photo by swanksalot via Flickr Tomorrow is the finish up the AMGEN Tour of California in Pasadena. But before hitting the old money city, they're headed towards Santa Clarita this afternoon (where Six Flags Magic Mountain has decided to stay put). From 4 to 10 p.m. tonight “Rock the Bike,” a free outdoor cycling expo and music festival, will bring together an array of people following the stage 6 finish. Various bands will be......

We've never been to the Celebrity Center for a concert, but we can vouch for Cowboy (not Country!) musician Dave Stamey if you're into that kind of thang. Still, for those inclined to roots music, The Arthur Adams Band will be at the Baked Potato in Studio City playing blues. The Arthur Adams Band @ The Baked Potato Editors, Hot Hot Heat, Louis XIV @ The Wiltern Manic Hispanic, Death by Stereo, GG Elvis &......

Photo courtesy of travelin librarian via flickr One of my favorite films of 2007 arrives to DVD today, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. I know what some of you are thinking--why would I want to watch a documentary about grown men competing at Donkey Kong? To that question I can only say, "Trust me. You won't be sorry." Like all great films, King of Kong is about much more than its......

Astra Heights, who is this week's iTunes Latino “Single of the Week,” will play tonight at The Echo. Lemon Sun will also be there. Yesterday was Xena: Princess Warrior picket day at the WGA Strike. Tonight, Xena herself, Lucy Lawless, will be bashing heads and belting out songs over at the Roxy. And earlier this morning, we interviewed Talib Kweli who will be at the House of Blues down the street from the Roxy......

Dan Deacon at SXSW | Photo by Tod Seelie Thanks to those who responded yesterday to help make this LAist column more useful. You can still chime in, it's never too late. Today, here's a short form list of our picks with select MP3s embedded after the jump. THE LIST The Hectors, Coco B's and You Me & Iowa @ Silverlake Lounge | Free Why? @ Tangier (Read our preview from yesterday) | $10......

Sometimes too much holiday cheer is a very, very bad thing. Especially the liquid kind. Hence, the lateness of today's column. But here's the down and dirty on what's happening around town tonight: SPECTACULAR: The Super Sexy Christmas Spectacular takes place at El Cid tonight with Terry Beeman's Hollywood Pin-up Girls' burlesque dance showcase. Tapas. Drinks. Flamenco. Sounds like a very dangerous combo. We're in. 10 pm // El Cid, 4212 Sunset Blvd., Los......

It's a rockin' Friday night in LA with Stevie, Van Halen, RZA, and R. Kelly in town, a XMAS Sweater Party at Crash Mansion featuring local indie up'n comers, and cow punk comes alive at Safari Sam's, with X side project (since 1982) The Knitters....

"Big Fish" - Jesca Hoop The Kevin Eubanks Group @ The Baked Potato Kiss or Kill @ El Cid Restaurant Sarah Stanley Band, Bob Woodruff @ TAIX Office, Tiger City, Via Audio, DJs at Club NME @ Spaceland Velvet Revolver @ Gibson Amphitheatre Liz Pappademas, Sally Kellerman, Loni Trock @ Genghis Cohen Bjork @ Nokia Theatre Mia Doi Todd, Anders & Woods, Sara Lov @ Tangier Ben Lee, Cary Brothers, Kate Voegele @ El......

Richard Thompson - "I Feel So Good" Richard Thompson Band @ Royce Hall Toots & The Maytals, Elijah Emanuel & the Revelations @ House of Blues The National, St. Vincent @ The Wiltern Beausoleil @ The Mint The Groovy Rednecks @ SW Hill Country Leon Russell @ Malibu Inn Michael McDonald, Patti Austin @ The Greek Josh Rouse, Jason Collett @ El Rey Girl Talk, Dan Deacon @ Echoplex Imperial Teen, The Finches, Sounds......

After the amazing Redd Kross - Sonic Youth show at the Greek, we all headed over to an afterparty at El Cid. Thurston had asked punk legends Saccharine Trust to perform their classic album, Pagan Icons. The album thing was kind of a theme. If you want to know where bands like Nirvana got their inspiration from, in addition to Daydream Nation, you really need to add Pagan Icons and Born Innocent to your......

The Binges, The Vacation, Year Long Disaster, Tokyo Smog @ The Roxy Carlos Guitarlos, Dale Peterson, Devastating Karate @ El Cid The Chapin Sisters, I See Hawks in L.A. @ The Echo She's Your Sister, The Waking Hours, Shiloe, Infedelinc, Tweakbird @ Safari Sam's Nana Pancha, Raskahuele, Almalafa, Ekolekua @ The Knitting Factory Lemon Drop Kick, Vooduo, The Red Hearts, Vesuvia Sonic @ Mr. T's Bowl Action 45, More Than Ever, Sidekick, General Purpose......

