HEADS UP AND BANGING
Metallica @ The Wiltern Wed 5/14

This Just In: Metallica will play the Wiltern this Wednesday, the latest installment in what is fast becoming a trend of aging musicians expecting exorbitant fees in intimate Los Angeles venues:

(Los Angeles, CA May 10, 2008) :: Silverlake Conservatory of Music will be celebrated with an extraordinary evening of musical entertainment taking place Wednesday, May 14 at The Wiltern (3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010). Metallica will appear with Scars On Broadway, the opening band fronted by Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan from the band System of a Down.

»continue reading Metallica Playing Wiltern Wednesday (5/14) - Tickets On Sale Sunday (Tomorrow - 5/11) at $200/throw

While even San Jose has 2 dates listed, Coldplay have curiously left any Los Angeles area appearances off their initial “Viva La Vida” tour announcement. Of course they will play Los Angeles, as there is lots of cash to be made from performing in this market. That gap in the sched between Phoenix on 7/12 and Vegas on 7/19 bodes well for at least 2, maybe even 3 shows. Maybe even a secret club show thrown in some place.

Given an apparent preference for playing nearly exclusively at corporately-branded outsized barns on this tour (i.e., “Jobbing.com Arena”–nice one, Phoenix) it would seem that Staples Center and Honda Center are the local obvious choices. Usually it’s annoying when O.C. venue gets an exclusive “LA area” stop for a big tour, but somehow it would be appropriate for these guys, as it was for The Boss.

COLDPLAY - “VIVA LA VIDA” NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

Date/City/Venue/Public Tickets On Sale Date

6/29 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center 5/16
7/2 Washington, DC Verizon Center 5/17
7/3 Hartford, CT XL Center 5/17
7/5 Detroit, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills 5/17
7/6 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena 5/17
7/8 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center 5/17
7/9 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center 5/17
7/10 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center 5/16
7/12 Phoenix, AZ Jobbing.com Arena 5/17
7/13 - 7/18 - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
7/19 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena 5/17
7/21 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
7/24 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
7/25 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
7/27 Pemberton, BC Pemberton Festival
7/29 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
7/30 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
8/1 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
8/3 Omaha, NE Qwest Center
8/4 Chicago, IL United Center
10/20 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
10/21 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
10/26 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
10/29 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
10/30 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
11/3 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
11/7 Orlando, FL Amway Arena
11/8 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
11/11 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
11/18 Houston, TX Toyota Center
11/19 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
11/21 Denver, CO Pepsi Center Arena
11/22 Salt Lake City, UT Energy Solutions Arena

The full-on downpour during Stevie Wonder’s headlining slot…the morning thunderstorm that kept us waiting for hours inside a dark house in the ninth ward…the musicians you’ve never heard of that unfailingly blow your mind…the food, the ridiculous overconsumption of that food you just can’t quite replicate anywhere else…truly, the weekend was full of all of the reasons that have kept me returning to New Orleans for its annual Jazz & Heritage Festival the last thirteen years in a row. I haven’t stopped since my first taste; they must be doing something right. Rough timeline goes a little like this:

»continue reading New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2008 Three-Day Photo Mix: The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Aaron Neville’s Gospel Soul, The Roots, John Mooney & Bluesiana, Bobby McFerrin & Chick Corea, The John Hammond Quartet, A Tribute to Max Roach feat. Jason Marsalis, Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, Snooks Eaglin, The Neville Brothers & More…

HEADS UP AND SHOPPING
Hot Hot Heat @ The Grove just outside Crate and Barrel Thu 5/8

In a not altogether unpuzzling turn of events, Hot Hot Heat will play a free show at everybody’s favorite Vegas-sized mall The Grove™, tomorrow evening, for the Canadian Board of Tourism. We’re told the show kicks off at 745 pm (Serena Ryder opens) with British Columbia’s own Hot Hot Heat purportedly taking stage sometime after (HHH’s official website has the show starting at 630pm, further adding to our overall confusion about the affair). Go Canada! You have been duly advised.

Hot Hot Heat @ The Greek by Sung

SHEER GROVE
» The Grove™ Luxuriously Cushy Shade-Enabling Devices
» Grove To Self: Today’s iPhone Clusterfuck Goal In Full-On OutFuckingPerform Status
» Time Capsule: The Grove Parking Structure: One Year Ago Today
» The Grove Parking Structure, 12/20/05
» After Hours Grove Xmas-Ness Surges Into ‘Holy Fucking Shit’ Territory
» Stallone To Punch, Sign Books At Grove Barnes and Gravy

DIOYY: Best 30 minute set I have ever seen. Also, possibly the only 30 minute set I have ever seen. DIOYY stuck with the harder songs from You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into, including Weird Science, Battle Royale, With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You), and hits Let’s Make Out and We Are Rockstars. I did not see them at Coachella so I don’t know how this set compared, but it was loud, fun, and I would definitely see them again. Just as Wolfmother was the closest I will ever come to seeing Led Zeppelin, I think DIOYY is the closest I will come to seeing DFA 1979.
»continue reading Does it Offend You, Yeah? + Yo Majesty @ El Rey Thursday May 2 2008

My Bloody Valentine @ Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Wed 10/1
My Bloody Valentine @ Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Thu 10/2

The last time they played the U.S. was 16 years ago, right here in L.A. (The Palace, July 5, 1992) so it’s only fitting they end the tour here.

