The Shins

Predicting the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Lineup

In a month, alternative rock radio behemoth KROQ will be throwing down their annual Almost Acoustic Christmas concerts. After some sleuthing and perusal of other regional radio holiday shows, the dates for KROQ will be December 8th and 9th at the Gibson Amphitheater. Let's look at the potential line ... More >>

The Shins - Gibson Amphitheater - October 2, 2012

The Shins GibsonAmphitheater October 2, 2012  Many fans of The Shins began to grow wary of the indie outfit's direction as each of the original members left the band over the last few years. Though James Mercer has always been the bandleader, it's never the same without the original l ... More >>

Local Record Review: 'Anything, Alone' by Moostache

Huntington Beach four-piece Moostache have just released their anticipated album entitled, Anything, Alone. Featuring 11 tracks produced locally by Jon O'Brien (including 2 bonus tracks produced by Billy Mohler and Jimmy Messer), the album is nothing short of exuberant. Right out of the gate, th ... More >>

The Best Of Coachella: Saturday, April 14, 2012

See also: *The Best Of Coachella: Day One *"What My Spirit Hood Means To Me": Coachella-Goers Explain *Coachella Preview 2012: Everything You Need to Know About the Performers*Radiohead, Weekend 1: No Alarms, No Surprises Radiohead certainly had the most pre-festival buzz for Saturday, but once we ... More >>

Lollapalooza Lineup Released: Black Sabbath Reuniting!

In an attempt to possibly take some of the spotlight off Coachella this week, Lollapalooza released a "same, same but different" lineup for the eighth installment of the Chicago festival in Grant Park. As at Coachella, the Black Keys and At the Drive-In are performing. But unlike Coachella, the Red ... More >>

Want VIP Coachella Tickets? Bid on Sweet Relief's Exclusive Auction--With Two Days To Go!

​Sweet Relief, the organization that helps local career musicians facing financial hardship due to illness and disability, is hosting a charity festival ticket auction for the sold-out Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2012. Coachella, as everyone knows, will be held over two weekends in April--a ... More >>

Alert: SXSW Coverage Ahead

"What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area." -- Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive You don't have to spend much time at South By Southwest to know that all of the above building ... More >>

[UPDATED With a Comment From the Real Echo Echo] Echo Echo May Have Some Competition From James Mercer's Fictional Band

Portlandia/IFC​Steve Carson, Echo Echo's frontman, said the band was well aware of the show using their  name. In a phone interview he said, "The producers of the show contacted us to asked permission to use our band name last year and permission was granted.  I'm not sure if they are ... More >>

The New Limb

Galaxy

Rocket From the Crypt Reunites--For One Episode of Yo Gabba Gabba!

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT.​If there was one good cause to reunite for--that is, other than the fans, of course--it's Yo Gabba Gabba!. Rocket From the Crypt singer John Reis posted this awesome photo on his official Facebook account Friday, along with this caption: AP-ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT REUNITE! ... More >>

(Formerly) Local Record Review: 'Walt Wolfman' by Richard Swift

​Richard SwiftWalt Wolfman EPSecretly CanadianSure, it's been a while since Richard Swift was seemingly everywhere at once down in OC, but the combination of his move to Oregon to carry out studio work there and his current touring job with the Shins means he's been keeping busy despite the wrist ... More >>

Braids and Pepper Rabbit at the Detroit Bar Last Night

​Braids and Pepper RabbitSeptember 28th, 2011Detroit BarWhoever said that going to a bar and being swept into atmospheric rock isn't normal Wednesday night business obviously did not forward the memo to Detroit Bar, which hosted Braids and Pepper Rabbit last night.Despite being 45 minutes off from ... More >>

It's Pink Floyd Week on Jimmy Fallon

​More than any other reissue of collectors' box sets and unreleased music, Pink Floyd's campaign with EMI, Why Pink Floyd? is being presented with the most hoopla. The campaign launches tomorrow, also with unreleased music from the archives and complete studio recordings remastered. How is EMI cel ... More >>

[UPDATE With Comment From Polyvinyl Owner Matt Lunsford]: Rioters Torch Sony Warehouse and Burn Many UK and Ireland Record Stocks to the Ground

BBC​UPDATE, August 10, 2011, 2:41 p.m.: Sony issued a statement today regarding its plans following Monday's disastrous warehouse fire set by London looters which destroyed significant quantities of independent label merchandise. According to the statement, the company is operating from a new co ... More >>

Rilo Kiley: Definitely, Officially Broken Up

​Rilo Kiley was supposedly on hiatus (ever since they toured 2007's Under the Blacklight), but today Spinner published an interview with guitarist Blake Sennett that said no, they are not coming back. (Neither will it ever be 2005 again, so quit hoping for the Shins.) "I just felt like there was ... More >>

Boris Smile Are Amped Up

[Locals Only] A. Wesley Chung's chamber-pop combo plugs their new, 23-song album.

