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Arcade Fire. The show’s up until Wednesday, April 16, so be sure to drop by and check out some awesome photos before then.
M&J do their thing. Said “thing” was a slow-tempo collection of romantic, whimsical tunes that found Mia swaying (perhaps a bit too theatrically) to Jonah’s rich, Damien Rice-esque guitar and vocals. And it wasn’t long before Koch was back onstage to join the pair in their warblings, then again to negotiate a second set list, which included twangy takes on classics from the one and only Tom Petty. Together, the threesome — who admitted to not knowing each other until just a month prior — filled the space with the warm, lush tunes that are beginning to embody what the series is all about: bringing only the best of S.B.’s up-and-coming young talent to an intimate showspace. Next week, check out yet another delightful double bill when The Merc plays host to
American Idol-style quest for a recording contract. The spin? Santa Barbara-bred — and
Go-Go Belinda Carlisle. The endeavor was much like any other on-air talent show of its kind: young, mildly gifted singers jumping in front of the camera to perform crummy covers of contemporary and aged pop songs. Except here, washed-up stars like
Dee Snider are on hand to fill their kids’ heads with empty nods of encouragement post-performance. While S.B.’s own heir to the ’80s soundtrack throne had a fairly solid showing (note: Loggins was the only competitor to strap on a guitar and show off any additional musical talents), it was Dee Snider’s boy, Jesse Blaze Snider, who won the night’s award for creepiest wardrobe choice. The bare-chested, leather-pants sporting Snider hit the stage running (and screaming) with his take on Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll,” undoubtedly scaring the judges into submission. The train wreck continues this Thursday at 10 p.m. on MTV. And online voting, cast bios, and video clips are available at mtv.com.

independent.com


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