When we last spoke with the 27 year-old trumpet phenom who has garnered Grammy nominations, countless accolades and numerous appearances on the big screen he was in town performing at the Catalina Jazz Club. Less than two years later, the New Orleans-bred musician returns to Los Angeles to perform two shows, a free show today at Amoeba Records (5pm) and Tuesday at The Roxy. more ›

On Sunday night, Georgian-born singer-songwriter Katie Melua performed a sold-out show, as part of her latest tour promoting the release of her new album , at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. It was actually her second show of the day as she did a free in-store earlier at the nearby Amoeba Records. more ›

Elvis Costello and The Attractions essential 1978 record This Year’s Model was re-released for the twenty-third time earlier this week as a deluxe 2-CD set. This year’s model of This Year’s Model includes a bevy of previously released bonus tracks, and a previously unreleased live concert. more ›

The Guide to March Rock Music Residencies has been updated with a few more listings -- it seems as if residencies are catching on, which is a good thing. Meanwhile, Howlin Rain plays their last LA concert before a tour promoting their new album, Magnificent Fiend, that was released yesterday. more ›

More What Made Milwaukee Famous? Yes, more of that! more ›

(c) Andy Summers and courtesy of TASCHEN" src="http://laist.com/attachments/la_andy/andy_summers_crowd.jpg" width="640" height="403" /> more ›

I am thankful for… Thanksgiving - even though I think it’s a stupid holiday, and I pretty much hate all the food associated with it - for giving me the opportunity to spend the day with family that I love and actually enjoy being around. I am thankful every day that I am able to make a living being creative and doing something I love. (Except for when I’m on strike) I am thankful... more ›

Quick! If you can make it over to Amoeba Records tonight between 6-9pm, grab a free wristband for a very special evening at the Vista Theater with Sigur Rós, presented by Myspace Secret Shows. Not only will you get to see them perform a three song set, but you'll get to see a "Black Curtain Screening" of their forthcoming documentary "Heima". In support of the documentary, Sigur Rós have planned a flurry of LA-based... more ›

Catching Brandi Shearer's sultry voice live would be a great way to enjoy your holiday weekend. LAist caught her last show at Hotel Cafe and was humming her tunes and listening to her album for days. This time around, LAist had the opportunity to catch up with Brandi and get to know a little bit more about what makes her sounds so unique, what it's like being signed to Amoeba Records and how living in... more ›

Ellegarden - "Koukasen" Dappled Cities, Eulogies, Manejo Beto, Die Die Die @ The Echo Tegan & Sara @ Amoeba Records The Cribs, Sean Na Na, The Hugs @ The Troubadour Lynyrd Skynrd @ Pacific Amphitheatre Ellegarden @ The Knitting Factory Nikka Costa @ House of Blues Bridge Dwellas, Rebels to the Grain, Rhythm Natives, Epidemik, The Antidotes @ Temple Bar Glen Phillips @ Largo T.J. Helmerich, Mark Nonisa, Ric Fierabracci, Bernie Galane @ The... more ›

What better way is there really to start off your week than a trip to the Hotel Cafe? Tonight's offerings are very sweet indeed with Brandi Shearer taking the stage at 8pm. Her record, Close To Dark, will be released on August 28th through Amoeba Records. Brandi's croonings are soft and sweet and won't disappoint. more ›

OG mop-top, Sir Paul McCartney, will be playing a “secret” show at Amoeba Records on Wednesday June 27th at 7:30pm. That's tomorrow to you and me, kids. According to an LAist live-eye account, the camp out session began last night and has taken over the entire block. Sir Beatle is on the road in support of his new album, Memory Almost Full (Hear Music), proving once and for all that he did not in fact... more ›

All photos © / Pesky Humans more ›

Today's not just any Tuesday. It's Mardi Gras -- Fat Tuesday -- Shrove Tuesday -- Carnival. Whatever you want to call it, it's a day to rock yer socks off. And since we're not in Rio or in New Orleans right now flashing for beads and drinking Dixie Beer on the street, LAist has thought of a few places to celebrate around LA today: - Amoeba Records starts its festivities at 4 PM with... more ›

- The two dead bodies found in the crawl space in the Westwood home that caught fire were part of the painting crew - NBC-4 more ›

These guys have one for you! The Visionaries are adding yet another trophy to their collection by dropping We Are The Ones (we’ve been waiting for), out October 3rd. Not that these guys need any help, but the genius of producers like J-Rocc, Madlib, and the late J Dilla have added their special touch to album. more ›

