"Tonight and every night we need to defend the rights of our brothers and sisters....Si Se Puede!," exclaimed Rage Against the Machine front man Zach De La Rocha as the band played the Hollywood Palladium on Friday July 23rd, their first Los Angeles show in nearly 10 years. Joined on the bill by Connor Oberst, they raised over $300,000 in support of Sound Strike, a coalition of artists protesting Arizona’s contentious SB1070 Immigration Bill. Never ones to shy from a political stance or protest, Rage Against the Machine proved on Friday night that nearly 10 years removed from their last album release their message is just as relevant now as it was at the height of their popularity. more ›

In what was their first Los Angeles show in nearly four years and the first of three consecutive, sold-out dates at the Wiltern, Bristol-based trip-hop legends Massive Attack treated the crowd to a nearly perfect two-hour set of their patented brand of atmospheric music. While the first half of the set was heavy on the newest release—2010's Heligoland—the well-known tracks that delivered them to prominence were not ignored. One of the highlights being a stripped down version of "Teardrop" with former Tricky collaborator and evening opener Martina Topley-Bird, who lent her soulful voice to the band on about a third of the evening's tracks. more ›

Man, downtown is kickass. Yeah, you've seen the great theatre and the wonderful eats and the art walk, but you've probably also thought about the homeless population, or the proclivity for violence in the face of an economic abyss. And while all of these things, in their own way, are true about downtown, things like the Grammy Museum are really helping to elevate the standard while keeping an eye on what’s important in their neighborhood. more ›

Arthur Paul Carmona, 26, an advocate for people wrongly accused of crimes who was wrongly accused himself and incarcerated for 2 1/2 years as a teenager in Orange County was killed this weekend. His name became widely known when he was arrested when he was 16 and convicted of robbing two juice bars in Irvine and Costa Mesa:

His mother mustered support for her son and political and community outrage followed over police tactics that led to her son's arrest. Support for overturning his 12-year prison sentence came from law firms, community groups, Hollywood actors and the politically active rock band Rage Against the Machine. more ›

Some people hate the truth. They look at the scoreboard and they hate what they see. They look at themselves and they hate what they see. They look at others having success and they hate that too. Last night blogging.la did the right thing and they linked to our post about my resignation from LAist due to my new gig at the LA Times. Because the blogosphere is what it is, a small group... more ›

Day 5 of the Writer's Strike was by far the most powerful. After being spread at various lots and productions throughout Los Angeles, all 3000+ members united in front of Fox Studios for a rally and march greater than any seen in the week old strike. They brought some help as well, with a mini performance from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello who sang a "union song" and was then joined by RATM... more ›

Sure, two members of Rage Against the Machine helped the writers rage, but this photo essay will focus more on the thousands of people who showed up to march, and the churros. Yes, churros of support were rolled into the Nakatomi Plaza for anyone who needed some churro love. And if people-watching is your thing, the Avenue of the Stars lived up to its name this morning. After the jump, a nice photo essay... more ›

All your favorite writers of all your favorite shows gathered this morning around brunch at Fox Plaza to celebrate the first week of their strike. Some of the fellas from Rage Against the Machine showed up and played, Jesse Jackson pressed the flesh, and Tom Arnold heard there would be free food so he came too. Of course your pals LAist were there, so expect more team coverage from insiders, actual striking writers, and... more ›

In it's 3rd year of existence, this past weekend's Vegoose Music Festival featured quite the impressive lineup. Boasting the final North American Show of the ever incredible Daft Punk and the final stop of Rage Against the Machine's reunion (tour), the fest also included great performances from Gogol Bordello, Muse, M.I.A. and many, many more. Follow the jump for tonnnns (literally) of pics of Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, M.I.A., Gogol Bordello, Queens... more ›

This past weekend, Vegas's own Sam Boyd Stadium was home to the 3rd annual Vegoose music festival which featured a few small-time bands you may have heard of, like Rage Against the Machine, Daft Punk, Muse, Iggy and the Stooges, LAist made the obligatory road trip out to Sin City to bring you some coverage on one of the more succsessful new music fests, (which, by the way, is brought to us by the same people who put on Bonnaroo.) Check out some costumes and environmental shots after the jump, and stay tuned for some interviews, vids, and band pics later this week! more ›

