Michele Reverte

UK-based singer/songwriter Katie Melua has sold more than 10 million records, performed for the Queen and headlined at Wembley Arena. Even though she can sell out larger venues, Melua still enjoys playing more intimate spaces. Tonight, a lucky few will have the opportunity to hear her play a set at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. Melua's current tour coincides with the US release of her studio third album, "Pictures," which mixes jazz, folk and pop influences. LAist recently spoke with Melua to learn about her childhood in the country of Georgia, the new album and her favorite roller coaster in Southern California.

Earlier this month, Vienna Teng released her fourth studio album, "Inland Territory." At first glance, it's a surprising title given that Teng has spent most of her life on the East and West Coasts. However, further inspection reveals this record to be her most introspective. Throughout the 12 tracks, she pushes her own boundaries to paint new chamber pop landscapes that highlight her strong vocals and signature instrumentation. LAist caught up with Teng earlier this month to chat about her new disc, her background in computer programming and the Vienna Teng Trio's gig tonight at the Roxy.

It's always fun to spot the first-timers at one of Jon Brion's Friday night shows. They're usually the ones with their jaws hanging open as they try to figure out how he's looping instruments into a 10-layered live performance, or how he's using the piano as percussion. Perhaps the greatest moments of awe occur as they realize he's improvising something that's never been heard before, and will probably never be heard again. It's no wonder some people have seen his show hundreds of times and keep coming back for more! LAist's two-part interview with Brion followed the same pattern as his live show--which often starts with a solo set, then incorporates other musicians during the second half. In part one of the interview, Brion discussed his early experiences with music and improvisation. In this second part, he talks about some of his favorite musicians--from the 60s to the modern day. In addition, LAist asked him about his sock collection, how he discovers new music and why he loves Los Angeles.

Two years ago, Elizabeth Ziman of the Brooklyn-based band Elizabeth & the Catapult revealed in the song "Waiting for the Kill" that she's "just a good good girl with a troubled mind." During her call with LAist last Friday, those words still rang true. As she sat outside her practice studio, she declared it to be one of the most beautiful days of the year. A few seconds later, she noticed she was surrounded by pink goo as a result of illegal dumping—courtesy of a chemical plant across the road. In the end, her good humor prevailed and she commented, "Well, maybe this means I'll become one of the X-Men!" For the time being, Ziman and her bandmates Danny Molad (drums) and Peter Lalish (guitar) have left the pink goo behind to tour in support of their forthcoming album, Taller Children. In typical Elizabeth & the Catapult style, the band has thrown off the restrictions of genre and created a full-length debut that both cleanses the palate and serves up a satisfying meal. Over the course of her conversation with LAist, Ziman opened up about the band's name, flirting via the songwriting process, and tonight's gig at the Hotel Cafe.

Describing the breadth of Jon Brion's career can be a trying task. He's a man who wears many hats--among them multi-instrumentalist, producer (Aimee Mann, Kanye West, Dido), film scorer (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Punch-Drunk Love) and singer/songwriter (Meaningless). But to Brion, it's all one body of work, and he's most happy when he's making music. Brion is also one of the reasons why LA residents can call themselves geographically fortunate, thanks to his weekly gigs at Largo. Each Friday night show is its own animal--a chemistry of sound that includes everything from one-man-band live looping to special guests. It's a rare opportunity to hear new takes on old classics, as well as to witness the creation of new music on the spot. Earlier this month, LAist sat down with Brion a couple hours before he took the stage at Largo. As the venue began to come to life for the night, he opened up about his early experiences with music, his first night at Largo and his love of improvisation.

When Neil Schield was in high school, one of his teachers asked him, "What do you want to accomplish by your 10-year reunion?" He answered without hesitation, "I want to open a record store." Today is the realization of that dream with the grand opening of Origami Vinyl. And although it didn't happen in time for his high school reunion, Schield feels the timing is right. Getting to this day has been a bit of a journey. After college, Schield worked for Sony and Interscope, then started the Origami Music label, which puts artists in the driver's seat allows them to retain all their rights. And today he is adding Origami Vinyl to the mix--an eclectic store stocked full of new vinyl records. The second level of the shop will serve as a space for live music, and Origami will also be a place to buy tickets for Spaceland, the Echoplex and the Echo. LAist sat down with Schield at Masa to discuss his love of vinyl records, the visit Pete Townshend recently paid to the store, and why Echo Park is such a thriving community.

Up to this point, Juliette Commagere has been best known as the keytar-playing frontwoman of the band Hello Stranger, which has opened for everyone from the Foo Fighters to Kings of Leon. And although "Queens Die Proudly" is her first solo outing, she's still surrounded by friends and family in this effort--including guest performances by legendary slide guitarist Ry Cooder, his son (and Commagere's high school sweetheart) Joachim Cooder, and her siblings, Robert Francis and Carla Commagere. LAist sat down with Commagere for dinner at Oaxacan restaurant Monte Alban to learn about the new record, how she's bringing the keytar back and the process of creating an orchestra via Craiglist.

Comedian Margaret Cho has never been afraid to push the envelope, challenge stereotypes and use humor to make some stunningly valid points. This year, Cho is embracing a new role--that of a singer/songwriter. She's now working on her first full-length music album, with the help of some well-known friends. Of course, Cho infuses the songs with her unmistakable wit, so it's safe to say her lyrics are just as memorable as her melodies. You don't have to wait until her album release to hear the new music. She's incorporated some of the new tunes into Fingerbang!--her exclusive comedy/variety show hosted at Largo at the Coronet. This month's show on Tuesday, March 24, will include guests such as Susie Suh and Grant-Lee Phillips. LAist recently caught up with Cho and chatted about her Largo show, songwriting and burlesque.

This year's annual William S. Paley Television Festival (also known as PaleyFest) will feature some LAist favorites. The up close and personal television event is sponsored by the Paley Center for Media, and begins April 10 at the ArcLight Cinerama Dome. Tickets go on sale to the public Sunday at 9 a.m. and they're likely to sell out within 24 hours, if not sooner. Most PaleyFest events treat fans to clips from each program (sometimes never-before-seen material) and include a panel discussion with questions from a moderator and the audience. In addition, each panel page on the PaleyFest website now includes an option for fans to submit questions prior to the event. This year's lineup is a strong one and it features: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 90210, True Blood, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Dollhouse, The Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, Desperate Housewives, Unaired Pushing Daisies Episodes, Battlestar Galactica, The Hills, Big Love, Fringe and Swingtown.

Gifting events have long been a part of Oscar's history, and this year--more than ever--gift suites are going green and giving back. LAist attended the GBK "Circus of the Senses" event at the SLS Hotel on Friday, Feb. 20, to become familiar with the charities and artists involved with the event. Oscar nominees, presenters and other notable figures were given special wristbands that enabled them to receive goodies throughout the suite. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the event benefited four charities (more info below). In addition, each charity was given a gift bag to auction off, and each celebrity in attendance was given the opportunity to give all or part of their gift bag to the charity of their choice.