A report from the coroner's office hasn't revealed much about how a man found burning on a sidewalk in Altadena early Sunday morning actually died. more ›

Gentlemen, when you put your heart out on the line and offer a lady a diamond engagement ring, it's sure a bummer when she changes her mind and backs out of the marriage. So what becomes of the ring? more ›

Destroy All Movies!!! - Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly will be signing copies of their new book, “Destroy All Movies!!!” The Complete Guide To Punks On Film, Sunday evening at La Luz de Jesus. The book features new interviews with “music/big screen luminaries” such as Ian MacKaye, Richard Hell, Penelope Spheeris, Nick Zedd, John Doe & Exene Cervenka, Alex Cox, Martha Coolidge, Lee Ving, Keith Morris, Mary Woronov, and others. Boasting “A-to-Z coverage of over 1100 feature films”, the tome is surely as entertaining as it is comprehensive. more ›

As mentioned previously, the 12th Annual Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival (aka "LobsterFest") was held last weekend at the Ports O'Call Village in San Pedro. For Kevin Bronson from Buzz Bands, the highlight of Sunday's musical lineup -- consisting of Devon Eisenbarger, Tijuana Panthers, Walking Sleep, Miss Derringer, The Section Quartet, and John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X -- was "...when [the headliners] -- in the middle of 'Give Me Flowers While I'm Living' -- were interrupted by the horn of a departing cruise ship. See what happens 1:04 into the song." more ›

Tonight Canadian folk rock singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright will be performing at the Getty. Recent Apple commercial inductees, LA-based indie pop duo the Submarines are poised to headline the Troubadour with the Morning Benders and the Mumlers in tow. And, lastly, famed punk rock front man, X's John Doe will be rocking out at the Largo at the Coronet. But we strongly suggest heading over to the El Rey Theatre to catch Syracuse-bred indie rockers Ra Ra Riot. Auckland-based indie pop outfit Cut Off Your Hands (Review) are slated to kick things off. more ›

Tonight famed punk rock front man, X's John Doe will be performing at Bordello for "A Tribute to Scott Walker." Athens-bred grunge rockers Dead Confederate are poised to headline Spaceland. And, lastly, Dublin's own folk pop outfit the Guggenheim Grotto will be gracing the Hotel Café. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Airliner in the out-outskirts of Downtown to catch electronic whiz Nosaj Thing. LAist favorite Daedelus is slated to perform as well. more ›

Saturday night's marquee lineup at Club Nokia of X, New York Dolls, and Cracker was a perfect set up for a reenactment of the evolution of the clichéd rock fan: the MC5 meets Stooges and Stones 70's garage rock of the Dolls; the timeless West Coast iteration of late '70s downtown punk best repped by hometown heroes X; the '90s post-cowpunk, quasi-kitsch alt-rock of Cracker. more ›

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If you live in Los Angeles or know anything about punk rock circa 1977 then you know about X. If you don't, Perry Farrell will tell you in the clip on the right. Farrell introduced X last month at SXSW, headliners of Spin's day party at Stubb's BBQ. The place was only two-thirds full after a mass exodus of sweater vests following a short set by Vampire Weekend. But all four original members of X -- now touring in celebration of their 31-year anniversary -- proved once and for all that punk's not dead (or at least that rock and roll is alive and kicking). more ›

Last Friday I trundled up in the tram at The Getty Center to see a 'sold out', intimate performance. For the mere cost of parking and a little bumper-to-bumper on the 405, I and my brother from another mother, MX, got to sit in a comfy auditorium and listen to the laconic stylings of ex-punk (no pun intended) troubadour, John Doe. Now, ain't yah jealous? more ›

Rain rain has gone away...so Tuesday we'll go out to play. Here's what's going on around town tonight: more ›

As the year enters week two, organizations are programming newer music, that which was composed in the last century. This weekend, the Los Angeles Philharmonic began their Concrete Frequency series to an excellent start wth Aaron Copland's "The City" played to film and Edgard Varèse's "Amériques." After the concert, hip-hop violinist duo Paul Dateh and inka one (we interviewed Paul him this summer) played in the lobby by the cafe while Breakestra funked up the BP Hall. more ›

Tonight is the most excellent show, Open Road on KCRW, which begins at 9:00 p.m., ending at midnight. DJ Gary Calamar mixes roots of Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues, and Soul with new releases that you can most see on his peer's lists. Calamar got his start at KCRW as a volunteer, moving his way to DJ after literally begging on his knees to Chris Douridas for a show. Douridas made a great choice. 1)... more ›

This week we have been spotlighting KCRW djs and their favorite cds of this year. Yesterday we gave you Liza Richardson, before that Nic Harcourt and Tom Schnabel. This morning we bring you Anne Litt's list. Anne of course is the host of The A Track, and hers is the first list to include the Arcade Fire's Neon Bible. Let's see what else struck her fancy as we continue our parade of KCRW dj's... more ›

In "I'm Not There", director Todd Haynes dramatizes the life of Bob Dylan. Haynes chose six actors to portray Dylan's magical, intangible quality. When I asked Loudon Wainwright III about Dylan, he described seeing him at the Newport Folk Festival in the early 60's as a "ground moving, earth shaking experience". To this day, musicians and fans share a deep connection to Dylan and his music. One can only imagine that creating the soundtrack... more ›

The Donnas, Donita Sparks @ The Roxy Eagles, Dixie Chicks @ Nokia Theatre John Doe @ McCabe's Serj Tankian @ House of Blues Backbiter @ Mr. T's Bowl Peter Frampton @ The Canyon 1990s, The Airborne Toxic Event, Inberst @ The Troubadour TSOL, Smut Peddlers, 45 Grave, The Detours, The Crowd @ Vault 350... more ›

