As mentioned previously, today San Diegan garage rockers the Soft Pack (LAist Interview) will be performing an unprecedented ten shows across Southern California with a slew of exemplary local acts. LA-based indie rock troubadours Nico Stai are poised to take on Spaceland with none other than Chief. And, lastly, local electro-infused indie pop act Letting Up Despite Great Faults will be performing at Cinespace with the Pity Party (LAist Interview, Review, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6), psych folk act Pocahaunted (LAist Review) and Morgan Nagler of Whispertown 2000 (LAist Review, #2) to benefit Haiti. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo to catch Raleigh-based nu-folk trio Bowerbirds. LAist favorites, Canadian folk rock singer-songwriter Julie Doiron is slated to kick things off. more ›

Tonight Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt will be headlining the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater with Santa Barbara-bred pop singer-songwriter Katy Perry and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. British indie pop duo the Ting Tings (LAist Review) will be performing at Club Nokia with Seattle-based electro pop outfit Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (LAist Review). And, lastly, Swedish chanteuse Lykke Li (LAist Review, #2, #3) is poised to grace the Wiltern with local indie rockers the Deadly Syndrome (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4) in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo to catch Raleigh-based nu-folk trio Bowerbirds. Raleigh-via-Eau Clair trio Megafaun are slated to kick things off. more ›

This week English indie rockers Gomez will be headlining the Wiltern with Portland's own indie pop outfit Blind Pilot in tow. San Francisco-based psych-folk-pop act the Dodos will be gracing the Getty Center for this week's edition of Saturdays Off the 405. LAist favorites Local Natives (LAist Interview) are poised to take on a month-long residency at Spaceland. And, lastly, Raleigh-based nu-folk trio Bowerbirds will be performing at the Echo with none other than Raleigh-via-Eau Clair trio Megafaun. 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 ›