Got the itch? Get it scratched all over town. more ›

What do Donnie Darko and Me & You & Everyone We Know have in common, other than being rad cult movies? Composer Michael Andrews. You can hear him on KCRW this morning at the usual 11:00 a.m. MBE live band slot. You can also see him live at Amoeba Records on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Keep an eye on Andrews as he's working on more film projects (Cohen Bros., etc) and a performance installment at MOMA. more ›

In the small space that is the Theatre of NOTE, catty corner to Amoeba Records in Hollywood, the current show explores humanity through a bastard of a character who gains our sorrow as he traverses life full of opportunities not belonging to him. In this dark and deadpan world, where no serendipity can exist, love and forgiveness can be still found. more ›

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will be served this Saturday at the more ›

Xmas shopping procrastinators rejoice: Amoeba Records opens early (10am) and doesn't close until 8:30pm tonight. more ›

So, you know how we regularly interview interesting people in Los Angeles and ask them about their experiences living in our city as well as about whatever it is that makes them interesting folk? Well, we want more of that. Here's the deal: If you know cool people and like to chat with them you should talk to them about Los Angeles a bit, write it up and send it to us here. We'll check them out and run all the ones we like on the site the second week of December and then select one or two people to join our interview staff. more ›

• Catch live Latin music from
  local artists every Thursday at Zona
  Rosa Cafe at 8:30 PM. Call (626) 793-2334.
  
• Akbar's Dirty Dirty House Club features house grooves from DJ Tony
  Powell. Doors open at 9 PM; admission is free before 10 PM. Call (323) 665-6810.
  
• Singer-songwriter Peter
  Himmelman performs
  at Amoeba Records at 7 PM .
  
• Big Rockin’ Daddy & the Usual Suspects jam at Angelica’s
  Bar & Grill every Thursday at 9 PM. For more information, call (323)
  269-5745.

See a complete list of free gigs this week.

If you're in the mood for smooth vocals and a fresh sound, check out Feist for
free tonight at Amoeba
Records at 6:30 PM. Call (323) 245-6400 for more information.

Who's Feist you ask? This Canadian-born, French-based singer is nostalgic-sounding with a modern twist—mixing
jazz, R&B and pop. Leslie
Feist fronts her eponymous band with an effortless, mellow charm (reminiscent of Sade and Jem)
that makes the music syrupy-sweet. But the the ease
with which she sings belies the underlying intelligent lyrics, resulting
in a seductive, sophisticated sound that is lacking in so many of today's
pop tarts. Prior to "Feist" Leslie
was the guest vocalist for the [underrated] Norwegian folkies "Kings
of Convenience."

Suggested listening: Inside
and Out, One Evening, and Mushaboom.

See
a complete list of free gigs happening this week. more ›

Sample these tracks and let us know what's in your iPod playlist this week.

• Nine Inch Nails drummer
  Jerome Dillon has been hospitalized for the second time since NIN began its
  fall tour. According to the band's
  website, Dillon returned to Los Angeles today to undergo tests. NIN's
  September 30th (Oakland) concert will be postponed and a replacement drummer will
  be used for the rest of the tour.


• We already knew there
  was a corporate heart beating behind the 21 JACK FM
  stations. Meet the voice behind the attitude: DJ Howard Cogan.


• Nickelback was
  unable to shake off Kanye West's Gold
  Digger. West's track ranks as the most downloaded
  digital song this week, while Nickelback holds the #2 spot with Photograph.

Grab your keys and leave your debit card at home. Unless otherwise noted, all of the following shows are free
of charge.

MONDAY, 8/22

• Inara George performs at the
  echo at 10:30pm.

TUESDAY, 8/23

• Catch the Susie Hansen Band at
  the Redondo Beach Pier at 6pm.
  

• Silversun Pickups play Spaceland at
  9pm. (There's a $5 cover charge. However, you can get in free if you contact
  the band via myspace and
  request a ticket.)
  

• Trevor Hall & Anna
  Nalick take The
  Grove stage at 7pm.
• Hear The Willowz live
  at Amoeba Records in Hollywood at 7pm.
  

• LACMA's
  Friday Night Jazz Series features the Bobby Bradford Mo'tet in the LA Times Central Court at 5:30pm.
  

In our ongoing quest to provide coverage of the best free gigs around town, LAist stopped by Amoeba Records last night to sample the amplified sounds of The Greenhornes. more ›

Tonight at The Mint, Amoeba Records is hosting a Home Grown Showcase featuring four local bands. The show is one of several nationwide benefit concerts for Dax Pierson. Dax is a member of Subtle and was seriously injured in a tour bus accident back in February. Tickets for tonight's show are $7 and, lucky you, it is being hosted by local blogger, major music head, supreme hot stuff, and friend of Dax, She B Mo. more ›