Pack your costumes a bit early this year and plan your 15 freeway adventures towards the LV, because Vegoose is coming soon! more ›

Photo by imacri via Flickr You're still running to Eye of the Tiger? Then it's time to download some new tunes for your run. Most of these songs are much more aggressive than Eye of the Tiger -- Hard Metal Rock, Techno and Industrial. For people like myself, it's difficult to find good songs to run to. Everybody likes Coldplay but you can't really run to it. Here at LAist we like to encourage... more ›

What would you do to see a newly reunited Rage Against the Machine playing on the same stage and day as Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, The Roots, Nas and Talib Kweli? If you said: Drive over an hour, stand in a line for 80 minutes in the 99 degree sun, avoid a restroom for nine hours, sit in possibly the worst parking lot traffic the Western Hemisphere has ever seen and inhale... more ›

Large crowds, temps close to 100 degrees and pepper spray in the air. Ahh yes, just another night in San Bernardino. The premiere hip hop (+ one Rage Against the Machine) festival Rock The Bells rolled through the 909 this past weekend and what was billed as a celebration of respect and unity turned into a bit of a mob scene. There was something for every hip hop fan on the bill. Your backpackers... more ›

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill @ Honda Center more ›

Here at LAist we've been a tad OCD about things lately. We had our little Spoon-fest last week, and our green movement today with Green LA Girl as our guest editor, so I suppose it's only fair that DAFT PUNK is our new obsession. Yes, we shared with you one of our favorite videos of all time for Harder, Better, Stronger, Faster (and what else those hands can do is on our list of... more ›

- Barack Obama says that blacks are pissed and there's a "quiet riot" brewing in LA and the rest of the country. Does that mean that the real trouble won't come for another 20 years when folks begin to finally "rage against the machine"? - AP - Although the adult video world generates about $12 billion nationally, Vivid Video co-partner David James says, "Very few people make over $150,000 in this industry" - Daily... more ›

They look like they just won the talent show, and they sound like something your grandmother would have liked. Old timey strings and brass arrangements mashed up with Talking Heads sensibilities mixed with a little something called originality and you begin to scratch the surface of the Arcade Fire. Playing an equal assortment of new faves from the recently-released Neon Bible to the old hits off 2004's Funeral, the 9-piece band of multi-instrumentalists from... more ›

They're the best band you'll see all summer. Yes, even better than Rage Against the Machine. Pound-for-pound Arcade Fire has more songs, better songs, and you can't call it comeback. Plus the Canadians will be playing two nights in a venue in a park that will still smell of the remnants of an actual fire. Unless Rage has a stage that looks like a 1970s super computer, another point must be awarded to the Arcade Fire who have many more vids that you can see after the jump. more ›

All photos © / Pesky Humans more ›

Sunday there are lots of great bands, culminating with the reunion of one of the best groups ever, Rage Against the Machine. Here's how we're probably going to do it, thanks to the magic of the Coachooser which, if you leave a little early from shows will show you how you too can see 17 bands. Mika: 1 - 1:30 Anathallo: 1:30 - 2 Mando Diao: 2:15 - 2:35 Tapes 'n Tapes: 2:35 -... more ›

If you're a dude you wanna hate Evan Dando for his flowing long locks and his runway model looks and his lack of irony of wearing an old school Lou Reed tshirt and Vans. But then he plugs in that SG and does his little stoney version of shredding and you sip your beer and chill the hell out. The Lemonheads are the Goo Goo Dolls without any aspiration. They're the sober man's Replacements.... more ›

The Police aren't the only band to reunite and tour in 2007, and though their twenty-three year hiatus is the longest of the bunch, there is much more nostalgia to be had.... Rage Against The Machine, everyone's favorite rightously angry band, is reuniting to close this year's Coachella festival, which, fingers crossed, will bring about a tour. All four members -- Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk -- will... more ›

