Daniel Barassi is man of many media talents with two primary public identities. The Brat is known by a globe of Depeche Mode fans as the band’s webmaster, creating a constantly evolving site that pleases even the most finicky superfan. He’s also a music producer, giving birth to mashups that've been consumed on the Internet by hundreds of thousands, and heard locally on KCRW. (The above mashup was recently featured on Gary Calamar’s program.) more ›

Not all that long ago, it seemed that music videos for songs from films always featured footage of those films. This Tamra Davis-directed Depeche Mode video for "But Not Tonight" was one such piece. The footage of Los Angeles, and shiny actors playing in it, was from 1986's "Modern Girls". While this pop effort is less edgier than the band's seminal fare from the same year, it seems to me that this fluffiness wasn't a weak spot, but showed that Depeche Mode could create many types of winners. more ›

Last week, Depeche Mode played a special charity event at the Royal Albert Hall in London for Teenage Cancer Trust. Their webmaster, and LAist reader Daniel "BRATMix" Barassi, was there to record a very unique soundcheck. Former group member, Alan Wilder, accompanied Martin L. Gore on "Somebody," for his first performance with his old band since 1994. more ›

As long as he steers clear of movies with numbers for titles, John Cusack's all right with me. Sunday, the New Bev pairs Cusack classic High Fidelity with (500) Days of Summer, both in Scenesteround Sound! The Aero continues the Cusack attack with Better Off Dead, featuring a live commentary from writer-director "Savage" Steve Holland & cast-members Curtis Armstrong, Diane Franklin & E. G. Daily. Considering their work in the 25 years since, it should make for an animated discussion. more ›

What happens when 100,000,000+ record-selling, synth-pop pioneering, Depeche Mode, go unplugged? more ›

Tonight English electronic band Depeche Mode will be headlining the Hollywood Bowl with Swedish indie rockers Peter Bjorn and John (LAist Review, #2). East Los Angeles-based three-time Grammy Award-winning chicano rockers Los Lobos are poised to share the stage at the Greek Theatre with none other than Texas-based Grammy Award-winning rockers Los Lonely Boys. Little Radio's weekly Summer Camp, which features the likes of Har Mar Superstar, the Living Things and Restavrant, is kicking off today in the outskirts of Downtown. And, lastly, LAist favorites the Monolators (LAist Review, #2) will be headlining Spaceland. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo to catch local electronic chanteuse Nite Jewel, who will be performing for this week's edition of Part Time Punks. NY-based experimental electronic act Silk Flowers are slated to kick things off. more ›

Perennial rock idols Depeche Mode have been breaking hearts up and down the coast of California this week, after first canceling their Bay Area show Wednesday night, and now canceling tonight's show scheduled for the Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre outside San Diego in Chula Vista. This evening's much-anticipated gig had the plug pulled on it due to lead singer Dave Gahan's heath: "Doctors have ordered complete vocal rest for [him] for several days," explains San Diego's 10News.com. more ›

This week legendary English electronic band Depeche Mode will be headlining the Hollywood Bowl with Swedish indie rockers Peter Bjorn and John (LAist Review, #2). Austin-based theremin-crazed, indietronica outfit the Octopus Project are poised to grace the Troubadour. New Jersey's own country-infused folk act Roadside Graves will be performing at not only the Knitting Factory, but also the Prospector and, finally, Spaceland as well. And, lastly, Staten Island-bred rapper Ghostface Killah (LAist Review, #2) will be taking on two sets at the House of Blues Sunset with none other than Method Man and Redman, who will be performing together of course. more ›

Blogger Daniel Barassi spoke to LA City Council President Eric Garcetti about last week's Depeche Mode Concert at Hollywood and Vine. Will there be more huge concerts like this? Will we get an official Depeche Mode Day? Good stuff. more ›

While not as titillating as a dis-endowed Merlin repeatedly Tasered in the desert, it's not everyday that Hollywood Boulevard closes for a minishow from one of LA's most popular bands. (Depeche Mode's summer tour features sold out shows in Orange County, Hollywood and Santa Barbara.) In what seems like a commercial for the W's new hotel and residencies, these experienced Britons perform their hit 'Personal Jesus" and new single "Wrong." Their new album "Sounds of the Universe" dropped this week. more ›

