Tonight the famed Watkins Family Hour (LAist Review) will be taking place at Largo at the Coronet. Local psych rockers Xu Xu Fang are poised to grace Swinghouse Studios. And, lastly, ARIA Award-winning Australian five-piece blues/roots band the Audreys will be performing at the Hotel Café with Miami Beach-based singer-songwriter Rachel Goodrich and psych pop outfit Nightfur. But we strongly suggest heading out to the Santa Monica Pier to catch legendary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo. more ›

The songwriting process for Fiction Family's first record didn't follow standard procedure, and that's probably one of the reasons why it's such a fun and fascinating album. When Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek and Jon Foreman of Switchfoot decided to write music together, they knew they'd have to do much of their songwriting while one (or both) of them was on tour. So they established something of an electronic pen pal system for writing the music and getting each other's feedback. Along with that, they established some ground rules: 1) no tuning of vocal tracks, 2) no amp simulators, 3) no shlepping of gear back and forth, 4) no pussyfooting around each others musical feelings and 5) no crap. Thus they began a collaboration that would have been technologically impossible 20 years ago, while making sure they maintained an organic sound. The result is Fiction Family's self-titled debut, which was released on Jan. 20. Last Friday, LAist spoke with Watkins to learn more about the new record, surfing, Guitar Hero and Fiction Family's gig at Largo at the Coronet this Saturday night. more ›

If you haven't caught a show at Largo at the Coronet yet, now might be a good time. Their recently posted, insanely good schedule for the next three months includes performers such as Randy Newman, Loudon Wainwright III, Joan as Police Woman, Maya Rudolph & Fred Armisen, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Janeane Garofalo, Jon Brion, The Ditty Bops, Colin Hay, The Watkins Family Hour feat. Fiona Apple & Dan Wilson, Greg Proops and Flight of the Conchords. more ›

First Nova Express Cafe? Now Largo? The good news, however, is that Largo's alleged closing is about opening a new space on La Cienaga according to bulletin board threads on www.fairfax-avenue.com and the Ditty Bops' website. more ›

ART: Downtown’s Art Walk happens the second Thursday of each month. The Art walk is a monthly, self-guided tour of the art exhibition venues in Downtown Los Angeles, which includes commercial art galleries, public museums, and nonprofit arts venues. Museum of Contemporary Art on Grand Ave (MOCA), Los Angeles Public Library Grey Goose, LA Artcore Center are just some of the places on the Walk. more ›

"A Little Prayer" by Evelyn Glennie, played with Fred Firth The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo Mike Stinson @ The Echo Sixteen Stars, Major O, Eggman & the Starkillers @ The Derby The Brown Out @ Fais Do-Do Wreckless Eric @ Safari Sam's Puddle Of Mudd, Solarcade @ Roxy Marc Cohn @ El Rey Theatre Francisco Aguabella Seven Piece Latin Jazz Ensemble @ Charlie O's Moutin Reunion Quartet @ The Jazz Bakery Evelyn Glennie... more ›

They're probably the best band in the world right now. And they're playing at the world famous Hollywood Bowl. If you don't have tickets, break your piggy banks, go to the show and overpay for the Arcade Fire. Think of how much you hand over to cable each month or your cell phone carrier. These Canadians with their punk sensibilities and violins and megaphones deserve your attention. If not, there are some mighty fine... more ›

Thursday night's Watkins Family Hour performance at Largo was a humdinger. At one point, they must have broken some kind of a Largo record, because they fit NINE people on that tiny platform. Throughout the three-hour set, eight additional performers joined Sean and Sara Watkins on the stage. The lineup included Fiona Apple, Benmont Tench, Glen Phillips, Greg Leisz, Mike Elizondo, Willie Watson, Jay Bellerose and Dave Rawlings. They performed more than 20 songs... more ›

The Ruse, Malbec, Yogi, The Ivy Walls @ The Viper Room more ›

Common - "The People" "The People" was one of our most-played summer jamz. It was on Kanye's "Can't Tell Me Nothin" sampler because Kanye produced it and listen to how sweet it is. It's the sort of non-thug, uplifting, positive hip-hop that people once talked about, but now people are buying. This is the direction BEP could have gone if they hadn't chosen the path of the lowest common denominator aka the Gwen Stefani... more ›

