Tonight local rockers Fistful of Mercy, a fledgling supergroup consisting of Dhani Harrison, Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur, will be gracing the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever. Norfolk-bred indie rock outfit Mae are poised to headline the El Rey Theatre. And, lastly, San Franciscan alternative country outfit Or, The Whale will be gracing Spaceland. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to catch LA-based lo-fi pop act Best Coast, who will be performing at the Troubadour. It'll be your one of your last opportunities to catch them before they open for ... Weezer? Yeh, weird. LAist favorites, local post-punk act Dunes are slated to kick things off. more ›

Following next week's release of Ringo Starr's self-produced album, Y Not, the Beatles drummer be making an appearance on January 19th at the Grammy Museum's intimate 200-seat theatre for an on-stage interview and performance, backed by Ben Harper and the Relentless 7. The museum's Executive Direcotr, Robert Santelli, will interview Starr, followed by audience questions. Then Starr, Harper and the band will play a few songs. The event is part of the “An Evening With…" series, which in the past has included Brian Wilson, Annie Lennox, Dwight Yoakam, Smokey Robinson. In addition to Harper, Y Not features Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart, Don Was, Joss Stone and Richard Marx. more ›

Tonight legendary Seattle-based alternative rockers Pearl Jam will be headlining a sold-out show at the Gibson Amphitheatre with none other than Claremont-bred multi-instrumentalist Ben Harper. Norwegian electro rock outfit Datarock (LAist Review, #2) are poised to take on the El Rey Theatre with English pop savant Esser in tow. And, lastly, local indie rock act Voxhaul Broadcast and LA-by-way-of-Pennsylvania indie rockers Eastern Conference Champions will be performing at the Echo in celebration of former LA Times music critic Kevin Bronson's first year blogging at Buzz Bands. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland to catch Nashville-based electro-infused indie rock quartet Paper Route. more ›

Tonight legendary British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac will be headlining the Staples Center in Downtown. Claremont-bred singer-songwriter Ben Harper is poised to headline the Wiltern with hometown heroes the Henry Clay People in tow. Cambridge-bred electro-pop outfit Passion Pit (LAist Review) will be performing to a sold-out crowd at the Troubadour with Brooklyn-based indie rockers Harlem Shakes. And, lastly, Tulsa-based songstress St. Vincent will be gracing the El Rey Theatre with Philadelphia-based band of brothers Pattern Is Movement. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland to catch former American Analog Set front man Andrew Kenny's latest project the Wooden Birds. more ›

Tonight Pennsylvania-bred experimental folk rock outfit Akron/Family will be performing at McCabe's, joining forces with Ben Harper and Howlin' Rain (LAist Review) for a "Tribute to Chris Darrow." LA's finest pop rockers the Parson Red Heads (LAist Review, #2, #3) are poised to grace the Air Conditioned Supper Club in Venice. And, lastly, local indie rock act the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra (LAist Review, #2) will be headlining the Dakota Live Music Lounge in Santa Monica. But we strongly suggest heading over to Machine Project in Echo Park to catch the launch of Learning Music's Music Monthly, a collaborative, subscription based album-a-month series. Bring a small instrument and prepare to jam with the man behind Learning Music, soft-spoken virtuoso John Wood. more ›

Joanna Newsom - "Monkey and Bear" Joanna Newsom @ Disney Hall ZZ Top @ The Greek Of Montreal, Grand Buffet, MGMT @ Avalon Loudon Wainwright III, Joe Henry @ El Rey M.I.A., The Cool Kids @ The Wiltern Ben Harper, Piers Faccini @ Orpheum Rhino Bucket @ Knitting Factory Dave Mason @ House of Blues, Anaheim Eek-A-Mouse @ Galaxy Theatre Jesu, These Arms Are Snakes @ Echoplex She Wants Revenge, Kenna, theSTART @ Henry... more ›

Of Montreal - "Gronlandic Edit" Of Montreal, Grand Buffet, MGMT @ Avalon Phantom Planet, The Hives @ Staples Ween @ The Wiltern David Allan Coe, Dos @ Knitting Factory Gram Parsons @ Amoeba Valient Thorr @ Spaceland Ben Harper @ Orpheum Great Northern, Robbers on High Street @ Echoplex Peanut Butter Wolf @ El Rey Ima Robot, The Airborne Toxic Event @ The Roxy Hello Stranger @ The Viper Room Mason Jennings @ Troubadour... more ›

The Pogues @ The Wiltern - Tonight ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead, Dethklok @ UCLA - Tonight Redd Kross @ Echoplex - Tomorrow The Polyphonic Spree, Rooney @ Henry Fonda - Tomorrow Yo La Tengo @ The Ivar - Tomorrow Low Versus Diamond @ Viper Room - Tomorrow The Bronx, The Mercy Killers @ Safari Sam's - Tomorrow Rodrigo Y Gabriela @ Henry Fonda, 11/3 Yo La Tengo... more ›

