We didn't know how lucky we had it when the White Stripes came to Hollywood last month and took over the location formerly known as Tower Sunset and turned it into Icky Thump Records. OK, yes we did. But we had no idea how much more White Stripes love we were going to get compared to the other parts of North America in regards to these "secret shows". For example on their tour across......

Matisyahu @ The Greek The Subways @ Troubadour The Bronx @ Roxy Herbie Hancock @ Hollywood Bowl KRS-One @ House of Blues Boz Scaggs @ Wiltern Editors @ Tower Sunset ($1.03) 8pm Rhino Bucket @ Viper Room Under the Influence of Giants @ Key Club (seriously hard to lose tonight, we recommend all of these shows) photo of Matisyahu by Marc via Buzznet......

Tsar, Killola, Boatel @ Safari Sam's Bloc Party, Broken Social Scene, Mew @ Greek Dengue Fever @ Tangier Al Green @ Hollywood Bowl Drums & Tuba @ Viper Room Starfuckers @ The Cat Club Yellowcard, Matchbook Romance @ Wiltern Free Love (Michael Des Barres) @ The Mint Meet Hugh Hefner at Tower Sunset as he signs the recently released 3 DVD set of "Playboy After Dark" at 6:30p......

Oh thank Heaven! Today is 7/11. Happy 7/11. All good little boys and girls can go to 7/11s today and get a free lil Slurpee-brand ice and sugar drink for nada. The LA Daily News tells us that each store will only have 500 specially marked cups to hand out free Slurpees in, so run out of work NOW and get yours. But beware the Brain Freeze! see above Minnesota rockers Soul Asylum return......

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. Pearl Jam Pearl Jam (J Records) – Critics are saying that this is Pearl Jam’s best record since Vitalogy. They even eponymously titled it. It seems like Clive Davis has once......

Gram Rabbit Cultivation (Stinky) – They’ve got a unique sound (kind of like Calexico mixed with trip-hop) and they’re from Joshua Tree. This is their second release and they’re performing live at Tower Sunset on 4/20 at 6:00 PM and the Echo on 4/21. Listen to some tracks on MYSPACE. Languis Other Desert Cities EP (Pehr) – Highly recommended new release from an under-appreciated local band. If you haven’t seen or heard them since......