Local singer/songwriter Audra Mae played a highly impressive set Tuesday night at the Silver Lake Lounge. Simply put, the girl has heavenly pipes. The bio on the myspace describes her voice as a cross between Patsy Cline and Janis Joplin, which is no light praise, but it really is the best description. Having caught a good show a couple years ago, with just her and a guitar, it was fun to see the difference......

The Hackensaw Boys | Photo via their MySpace Our brain is going to explode with all the great choices tonight. From friggin' amazing jazz (see, we're not swearing) at UCLA to folk-punk sensibilities of The Hackensaw Boys at Tangier in Los Feliz (video after the jump), tonight is a bounty of gold. Also, Jim Bianco will be at Amoeba and it's the first night for Wednesday night March residencies. Howlin' Rain @ Spaceland Jim......

Photo of Carter Tanton by Amanda Zee Carter Tanton of Tulsa always gets rave reviews about his voice like this one from Pitchfork: "Lead singer Carter Tanton has a spectacular voice... [he] could probably sing a recipe for chocolate éclairs and still make it sound good." And Rolling Stone said "his indie-seraphim voice is not of this world." Both reviews referenced the similarities to My Morning Jacket. And not to forget the band, the......

Photo of Meiko, who plays at the Knitting Factory tonight, by Koga/LAist for 'Meiko & Priscilla Ahn @ Hotel Cafe, 1/23 & 1/24/08' What Made Milwaukee Famous finish up their Los Angeles tour playing along with Tulsa and the British Sea Power/Colourmusic bill moves over to Spaceland. On the Westside, there's only one choice to make and that is hip-hop violinist Paul Dateh at the Temple Bar (check out our interview with him including......

Julia Fordham | Photo by freefall 2007 via flickr If you cannot make it to hear the amazing jazz vocalist, Julia Fordham, at The Roxy tonight, opening up at Hotel Cafe tonight is Tiffany Randol, who we caught at one of strong>Alex & Sam's Tangier shows. The front woman of NYC based glam rock band, Valeze, has now gone solo singer/songwriter style, making Los Angeles her second home, and is bringing out a new......

Robert Francis | Photo via his MySpace page As we said yesterday in this column, Robert Francis fell ill earlier this month, prompting the cancellation of his Monday night residency at the Silverlake Lounge. Good news, though, the new favorite local artist of ours is playing tonight at El Rey at 8:45 p.m. with the Australian Missy Higgins performing after. There's no better way than letting you get to know Francis via a few......

Boom Bip will be at The Roxy Tonight | Photo by Charley B via Boom Bip's MySpace page Yay for Monday nights, there's lots of quality to choose from. If you're looking for something crazy and fun, then watch this video we recently took of Killsonic, who plays at The Bordello tonight. LA Weekly picks Tracy Spuehler at the Hotel Cafe as their pick and What Made Milwaukee Famous plays once again, for free,......

West Indian Girl plays The Troubadour tonight | Photo by Ty Parker via their MySpace LA Weekly points us to some hot picks for tonight. About Girl in Coma: "Joan Jett knows a thing or two about rock & roll, and her latest protegees, Girl in a Coma, on her Blackheart label are one of the best and most interesting bands to come out of Texas in a long time," writes Falling James. They......

Everest at The Echo | Photo by Shayna Peveler via their MySpace page Last night we checked out What Made Milwaukee Famous playing to a small crowd at Spaceland. Simply put, amazing. We're shocked that more people were not there. Lucky for us, luck for you, they have four more shows within the next nine days here in LA starting Thursday at the Silverlake Lounge. "Sultan" - What Made Milwaukee Famous &righticonhover=0x333232&text=0x333232&slider=0xF2F2F2&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0xFFFFFF&loader=0x838383&soundFile=http://aprodxn.com/laist/zfiles/sultan.mp3"> "Resistance" -......

Mellowdrone | Photo by Todd Becker via their MySpace page UPDATE, 12:10 P.M.: We forgot to remind you that Sia is playing this afternoon in Santa Monica for free. 2:00 p.m., Starbucks, random (see first bullet in Extra, Extra list). Maybe you're going on a rock n' roll date tonight with one of these bands. Or maybe you're going to the launch party of RocknRollDating.com. Or maybe Valentine's Day sucks and you'll be joining......

Jordan McConnell of The Duhks | Photo via thir Myspace page Willie Nelson may be playing downtown tonight, but if you want some folk rock that's local and amazingly fresh, go hear Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies. We heard them last week at their first show of their Hotel Cafe February residency and it was in-your-face and beautiful. But you've got a tough choice if you like this kind of music because when......