Tuesdays will be the worse for the lack of Damages until when, next Summer?!?! There seems to be just a couple worthy prime time choices tonight despite a full plate of new offerings that have, to me, seemed mediocre. Please tell me in the comments if you watch any of the following and why (I've got an open mind, I'll check them out again): Gossip Girl, Life, Dirty Sexy Money, Criminal Minds, Private Practice. 5:00pm... more ›

Check out late night TV, lots of good stuff including an appearance of Juliette and the Licks (photo via Juliette's Myspace) on the Late Late Show. Tonight we also present the guilty pleasures of Steve-O's new show Dr. Steve-O, USA @ 11:00pm. Steve-O's sidekick is the lovely Trishelle of Real World fame who was interviewed here on LAist a couple months ago. The premise is that Steve-O and Trishelle subject "wussies" to various humiliations... more ›

Morris Day & the Time, Sea Wolf, The Broken West, Ben Harper, Blonde Redhead, The Emotions, Medusa, Breakestra, Autolux, Culver City Dub Collective, The Parson Red Heads, The Pity Party, Division Day, others @ Sunset Junction (10a-10p) Yolanda Adams, Angie Stone, Clarence Carter, The Laws Family, Eloise Laws, Barbara Morrison, Linda Hopkins, Billy Valentine @ Compton Summer Soul Jam, Par 3 Golf Course Stevie Nicks, ZZ Top, The Pretenders, Stray Cats, Sugar Ray @... more ›

Hot Hot Heat have been added to the Sunset Junction bill. more ›

All photos © / Pesky Humans more ›

More than fifty local communities and sixty local schools & colleges will come together this Saturday to mark the fourth anniversary of the ground invasion of Iraq. This massive anti-war protest will be one of more than two hundred nationally coordinated protests, rallies and marches this weekend. Saturday, March 17 @ 12 NOON ~ GATHER with thousands of like-minded people at the corner of Hollywood and Vine. ~ MARCH at a leisurely (but outraged)... more ›

About once a month here in LA there will be a night of rock that is perfect. A night where you really should do yourself a favor and take advantage of the overflowing monkey cup of killer tunes happening in our own backyard. A night so filled with great music that if you don't go outside and listen to the music you should really ask yourself why you a) read this blog b) have... more ›

Tom Morello (The Nightwatchman), Ben Harper, Marina V @ Hotel Cafe Bodies of Water, Kind Hearts & Coronets, the Shakes @ The Echo (Arthur Lee tribute) Paul Oakenfold @ The Knitting Factory mere mortals @ Lava Lounge Tom Brosseau, John Doe @ Largo stellastar*, Monsters Are Waiting @ Safari Sam's The 88, The Oohlas, The Pink Spiders @ Key Club Dynamite Walls, Nico Stai, Berko @ Spaceland Molly Howson, The Countrypolitans, Killing Casanova @... more ›

LAist is a frequent concert goer, an in-the-know kinda LA person and thus usually feels most comfortable simply tapping our feet in the every present "arms crossed" tough guy stance that you'll see at music shows across town. We stand where the music guys, agents and managers stand - in the back and looking engaged but not dancing around like a fool. And so - every once in awhile - when we start to... more ›

There's only one band that matters in rock today. Their music is loud and offensive. They appear to be murdering cartoon characters. They appear to be invading the planet. They're funny and fast and have horrible songs, but you will never go to a Gwar show and come out of the pit unscathed without a smile on your face. Pearl Jam doesn't have the balls to let them open for them which is another... more ›

Ben Harper, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley (pictured) @ Greek Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra @ Knitting Factory Justin Timberlake @ House of Blues Jackshit @ McCabes Bowling for Soup @ Troubadour The Groovy Rednecks @ The Anarchy Library Harvey Danger @ Largo Seven Foot Waves @ Malibu Inn The Remains @ Safari Sam's... more ›

The Conan Countdown goes on and the world's longest lame duck continues to be lame. more ›

farm flashback These may be the last days of the community farm in south central LA; supporters are $10 million short in their efforts to buy the property from the developer who's ready to take his 14 acres and make a profit. But Hollywood is lending a publicity-generating, eviction-fighting hand: Daryl Hannah is camping out on the property, Laura Dern and husband Ben Harper stopped by and Joan Baez is treesitting. Treesitting, you ask? Don't worry, the eminent folk singer has experienced treesitter Julia "Butterfly" Hill in the tree beside her if she has any questions. more ›