Finally, after all the hubub and debate of the quality of this year's Coachella lineup, the festival got underway Friday afternoon. Featuring Jack Johnson at the top of the bill, the day featured outstanding performances from the Raconteurs who proved that they aren't just Jack White's side project but rather a band that is developing their own sound and identity. The Verve, playing for the first time in nearly a decade sounded like they hadn't......

I've always been intrigued by other "best of" lists, but this year I decided to take it to a whole new level. I e-mailed a handful of bands that I've seen this past year in order to unearth what exactly captivated them in '07. As music listeners, it is our duty to take a keen interest in our favorite musician's influences. After all, they rocked our little world, might as well see what rocked their......

Etta James & Chuck Berry - "Rock n' Roll Music" Etta James and the Roots Band @ Wiltern Stevie Wonder @ Nokia Theatre Les Savy Fav @ El Rey Snoop Dogg's Smokin' XMAS Party @ House of Blues Mellowdrone @ The Echoplex Greyboy Allstars @ The Troubadour Lamb of God @ Long Beach Arena The Nightwatchman, Jill Sobule, Low Stars @ Hotel Cafe Andre Legacy, Dirt Nasty, Beardo @ Safari Sam's Mike Stern Quartet......

About the above picture: The Rawking Refuses To Stop!, a blog of all things Los Angeles pop culture and MP3, shares with us their best concert photos of 2007. Above, they sneak out of LA to New York to see Les Savy Fav at the Bowery Ballroom (we'll just say they did the same thing when they came here). Don't forget -- you still have today and tomorrow to enter our Rufus Wainwright/Belinda Carlisle......

TUESDAY • Les Savy Fav with The Hold Steady, Thunderbirds Are Now and Swearing At Motorists are at Avalon tonight at 8 PM. Tickets are $17. • The one and only Cheap Trick are at the House of Blues Sunset. Doors open at 8 PM; tickets are $33.50. [18+] • LACMA features a 7:30 PM lecture, Eames Interiors: "Functioning Decoration," by Pat Kirkham of the Bard Graduate Center in New York. Admission is $15.......