The Raveonettes, Electric Duo, Midnight Movies, The Meek @ Spaceland The Black Angels, VietNam, Spindrift @ The Troubadour Deerhoof @ Natural History Museum B-Real @ Key Club The Pharcyde, Ugly Duckling @ Blue Cafe The Colour, Simon Dawes, Takota @ The Roxy Kottonmouth Kings @ Ventura Theatre Matt & Kim, Japanther, Mika Miko, No Age @ The Echo The Moderates, Gliss, The Cheat @ El Cid Sara Hickman @ McCabe's Lorenzo Lamas @ The......

They're the best band you'll see all summer. Yes, even better than Rage Against the Machine. Pound-for-pound Arcade Fire has more songs, better songs, and you can't call it comeback. Plus the Canadians will be playing two nights in a venue in a park that will still smell of the remnants of an actual fire. Unless Rage has a stage that looks like a 1970s super computer, another point must be awarded to the......

The Germs, Dr. Know, Black President, The Diffs, The Politicians @ Safari Sam's The Knitters @ The Getty (rsvp: 310 440-7300) Aimee Mann, Paul Bryan @ Largo Mike Watt & the Missing Men, Bizzart @ The Troubadour The Submarines @ The Echo Lovelikefire, Eskimohunter, Mezzanine Owls @ El Cid Groovy Rednecks, Cheatin' Kind @ JD's Sports Bar Mustard Plug, Buck-O-Nine, Satori, Los Kung Fu Monkeys @ The Knitting Factory Murderland, The VooDuo, Funeral Director......

Congratulations to our Keane winner Stephanie. She will be seeing Keane tonight at the Gibson, not the Greek, the Gibson. After the fire a few concerts had to be moved from the Greek to the Gibson, so if you have tickets to the show tonight head to Universal Studios, not the smoldering hills of Los Feliz. We're also being told not to miss Anjani @ Hotel Cafe tonight where she will be being presented......

Sea Wolf, The Bird & the Bee, The Little Ones, Dengue Fever @ The Echo MXPX @ Avalon Ima Robot @ Natural History Museum Ima Fucking Gymnast @ Pehrspace Kinky @ El Rey The Autumns, The Sugarplastic @ Spaceland Elini Mandell @ Malibu Performing Arts Center 8-Bit, Bark Bark Bark, 8-Bit Weapon @ The Scene Agnostic Front, U.S. Roughnecks, Viva Hate, Hold My Own @ Knitting Factory Mother Tongue, Maryandi, The Sixth Chamber, The......

The Nightwatchman @ The Hotel Cafe Rocky Votolato, Drag the River, Street to Nowhere @ The Troubadour The Broken West, Mezzanine Owls, Silverface Champs @ Spaceland I See Hawks in LA, The Larks, Vicki Hill, Pete Fahey @ El Cid The Pity Party, Castledoor @ Silverlake Lounge Kind Hearts & Coronets @ Amoeba Anders & Woods, Mark Fosson @ The Echo The Switch, Coco B's, Hearts of Palm UK @ The Scene Uncatagorical Joan......

Muse @ The Forum George Thorogood & the Destroyers @ House of Blues Minibar, Shane Alexander, The Quiet @ The Troubadour Wovenhand, The Dodos, Fortune's Flesh @ Silverlake Lounge Pistolero, Crystal Antlers, Program the Dead @ El Cid Cute Phase, XRayOK, Airiel Down, Girl without Fear @ On the Rox Yo Majesty, Brother Reade, Desert Eagles @ Safari Sam's Mt. Eerie, Anna Oxygen, Lucky Dragons, Eric Lindley @ The Smell Dead Ponies, Sabrosa Purr......

Los Lobos, Zen Cruisers (Blondie's Clem Burke, the Cars' Elliot Easton, the Knack's Doug Fieger and Teddy Andreadis) @ Malibu Performing Arts Center Anti-Flag, Alexisonfire @ Wiltern Gary Lucas & Gods & Monsters @ Safari Sam's Kenny Wayne Shepherd @ House of Blues The Chapin Sisters, I See Hawks in L.A. @ Getty Center Irish Rovers @ Cerritos Center Colin Hay @ Largo Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Secret Chiefs 3 @ El Rey Dead on......

The Blasters @ The Knitting Factory The Ditty Bops @ McCabe's Margaret Cho @ Largo The Groovy Rednecks @ The Old Towne Pub Kottonmouth Kings, SX10 @ Key Club The Fresh @ Spaceland Midnight Movies, Alexi Murdoch @ El Rey Clinic, Sea Wolf, Mentor Tormentor @ The Troubadour The Vox Jaguars, Muso, Shilo, Pink Mochi, The Monolators @ Mr. T's Bowl Daredevil Jane, Comes With the Fall, Black Summer Crush, Year Long Disaster @......