Tickets on sale Saturday, 5/10 at 10 am.

Stevie Wonder with daughter Aisha

Somewhat inexplicably I’m still alive following back-to-back Coachella & New Orleans weekends. We’ll have some fun coverage of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival rolling out this week; stick around.

PICK OF THE WEEK

Kids in the Hall
Friday 5/9
Orpheum Theater
Info
 
 

THIS WEEK’S TICKET GIVEAWAYS

Elbow w/ Air Traffic Fri 5/9 Avalon Info [ENTER TO WIN]	Tapes ‘n Tapes Thurs 5/8 Fri 5/9 Troubadour [ENTER TO WIN]
Poi Dog Pondering Mon 5/12 Troubadour Info [ENTER TO WIN]	Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Tues 5/13 Echo | Info [ENTER TO WIN]

Brett Dennen, Mason Jennings & Missy Higgins
Tues 5/13
Wed 5/14
Barnum Hall at Santa Monica High
Info
[ENTER TO WIN] *Specify night preference, if any

HEADS UP

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players @ El Cid Fri 5/16
I Make This Sound @ Silverlake Lounge Tue 5/13
Russell Brand @ The Roxy Sun 5/25
Willoughby @ Viper Room Mon 5/26
Fiery Furnaces w/ Grand Ole Party @ Spaceland Fri 5/30
Fiery Furnaces w/ Grand Ole Party @ Spaceland Sat 5/31
Uh Huh Her @ The Roxy Sat 5/31
Augustana @ Troubadour Tue 6/10
Augustana @ Troubadour Mon 6/9
Jonathan Richman @ The Mint Wed 6/4
Jonathan Richman @ The Mint Thu 6/5
Jonathan Richman @ The Mint Fri 6/6
Jonathan Richman @ The Mint Sat 6/7
Princeton @ Tangier Wed 6/11
Thievery Corporation w/ Los Amigos Invisbles @ Hollywood Bowl Sun 6/22
The 88 @ The Roxy (Sunset Strip Music Festival) Sat 6/28
Hot Hot Heat @ The Roxy (Sunset Strip Music Festival) Fri 6/27
Chromeo @ Henry Fonda (On sale 5/10 10am) Wed 7/30
John Mellencamp w/ Lucinda Williams @ Greek Theatre Thu 7/31
Boy George @ El Rey (Performing Culture Club hits) Wed 7/16
Boy George @ El Rey (Performing Culture Club hits) Tue 7/15
Rilo Kiley @ Greek Theatre Wed 6/18
Deathcab for Cutie w/ Rogue Wave @ Nokia Theater Mon 6/23
Wolf Parade @ Henry Fonda Sat 7/19
Wolf Parade @ Henry Fonda Fri 7/18
Princeton @ Silverlake Lounge (Mondays in July residency) Mon 7/7
Princeton @ Silverlake Lounge (Mondays in July residency) Mon 7/14
Princeton @ Silverlake Lounge (Mondays in July residency) Mon 7/21
Princeton @ Silverlake Lounge (Mondays in July residency) Mon 7/28
Bloc Party w/ Does It Offend You, Yeah? @ Mayan Theatre Tue 7/29
Bloc Party w/ Does It Offend You, Yeah? @ Glass House Mon 7/28
Dr. Dog w/ Delta Spirit @ El Rey Fri 8/8
Beck, Spoon, MGMT @ Hollywood Bowl Sat 9/20

MONDAY
Le Switch w/ Frankel, Amnion & Seasons @ The Echo (Aquarium Drunkard presents Mondays in May residency–free)
Tim & Eric’s Awesome Tour @ Echoplex

TUESDAY
Atmosphere @ Henry Fonda
Laura Viers w/ Liam Finn @ The Echo
Rush @ Nokia Theater
Tim & Eric’s Awesome Tour @ Echoplex

WEDNESDAY
Atmosphere @ Henry Fonda

THURSDAY
Fern Knight w/ Ex Reverie @ Silverlake Lounge
Tapes N Tapes @ Troubadour

FRIDAY
Elbow @ Avalon
Tapes N Tapes @ Troubadour
The Kids In The Hall @ Orpheum Theatre
The Parson Red Heads @ Spaceland

SATURDAY
Air Traffic @ Spaceland
Dengue Fever @ Santa Monica Festival (Clover Park–11-6pm–DF @ 5 pm–free)
Slick Rick @ The Roxy
The Duke Spirit @ Troubadour

KROQ Weenie Roast @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sat 5/17

We’ll have the pre-sale password up here shortly, I’m sure.

She & Him: Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward
MySpace

Coachella 2008 Festival Photo Gallery 3-Day Mix, Part 2: Autolux, Bonde Do Role, The Breeders, Duffy, Fatboy Slim, Jens Lekman, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Sia, Tegan & Sara and… Prince?