Beastie Boys @ Wiltern (Gala Event) Earlimart, The String Dream Team @ Echo Park Rec Center Studios Echoplex Foreign Born, In Waves @ The Echo Peter Himmelman, Rebecca Pidgeon, Eric Himan @ The Mint The Mormons, Fuckass & the Grease Patrol @ Mr. T's Bowl The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo The Like @ Cinespace The Go, Apache, Thee Makeout Party, Sweet Evil @ The Knitting Factory Kissing Cousins, The Garden Angels, The Pete's,... more ›

Azur, Ruido De Fondo, 5%, Jubal, Tres Colores @ Safari Sam's more ›

The Hold Steady @ The El Rey H.R. @ Viper Room Rocket @ Red Dragon Studios (free drinks ?!?!) Electrelane, Tender Forever @ The Troubadour Love/Hate @ Whisky A Gogo The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo The Black Pine, Xu Xu Fang, Pity Party, Mountain Party @ The Echo The Judy Experience, Gutty & Moist, Ill Ease @ Mr. T's Bowl Pedestrian, Charles Russell, AM Pacific, Supe @ The Roxy Cecilia Noel & the... more ›

The Dimebag Darrell Art Tribute & Auction, featuring The Little Kids Rock Band, Aaron Lewis, Brent & Jasin, Nick Bowcott, Black Tooth Jam @ The House of Blues more ›

Big F*ckin Deal, The Cheat, Buffalo Roam @ Safari Sam's more ›

Jill Cunniff, The Artist Formerly Known as Rob Giles & the Revolution, Emily Wells @ Hotel Cafe The Fuxedos (above), Vagabond Opera, The Abe Lincoln Story @ The Echo Evil Beaver, The Bourbon Saints, The Binges, Warren Drive @ Knitting Factory Monsters Are Waiting, The Brobecks, 8mm @ Safari Sam's Yellowcard, Narwahl @ The Troubadour The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo Unwritten Law, Fathom, Transit War @ Vault 350 Mon Cousin Belge, White, Bianca... more ›

Jetliner @ Roxy Bright Eyes @ El Rey Theatre Kenny Loggins @ The Troubadour Evanescence @ Key Club The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo Birthday Suits, The Switch, Expatriate @ Silverlake Lounge Saturday Looks Good to Me, Ladyhawk, Bright Light Fever, Chris Bathgate @ Spaceland The Southland, Manual Transitions, Eric Sanchez @ Viper Room Amy Raasch, Jackie Tohn, Lindsay Price, Samuel Markus, Kelly McGrath @ The Hotel Cafe... more ›

Rob Crow, The Jade Shader, To Live and Die in LA @ The Troubadour more ›

Sepultura, Sworn Enemy, Diecast @ Whisky X-Clan Toy Drive @ Temple Bar Ozomatli @ House of Blues Tigra @ Silverlake Lounge Los Abandoned @ Pershing Square (free, 8pm) Smegma, Nels Cline, Polar Goldie Cats, Dinosaurs With Horns @ The Echo The Woolly Bandits, Sons and Lovers @ Knitting Factory The Bolides, Forcefield On @ Alex's Bar The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo The Cave Singers, Moonrats @ Spaceland Naked & Shameless, Evil Maria @... more ›

The Key Club gets top billing tonight because The Bronx headlines a benefit for Wheels for Humanity, which supplies wheelchairs. Also on the bill : Chuck Ragan (ex-Hot Water Music) with members of Flogging Molly, and some rock star karaoke. Everyone will probably be there for either the ice skating or Great Northern, but The Submarines came out with a haunting CD that we played all summer long. Go downtown and ice skate from... more ›

The Pretty Vicious, Teenage Talking Cars @ Safari Sam's more ›

Gillespie All-Stars and other Big Bands @ Hollywood Bowl more ›

Many folks cringe when they hear the word "bluegrass." But not LAist. We love listening to a certain Southern California-based trio that's burned through the banjo-playing, Deliverance-esque stereotype. Nickel Creek -- lead singer/mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins (her brother) -- have created a progressive folk-pop sound that builds upon their bluegrass roots. Their crossover appeal has even led to a slot on the VH-1 playlist. more ›