TALK CalArts and USC have a joint program at REDCAT tonight titled, “Listen Again: Music You Should Change Your Mind About Right Now.” A great panel of writers, musicians and scholars discuss the current state of pop music and celebrate the release of the latest scholarly writings on music issued by the Experience Music Project. Panelists include Neal Pollack (alternadad.com), Ann Powers (Los Angeles Times), R.J. Smith (Los Angeles magazine), Oliver Wang (Soul-sides.com, CSU-Long Beach)......

We live in a town of talent. A talented town. Yet, the talent that's making the most noise, is usually (dare we say it?) without talent. We think of Paris Hilton at this juncture. We think of the many would-be famesters that litter our clubs and sidewalks and cafes while off the set from their "reality" shows involving our fair beaches. While these no-talents (because haven't we established that?) run around and make a......

Ice Cube @ House of Blues Art Brut (above) @ The Troubadour Smoosh @ Knitting Factory Rita Coolidge @ Torrance Cultural Arts Center Pitbull, Tego Calderon, Ying Yang Twins, Ilegales @ Honda Center Eek-A-Mouse @ Vault 350 The Barbarellatones @ Boardners The Makers @ Spaceland Colin Hay @ Largo Joshua Radin @ El Rey Lady Sinatra, Warner Drive, Itis @ Viper Room Atomic Punks, SWAA, Myridian @ Paladino's Tennis Club, The Front, Killsonic, The......

- If you were screwed by Turbo Tax yesterday, the IRS won't screw you - NBC4 - Free Trees this Saturday in Sherman Oaks - Valley News - Somewhat like the President who wants a War Czar, Mayor Tony wants a Violence Czar - CBS2 - Do you know who the most famous voice in Hollywood is? - LA Observed - Dumbest move of the day, TV Guide Channel fires Joan & Melissa -......

Monday Robert Fagan discusses The Notebooks of Robert Frost 7pm @ Vroman’s Rebecca Liebermann signs We Are Still Here 7pm @ Dutton’s Brentwood Josh Peter discusses Fried Twinkies, Buckle Bunnies & Bull Riders 7pm @ Studio City Branch Library Tuesday David Lynch presents Catching the Big Fish 7pm @ Borders in Westwood Martin Amis discusses House of Meetings 7pm @ Central Library Robert Stone & John Densmore in conversation about Remembering the Sixties 7:30pm......

Torontoist throws down the gauntlet and challenges all comers: pillow fight, bitch. They also stand up for a fellow blogger taking heat from the TTC and welcome city-wide WiFi. SFist can finally admit it: It's possible that Bary Bonds juiced. Is Bay Area artist (tempted to put quotes around that) Thomas Kinkaid "kinda crappy" or "explosively crappy" or does he just like marking territory? SFist wonders. Technology comes in the form of new Mac goodness......

losanjealous has got the Top 30 Facts on local newsanchor Chuck Henry. #21, 22 and 26 tie for our favorites. Porto's, the busiest Cuban bakery anywhere (well, in Glendale, at least) has decided to try to ease its immense lines by opening in Burbank, Franklin Avenue reports. They like the tres leches cakes; we're fond of the potato balls. God, you just can't type "potato balls" without it sounding dirty. Speaking of dirty, writer......

After a week in which LAist sat on a panel, enjoyed immensely the panels of others, partied with our publisher, our co-conspirator from the north and the brand new baby of the family, caught Asobi Seksu with Neal Pollack, and ate ourselves into oblivion, it is finally time for us to head home. But not without a little music first. An interview with Elvis Costello turned unexpectedly into an expose about "The Killer" Jerry......