Joshua Pressman

Tonight LA is taking it easy. We've got the second night of Conor Oberst's sold-out two-date stint at the Henry Fonda Music Box. And Upstate NY-based folk rockers the Felice Brothers will be performing at the Troubadour with Deer Tick. But we suggest that you check out Swedish chanteuse Robyn at Spaceland. Having just finished opening for Madonna in Europe, the twenty-nine-year-old pop singer is, virtually, a full-fledged superstar. Yet, unfortunately, she has struggled to break through here in the States. So catch her infectious pop tunes, which will be toned down to acoustic renditions, before she gives up on us (and our poor taste in pop) altogether!

Tonight Radio Free Silver Lake will be presenting a CD release party at Boardner's for not one, but two great local bands. Tigers Can Bite You and Light FM will be celebrating and the French Semester will be opening. Whispertown 2000 (LAist Review) will be playing at Amoeba early on. And, lastly, Mike Watt We wouldn't usually recommend going to see Conor Oberst at the Henry Fonda Music Box, but LA-based folk rockers the Like will be opening. And we must admit that this band of ladies is a rather prepossessing sight.

Tonight LA is busy with the usual Monday night residencies. We've got Rademacher at the Echo, Kenan Bell at Spaceland and Manhattan Murder Mystery at Mr T's Bowl. And San Diego-based indie rockers Pinback will be headlining the Echoplex. But seeing them live does tend to expose how big of a slob front man Rob Crow actually is—both musically and, well, otherwise. Could we pass up recommending to go see Andrew Bird perform at Largo at the Coronet? Absolutely not. The classically-trained violinist will demonstrate his mastery of the language with his awe-inspiring one-man show for one last night.

There's a ton of great stuff going on in LA tonight, but it's going to cost you an arm and a leg to get in. First and foremost, there's the Carl Wilson Foundation 10 Year Anniversary Tribute Concert & Fundraiser featuring surf rock legend Dick Dale and Beach Boys front man Brian Wilson. The ginormous Gibson Ampitheatre will be bouncing to R&B mainstays Mary J. Blige and our personal guilty pleasure, Robin Thicke. You've got a lot of money and foresight if you're planning on going to one of the aforementioned shows. And, quite honestly, we've only got so much of both. So we shelled out thirty bucks a month in advance for the opening night of Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird's two-date stint at Largo at the Coronet. If you don't have tickets, then do whatever it takes to get in. It'll be the most intimate, mind-blowing experience of your life.

Tonight the "Godmother of Punk," Patti Smith, will be gracing LA with a performance at the vaudeville-esque Orpheum. Canadian singer-songwriters Tegan and Sara will be finishing off the third night of their sold-out four-date extravaganza at the Henry Fonda Music Box. And, lastly, Mr T's Bowl will play host to the excessively sweet pop antics of Ventura's own Franklin for Short, Auckland-based the Ruby Suns, LA-based singer-songwriter Angela Correa and yet another Ventura-based band, the Spires. Call us crazy, but we recommend you go catch the Muslims at the hole-and-corner Pehrspace. Something about the no-frills vibe at the tiny office space-turned-venue really gets us amped about tonight's show. Oh and need we mention that it's BYOB?

Tonight LA is deprived of particularly noteworthy shows. Jon Brion will be playing here and Princeton will be playing there. We've got the second night of Canadian singer-songwriters Tegan and Sara's sold-out four-date stint at the Henry Fonda Music Box. And for the second night this week the newly-renovated Palladium will be hosting hip-hop. If we had tickets, then we'd probably stay for the Roots and pass on the Heroes. But for the first time in a very long while, we suggest heading over to the Viper Room to catch Brisbane-based the Boat People. They'll be blasting their exemplary brit-pop tunes tomorrow night as well, but why not be among the first in LA to see them?

Tonight the one and only, eight time Grammy Award-winning singer Tina Turner will stop by the Staples Center. It will be your last opportunity to catch the "Queen of Rock & Roll" before she heads off to peruse the rest of the world. Canadian singer-songwriters and identical twins Tegan and Sara will be kicking off a four-night sold-out stint at the Henry Fonda Music Box. And in what appears to be the umpteenth appearance this year, Austin's own electro-pop stars Ghostland Observatory will be playing at the Mayan. We doubt they've got anything new up their sleeves since the last time we saw them. And, lastly, Birmingham-based alternative rock band Wild Sweet Orange are slated to perform at the Hotel Café, along with Oakland-based Audrye Sessions. But we recommend paying Spaceland a visit to catch Toronto's own Born Ruffians. The jittery indie rockers will be testing out new songs from their latest endeavor, 2008's Red Yellow Blue.

There's something for everyone tonight in LA. The big event of the night is, of course, the illustrious Brooklyn-bred rapper Hova performing at the newly-renovated Palladium. But we know that there are a lot of unfortunate souls who missed out on buying tickets to this sold out spectacular. So, Nashville rockers Kings of Leon will be stopping by the Nokia Theatre with Brooklyn-based indie rock band We Are Scientists and Montreal's the Stills. Jacksonville-based Black Kids will be laying down syncopated dance beats at the Mayan with NY indie heartthrobs the Virgins and LA locals Voxhaul Broadcast. And, lastly, if you're looking for grindcore and strange masks, then head on over to see San Diego's the Locust at the Smell. But we suggest camping out at the Echo with local indie greats the Henry Clay People and Army Navy, who will celebrating the release of their 2008 self-titled debut.

Tonight LA is brimming with shows. We've got Weezer and that sorry excuse for a Blink 182 side project, Angel & Airwaves, performing at the Forum. Indie-pop duo the Ting Tings (LAist Review) and Brooklyn-based queen Santogold will be prancing around the cavernous confines of the Wiltern. NY-based avant-garde artist Antony and the Johnsons will be employing his otherworldly vibrato at the Walt Disney Hall in Downtown. Kentucky-based folk collective These United States are slated to headline the Silverlake Lounge. And, lastly, Seattle-based indie rock band the Dead Science will grace the Smell with local singer-songwriter Devon Williams in tow. But legendary English post-rockers the Wire will be making their triumphant return tonight at the Echoplex. San Diego's own garage rock heroes the Muslims will be opening the show, testing out songs from their forthcoming 2008 eponymous debut.

It's Monday and that means the lion's share of shows are free residencies. Fresno-based Rademacher will continue to rock over at the Echo. And LA-based new wave outfit Manhattan Murder Mystery will continue to croon at Mr T's Bowl. But we wholeheartedly suggest checking out Kenan Bell's Monday Night Residency at Spaceland. Our favorite two-man instrumental band El Ten Eleven, who are best known for the seldom-used guitar/bass doubleneck, will be opening up the show with wailing notes and disco beats.