Twilight Sleeps is one of the bands that opens for Pity Party tonight at Spaceland | Photo by Joya Martuscello Sometimes Monday nights lead to tough choices. For Jax at Rock Insider, it's between The Pity Party (who we interviewed this morning) and The Henry Clay People. Luckily, both bands are playing all month. Still, there are many choices. If you like your music Folk, your drinks cheap and have never been to Joe's......

The Vacation starts off their Thursday night Viper Room residency tonight | Photo by Brian Romero Tickets are still amazingly available for tonight's intimate Macy Gray show at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. For something a little more rock n' roll, Hell Ya! and Girl School are teaming up in their monthly residency at The Viper Room with The Vacation in the first night of their weekly February residency (for a guide to February residencies,......

For those who joined us last night (thank you for coming!), we witnessed many hot and bothered moments with an excellent band we've never hard before -- The Makers (we can't find their website, help). They are in residency at Seven Grand every Tuesday and we highly recommend checking them out. For tonight, first night residencies for this month happen at the Viper Room, Hotel Cafe and the Silverlake Lounge (see our Guide to February......

Aimee Mann will play tonight and tomorrow night at Largo. Dinner is booked, but they say come down early for drinks | Photo via MySpace Usually Tuesday nights are slow for music in this town. Not tonight -- the spirit of Super Tuesday and democracy must have rung clear to bookers. Of course, LAist is having a party too, starting at 7:00 p.m. at Seven Grand. Choices, choices. If there's a show you do......

Smash Fashion plays Monday nights at Crash Mansion | Photo via their MySpace page Month-long residencies are one of the best ways to catch up-and-coming bands in Los Angeles. You have at least four times to catch a band, and each time, if they are gaining popularity over each show, it will be harder to see them. Last Thursday at their final residency concert, The Airborne Toxic Event played a sold out show with......

Pity Party at Little Radio on New Years Eve | Photo by Koga/LAist Despite it being Superbowl Sunday, February residencies got off to a great start last night with Alex & Sam at Tangier. Tonight is the first night of February residencies at Spaceland, Silverlake Lounge, Crash Mansion and The Echo/Echoplex. By last Thursday, The Airborne Toxic Event had gained so much popularity from their January residency, they had to reject 300 people from......

Portland based musician and known as "the Stephen King of Indie Pop," Chris Robley and his band -- Fear of Heights -- play at Mr. T's Bowl tonight in Highland Park. Plenty of MP3s to check out of this indie-pop folk band below. Mr. Lif & The Perceptionists @ The Knitting Factory Jessie Evans, Von Iva, Deadbeats @ Silverlake Lounge Chuck Berghofer Midnight Jazz Band @ Charlie O's (Valley jazz club, not downtown one) The......

Electro rockers, Piel, will play tonight at Crash Mansion | Photo from their MySpace page Last chance to catch bands in their Monday night January residencies. That, plus Fred Armisen, who LA Weekly says "does Prince better than Prince." Fred Armisen, Petra Haden, Chelsea Peretti @ The Troubadour Bloodcat Love, The Growlers, Sons & Lovers, Idyllists @ The Viper Room The Parson Red Heads, Idaho Falls, The Monolators, Papercranes @ Spaceland Piel, Odd Modern......

It may be a holiday, yet Mondays are always a guaranteed good night for music with all the residencies in addition to tonight's appearance of Venice local Harry Perry (pictured right) in WeHo We Barbarians, The Morning Benders, Rio Bravo @ Silverlake Lounge Idyllists, The Movies, Light FM, C.R.A.F.T. Club @ Viper Room Radar Bros., Tigers Can Bite You, Kárin Tatoyan, Holloys @ The Echo The Parson Red Heads, The Shaky Hands, Francisco The Man,......

Dan Deacon at SXSW | Photo by Tod Seelie Thanks to those who responded yesterday to help make this LAist column more useful. You can still chime in, it's never too late. Today, here's a short form list of our picks with select MP3s embedded after the jump. THE LIST The Hectors, Coco B's and You Me & Iowa @ Silverlake Lounge | Free Why? @ Tangier (Read our preview from yesterday) | $10......

Now that the rain has gone away, Spaceland on Ice can continue this week with The Chapin Sisters and their folk/pop. Meanwhile, at Spaceland itself, The Airborne Toxic Event continues their residency tonight with The Morning Benders, The Weather Underground. ALSO TONIGHT Mike Watt and the Missing Men, Monster Cock Rally @ The Prospector Birds & Batteries, The Karabal Nightlife, The Lonelyhearts @ The Fold/Silverlake Lounge Ollin, Omar Torres, La Verdad @ Temple Bar Six......

