Tonight Brooklyn-based indie rock quartet Obits will be headlining the Echo. LA-based indie pop quartet Robotanists are poised to grace LaBrie's in Glendale with none other than local blues-infused indie rock duo Rumspringa (LAist Review, #2) and Vanaprasta in tow. And, lastly, Irvine-bred electro pop trio Faded Paper Figures will be performing at Spaceland, ringing in their sophomore record—2010's New Medium. But we strongly suggest heading over to the El Rey Theatre to catch English folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling, who recently released her second studio-album—2010's Mercury Prize-nominated I Speak Because I Can. LAist favorite, Shreveport-bred folk singer-songwriter Dylan Leblanc is slated to kick things off. more ›

Tonight Rhode Island-bred bluegrass singer-songwriter/guitarist Dave Rawlings, who is best known as bluegrass troubadour Gillian Welch's longtime musical partner, will not only be performing at Amoeba Music, but at the Troubadour as well. LA-based folk rock singer-songwriter Imaad Wasif is poised to grace Spaceland with none other than Dead Meadow front man Jason Simon and Mockingbirds, which contains members of local post-rock act Red Sparowes. And, lastly, LA-based alt-country outfit Horse Thieves will be taking on the Echo. But we strongly suggest heading over to Largo at the Coronet to catch LAist favorite, English folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling. more ›

This week Brooklyn-based buzz band Yeasayer will be headlining the Natural History Museum with none other than local indie rock outfit Warpaint (LAist Review, #2, #3) for this month's edition of First Fridays. Ann Arbor's crown jewel, a relatively diminutive post-afrobeat outfit by the name of Nomo (LAist Review, #2) are poised to grace Spaceland with Orgone, a proficient funk troupe that stunned us at Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle a few years back. English folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling will be taking on Largo at the Coronet. And, lastly, Brooklyn's own punk rock trio Vivian Girls will be performing at the Smell in Downtown with LA-based lo-fi pop act Best Coast in tow. more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

Tonight will be relatively low-key with regards to the music scene. We've got Laura Marling's second night of a two-date stint at the Hotel Cafe. Brian of the Movies will be playing with his band Very at Echo Curio, opening for Thailand. And Abe Vigoda and Moonrats will be playing for free at USC's Ground Zero. You can't beat that lineup. But we suggest you pay the Echo a visit to sample the relatively eclectic indie rock bill. LA-based Voxhaul Broadcast, who pretty much serve as the West Coast's answer to the Walkmen, will be opening for the roisterous and bluesy Rumspringa. more ›

Tonight we find electronic maestros MSTRKRFT, A-trak and LA Riots thumping out dance floor-worthy tunes at the Henry Fonda Theater. The hole-and-corner Pehrspace will play host to not one, but two of Long Beach's finest indie rock bands—the Valley Arena and the Soft Hands. LA-based folk rockers One Trick Pony and Seasons will be playing the Eagle Rock Bowling & Drinking Club's 3rd Anniversary Show at All Star Lanes. And lastly, Texan duo Restavrant will be celebrating the release of their debut album, Returns to the Tomb of Guiliano Medidici, at the Troubadour. Although we strongly considered checking out the raucous and thoroughly satisfying antics of Restavrant, we simply can't pass up the opportunity to see the opening night of Laura Marling's two-date stint at the Hotel Cafe. The English indie folk singer-songwriter is poignantly candid about love, life and the in between. And she evokes admiration through her minimal performances, which often find her crooning sinuous melody lines alone with her acoustic guitar—a palpable and definitive symbol of utmost vulnerability. more ›