Tonight Kansas-bred indie pop duo Mates of States (LAist Review) will be kicking off a two-night stint at the Echo with none other than the City of Brotherly Love's rock and roll quintet Free Energy (LAist Interview). DâM-FunK, or rather the "Ambassador of Boogie Funk," is poised to take on the Troubadour with San Jose-bred DJ, hip-hop producer and founder of the hip-hop label Stones Throw Records, Peanut Butter Wolf. And, lastly, Oakland-bred Euro-American musical group Fishtank Ensemble will be performing for free at Levitt Pavillion in the heart of Pasadena. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown to catch French "freak folk" outfit CocoRosie, who are touring in support of their latest endeavor—2010's Grey Oceans. LAist favorites, local rapper Busdriver (LAist Review, #2) and Sao Paulo's self-proclaimed purveyor of tropical punk, Cibelle, are slated to kick thing off. more ›

It was really comforting last Wednesday to wander out of debris strewn Hollywood Blvd, which had become an odd wasteland after tornado Free-Depeche-Mode-Concert hit, and into the Henry Fonda Theater. Especially since it was Mates of State that I had come to see. Their music is nothing if not comforting. I mean take one part true love and one part sunshine pop and you have Mates of State. The husband and wife duo, Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner, faced each other through out the whole set. Him, on his drum set, and her, on her keyboards, sang in harmony, while gazing lovingly at each other. It's like the audience wasn't even there. If it had been a Disney cartoon, tiny bluebirds, chubby chipmunks, and fawns with giant eyes would have appeared on stage and surrounded them. more ›

While The Ting Tings were headlining the Wiltern Tuesday night, LAist left the multi-act show being mesmerized by Santogold, the funky lady-pro from Philly who stole the show. more ›