The ever-beautiful Azure Ray took the Troubadour stage last Friday in support of Drawing Down the Moon, their 4th full-length album. Minimal and dreamy, the duo of Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink (and back-up band) kept the crowd mellow but enthralled. Tim Fite and The Whispertown2000 opened. more ›

Tonight LA-based alt-rockers Olin & the Moon (LAist Interview) will be closing out their residency at the Echo with none other than local indie rockers the Henry Clay People (Review, #2, #3, #4). San Juan Capistrano-bred indie rock outfit the Union Line are poised to headline the Bootleg Theater with local indie rock act Voxhaul Broadcast and We Barbarians in tow. And, lastly, LA-bred uber psychedelic act Sun Araw will be gracing Echo Curio. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to get into Largo at the Coronet to catch the "Song Circle for Haiti Benefit." Local ruddy-haired songstress Jenny Lewis (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4), Nebraskan indie pop duo Azure Ray (LAist Interview), Lavender Diamond front woman Becky Stark and many, many others will be performing to benefit Haiti. more ›

In the coming days, musicians and comedians from around Los Angeles will gather at Largo at the Coronet for three very special shows to raise funds for the ongoing humanitarian efforts in Haiti. After the charity events, Largo will update attendees on how much was raised and how the funds are being used to save lives. more ›

Tonight Disney's bastard children the Jonas Brothers are performing at the newly renovated Hollywood Palladium. Speaking of the younger demographic, please be good to your children. Take them to experience substantive, thought-provoking music like that of the Parson Red Heads (LAist Review, #2) and the Henry Clay People (LAist Review, #2), who will be performing at the Echo early on for Kidrockers. As always, you must have a child in tow to gain admission. Local singer-songwriter extraordinaire Charlie Wadhams will be concluding a month-long residency at Tangier in Los Feliz. And, lastly, Nebraskan indie pop duo Azure Ray (LAist Interview) will be gracing the Troubadour with Cursive front man Tim Kasher and local folk rockers Whispertown 2000 (LAist Interview, Review, #2). But we strongly suggest you head over to the Echo later on in the night for Portland's own experimental folk maestros Blitzen Trapper (LAist Interview). The busy bees in Parson Red Heads are slated to open, making a grand total of two appearances in one night at one venue. more ›

In 2005, Maria Taylor received national attention when songs from her first solo album, 11:11, were featured on Grey’s Anatomy. Of course, longtime fans of her music weren’t surprised in the slightest. Over the years she’s become known for her layered songwriting and meltingly beautiful vocals in bands such as Little Red Rocket, Azure Ray and Now It’s Overhead. LAist recently caught up with Taylor at LA Mill in Silver Lake to chat about her next album, the theft of her instruments earlier this year, and her upcoming one-night-only Azure Ray reunion at the Troubadour on Nov. 30. more ›

Continuing the pursuit of cool musical appearances this summer, we swing our warm lights around to settle on Maria Taylor. She's one half of Azure Ray, whose warm and synth-laced "Burn and Shiver" was one of the nicest discs to come out of 2002. Last month, Taylor released her first solo effort, titled "11:11" (make a wish!) The collection of ten tunes is forty minutes of pulsing, melancholy bliss, above which drifts Taylor's voice, as smooth and quiet as velvet across the rim of a wine glass. Good stuff. more ›