Yes, I know. Saturday's a busy night. So many places to go. So many people to do. But there's always time to fit in a signing of a really cool book at a really cool gallery space and store, especially if there's gonna be live music. So, why not roll into La Luz De Jesus/Wacko tomorrow night between 6 and 9pm to celebrate the publication of what all us musical nerds have long awaited: Bomp!......

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......

Last week we celebrated the 30th anniversary of KCRW's flagship show, Morning Becomes Eclectic with interviews with Jason Bentley, Chris Douridas, Nic Harcourt, Anne Litt, Liza Richardson, and we conclude our special with Gary Calamar, the host of KCRW's Sunday night staple, The Open Road. For those of you who might be watching tee vee at night instead of listening to the radio, you might not know it but you were probably listening to......

Peter Case, Ron Franklin @ McCabe's Ice T @ Key Club John Doe @ Malibu Inn Hall & Oates @ Hollywood Bowl Joan as Police Woman, Princeton, Emily Wells @ Spaceland Kings of Leon, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ The Greek The Mother Hips, Broken West @ The Roxy Hawnay Troof, The Octopus Project @ The El Rey Common @ The Wiltern Ben Kweller @ The Echo Jon Brion @ Largo James Intveld, Red......

OUT TODAY: Flight Of The Conchords - The Distant Future (Sub Pop) [MP3]: “Business Time” via Tunes Consumed Magnolia Electric Co - Sojourner (Secretly Canadian) [MP3]: “Leave The City” via Aquarium Drunkard The Budos Band - The Budos Band II (Daptone Records) [MP3]: “Chicago Falcon” via Inflight at Night Okkervil River - The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar) [MP3]: “Unless It’s Kicks” via Music For Kids Who Can’t Read Good Augie March - Moo, You Bloody......

The Noisettes @ Amoeba (6:30pm) The Noisettes, The Maccabees, The Pity Party @ The Troubadour Sage Francis, Buck 65 @ Henry Fonda Mere Mortals, Kind Hearts & Coronets @ Spaceland Peter Case, Ron Franklin @ Largo Roger Waters @ Verizon Amphitheatre Derek Trucks @ Ford Amphitheater The Dillards @ McCabe's Rhino Bucket, DC-4, Wicked Relish, Fantastic Black @ Paladino's Led Zepagain @ Hollywood Park......

Dinosaur Jr., Awesome Color @ The Troubadour The Germs @ Galaxy Theatre Peter Case, Grant-Lee Phillips @ Largo Al Kooper @ McCabe's Don McLean @ The Canyon mere mortals @ Market Gallery The Fuxedos @ The Echo Atomic Punks, Lure, Demize, Flake @ Whisky A Gogo Los Infernos, Charley Horse, Hellbound Hayride @ Safari Sam's The Rock & Roll Adventure Kids, Les Hormones, The Lateenos @ Mr. T's Bowl Horse the Band, Black Pyramids,......

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......

Monday T.C. Boyle reads and chats with David Ulin 7pm @ Mark Taper Forum Jennifer Kaufman & Karen Mack present Literacy and Longing in L.A. 7pm @ Studio Branch Library Denise Hamilton & contributors signs Los Angeles Noir 7pm @ Borders Torrance Pat Montandon discusses Oh, the Hell of It All 7pm @ Vroman's Tuesday Barry Glassner discusses The Gospel of Food 7pm @ Central Library Kirk Douglas signs Let's Face It 7pm @......

Now that I have recovered from nine days and nights at SXSW, I can tell you that it's all downhill from here for the world's greatest music festival. No way could anything top that. 1750 bands and hardly any of them sucked. How does that happen? Plenty of free food, beer, no lines if you had a badge. Stalwarts like The Stooges, Pete Townshend, Robyn Hitchcock, Public Enemy, Peter Case, Rickie Lee Jones, and......

This year saw one of the best LA bands reunite: The Plimsouls. The jangley 80s band led by Peter Case played some shows at Austin's SXSW and most recently at Safari Sam's to fans who had missed the group. Probably best known for their crucial role in the classic film "Valley Girl", The Plimsouls' big hit "A Million Miles Away" was basically the theme song for the cult flick starring Nicolas Cage. After the......

Al Gore will be presenting his film An Inconvenient Truth at Cal Plaza about a half mile from the big ass sex festival at the Convention Center. If neither of those choices floats your collective boats, may we show you some other offerings tonight: Ice Cube, Kanye West, LL Cool J, Chamillionaire, E-40 @ The Pond Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men @ Safari Sam's Peter Case @ McCabes The Blasters @ Malibu Inn......

FRIDAY • McCabe's Guitar Shop presents Peter Case & Friends Tribute and Record Release Party, featuring Dave Alvin, Marvin Etzioni, Gary Heffern, Claire Holley, Mike Martt, Amilia K. Spicer and Victoria Williams. The show starts at 8 PM. Tickets are $20. • Jarboe (of The Swans), Red Sparowes, House of Low Culture and MGR (featuring Matt Gallagher of Isis) perform tonight at the Knitting Factory. Tickets are $10 and doors open at 8 PM.......

At The Echo, see Tackhead (the house band for the Sugar Hill Gang) reunited at 8:00 PM. The band's musical style as well as "their reputation for an unpredictable live show will make this performance an event not to be missed." Tickets are $20.00. (18+) At 7:00 PM at Amoeba Music, see former Plimsouls frontman Peter Case performing songs from his new album, Who's Gonna Go Your Crooked Mile?. The in-store is, as always,......