a passion for music and honed their skills while playing with luminaries across Saharan Africa and the Ivory Coast. The band blends Western and African sounds to create a new realm of music.This weekend festival will be all about pushing genre boundaries, experiencing new sounds, and blurring barriers between artist and audience. This is a great way to discover some new music while enjoying Joshua Tree.Staying on campus over fall break? It will be a great time to get off campus and explore our surroundings. Possibilities include:Wednesday, Oct. 14, Passion Pit will be playing at Hollywood’s The Music Box. When I first heard Passion Pit I was intrigued and perplexed by their unique instrumental sound. They create captivating beats that are catchy, but far from generic. While letting the beat soak in, you cannot ignore the distinct tenor voice of lead singer Michael Angelakos. He sings hard. I was skeptical of how their sound would carry over from the studio to the stage, but my doubts were silenced when I saw them this summer. Even if you’ve never heard of them, check them out.Wednesday, Oct. 14, Pretty Lights will be at the Key Club. I can’t emphasize this show enough. If you love to get down, go to this show. If you enjoy electronic music, download some groundbreaking tunes for free at prettylightsmusic.com.Oct. 13, 14 and 15, Bob Dylan is at The Palladium. This is a chance to see one of the most extraordinary musicians of all time. He was never really known for having a piercing voice, but he is a poet with a guitar. If you’re looking for a mellow concert go check him out.Thursday, Oct. 15, Cubensis, a highly-esteemed Grateful Dead tribute band, will be playing an OCKTOBERFEST celebration at the Air Conditioned Lounge in Venice. What could be better than a day of relaxing and people-watching at Venice Beach followed by a celebration of beer and the Grateful Dead? It is 21+ however, so youngsters be warned.Saturday, Oct. 17, The Reggae Boat Party Cruise, a floating two-deck jam boat departs from Long Beach, as it does every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and drinks are served on board, so the experience could end up denting your wallets. Tickets need to be pre-ordered from Ticketmaster.com.Tuesday, Oct. 20, The Fresh Air Tour featuring Brother Ali will be at the El Rey Theatre. Brother Ali is fascinating and great live. He helped found Minneapolis’s Rhymesayers Records alongside friend and fellow hip-hop artist Atmosphere. Minneapolis is well known for its rich local music scene, and Brother Ali is one such local musician. The only Albino hip-hop artist there is, he is an enigma from the start. The motivation behind the Rhymesayers movement is to let the artists control their own destinies while making songs for all audiences. The beats are more intricate than most, which helps highlight the real attraction: the blue-collar lyrics. While mainstream rhymers seem to be focused on cars, clothes, drugs, and women, Brother Ali’s lyrics reach out to almost all crowds with their honesty and practicality. He will be playing alongside other Rhymesayers, including Evidence, Toki Wright, and BK-One.