Tonight experimental electronic project Tobacco, a splinter of Black Moth Super Rainbow, will be headlining the Echoplex. Local alt-rockers Olin & the Moon (LAist Interview) are poised to take on the Echo with local indie folk collective Family of the Year. And, lastly, LAist favorites the Monolators (LAist Review, #2) will be gracing LaBrie's. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Silver Lake Lounge to catch local electro pop singer-songwriter Evan Voytas. LAist favorites, local experimental indie pop quartet Hands and Tape Deck Mountain are slated to kick things off. more ›

South Pasadena's City Council has approved an ordinance that aims to protect school-age kids of the future, according to the Pasadena Star-News, by ensuring retailers don't sell cigarettes near schools. more ›

It's a long ways away, but a second ballot initiative qualified for the February 7th, 2012 Presidential Primary ballot. That's when California, after this November's election, will have another statewide election, unless a special one is called for like in 2009. more ›

There are still over 1 million smokers in Los Angeles County, but some cities are more to blame than others. The County of Los Angeles Public Health recently released a study (PDF) breaking down smoking rates based on geographical locations -- for example, West Hollywood has a lot of smokers; Malibu does not -- in hopes of encouraging individual cities to implement tobacco control policies. more ›

California could soon be the first state to ban smoking in its state parks system, as the Assembly votes today on a bill that aims to to reduce litter, secondhand smoke, and wildfire threats, according to the Huffington Post. more ›

Here's one motion that has been going through the halls of L.A.'s City Hall quietly, without much notice. Former LAPD Chief and South L.A. Councilman Bernard Parks wants the city attorney draft up an ordinance banning the sale of tobacco within 1,000 feet of schools. And it wouldn't just be for new businesses, it would restrict current ones, too: "If an ordinance grandfathers existing tobacco retailers, the hours of operations/sales should include, but not limited, to prohibit sales during school hours, hours when students are walking to school, and hours when students are walking home from school," reads the motion, which goes before the Council today. more ›

A $1.50 tax increase to packs of cigarettes sold in California was approved today by the state's Senate Health Committee. Yesterday, a legislative budget committee approved the increase, among various other deficit related moves, all supported by Democrats, which Schwarzenegger promises to veto. It's estimate that it would provide $1.2 billion in new revenues. "A statewide poll by David Binder Research in the wake of the May 19th Special Election demonstrates that a strong majority of voters, 74%, support increasing taxes on tobacco," said a release from the bills sponsor, Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). "Sixty-two percent of those who voted no on the Prop 1A budget measure support." 1998 was the last time packs of cigarettes were increased--back upping it by fifty-cents to the current $0.87 tax. 31 other states have a higher tobacco tax. more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

Annual music marathons like SXSW in Austin and CMJ in New York have long served as industry-only gatherings. But now, like never before, they have become regarded as a necessity for those enthusiasts on the cusp of music. They've evolved into a breeding ground for next year's latest and greatest—a musical pageantry of epic proportions. more ›