Melissa Moore

One of the best parts of the festival is the general air of conviviality - is that Austin or SXSW? Either way, impromptu meet-ups and recommendations (bands, food, clubs, directions) have been flowing freely, which means you can throw out your preconceived notions of where to go and what to see. We're thinking this trip is going to be about uncovering the special. Sort of like last night - our favorites were Trash Talk, OFF!, Bad Brains, and Duran Duran.

Well, folks, it seems we're reliving the 90s this week: Yo La Tengo at the El Rey this past Wednesday, followed by Sebadoh at the Echoplex Friday night. While the former's show went off without a hitch, Sebadoh, on tour for Bakesale and Harmacy re-releases, had a smattering of technical difficulties. As with Yo La Tengo, I was transported to the Bay Area, circa mid 90s, for the original Bakesale tour - which was fraught...

Yo La Tengo is the band that keeps on giving. Since forming in the early 80s, Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley (drums, piano, vocals), and James McNew (bass, vocals) have done pretty much everything a band can do and then some: Record amazing music (I suggest Electr-O-Pura, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, and And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out as introduction), cover amazing music (Fakebook, Yo La Tengo Is Murdering...

One thing is for certain, Los Angeles loves Cake. With four back-to-back sold-out Troubadour shows, the band that gave us any number of rock anthems ("Jolene", "The Distance", and "I Will Survive" come to mind) is back on tour in support of their latest full-length, Showroom of Compassion. Last night the band started their mini LA residency to a packed house of diehard fans, proving that the band is all that we remembered - irreverent,...

I realize I say this with regularity, but it is especially true in this case: IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN/HEARD LES SAVY FAV PLEASE DO SO AT ONCE. I've always been a fan of theirs, but hadn't caught them live until last night when they blew into the Echoplex courtesy of Aquarium Drunkard, and proceeded to do a whole number of shenanigans, half of which I can't really mention. Suffice it say I sincerely hope...

The Check Yo' Ponytail (CYP2) crew must be doing something right if they can pack the Echoplex on a Tuesday in January. We suspect it has to do with curating an amazing line-up, which featured Pictureplane and openers Terminal Twilight and Teengirl Fantasy. DJs kept the atmosphere enthusiastic between sets, building the dance vibe to a roar midway through Pictureplane when audience members, photogs, and backstagers bum rushed the stage to shake what their mama...

First Fridays is back at the Natural History Museum! This past friday, lucky ticket holders were treated to Little Dragon and Sister Crayon as the first bands of the 2011 Nostradamus Edition kickoff....

I've been obsessed with the concept since I clicked on a Facebook link to the first round of photos; if you're not at least curious about the goings on of the recently instituted Foam Weapon League, perhaps a pulse-check is in order. Brought to life by Scream Queen and artist Michele Morrow and friends, FWL is Dungeons & Dragons on steroids with a side of Civil War Reenactment thrown in for good measure. Booze, bands,...

To quote Peaches and Herb, or Mike Patton doing Peaches and Herb as the opener, fake-limping in his Leisure Suit Larry red get-up and angrily wielding the mother of all canes at the photogs: "Re-u-ni-ted and it feeeeeeeels so gooooood." Uh, like...EPIC (ahem). On behalf of 90s rock fans everywhere, LA welcomes (back) Faith No More. (P.S. Word on the street/Palladium is that tonight's show is NOT sold out.)...

Wondering where Moving Units have been since the release of 2007's Hexes for Exes? Rather busy, it appears, between touring and brainstorming new material in preparation for a forthcoming EP. You'll be happy to know the boys haven't missed a beat in the past few years, their new songs reminiscent of the much beloved and highly danceable Dangerous Dreams, albiet a bit edgier. The maturity of the new material didn't dissuade the mostly youngish crowd...