Rock Picks: Stevie Wonder, Lucinda Williams, The Frames

B.B. King, Robert Randolph & the Family Band at the Hollywood Bowl The thrill will never be gone as long as B.B. King can still wring such wonderfully piercing vibrations from his famous (and practically sentient) guitar, Lucille. Considering that he’s 81 years old and has already performed a series of farewell shows in Europe, we’re lucky to get a chance to see him again — and luckier still that he’s in good voice and has such nimble hands. The Mississippi-born blues man, who got his start on Memphis’ Beale Street, has never let his status as living legend get in the way of his fertile musical career, inspiring and jamming with countless blues, rock and jazz guitarists. Even during the course of his deepest, darkest, loneliest blues laments, he always maintains a courtly, gentlemanly presence, beaming with warmth and good humor. Guitar fanatics should get a kick out of Robert Randolph, the New Jersey steel-guitar whiz whose hands move up and down his instrument’s neck more smoothly and dexterously than a con man playing a shell game. The Family Band pump up a lively mix of gospel, soul and rock that’s taken to the next level by Randolph’s positively psychedelic array of swoops and glides along the spine of his “sacred steel” guitar. (Falling James) Also playing Wednesday: BEN KWELLER at the Echo; KITTIE at the Key Club; SUBHUMANS, M.D.C. at Knitting Factory; JOE FRANK at Largo; THE MONOLATORS at Silverlake Lounge; VAN HUNT at Temple Bar. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Eleni Mandell, The Frames at the Henry Fonda Theater Eleni Mandell has sung a little bit of everything, showing her down-home cowgirl persona on 2003’s Country for True Lovers and revealing her inner late-night chanteuse on her jazz-inflected 2004 EP, Maybe, Yes. Her new CD, Miracle of Five, contains such trademark idyllic ballads as the delicately rendered “Salt Truck” and more rocking tunes like the intriguing and exotically mesmerizing tale of her missing better half, “My Twin.” Regardless of the genre she dabbles in, all of Mandell’s recordings are distinguished by breathily beguiling vocals and a faintly bohemian attitude that separates her from most mainstream pop singers. She’s an ideal mood-setter for Irish headliners the Frames, whose best songs support Glen Hansard’s soft vocal mumblings (which sound perhaps a bit too much like Cat Stevens) with austere washes of piano and violin. The title track of the Frames’ latest CD, The Cost, swims slowly with restlessly turning guitar chords, while “Falling Slowly” lives up to its title with gentle piano accents. While much of this morose wallowing isn’t always as captivating as Hansard’s recent side project, the Swell Season, there are some moments of quiet grandeur. (Falling James) Also playing Thursday: COMMON at the Wiltern; LUCINDA WILLIAMS at El Rey Theatre; GOO GOO DOLLS at Greek Theatre; SECRETARY BIRD, BEN KWELLER at the Echo, 6:30 p.m.; KATHRYN WILLIAMS at Hotel Café; SOULIVE at House of Blues; PUNK BUNNY, HAWNAY TROOF at Knitting Factory; BANGKOK FIVE, THE BINGES at Malibu Inn; DOLLYROTS, KILLOLA at Safari Sam’s; JOHN VANDERSLICE, BODIES OF WATER at Troubadour.

New crispy minstrels: Brian Jonestown Massacre (Photo by Piper Ferguson)

Related Content

• DUI Checkpoint Cheat Sheet For Your Weekend: Look Out, Long Beach
  February 8, 2013
• The Best Concerts in L.A. This Weekend
  February 22, 2013
• Jay-Z's Great Gatsby Soundtrack Is a Failure
  May 8, 2013
• Breaking: White People Tend to Live Closer to The Beach
  May 15, 2013
• Bernie Yeszin: Music Industry Legend Has Fallen on Hard Times
  May 14, 2013

More About

• Lucinda Williams
• Sean Kingston
• Brandi Shearer
• Knitting
• Arts and Crafts