Tonight Grammy Award-winning El Paso-bred progressive rockers the Mars Volta (LAist Review) will be headlining the Hollywood Palladium. Omaha-based electronic act the Faint are poised to take on Club Nokia with none other than local dance-infused rockers Moving Units (LAist Review). And, lastly, Silver Lake's own all-female quintet Kissing Cousins will be ringing in their debut disc Pillar of Salt, which was produced by Californian-bred multi-instrumentalist Richard Swift, at everyone's favorite local record shop Origami Vinyl. But we strongly suggest heading over to the El Rey Theatre to catch LAist favorites, NY-based alternative rock outfit As Tall As Lions (LAist Review). Seal Beach-based quartet RX Bandits (LAist Review) and Los Gatos-bred prog rockers Dredg are slated to perform as well. more ›

Tonight LA will be seized by festivals. Now in its third year, the LA Weekly's Detour Festival will be taking over the area around City Hall in Downtown. We're excited for Aussie electro-pop sensation Cut Copy, epic LA-based prog-rockers the Mars Volta, English folk rockers Noah and the Whale and DFA Records's latest and greatest, Hercules and Love Affair. The lineup is enticing, but certainly not for everyone. We had a rather traumatic experience last year involving Justice and drunken buffoons. It did not go over well. The 10th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival, which takes place on Colorado Blvd. between Eagle Rock Blvd. and Argus St., boasts some 74 acts on 16 stages—the most comprehensive bill of local bands we've ever seen. We're excited for Abe Vigoda, Mika Miko (LAist Review), the Antarcticans, Gangi (LAist Review), and the Ship Collective's mainstay Earlimart. Need we mention that it's still free? And although it will be our festival pick of the night, we'd like to suggest a show for those who aren't interested in crowds. Head on over to Spaceland to catch Brooklyn-based folk songstress Rio en Medio. Tonight will serve as the record release party for her second full-length, Frontier. It will be the start of what promises to be a very successful career. more ›

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. more ›

The Mars Volta, not that I'm some kind of outraged fan, had terrible terrible sound on Letterman last night. I've noticed this over the last few years, yeah I'm slow, that the sound production on the live band performances (not "the CBS Orchestra") is always sub par on Letterman. All the other late night shows have better live sound, Late Night needs to figure this out. more ›

If you go as far west as you can in West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd., right before you wind up in Beverly Hills you will see the Troubadour - one of the most famous rock clubs in the world - established in 1957. more ›

A Word or 14: Check out all the crazy bands performing tonight on late night shows(??) Bolded below. Tonight - Friday - April 27th, 2007 Angels @ White Sox (KCOP, 5:00 p.m.) Ghost Whisperer/Close to Home/NUMB3RS (CBS, 8-11:00 p.m.) Melinda meets another ghost whispererer!/Anabeth discovers police corruption!/Death-row inmate wants to reveal location of bodies Bill Moyers' Journal (PBS, 8:00 p.m.) The Daily Show's Jon Stewart! Henry Rollins Show (IFC, 8:00 p.m.) John Waters visits;... more ›

The Mars Volta @ Orpheum Theater Son Volt (above) @ El Rey Theatre John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae @ Bren Events Center Killola @ Key Club (free, all ages) Ozomatli @ Amoeba (6pm, free) Don Carlos @ House of Blues Gregory Page, Tom Brosseau, John Doe @ Largo The Lashes, Ambulette, hosted by DJ Andrew WK @ Safari Sam's The Steve Carlson Band, Jake Coco, Leland Grant, Jackie Bristow @ The Hotel Cafe Piebald,... more ›

Hoodoo Gurus @ El Rey Theatre The Mars Volta @ Ventura Theatre The Ataris, Blackpool Lights, Wax on Radio @ House of Blues The Locust, Daughters, Cattle Decapitation @ Knitting Factory Datarock, The Lady Tigra, Scanners @ Spaceland Traeh, Swan Island, Fuckin A, Shiloe @ The Smell Black Time, The Husbands, The Guilty Hearts, Static Static @ The Scene The Ebbs, Ready the Jet, Jessica Dobson, Dirty Men @ Silverlake Lounge The Love Dolls,... more ›

People always ask us, "how do you always get great tickets to all those shows?" And we say, "we get them the day they come out." And they say, "how do you know?" And we say, "you mean you don't know?" Tickets go on sale Saturday morning (10am) for: The Mars Volta @ Orpheum Theatre, 4/3 The Format @ Mayan Theater, 6/14 Iggy and The Stooges @ Wiltern 4/23 John Legend @ Gibson, 4/6... more ›

Rock is back in a real way, including old school rock from some classic rock legends as well as Nicole Richie's dad! May we recommend the Black Keys, Catfish Haven, Everclear, Hella, Roger Manning Jr. (from Beck's band and Jellyfish), The Mars Volta, Los Lobos, (Santa Barbara's) Sugarcult, TV on the Radio, and yes even JT Basement Jaxx - Crazy Itch Radio (XL Recordings) Bettie Serveert - Bare Stripped Naked (with DVD; Minty Fresh)... more ›

8-Bit @ Mr. T's Bowl Jamie Lidell @ Getty Center (free) The Dickies @ Safari Sam's Steve Poltz @ The Mint Death by Stereo @ Key Club Mary J. Blige @ Verizon John Williams @ Hollywood Bowl Elemenopy, Billy Boy on Poison @ The Whisky Marshall Tucker Band, Atlantic Rhythm Section @ Cerritos Center The Mars Volta, Red Hot Chili Peppers @ The Forum photo by the sweaty ms. hermit... more ›

Look at that line-up, people. Accept that you live in the greatest city in the world for live music. We might not have a thousand venues, but how do you resist these options? LAist is going to see the Format, but only because we've already seen the Chilis a million times, and the Subs earlier this summer, and the Foos, and Talib, but never Steve Wynn, especially in a tiny place like that. Hmmmm...... more ›

The Bellrays Have a Little Faith (Cheap Lullaby) – Local rock band with a powerful female soul singer. Catch them live at Sea Level Records on 5/2 at 7:00 PM and Safari Sam’s on 5/12. Listen to some tracks on their Myspace page. more ›