With so many bands playing, the breadth of Coachella’s line-up can be a curse as well as a blessing. It forces the fans to make a choice between potentially up to 5 acts they may all love. Unfortunately, I have been faced with decisions such as Them Crooked Vultures or Grizzly Bear, Dead Weather/MGMT or Muse, and on Sunday Phoenix/Thom Yorke or Pavement/Gorillaz. Most of these decisions have essentially been an old favorite vs. a curious desire to see a different band. So far, the old favorites are up 2-0. more ›

Lifetime, Mika Miko @ The Troubadour Kristin Hersh @ Amoeba (2pm) Mana @ Gibson Dave Alvin @ McCabe's Aimee Mann @ Largo Camera Obscura @ El Rey Neko Case @ Henry Fonda Leo Nocentelli, Cyril Neville @ The Mint Everyday Stranger, The Moderates, Ride the Blinds, Modicum @ Lava Lounge El Ten Eleven, Whirling Dervish, Someday Assassin @ The Scene John Wiese, Captain Ahab, Flaspar, Kyle H. Mabson, Sky Pigs @ The Smell Destruction,... more ›

This might be a good week to give your piggybank the ol' smasheroo and excavate your couch cushions for awol monies. The CD player NEEDS your donations. Don't delay. Rush out now in a buying frenzy. Here's a glanceable list of new noteables and rightous reissues being handed down today. Ten octzillion more after the jump... Arbouretum - Rites Of Uncovering (Thrill Jockey) The Bird & The Bee - Bird And The Bee (Blue... more ›

Colin Meloy might look like just another guy in line at Radio Shack, but he knows no fear. After being called out by Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report for utilizing his trademarked Green Screen effect, Meloy upped the ante -- and on December 20th on Comedy Central, we will all benefit from the “Decemberists vs. Stephen Colbert Guitar Solo Challenge.” more ›

25. French Kicks - Two Thousand more ›

An overlooked LA landmark: Bob Hanifen visits Santa Monica's Camera Obscura for Gridskipper. We didn't know exactly what a Camera Obscura was, but he explains. It's pretty cool. more ›