Duke Logan

Fri 5/5 - Islands @ The El Rey ($12) - Montreal's Islands are an eccentric indie pop band that formed out of the ashes of the Unicorns. Don't hold that against them, they're much better than the Unicorns. The band can still be too cutesy at times (the song "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" doesn't seem to have anything to do with Whitney, Bobby or Curtis Mayfield) but the arrangements are more fleshed out...

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...

We hope everybody had a great time at Coachella. Really. Secret Machines is the pick of the week....... Mon 5/1 - Mark Olson & Gary Louris @ Troubadour ($25) - This should appeal to the y'Alternative / No Depression fans. The two main guys from the Jayhawks back together. Also at the Troubadour on Tuesday. Also on Mon - Sunset Rubdown @ the Echo. Tues 5/2 - The Brokedown / Tony Gilkyson @ Silverlake...

Here are a few live music options for the old and jaded, desert-averse people. Fri 4/28 - Wilderness / Year Future / Parts & Labor @ the Echo ($8) - Willing to fight the Gnarls Barkley crowd at the Roxy? Didn't think so. Baltimore's Wilderness are beloved in the indie community. They're post-punk inspired, but not in an insipid way (think Fugazi and PiL not She Wants Revenge and the Bravery). Year Future are...

We have many fond memories from Coachellas past, but right now we're totally jealous of that Lollapalooza lineup. Sunday tickets are sold out. You'll either have to buy a two-day pass or take your chances in the secondary market. Sunday 4/30 Tool (loads of pent up demand, but we haven't thought about them in twelve years), Massive Attack (influential trip hop), Madonna (ugh), Yeah Yeah Yeahs (double ugh), Bloc Party (guilty pleasure, fun live...

Elf Power Back to the Web (Rykodisc) - They're an Athens, GA band and part of the Elephant 6 collective of indie rockers. They've got a record label and a commune. Apparently this album is less poppy and more acoustic folk. Appearing live at Spaceland on 5/13. Sample tracks on MYSPACE. Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris All the Roadrunning (Nonesuch/Warner Bros.) - This is more a Mark Knopfler album than an Emmylou album. It's...

Is anybody driving three hours to the desert for this? Two day passes ($167 + $23 in fees) and Saturday tickets ($86 + $15 in fees) are still available. Most of the rock bands have played LA clubs in the past few months. Otherwise you better really like DJs and house music...... Saturday 4/29 Depeche Mode (about 16 years past their prime), Daft Punk (five years past their prime), Franz Ferdinand (the last album...

Fri 4/21 - Dinosaur Jr @ Troubadour (SOLD OUT) - Here's a show for the aging indie rocker. That first reunion show a year ago at Spaceland was a little disappointing (packed and a billion degrees inside). While Green Mind and Where You Been are still the best Dinosaur records, the first three with Lou Barlow have some great moments too. The show on Saturday night is sold out too. Sat 4/22 - Matthew...

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...

After 18 months of planning and Sisyphean struggles with the city, Safari Sam's finally opened on Thursday. Located at 5214 W. Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood (with free parking in the 99 Cent Only Store parking lot) it's half way between the east side venues and the Cahuenga corridor. It's a cool spot with a Knitting Factory type layout with a wide-open downstairs and an upper mezzanine (still under construction). There's a large bar in...