LAist first met Long Beach/Los Alamitos-natives Avi Buffalo last March at an LA-Underground-presented showcase that included local rising stars The Sweet Hurt, Ema and the Ghosts, Amnion, and Cobra Lilies. more ›

Tonight legendary Georgia-based folk rock duo the Indigo Girls will be headlining the El Rey Theatre. Nickel Creek fiddler Sara Watkins is poised to grace Largo at the Coronet in celebration of her forthcoming debut solo album. And, lastly, local indie rockers the Happy Hollows (LAist Review, #2, #3) will be sharing the stage at the Troubadour with fellow Los Angelenos Warpaint and Afternoons. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Regent Theater in Downtown to catch the final show of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros' month-long residency. LAist favorites Amnion (LAist Review, #2, #3) are slated to kick things off. more ›

As mentioned yesterday, earlier this month was the 2nd Annual Christmas Sweater Festival took place at The Echoplex (MySpace). The fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders, featured a stellar lineup of rising stars from the local indie scene, including Amnion (MySpace), Castledoor (MySpace), The Pity Party (MySpace), The Deadly Syndrome (MySpace), The Happy Hollows (MySpace), and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (MySpace). It notably attracted two of the most prominent local scenester photographers, Ellei "Shadowscene" Johndro (MySpace) and Mark "The Cobrasnake" Hunter. more ›

Earlier this month, the 2nd Annual Christmas Sweater Festival took place at The Echoplex (MySpace). The fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders, featured a stellar lineup of rising stars from the local indie scene, including Amnion (MySpace), Castledoor (MySpace), The Pity Party (MySpace), The Deadly Syndrome (MySpace), The Happy Hollows (MySpace), and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (MySpace). 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 ›

Tonight Social Distortion (LAist Review) front man Mike Ness will be concluding an extensive sojourn at the El Rey Theatre. The Hotel Café is hosting the second night of a three-date "ho-ho-tel" holiday extravaganza, featuring singer-songwriter types like Rocco Deluca (LAist Review). Pehrspace will be throwing the first Pehr Spacecraft Faire, which integrates great pop music and fun crafts. And to further substantiate the claim that KROQ is suspended in the late 90s, the Offspring (LAist Review), Stone Temple Pilots and AFI will be headlining Almost Acoustic Christmas (LAist Review, #2) at the Gibson Amphitheatre. But no one in their right mind would pass up the Second Annual Christmas Sweater Festival at the Echoplex. This year the impressive bill features local indie favorites like the Deadly Syndrome (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4) the Happy Hollows (LAist Review, #2), the Pity Party (LAist Review, #2, #3), Castledoor (LAist Review, #2) and Amnion (LAist Review). It's almost too good to be true. more ›

Last month, there was a great night of performances by singer-songwriters that included Carina Round (MySpace) at the Hotel Cafe (MySpace) in Hollywood, as well as Tenlons Fort (MySpace) -- backed by members of Amnion (MySpace), Avi Buffalo (MySpace), Castledoor (MySpace), and The Monolators (MySpace) -- Jenny O. (MySpace), Angela Correa (MySpace), Rachael Cantu (MySpace), and Daniel Ahearn (MySpace) at Mr. T's Bowl (MySpace) in Highland Park. Opening at Mr. T's was rapper Trick Tracy -- aka Castledoor's Brandon Schwartzel. more ›

Last Friday, local indie favorites The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra (MySpace), Xu Xu Fang (MySpace), and Castledoor (MySpace) -- all three of whom have been previously featured here, here, and here -- performed in the courtyard of USC's Fisher Museum of Art. more ›

LA will simply be bombarded with music tonight. On the agenda: We've got LA-based indie rockers One Trick Pony at Club Good Hurt. If you can get down with the notion of Venice Beach and bartenders clad in sexy nurse outfits, then head on out. The Québécois act Stars will be gracing the Avalon in support of their latest EP, Are You A Sad Robot?. The Diamond Cutter, otherwise known as Neil Diamond, will be performing all of his quintessential hits at the Hollywood Bowl. Bay Area punks Rancid will be continuing their six-night stint at the Henry Fonda Music Box. And Pattern Is Movement, a loopy and meticulous band from the City of Brotherly Love, will be hitting up Spaceland with LA locals the Minor Canon. But we propose that you take it easy on the wallet tonight by going to Tangier. Aaron Embry of AmniOn, a celebrated indie rock virtuoso, will be shelling out mellifluous strains with a backing band of friends. It's free, free, free! more ›

Tonight we find Los Angeles amidst a flurry of relatively pedestrian shows, including local indie rock heavyweights the Cold War Kids (LAist Review), who just concluded their stop by KCRW a few short minutes ago, New York City-based electro-pop masterminds Brazilian Girls (LAist Interview) and Swedish rock band the Hives. If you're as bummed as we are about Glasser's cancellation of their gig at the poorly-lit dive 3 of Clubs, then get your dose of underground greatness elsewhere. Aaron Embry of AmniOn's "solo" performances have steadily garnered him wide acclaim. Acknowledged as a musical genius by many, Embry actually played keys for Elliott Smith before Smith's untimely death. He'll be playing the Tangier Restaurant in Los Feliz. But the lineup at Spaceland tonight intrigues us most. Specifically, Obi Best. Or rather Alex Lilly, who can generally be found singing back-ups for the Bird and the Bee. Lilly has penned a whimsical new record that rivals, if not exceeds, the Bird and the Bee's sing-song brand of saccharine pop. more ›

Last month, Joe Fielder, whose local music blog Radio Free Silver Lake has been in existence since February 2006, celebrated the second anniversary of his monthly Let's Independent! event, at Boardner's (MySpace) in Hollywood, with performances by Death to Anders (MySpace), The Savages (MySpace), and Xu Xu Fang (MySpace). more ›

Nobody better covers the LA indie music scene than the local blogs, which include LA-Underground, Radio Free Silver Lake, Rock Insider, You Set The Scene, Squaregirls, Aquarium Drunkard, Classical Geek Theatre, Amateur Chemist, and the now-defunct Buzz Bands. Besides spotlighting up-and-coming artists and posting concert photos, many of those blogs regularly present shows -- Radio Free Silverlake's Let's Independent! have included The Happy Hollows (MySpace), The Deadly Syndrome (MySpace), Castledoor (MySpace), and Everest (MySpace). more ›