Alex & Sam will play the first show of their residency at Tangier tonight | Photo via their MySpace You might recognize the girl above. Locally, that's Sam from the band Alex & Sam who is playing at Tangier all this month every Sunday night, but for those who are more pop-culture oriented (rather, American Idol obsessed), that's Samantha Sidley who got a pass from all three judges for a "Welcome to Hollywood" (she's......

KRS ONE, one of the greatest rappers out there, will play The Roxy tonight | Photo from his MySpace Two highly recommended Hip-Hop shows take place tonight. Experience the powerful Gospel of Hip-Hop with KRS ONE at The Roxy or explore some electronic Hip-Hop with Sole and the Skyrider Band. And we mean no disrespect to Peanut Butter Wolf who is playing at El Rey with Chromeo, but we know for sure that show......

LA-based Manimal Vinyl Records recently released Through the Wilderness, a tribute to Madonna benefiting her charity. We discussed the concept of Los Angeles' burgeoning lo-fi/whatcha-call-it music scene taking on Madonna classics with Manimal's founder, Paul Beahan. LAist: Tell us about your label, Manimal. Paul Beahan: I started it in Los Angeles a little over a year ago. Our first release was the split Chapin Sisters / Winter Flowers vinyl-only 12” picture disc. Then we put......

Rodrigo Y Gabriela @ Henry Fonda Yo La Tengo @ Ivar Pretty in Stereo @ Whisky Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus @ Honda Center Low Vs Diamond, Something For Rockets @ Viper Room Enon, Love of Diagrams, Model/Actress @ The Echo Minus the Bear, The Helio Sequence, Grand Archives @ Avalon Xu Xu Fang, Lion Fever, Winter Flowers, Magic Mirror @ Spaceland Jon Brion @ Largo Bootie LA @ Safari Sam's Melee @ Troubadour......

The Village People, Thelma Houston, A Taste of Honey, Peaches & Herb @ The Greek The Black Crowes, Hubert Sumlin, Kenny Wayne Shepherd @ Henry Fonda The Fratellis @ The Avalon Keith Urban @ Staples Strawberry Alarm Clock @ Malibu Inn Unwritten Law, Zebrahead, Mickey Avalon @ Queen Mary The Queers, The Methadones, The Manges @ Alex's Bar Chupacobra, Third Grade Teacher @ Mr. T's Bowl The Joshua Redman Trio @ Catalina Bar &......

Porsches on the Autobahn @ Silverlake Lounge Bone Thugs-N-Harmony @ Henry Fonda Fear, The Dickies, False Alliance, Local Hate @ Key Club Backbiter, Heartless Bastards @ The Knitting Factory Colin Hay, Howard Jones @ Cerritos Center Los Abandoned, Foreign Born, Go Betty Go @ Troubadour The Colour, The Clean Prophets, Tsk Tsk @ Spaceland Thee Midniters @ Amoeba (free) White, New Thrill Parade, Squab @ Mr. T's Bowl Kill Devils, Deadbeat Sinatra, The Black......

LA's Lavender Diamond has headlined shows in London and supported the Decemberists on their U.S. tour last fall. But tonight is their first-ever headlining gig in Los Angeles, with The Finches and Winter Flowers at Safari Sam's. We last caught up with Becky Stark, Lavender Diamond's 25-year-old frontwoman with the delicate voice in June 2005. Last weekend, we were lucky to chase her down near chicken corner for an update. So, what's up with you......

The live music scene is so slow today that it's a perfect night to sing some classic tunes. Lucky you, over at the Echo several bands are going to crank out their favorite Smiths & Morrissey songs: Lavender Diamond, the Moon Upstairs, the Sharp Ease, the Tyde, Winter Flowers @ The Echo Corinne Bailey Rae @ Roxy James Torme @ The Hotel Cafe Gary Allan, Jack Ingram @ House of Blues Chupa Cobra, Fangs......

Rocket, Catfish Haven @ Spaceland (free) Mere Mortals, Neuromance @ Viper Room Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians @ Henry Fonda Antigone Rising @ El Rey DJ AM @ Vault 350 The Dope MCs @ Dragonfly Metal Skool, Amp’s Choice, Modus Dei @ Key Club The Hold Steady, Sean Na Na @ The Troubadour Other People, Fireball Johnson @ The Gig You Me & Iowa, Controlling the Famous, Mon Frere @ Knitting Factory Bird......

Sufjan Stevens @ Wiltern Rocket @ Spaceland Sarah Silverman @ Largo Burning Tree @ King King Brooks & Dunn @ Gibson Metal Skool @ Key Club Jim "Kimo" West @ Ghengis Cohen Dirty Little Secret, The Oohlahs, The Thieves @ Viper Room Lavender Diamond, Winter Flowers, Matt Fishbeck @ The Echo Hatebreed, Black Dahlia Murder, Napalm Death, Exodus @ House of Blues Antarcticans, Meeting Places, Light FM, Soon @ Silverlake Lounge......

TUESDAY • Join a lonely hearts club for A Violet Valentine tonight at The Echo, featuring Dntel, The Long Lost, Becky Stark and Winter Flowers, with DJ sets by Jimmy Tamborello, frosty, Sobbing Sara and Tommy DeNys, a picture show by Chad Misner and treats from Hip Hop Chocolates. Things kick off at 9 PM; admission is $5. [18+] • Tangier features Benji Hughes, Gus Seyferrt, Tom Brosseau, Vincent and Mrs Green and Kirstin......

Arthur Magazine and the Spaceland folks — the people who brought us ArthurFest at summer's end — are presenting a winter fete. Tickets have just gone on sale for Arthur Ball, which will feature documentary films, speakers and of course dozens of live performances by the multiculti progressive psychedelic likes of Society of Rockets, Indian Jewelry, Afrobeatdown and Winter Flowers. There won't be any police there, that we know of. The title just made......