Got squeezed out of the Coachella madness and now find yourself without one of those prized three-day wristbands? Before you slit your wrists for not getting tickets in Indio for the much anticipated comeback of Zack de la Guevara fronting the band that only he should be leading, know that Rage Against The Machine announced today that they will be co-headlining the Rock the Bells mini-tour with their pals, the lovable Wu-Tang Gang. Rock... more ›

Every Friday, we at LAist will tell you whether or not you should wake up on Saturday to buy concert tickets. Tomorrow we think you should wake up because Coachella tickets go on sale. Who's playing at Coachella this year? April 27 - Björk / Interpol / the Jesus and Mary Chain / Arctic Monkeys / Sonic Youth / Brazilian Girls / Peaches / Comedians of Comedy / Gogol Bordello / Silversun Pickups /... more ›

The Nightwatchman (Rage Against the Machine's Tom) @ The Hotel Cafe more ›

Like a presidential election, the information is trickling into the newsroom... Earlier today Andy let everyone know who most of the confirmed artists would be for this year's Coachella. Now we let you know who is playing on what days, etc. April 27 - Björk / Interpol / the Jesus and Mary Chain / Arctic Monkeys / Jarvis Cocker / Sonic Youth / Faithless / DJ Shadow / Peeping Tom / Brazilian Girls / Peaches... more ›

The Jesus and Mary Chain, Tiesto, the Arcade Fire, Interpol, Manu Chao, Willie Nelson, Air, Happy Mondays, Decemberists, Faithless, Gotan Project, the Good, the Bad and the Queen, Paul Van Dyk, Arctic Monkeys, Roots, Jarvis Cocker, Sonic Youth, Crowded House, Placebo, Satellite Party, Stephen Marley feat Jr. Gong, Kings of Leon, DJ Shadow, Kaiser Chiefs, Kokono No. 1, LCD Soundsystem, Nickel Creek, Travis, Damien Rice, Black Keys, Blonde Redhead, Infected Mushroom, New Pornographers, Peeping Tom, Placebo, Rufus Wainwright, the Rapture, Explosions in the Sky, Richie Hawtin, !!!, Benny Benassy, Felix Da Housecat, Hot Chip, Jacks Mannequin, Julieta Venegas, Lily Allen, Lupe Fiasco, Ozomatli, Peaches, Ghostface Killah, Jose Gonzales, Amos Lee, Brazilian Girls, Fountains of Wayne, Regina Spektor, VNV Nation, Coco Rosie, Cornelius, Gillian Welch, Junior Boys, Pharaohe Monche, Roky Erickson and the Explosives, Soulwax, Sparklehorse, the Kooks, Tilly and the Wall, Andrew Bird, Peter, Bjorn & John, the Frames, Gogol Bordello, Comedians of Comedy, Justice, MSTRKRFT, We Are Scientists, Yeva, Grizzly Bear, Amy Winehouse, Avett Brothers, Circa Survive, the Coup, the Cribs, CSS, Digitalism, Erol Alkan, Evil Nine, Girl Talk, Klaxons, the Noisettes, Spank Rock, Tapes 'n Tapes, Fields, Tokyo Police Club, Rodrigo Y Gabriella, DJ Heather, the Feeling, Fratellis, Mike Relm, Silversun Pickups, Busdriver, Brother Ali, Nightwatchman, Bojones, Mika, Pop Levi, Anathallo and Fair to Midland.

The password for Goldenvoice's presale is... roxanne. Could there possibly be any more of a hint at a Police reunion? Also allegedly reuniting -- Rage Against the Machine, The Stooges (again)... Not a whole lot is confirmed but all we can say is THREE DAYS -- can you handle it? Presale ends at 8 PM for the 3 Day pass @ $199. April 27-29. UPDATE: Kevin at the Times' Buzz Bands blog sez: Damon... more ›

A Day to Remember, A Heartwell Ending, On the Last Day @ The Whisky
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