Tuesday, January 27

Show Alert: M83 w/ the Los Angeles Philharmonic @ Walt Disney Concert Hall - 3/7/09

UPDATE: Presale password is "digital shades".

The special events at the Walt Disney Concert Hall just keeping getting better. After hosting performances from the likes of Neko Case and Grizzly Bear, it has just been announced that the majestic and synthetic sounds of French dreamrockers M83 will be joined by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a very special evening at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This is the first time M83 has ever played with an orchestra, and you can bet it will be much better than the time Metallica tried it. The show happens on March 7, with tickets on sale Friday here.

Saturday, January 24

Show Alert: Franz Ferdinand @ Amoeba Records - 1/30/09

Franz Ferdinand will be celebrating the 1/27 release of their third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand with an in-store performance at Amoeba Records in Hollywood. These guys are true showmen, so if you can't make it to the performance itself, do catch the live stream on the Amoeba Records website.

Monday, January 19

Show Alert: The Walkmen/Beach House, Animal Collective, The Raveonettes, Tapes 'n Tapes

The Walkmen/Beach House - January 20, 2009 - The Henry Fonda Theater

Animal Collective - January 23, 2009 February 26, 2009 - The Henry Fonda Theater
Animal Collective - January 24, 2009 February 27, 2009 - The Troubadour

The Raveonettes - January 24, 2009 - The Henry Fonda Theater

Tapes 'n Tapes - January 24, 2009 - The El Rey Theater

Thursday, January 15

Obituary: Indie 103.1 FM KDLD, et al.

Photo By Robert Gauthier.

When I first moved to Southern California, my only source of music in the home was my FM radio. On my first night I ran the dial and immediately came across a track from Bloc Party's Silent Alarm, who were just getting established in the United States. "Banquet" was followed by some Ramones and Arcade Fire's "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", and I was hooked on the station.

Over the next four years, 103.1 was my 24 hour go-to music source. Tons of new stuff, great old stuff ("God! Show Me Magic"), new old stuff, and great shows and programs. Although some found it to be the "Diet Coke" of independent radio, Indie was hands down a consistent source of choice quality music. That's all I really ask for in a radio station.

Now KDLD's terrestrial broadcast is no more, and the station is transitioning to some sort of web-based format. It sounds like the shows are gone, and there's no word if Big Sonic Heaven, Passport Approved, Head Trip or any of the other awesome programs will show up on other stations. KCRW? Perhaps. Raise KXLU's HATT by 80 meters? I don't know. I just pray that the online Indie will have a moblie app like Soma FM so I can at least pretend it's a real radio station.

Yuck.

Tuesday, January 6

Show Alert: The Little Ones @ Natural History Museum - 1/9/09

Catch The Little Ones this Friday at the Natural History Museum's first First Friday lecture/concert/discussion series. The theme of this year's series is evolution, and this week's tour is an ornithological introduction to animals Darwin would have studied. The concert portion is from 7:00 to 10:00, with The Little Ones and DJs too. Tix only $9 here or maybe at the door.