Rockstar Supernova, The Panic Channel, Toby Rand & Juke Cartel, Dilana @ Long Beach Arena Money Mark @ Amoeba (free, 7pm) Mezzanine Owls, Black Palms @ El Cid The Exies @ Whisky A Gogo Tribal, Azur @ House of Blues Georgie James, Love of Diagrams, DJ Franki Chan @ Safari Sam's Tom Brosseau, Pedestrian, Ill Lit, Lenka @ The Hotel Cafe Le Rev, Northern, Castle Door, Locksley @ Key Club Nels Cline & Glenn......

The Submarines, "Brighter Discontent" Tonight: The Who @ Long Beach Arena Division Day, La Rocca @ Spaceland Eastern Conference Champions, I Make this Sound, The Procession @ Silverlake Lounge The Binges, Andy Dick & the Bitches of the Century @ King King Metal Skool, Shapes of Race Cars, Pearl @ Key Club Tuesday: Rockstar Supernova, The Panic Channel, Dilana @ Long Beach Arena Money Mark @ Amoeba (free, 7pm) Mezzanine Owls, Black Palms @......

Luke Paquin, Buffalo Roam (above) @ Tangier Wintergreen @ Spaceland Three Days Grace, Flyleaf, Red @ House of Blues Tim Saxton @ Roxy The Appearance @ Key Club Zs, Open City, Bad Dudes @ The Smell Leaha Boshen, The Dubber, Gabe Sokoloff @ Temple Bar Drag the River, Tim Barry, Jr. Juggernaut @ The Scene Ambrose, Kevin Max, Rob Giles, Denosh @ Viper Room Hillstomp, Warren Charles, Population Game @ The Mint In Waves,......

Norah Jones @ Amoeba (6pm, free) Fear, The Dickies @ Galaxy Theatre Stanley Clarke @ Vault 350 Radars to the Sky @ El Cid Miho Hatori @ The Troubadour sosohuman, Jucifer @ The Mint KRS-One @ Blue Cafe The Fray @ House of Blues Sparklehorse @ Henry Fonda Patty Booker @ Viva Cantina Castaneda @ Spaceland Chevy Metal @ The Canyon Darker Shadows Macabaret @ The Bordello Murderland, Candygram for Mongo, Automatique @ The......

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 @......

RBD @ Gibson Paul Weller @ Avalon Morrissey @ Pasadena Civic Auditorium Minnie Driver @ The Hotel Cafe X-Clan @ Key Club Loudon Wainwright III @ McCabe's (two shows) Billy Vera & the Beaters @ Cozy's Bar & Grill Grant Lee Phillips @ Largo Hookers & Blow @ Paladino's Joni & Gina's Wedding @ El Cid (lesbian wedding fun) G Love & Special Sauce, Matt Costa @ House of Blues Moving Units, The Deadly......

There is a Pixies song that came out a while ago called "Allison". Some say that it was written about, or inspired by Mr. Mose Allison. Video after the jump. The Nightwatchman @ The Hotel Cafe KRS-One @ The Knitting Factory Bruce Hornsby @ Malibu Performing Arts Mose Allison @ The Jazz Bakery Kaki King, Christina Courtin @ Largo Pennywise, The Circle Jerks, Ignite @ House of Blues Hello Stranger, Bad Things, Ambrose @......

Dar Williams @ Largo Emily Haines, Tall Firs @ El Rey Midnight Movies, Soft Boiled Eggs @ Safari Sam's The Procession, The Lemurs, Charlie Paxson @ El Cid Dada, Whiskey Circus, Yada Yada, Luke Boor @ Whisky The Nightwatchman (Rage Against the Machine's Tom) @ The Hotel Cafe videos of some more of these bands after the jump......

First we'd like to congratulate our Justin Timberlake winner ChiGirl who has a great blog with our badge permanently on her blog. If you didn't win the JT seats, leave your button on your blog because we will have at least one contest a month for people who permanently link to us. How's that? Justin Timberlake, Pink @ Staples Center The Nightwatchman @ The Hotel Cafe Darker My Love, The Holy Curtain @ Safari......

NOFX @ House of Blues Justin Timberlake @ Honda Center Kevin Nealon @ Comedy & Magic Club, Hermosa The Deadly Syndrome, Philistine @ Safari Sam's Pompei, Kissing Tigers @ Spaceland Trophy Wives, Jack Dill, The Lift @ Viper Room The Procession, Castle Door, Carina Round @ El Cid Xu Xu Fang, Astra Heights, I Make This Sound @ Silverlake Lounge Peter Walker, Sidestory, We Are Lions, Minipop @ The Troubadour The Front, Fireworks Apart,......