The TV Junkie Plan: "SoCal Connected", "Parks and Recreation", "The Office", "30 Rock", "Southland", Kimmel, Fallon. more ›

From tonight to Friday morning, a busy section of Hollywood Boulevard will be closed for a Depeche Mode concert. The band is doing double duty, performing a live taped show for the Jimmy Kimmel Show in anticipation of their new album and show , but also promoting the revitalization of Hollywood and Vine where the new W Hotel will be completed this fall. 10,000 people are expected to show, 7,000 of who already have tickets. You reportedly do not need them to see the show, just be aware of possible riots. The show is at 5 p.m. on Thursday. more ›

The mutual love-affair between Los Angeles and England's Depeche Mode is long and storied. Remember when they played the Rose Bowl? This video might refresh your memory. Last seen locally at Coachella and the Staples Center, you'll get to see them under the stars this tour when the lads play two at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday August 16, and Monday August 17. Tickets are now on sale. more ›

KITSCH: The Charles Phoenix Holiday Jubilee returns to REDCAT for the next four evenings. LA kitsch expert Charles Phoenix brings together an evening of live comedy, including the Bob Baker Marionettes, roller rink organist Dominic Cangelosi and a few other surprises. The entertainment's all in combination with his "Retro Holiday Slide Show," comprised of slides he found at area thrift shops and flea markets. more ›

It's easier to name bands that Rodney Bingenheimer didn't discover on his long-running KROQ show, but if you're familiar with the works of Blondie, the Ramones, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and The Smiths, it's probably because Rodney first spun it on 106.7 soon to be followed by other stations across the country. more ›

As a product of the ’80s and growing up outside Philly, this particular LAist poster never got into Bon Jovi. Maybe it was the big hair. We don’t know. But we preferred the skinny, pasty guys from England. Think John Taylor from Duran Duran or Martin Gore from Depeche Mode. So we were really, really not excited to cover tonight’s American Idol. By 8:03 PM, we were having flashbacks and could already smell the... more ›

LA's airwaves have been blessed with legendary personalities over the years - Chick Hearn, Vin Scully, Jim Ladd, and Rodney on the Roq just to name a few. Just as important was Richard Blade who for decades educated LA over KROQ's air by spreading the good news of Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Duran Duran, The Cure and so many of our favorites from the '80s when KROQ ruled the world. His "Flashback Lunch" hour... more ›

The final score of the Super Bowl was: Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17. Devin Hester got 92 yards. Many entered, but we had three people in our Super Bowl contest with the letter S who were pretty damn close: sam: colts 24-21 hester 123 stacey: colts:29 bears:21 hester:97 Stephen Westrich: Colts 27 Bears 23 Hester 111 Find out who won the cd-six pack (thanks to our pals at Filter) of tunes from Silversun Pickups, Eleni... more ›

Every week in Living in Sin, Jen Sincero provides advice to LA's sexually confounded. Sign up for her newsletter and have it sent to you every week. Ask Jen your questions: all are posted anonymously. Dear Jen, My problem seems to be that I'm simply not attracted to women my age (with a few exceptions), and the younger women I am attracted to want nothing but platonic relationships with me. My friends try to... more ›

One of my favorite technocratic pastimes is cruising the iTunes store and finding new bands by the "Listeners Also Bought" feature. Joining forces with LAist last year brought me new avenues to discovering music and I am always excited to share my zeal for something. And in no specific order... 1. Nearer Than Heaven by The Delays I discovered these guys on one of the best shows on INHD called London Live. 2. Plan... more ›

Because you really can't get too much of a good thing, the good people of Goldenvoice announced last night that this year's hugely successful Coachella music and arts festival will grow to a three-day-and-night affair on the sprawling polo fields in Indio outside Palm Springs. The Miracle Mile concert promoters also announced that the weekend after Coachella they will throw a two-day country festival that will include stages for alt-country, bluegrass, and even storytelling.... more ›

Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Live at the Fillmore 1970 (with DVD; Reprise) more ›

The white smoke slowly rose from atop the Angelyne billboard which meant the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce had decided who would get stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. more ›