We Barbarians, the Long Beach locals who recently played on tour with the Cold War Kids, begin their Silverlake Lounge Residency tonight. And we fully approve. &righticonhover=0x333232&text=0x333232&slider=0xF2F2F2&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0xFFFFFF&loader=0x838383&soundFile=http://aprodxn.com/laist/zfiles/webarbarians1.mp3"> "Yesmen & Bumsuckers" - In The Doldrums EP &righticonhover=0x333232&text=0x333232&slider=0xF2F2F2&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0xFFFFFF&loader=0x838383&soundFile=http://aprodxn.com/laist/zfiles/03Doldrums.mp3"> "In The Doldrums" - In The Doldrums EP &righticonhover=0x333232&text=0x333232&slider=0xF2F2F2&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0xFFFFFF&loader=0x838383&soundFile=http://aprodxn.com/laist/zfiles/04SpunOut.mp3"> "Spun Out" - In The Doldrums EP Tonight, they play with Aushua (Orange, CA) and Drew Grow (Portland, OR); next week with The Henry Clay People and Matt Death and......

"La Gallina" - Ozomatli Los Pinguos @ La Ve Lee The Lilys @ Spaceland Pixelform @ Il Corral Rumspringa, Devil Makes 3, Chief, Army Navy @ The Echo Ozomatli & Chali 2na, Cut Chemist, Weapon of Choice @ House of Blues Pop Noir, Nude, On Blast, No One Goes Home @ The Knitting Factory Relax to Paris, That Was Then, Switch @ The Derby Count Basie Orchestra @ Walt Disney Concert Hall Ride On......

Mariachi USA Fiesta 2007 Rocket, The Satisfaction @ Safari Sam's David Garza @ Largo The Republic Tigers, The Hugs @ Spaceland Mariachi USA Christmas @ Disney Hall Social Distortion, The Johns @ House of Blues (WeHo) Amon Amarth @ Avalon The Binges, Dirty Kings, Jessie Deluxe, Roses on her Grave @ The Troubadour Faraway Places, Fools Golds, Sunset @ The Echo Rose Rossi, B.R.A.M., Learning Music @ Silverlake Lounge Cory Phillips & the Band......

Jean Paul Yamamoto @ outside Vroman's, Pasadena, 7/27/07 Social Distortion @ House of Blues (Hollywood) Nu-Tra, Jean Paul Yamamoto, Capitol Radio, The Fuxedos @ Safari Sam's Io Echo, Mighty Six Ninety, Jason Eldredge @ The Troubadour Castledoor, The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra @ Boardner's Chanticleer @ Walt Disney Concert Hall Marvelous Toy, One Trick Pony, Sam and Alex @ Silverlake Lounge The Kris Special, Get Set Go, Stevenson Ranch Davidians @ The Echo Cousin Lovers......

Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Concert, Belly Up Tavern 12/19/06 Great Northern, Happy Hollows @ Viper Room Blind Boys of Alabama Xmas Show @ Disney Hall Guns in Hands, Deadly Sins, Lost Remorse @ Cobalt Cafe Hit Record @ The Troubadour The Lamps, Exit Music, In Waves @ Bordello Metal Skool, Weapon of Choice @ Key Club The Binges, The Ringers, Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip @ Spaceland The White Coffin, Terror @......

"The ghost of Stephen Foster" - Squirrel Nut Zippers Flogging Molly, The Bouncing Souls, Dead to Me, Punk Rock Karaoke @ The Avalon Dead Sara @ Knitting Factory Fuel @ The Grove of Anaheim Squirrel Nut Zippers @ El Rey Theatre Blues Traveler @ Galaxy Concert Theater Eilen Jewell, Rich Wyman, Evan Stone & His Translucent Ham Sandwich Band @ The Mint Pete Yorn, Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs, Donavan Frankenreiter, Phantom Planet, Peter......

"I Used to Dance With My Daddy" - Datarock Spice Girls @ STAPLES Center Ninja Academy @ Safari Sams The Cult, Death By Stereo, Action Action, The Cliks @ The Wiltern Bloodcat Love, The Lieutenants, Hollerado Spoon, Pinback, Datarock, Sea Wolf @ The Avalon Jesse Malin, Holly Ramos, Johnnie Newman, Julia Othmer @ Hotel Cafe Ten Count Junky, Crystal Stafford Project @ The Derby The Diletantes, Electromagnetic, Idyllists, Tom McShane @ Silverlake Lounge Michael......

"Let Them Knock" - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings The Tossers @ Chain Reaction Brooke Fraser, Jordan Lawhead @ The Troubadour A Place to Bury Strangers, Xu Xu Fang, Mere Mortals @ Silverlake Lounge Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings @ El Rey Theatre Oliver Future, Dan Rockett, Starving For Gravity @ The Viper Room Steve Carlson, Chris Stills, Bryan Master, Emily Jane White @ The Hotel Cafe Port O’Brien, The Cave Singers @ The......