The Standard

This Wednesday we’re bringing you another batch of talent for our regular weekly party, Desert Nights, held in the intimate Cactus Lounge at The Standard Hollywood. This week, each of the talents are vastly different from the other. We think you’ll love them all. Here’s the breakdown…

(Listen to Rabbit and Rutherford, Members of Gram Rabbit)

Disco-pop, off-kilter country, and psychedelic rock find an eccentric home in the music of a Gram Rabbit, a female-led quartet from the deserts of Southern California. Led by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jesika von Rabbit, the group was formed in 2003 by the chance meeting of Rabbit and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Todd Rutherford. Travis Cline joined the lineup to handle bass and digital sampling duties, and Gram Rabbit signed with Stinky Records before issuing their eclectic debut, Music to Start a Cult To. They switched to a four-piece lineup for 2006’s Cultivation and maintained those numbers for RadioAngel and the RobotBeat, released the following year on Reincarante Records.

(Listen to Boy Scout Jamboree)

Boy Scout Jamboree (Spindrift), California’s psychedelic spaghetti western pioneers, have built their career on American mythology and cinematic drama. Appropriating the legacy of Ennio Morricone, The Sons of The Pioneers, and Johnny Western, they make it their own with flavors of The Doors, Joe Meek, and Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra.

(Listen to Rachel and Aaron, otherwise known as Rachel Dean and Aaron Robinson)

Rachel Dean is a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles that fronts the band War Children. Her style is a melodic, mystical, countrified blend of rock, pop, and folk. After escaping the craziness of the city, Rachel moved to the California high desert, Joshua Tree, to write and record. Having gained inspiration from the Joshua Tree desert, Rachel has formed a beautiful combination of lyrics and melodies that are undeniable and unforgettable.

Aaron Robinson started playing classical guitar at the age of 10. He discovered the Pentangle on a random cassette tape at a yard free when he was in high school, and his guitar playing became very influenced by English folk music. He continued to expand his musical horizon when he moved to Spain to study flamenco guitar. Whether acoustic, electric, dobro, lap steel or charango, Aaron’s guitar work has been called “phenomenal” by San Francisco’s Deli Magazine. He is often compared to his influences, folk guitar legends, Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson, Nick Drake and Mississippi John Hurt. He has toured extensively with Sea Wolf, and appeared live with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Akron Family, Charlie Wadhams, We Are The World, and many more bands.

Aaron is the musical director for folk legend Linda Perhacs and is producing her new album. Aaron also co-wrote and played most of the instruments on the album Elisa Randazzo Bruises and Butterflies which came out last year on Drag City.

When Aaron isn’t performing with his own band, Messes, he can be found playing lap steel for He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, and co-writing songs for the band We Are The World’s new album.