Houstonist reports on cross-dressing thieves and undressing educators this week. A Peeping Tom defends himself with a papaya and an outraged onlooker asks Ken Lay, "TATER TOTS OR FRIES?" Also, FEMA wants it's money back. more ›

Is anybody driving three hours to the desert for this? Two day passes ($167 + $23 in fees) and Saturday tickets ($86 + $15 in fees) are still available. Most of the rock bands have played LA clubs in the past few months. Otherwise you better really like DJs and house music…… more ›

Coachella, the 100-plus-degree Woodstock of the West has announced its 2006 lineup. As rumors had predicted, Depeche Mode will perform in the unofficial "I love the 80s" slot. We're surprised that rumors of Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine reuniting haven't proved true. Maybe concert organizers are holding back a few "surprise guests" to goose ticket sales down the line. more ›

One would assume that the line-up will be announced tomorrow or Tuesday but that hasn't stopped the fake line-ups from cropping up. There's a really good mock-up out that seems to have scoured the internet for every band rumored to be coming to the Empire Polo Field. As losanjealous notes, Smashing Pumpkins, either in a headline or a second from the top spot (we're guessing a second from the top spot on day 2 since Depeche Mode probably has the headliner spot on day 1) seems like a pretty safe bet. more ›

Tuesday is the biggest day of the week for audiophiles. We're like kids in
a candy store. In the spirit of that dizzy euphoria, we're launching our weekly
guide to what's hot and what's not. Since LAist is an online entity, our primary
focus on Tuesdays will be digital downloads. Why? We think digital is the
future of music. For instance, Warner Music recently announced plans for a
digital label, dubbed Cordless; Apple, Cingular and Motorola teamed
up to make ROKR; and iTunes now
offers digital liner notes for many of the albums in its catalogue. If video
killed the radio star, then digital music is the successor to the aging MTV.


What's Hot:

The best-selling digital singles this week were Kanye
West's Gold
Digger,
Fall Out Boy's Sugar,
We're Goin' Down, Black Eyed Peas' My
Humps,
Missy Elliot's Lose
Control and Green Day's Wake
Me Up When September Ends.*


Online Exclusives:

Over at iTunes, you can pre-order Fiona
Apple's long-awaited Extraordinary
Machine, Sheryl Crow's Wildflower, Franz
Ferdinand's You
Could Have It So Much Better, and Depeche
Mode's Playing
The Angel. If you purchase the Depeche Mode album, you're also
eligible for an exclusive pre-sale for their forthcoming tour.


What's New:

• Blonde from Fargo released Only in It for the Blondes.
• Valentin Ceja released Valentin Ceja y Su Rock 'N' Banda.
• George Clinton released Best of George Clinton Live.

TODAY...



• Catch Go Betty Go at
  the Glendale Tower
  Records at 6pm. The first 200 people that purchase their new CD will receive a free
  ticket to the Troubadour show on Thursday. Call (818) 409-1380.


• On iTunes you can pre-order Depeche
  Mode's Playing the Angel. (If you pre-order the album, you'll be eligible for an exclusive iTunes pre-sale for the forthcoming
  2005-2006 Depeche Mode tour.)


• You can also pre-order Sheryl
  Crow's forthcoming release, Wildflower from iTunes.

Here are five songs that are topping our iTunes playlist this week...


• Kick back and relax with Death Cab for Cutie's I
  Will Follow You Into The Dark. Death Cab play the
  Wiltern on October 21.


• Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am teams with DMC and Sarah McLachlan on the Just
  Like Me. The unusual "Cats in the Cradle" cover is plucked from
  McLachlan's new Bloom remix
  CD. The collaboration is odd, but it works. Of course, MacLachlan could sing
  the phone book and it would still sound amazing. Catch
  Black Eyed Peas with Gwen Stefani on October 21 at the
  Hollywood Bowl.


• Amos Lee slows things down a notch in Speed
  of the Sound of Loneliness. Some
  call him the male Norah Jones. We think he's more interesting and less
  predictable than Jones. Check out his Keep
  It Loose, Keep It Tight EP. You can hear Lee at the
  Avalon on
  November 17.