Tonight, as always, local multi-instrumentalist/producer extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) will be jamming with friends at the Largo at the Coronet. Legendary Tacoma-based garage rockers the Sonics will be headlining the Echo with none other than Costa Mesa-bred rockers Japanese Motors in tow. And, lastly, Charlotte's own prolific indie pop singer-songwriter Benji Hughes is poised to grace Spaceland with Beck bassist B.R.A.M. for this year's Sunset Junction Pre-Party. But we strongly suggest heading over to the El Rey Theatre to catch San Francisco-based alt pop act Girls, who will be kicking things off for Welsh pop band Los Campesinos! LAist favorites Ramona Falls, a splinter of Portland-based indie rockers Menomena, will also be performing. more ›

Tonight LA-based pop singer-songwriter/producer extraordinaire Ne-Yo will be performing for a sold-out crowd at Club Nokia in Downtown. Grammy Award-winning Stone Temple Pilots front man Scott Weiland is poised to rock the Henry Fonda Music Box with the Colour Turning. Fiction Family (LAist Interview), a collaborative project between Nickel Creek guitarist Sean Watkins and Switchfoot front man Jon Foreman, will be gracing the Largo at the Coronet. Alabama-bred country singer-songwriter Charlie Louvin is slated to headline Spaceland with none other than Mike Stinson in tow. And, lastly, Charlotte's own genre-crossing singer-songwriter Benji Hughes will be performing at Home Restaurant in Silverlake. But we strongly suggest heading over the hold-and-corner Pehrspace to experience Fol Chen's record release extravaganza. Karin Tatoyan and Avi Buffalo are slated to kick off the show. more ›

Tonight legendary Beach Boys front man Brian Wilson (LAist Interview, Review) will be performing at the Wiltern. Deep-blues troubadour William Elliott Whitmore is slated to play to a sold-out crowd at the El Rey Theatre with City and Colour. The rather prolific Charlotte-based singer-songwriter Benji Hughes will be gracing the stage at Spaceland for this week's edition of Club NME. Recent Kemado Records signees the Soft Pack (formerly known as the Muslims) will be rocking out at the Echo early in the night. The Silver Lake Lounge is hosting a handful of exemplary local acts like Divisadero, Tigers Can Bite You and the French Semester. And, lastly, Foreign Born side project Big Search will be coming through Three Clubs in Hollyweird. But we strongly suggest heading over to Largo at the Coronet to catch Oklahoma-bred singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb. 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 ›

Last month, local band Lavender Diamond (MySpace) performed at The Wiltern (MySpace), opening with the Seattle-based Smoosh (MySpace) for The Dresden Dolls (MySpace). more ›

Spring and Summer nights in Los Angeles are some of the most beautiful around. And there's no better way to spend them by sitting under the stars in the presence of your favorite music act. more ›