After reviewing a few dozen releases this year this is my top ten of reviewed albums plus a few select tracks of items that I went out and hunted down myself. These weren't easy to select out of the great stuff I received so it was a challenge. I'd like to thank the labels and their PR agencies for hunting me down and sending CDs to me. I reviewed everything that I received this year with just a couple of exceptions of items I felt I wasn't qualified to review. [Hint to labels and their agencies: LAist likes getting stuff to review, look for our contact info on the staff page]. In my Top Ten is a band (Tall Pony) that wasn't even signed when I posted the review and I had a few others like that this year but there should haver been more. Also, please note that there are 3 LA bands/groups in my Top Ten (Bitter:Sweet, No Age, The Deadly Syndrome). more ›

This past weekend, adult website XFanz held the Erotica Film Festival, billed as "L.A.'s Dirtiest Film Festival," at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. more ›

Dear MCA, I would like to marry you and have 1000 of your Buddhist-rapper babies. While this may come across trite or ill conceived I assure you I am neither a crazy person nor a stalker fan. Of course I think you make great music, but what I’m saying is that I have not been harboring these feeling for two decades hoping that one day I’d have a chance to spring them on you.... more ›

Beastie Boys @ Wiltern (Gala Event) Earlimart, The String Dream Team @ Echo Park Rec Center Studios Echoplex Foreign Born, In Waves @ The Echo Peter Himmelman, Rebecca Pidgeon, Eric Himan @ The Mint The Mormons, Fuckass & the Grease Patrol @ Mr. T's Bowl The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo The Like @ Cinespace The Go, Apache, Thee Makeout Party, Sweet Evil @ The Knitting Factory Kissing Cousins, The Garden Angels, The Pete's,... more ›