"This year we hit a few growing pains. We can and will overcome these issues and continue to organize this festival that supports independent music in Los Angeles," FYF Fest promoter Sean Carlson wrote in an e-mail sent last Thursday to his e-mail list. more ›

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A.A. (Auguste Arthur) Bondy knows all about second chances. When his former band Verbena imploded just after signing to a major label in 2003, Bondy took off into the wilderness of the Catskills. Four years later he emerged back into the music scene with his lovely solo debut American Hearts which incorporated blues, folk, and a country twang,which he had recorded in his barn. This year, his second album When The Devil's Loose impressing critics and audiences a like with it's rough hewn edges and earthy melodies, influenced by music that came a time before rock n' roll was even a concept. We caught up with A.A. Bondy (or as he's known to his friends, Scott) before his show at the Echo. Here is some of what was said. more ›

Tonight New York's own shoegaze queen Asobi Seksu (LAist Review, #2, #3) will be gracing the Hotel Café. Local indie rockers Radars to the Sky (LAist Review, #2, #3) are poised to take on the Dakota Live Music Lounge in Santa Monica with none other than Hermosa Beach's own indie rock duo the Voyeurs (LAist Interview). And, lastly, LA-bred rock and roll outfit Slang Chickens will be performing at the Bootleg Theater. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo to catch Birmingham-bred folk troubadour A.A. Bondy. more ›

This week Cleveland-bred industrial rockers NIN will be performing not two, not three, but four farewell shows with Danish rockers Mew and local noise-infused rock outfit HEALTH in tow. Illinois-bred Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan will be playing to a sold-out crowd at the Hotel Café. And, lastly, the sixth annual F Yeah Fest, which boasts a bevy of artists including: the Black Lips, Tim & Eric, No Age, Lightning Bolt, Lucero, Converge, the Thermals, Glass Candy, Fucked Up, Matt Skiba, Times New Viking, Japanther, Mika Miko, Telepathe, Crystal Antlers, Darker My Love, AA Bondy, Wavves, Dios, Peanut Butter Wolf, the Strange Boys, Ninjasonik, Cold Cave, Har Mar Superstar, Avi Buffalo and Kurt Vile, will be taking place at Los Angeles State Historic Park. And, lastly, local indie rock act Division Day (LAist Review, #2, #3) will be gracing Spaceland with LA-based indie pop outfit and labelmates Bad Veins for this week's edition of Club NME. more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›