"My Body," Free From Young The Giant

​What's up with Young the Giant, you ask? The band formerly known as the Jakes are performing at the Detroit Bar three Wednesdays this August. That would be August 4, 11 and 18, with The New Limb, Melanoid, The Steelwells and more. They're also offering up the song, "My Body," for free. Download ... More >>

Cool Covers: The Shins, Owen Pallett And More

Andrew YoussefOwen Pallett at Coachella​[via Pitchfork]There's been a slew of cool cover songs floating around the interwebz lately; I especially like the A.V. Club's web series "Undercover" and Levi's Levi's Pioneer Sessions. Yesterday I watched Owen Pallett perform a watered-down version of Guid ... More >>

Last Night: Broken Bells at the Music Box

Andrew Youssef​Click here to see our slideshow.The Hype: A lot of excitement was generated upon the announcement of the collaboration between James Mercer of The Shins and producer extraordinaire Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton in the form of Broken Bells. It was the second night of their tour ... More >>

Shout Out Louds

The Glass House

Sublime With Rome With Tour Dates

[Mental Notes] Also: Re-liking the Like, running with Letterman, and much love for Avi Buffalo

Happy Avi Buffalo Day! Part 2: Avi Buffalo's Record Release Show at Fingerprints Records

Andrew Youssef​The Hype: Avi Buffalo was Long Beach's best kept secret for a short time until record labels came knocking. Signed to indie stalwart Sub Pop records, Avi Buffalo celebrated the release of their debut self-titled album with a packed performance at their neighborhood record store, Fin ... More >>

Happy Avi Buffalo Day! Part 1: An Album Review

​The Hype: Today's unveiling of Long Beach indie pop darlings Avi Buffalo's full-length, Sub Pop debut couldn't have come at a better time. The sun is out, the birds are chirping and young, twitterpated hipsters are already jonesing for a soundtrack to their summer. 

OC/LBC Bands Representing at SXSW

Local acts aim to create buzz in Austin

[Sound Guy] The Union Line and Avi Buffalo: Signed, Sealed, Hopefully Delivered

Yo Gabba Gabba! Soundtrack Coming in October

​Nick Jr.'s Yo Gabba Gabba! isn't a typical kiddie fare and anyone that's into music should know that by now, and it's not just those oddly appealing monsters and robots like the Gary Baseman-esque Muno. The show--co-created by Huntington Beach resident/Aquabats lead singer Christian Jacobs, by th ... More >>

Incoming: Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit Solo Show at Detroit Bar

When Delta Spirit played Detroit Bar back in March, the Costa Mesa venue was as packed as it's ever been. Like, "I have the sweat of 200 strangers intermingling on my skin" packed. So it stands to reason that post- the San Diego band's national tour with the Shins and their spot at Bonnaroo (with a ... More >>

Tomorrow: Free In-store performance by Zee Avi at Finger Prints

If there were ever a study to test the boundless possibilities of music via You Tube, I'm thinking Malaysia might be a good place to start. For there is probably no other way to explain how the beautiful, chirpy talents of singer song writer Zee Avi landed on the roster of Jack Johnson's Brush Fire ... More >>

[Locals Only] Out On a Limb

Daily Coachella Update: Still No Lineup, but There is a Fake One

It's getting to the point where the idea of the Coachella lineup is actually more appealing than whatever the eventual Coachella lineup will be, even if the actual lineup is really impressive. It's like Spock said, "having is not such a pleasing thing as wanting."So yeah, still no official Coachella ... More >>

Tim and Eric Coming to the Glass House Jan. 16!

I don't know how I missed this, other than the obvious answer of being a failure as a human.Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the dudes behind Adult Swim shows "Tom Goes to the Mayor" and current global phenomenon "Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job," are coming to the Glass House in Pomona on Jan. ... More >>

Seamen! Right Ahead!

Tall Ship Mock Battles

Sprawl of Sound

Pacific Motion: The Fathomless Beauty of Blank Blue

Tooting Our Own Horn

One California Day

Changing Expectations

Voxtrot

Shins-ing the Night Away: A Sounds Eclectic Evening

[photo by Marc Goldstein] Making a classic SoCal newcomer mistake, I only gave myself 45 minutes to drive from Costa Mesa to Universal City's Gibson Amphitheatre, where influential public radio station KCRW was holding its sixth annual Sounds Eclectic concert; this year proceeds go to help conver ... More >>

Hits!

Fingerprints

Crash Course

Asteroid #4 speed toward your stereo

Hits!

THE NOIZE MUSIC

This Week in Thirty-two

The Happening

It Was Free Cuz I Stole It

WEB EXCLUSIVE!: The Year In Unfair Shares

Dumb-Ass Jamboree

Jackass Number Two: Unrated

Singles Going Steady

The best end-to-end albums from a single-driven year

Talking frankly about Paul Frank

Going on hour eight of my hangover. Nice job, Griley! Way to double fist Jack-and-Cokes until you're plastered and slobbering! (But man, the Fielding demos sure sounded awesome cranked up to eleven on the way home. Don't worry ma, I wasn't driving.) Anyway: woke up with a giant hangover this mornin ... More >>

Kids in the Hall

Los Alamitos almost-band Lightmusic prepare to ditch the almost

Totally Harmless Band

The Little Ones

If You Close the Door

After-hours at All Tomorrows Parties

Eight Days

College Admissions

Take the Kanye West aptitude test

New Music