Nick Lowe is the man who wrote Elvis Costello's greatest song. He's also a great producer. Will he be a great DJ? We'll see tonight at 11pm as he sits in on KCRW's Open Road. Open Road host Gary Calamar sometimes hands over the reigns during the last hour of his long-running late night show. Calamar is on from 8pm-11pm tonight, then Lowe takes over. Recent guest djs have included Daniel Johnston, Billy Bob... more ›

James Intveld, Red Meat @ Joe's Great American Bar & Grill more ›

Posted on behalf of the lovely Diana Bonebrake. Diana's photo essay after the jump!... more ›

Bad Religion - "Incomplete" John Doe, Dead Rock West, Los Duggans, The Lone @ Safari Sam's Reyes Bros. @ Key Club Gipsy Kings @ The Greek Strunz & Farah @ Catalina Bar & Grill Lukas Haas, Jessica Fichot @ The Hotel Cafe Big Bad Voodoo Daddy & The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra @ Hollywood Bowl Festivals Fuck Yeah Fest: The Explosion, The Fuse, Busdriver, Boom Bip, Entrance, The Mae Shi, Fleshies, Residual Echoes, Imaad Wasif,... more ›

Menomena - Cough Coughing Brian Wilson @ Pasadena Civic Auditorium John Doe @ Amoeba Menomena @ Troubadour Ne-Yo @ House of Blues Dave Stewart @ Largo LCD Soundsystem, Yacht @ El Rey Lifesavas, Strange Fruit Project @ Roxy The Duke Spirit, Twilight Sleep @ Spaceland Bleed the Dream, Hey Mike, Umbrellas @ On the Rox Hazelden, Tattooed Millionaires, Firebug, Stepsonday @ Safari Sam's Cold War Kids @ Echoplex... more ›

Jill Scott, Lupe Fiasco, Les Nubians @ UCLA Intramural Field John Doe, Pamela Des Barres @ Topanga Days War @ Greek Theatre Go Betty Go, Invid, Red Team Go, Stoic Frame @ Mr. T's Bowl Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys @ The Derby Humboldt Square, The Congregation, Candygram for Mongo, Latham, Dicktastics @ Viper Room The Henry Clay People, Swim Party, Family Tree Analog, Franklin for Short @ All Star Lanes Bizzart, Weekend... more ›

The Knitters, with vocalists John Doe and Exene Cervenka, guitarist Dave Alvin, bassist Johnny Ray Bartel, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake were born as a side project of the quintissential American punk band X....the group named its rockabilly-flavored offshoot the Knitters as an homage to legendary late 1940s folk group the Weavers. In 1985, the Knitters released their first album, Poor Little Critter in the Road, to critical acclaim and are recognized as one of the leading progenitors of the alternative country-punk sound aptly named "cowpunk". Their second album, The Modern Sounds of the Knitters, released twenty years later, in 2005, was considerably more electrified than their first album and continued the development of their boxcar-blues-meets-Sunset strip sound. more ›

How can you resist Taix's Kitschy Decor?... more ›

The Mars Volta @ Orpheum Theater Son Volt (above) @ El Rey Theatre John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae @ Bren Events Center Killola @ Key Club (free, all ages) Ozomatli @ Amoeba (6pm, free) Don Carlos @ House of Blues Gregory Page, Tom Brosseau, John Doe @ Largo The Lashes, Ambulette, hosted by DJ Andrew WK @ Safari Sam's The Steve Carlson Band, Jake Coco, Leland Grant, Jackie Bristow @ The Hotel Cafe Piebald,... more ›

Wanna know why LAist has four writers at SXSW all of whom paid their own way? Because LA loves music and LAist is obsessed with good tunes. Below are just some of the killer acts playing today here in Austin. Yes be jealous, but better, come here next year and party with us. LA Bands: 4pm: Ozomatli @ Austin Convention Center 8pm: The Chairs of Perception (formerly Urinals) @ Soho Lounge 10pm: Dengue Fever... more ›

Midnight Star, Heatwave, Bloodstone, El Chicano, Evelyn "Champagne" King @ The Forum The Roots, Jill Scott, Lupe Fiasco, Akon @ Gibson Amphitheatre The Ettes, Rocket, The Affair @ The Scene Bob Weir & Rat Dog @ Ventura Theatre Los Lobos @ The Canyon The Mentors @ The Knitting Factory Cindy Lee Berryhill, John Doe @ Largo The Groovie Ghoulies @ Alex's Bar Mirah, Anna Oxygen & Sir DSS, The Sharp Ease @ The Troubadour... more ›

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 @... more ›

We've been to quite a few shows lately at Safari Sam's, one of Hollywood's newest live music venues, but until Friday night's show had yet to see the man behind the scenes: Sam himself. Before the show began, Sam appeared on stage to tell the audience about how excited he was to have the Knitters play his venue; they (and X) have been one of his favorite bands for a very long time. Even before The Knitters began playing, it was obvious that if this was a big deal to Sam, it should be a pretty big deal to everyone. more ›

Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Brian McNight, Common, Corinne Bailey Rae @ Gibson The English Beat @ The Canyon John Doe @ Blue Cafe Colin Hay @ Largo Silversun Pickups @ The Troubadour DeVotchka @ Avalon Royal Jelly @ Forty Deuce Dos, Underground Railroad To Candyland @ The Smell XBXRX, Numbers, Shift, Ni Hao @ The Echo Sandbillies, Franki Doll & the Broken Toys, Sharon Needles @ Silverlake Lounge Dressy Bessy, Big Sir, 8mm @... more ›