End-of-the-week update: Send in the sweaters

This blog has been under the weather most of this week, and it had nothing to do with either of the sets I caught on Monday night -- the Mezzanine Owls playing LA Weekly's Click Hear show with a bunch of other good bands at the El Rey [better photos here], and then the Movies finishing up Radio Free Silver Lake's benefit for Huntington's Disease at Safari Sam's.

Both bands played a lot of new material, strong stuff at that, off EPs they plan to release in the new year. C'mon down, 2008.

The rest of the week was full of cold remedies and regret:

-- I did not get a chance to say a proper goodbye to Kiss or Kill, the weekly club night that ended Wednesday after five years. The night called many venues home, and the small and vibrant scene created by its promoters was as unpretentious as straight ahead rock 'n' roll could be. I will point out that one of the stalwart Kiss or Kill bands, Bang Sugar Bang, released a new album this fall that didn't find its way to me until recently. "Victory Gin" is a healthy dose of sharp boy-girl pop-punk, maybe a  bit more serious than their earlier efforts but still the kind of tunes than work its title beverage as a chaser.

-- I am trying to rally in time for Fold's Sweater Party tonight at the Crash Mansion. The Deadly Syndrome lead a parade of bands at the benefit (for Doctors Without Borders) that includes  Eskimohunter, the Happy Hollows, the Mae Shi and the Pity Party.

-- Somebody emailed to tell me I really missed the boat by missing these guys. But isn't glam just the new slapstick? The band has one more L.A. date, Tuesday at the Key Club.

-- Pitchfork has heaped some praise on local underground favorites Health, tabbing its video for "Heaven" as one of the site's top 50 of the year. The song ought to be bumper music for a sports TV show, sure, but a great video? Somebody please explain. Here it is:



-- Speaking of videos, Liz McGrath -- the visual artist-turned-Miss Derringer frontwoman -- will debut a 3D video for the band's song "Black Tears" on Saturday night when her new installation, "The Incurable Disorder," opens at the Billy Shire Gallery in Culver City. The song is hauntingly good; here's a preview of the video (not in 3D -- has the Internet figured that out yet?).

Photo of Mezzanine Owls' Jack Burnside by Kevin Bronson / LAT.

More weekend music choices, and some fun end-of-the-year lists, here.

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