The list of reasons for using public transportation just keeps growing: saving energy, protecting our environment, having fewer traffic jams. Now Bay Area commuters have an even bigger incentive to ride public transportation. The Contra Costa County Library has begun a partnership with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to provide an automated book “vending machine” for its patrons. The new “Library A Go Go” machines will appear first in county BART stations in April, then......

For a band of two 16-year-olds and one 17-year-old, Din Caliber has a huge sound that's quite exciting. And Linda Perry, record label owner/producer (credits include Gwen Stefani, Pink, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilara), has her eye on them. The home schooled trio practices four to five nights a week for four hours and has played the House of Blues and a few shows at the Whiskey A Go Go. Tonight they play the Knitting Factory......

Mariachi USA Fiesta 2007 Rocket, The Satisfaction @ Safari Sam's David Garza @ Largo The Republic Tigers, The Hugs @ Spaceland Mariachi USA Christmas @ Disney Hall Social Distortion, The Johns @ House of Blues (WeHo) Amon Amarth @ Avalon The Binges, Dirty Kings, Jessie Deluxe, Roses on her Grave @ The Troubadour Faraway Places, Fools Golds, Sunset @ The Echo Rose Rossi, B.R.A.M., Learning Music @ Silverlake Lounge Cory Phillips & the Band......

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....

With lines wrapping around the Borders bookstore in Torrance, yesterday Slash signed autographs and stoked fans of all ages excited and holding a copy of his new aptly titled book, "Slash". Arriving at 7:45, I saw that if i wanted to get a signed copy of Slash's book, i was going to have to wait in a line to get into the line that zig-zagged through the bookstore. I am not that patient, and......

John Vanderslice, St. Vincent @ Largo The Rave-Ups, Haymaker, Mulch, Jesse Aycock @ Blue Cafe Funky Nashville, Surfact, Vincent Van Go Go, Outlandish @ Viper Room Peachfuzz, The Make Out Party, Rolling Blackouts @ The Echo The Starlite Desperation, Up the Empire, Pistols Will Air, Icebird @ Spaceland The New Motherfuckers, Softboiled Eggies, Zodiac Death Valley, Hard Place @ The Smell The Ghost Lullaby, Zombies Ate My Nation, Black Current @ Safari Sam's The......

The Who @ Long Beach Arena Division Day, Love of Diagrams, Canon, La Rocca @ Spaceland Eastern Conference Champions, I Make this Sound, The Procession @ Silverlake Lounge The Binges, Bleu, Dial Zero, Andy Dick & the Bitches of the Century @ King King The Faceless, Toast to the Gods, Earned in Blood, Straight to Vengeance @ Whisky A Go Go Floater 6, The Nervous Wrecks, Boozehounds, Marie Catastrophe, Uglysticks @ Lava Lounge Go......

Blondie @ The Canyon The Knitters @ Safari Sam's Blackalicious, Fatlip & Tre, Fatlip & Tre @ El Rey Atomic, Stone Vengeance, Witch of Endor @ The Joint Bad Acid Trip, Stolen Babies, The Dolemite Project @ The Knitting Factory The Chicago Afrobeat Project, Rhythm Roots All-Stars @ Temple Bar Trophy Girl, Skeeter Truck, Screaming Yeehaws @ The Scene Hollywood Roses, Fatum, Waking Hours @ Whisky a Go Go Buckcherry, Eighteen Visions, American Eyes......

THURSDAY • Indie up-and-comers Maximo Park are on tonight at the Troubadour with Goldspot and Dirty Little Secret. Doors open at 8 PM; tickets are $13 advance, $15 day of. • The Posies, Oranger and Deathray Davies perform tonight at the Knitting Factory at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $12 advance, $14 at the door. [21+] • Josh Haden, The Section Quartet and Listing Ship are on tonight at The Echo at 8 PM. Tickets......

• The Echo hosts Radio 4 with MU and Go Go Go Airheart tonight at 9 PM. Tickets are $10 advance or $12 at the door. [18+] • At the Troubadour KCRW welcomes Tift Merritt with Tres Chicas (featuring Caitlin Cary of Whiskeytown) and Steve Poltz. Tickets are $15 advance, and doors open at 8 PM. • In film, the Egyptian Theatre pays tribute to Andrei Tarkovsky with a special screening of Solaris (the......