Holy crap, it’s a packed night of music for a Tuesday! Summer is saying goodbye in the nicest way possible. Check out this awesome round up for the bands playing in LA tonight - with times, directions, ticket info and more!

• Vampire Weekend, White Williams, Abe Vigoda | 7:00pm at The Glass House - Map | All Ages | Tickets $22.50 Buy now
• Musiq Soulchild | 7:00pm at  House of Blues Anaheim - Map | All Ages | Tickets $42.50 Buy now
• THENEWNO2, The Hatch, Army Navy, Jupiter Rising | 7:30pm at Key Club - Map| 16+ | FREE
• Billy Idol | 8:00pm at House of Blues Sunset Strip - Map | 18+ | Tickets $52.50 Buy now
• The Poor Excuses, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Tenions Fort | 8:00pm at Boardner’s of Hollywood - Map | Ages not specified

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This weekend and next, the Invertigo Dance Theatre will be presenting Flip Flops and Platforms, with original work by Artistic Director Laura Karlin and guest choreographer Jones Welsh, to an LA audience. Invertigo Dance Theatre does a great job at not only interesting choreography for the well trained eye, but also puts an enjoyable and innovatice show for the ballet novice. It’s refreshing to see a company perform for the mere excuse that they love to dance. The movements, music, and choreography is original and a must see for all you Angelinos.

In today’s political climate, soundbites and certainty are valued above willingness to debate or cross into the uncertain grey spaces.  The dancers use dynamic movement to explore how we stand firm on platforms or waver in our beliefs.  Invertigo sets out not to condemn or applaud our political stances, but to reveal the subtleties of how we communicate them.  The piece explores how we frame an issue and each other, how we choose to view someone and what things look like from different perspectives.  All this happens utilizing interactive set pieces, dialogue and of course an array of flip flops and platform shoes.

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You know what day it is. The glorious Monday of FREE shows!

• The Fratellis | 7:00pm at House of Blues Anaheim - Map | All Ages | Tickets $14.50 Buy now
• Shwayze | 7:00pm Ventura Theatre - Map | Ages not specified | Tickets $20 Buy now
• Sheena Metal Presents: Big Dave & His Dirty Liars, Zach Weisenger, Adam’s Attic, Megasapien, Leopold & His Ficition, Lo-Fi Man, Last Year’s Model | 7:30pm at Knitting Factory - Map| All Ages | Tickets $10 Buy now
• Common, N*E*R*D | 8:00pm at Grove of Anaheim - Map | Ages not specified | Tickets $45 Buy now
• IAMX, Miss Derringer | 8:00pm at  El Rey Theatre - Map | All Ages | Tickets $19 Buy now

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***Update: And the winners are… Jason Lelea and Juan! Congrats, you’ve both won two tickets to their show at the Fonda and a free copy of their CD!

Many of you may remember them from the film “Little Miss Sunshine” or possibly “Til the End of Time.” DeVotchKa, is definitely a band to watch out for. Their music is an amalgamation of so many different ideas, presented in a clear and beautiful way. Their stage is quite literally packed with instruments from a sousaphone, accordion, piano, violin, a bouzouki, an upright bass, percussion, a trumpet, drums and a Theremin. I’m sure that if you could come up with another instrument, they’d be happy to learn how to play it and use it at their next show.

I have to admit, I didn’t know who DeVotchKa was when I first heard the name, but the second I started listening, I was intrigued. It’s refreshing to find music that makes you stop and listen, that is inspiring, uplifting, and most of all interesting.

So, in order to honor these AMAZING musicians. We’ll be giving away two pairs of tickets to the show at the El Rey on the 16th and two copies of their CD “A Mad & Faithful Telling.”  All you have to do to be entered in a random drawing to win is…

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***Update: Add the winners are…Greg Kaczynski and Stephanie! Congrats you two! You’ve both won two tickets to their show tomorrow night! Enjoy!

These three Welsh boys have made a huge impact in music since the 90’s. In eight tumultuous years between 1997 and 2005, the Welsh three piece released five albums, scored twenty Top 20 hits, racked up multi-million sales, and toured relentlessly on an exhausting schedule. Recently, after Kelly Jones, the lead singer had to take a break for an illness in the family, he created a solo album that bleed out his feelings of hope and despair. Now the group is back together and on the road again with their new CD, Pull The Pin.

“In these times, when you can download a track before its even released, if one song’s weaker than the other then its fucking done, you have to kind of make ‘em all stand their own ground,” enthuses Kelly. “I think we’ve achieved the best parts of the band over the last ten years on one record. The energy captured reminds me of when we started. It is the sound of a band happy to be back together.”

So it’s time to celebrate and in order to help do so we have two pairs of tickets to give-away to the show at The Fonda Theater (Map) on the 16th.  All you have to do to be entered in a random drawing to win is…

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This month at Arclight Cinemas, the American Film Institute presents its usual assortment of films (less so than other months), though the month of September brings several Director’s Screenings as well.

Arclight Hollywood

• Fame - September 17th at 8PM.  Q&A with Debbie Allen.
• The Defiant Ones - September 24th at 8PM.  Q&A with Karen Kramer (widow of Stanley Kramer)

Directors Series (Arclight Hollywood)

• Choke - September 22nd at 8PM.  Q&A with director Clark Gregg and actors Brad William Henke and Bijou Phillips.
• Miracle at St. Anna - September 25th at 7:30PM.  Q&A with actors Derek Luke, Laz Alonso, and Omar Benson Miller.  (NOTE: Although under the AFI’s Directors Series list, Spike Lee is not scheduled to attend.)

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Finally, LA ends a weekend with some great hip-hop.  It’s refreshing to have something other than indie rock to choose from (not that I don’t love it).  Check out Common with N*E*R*D at The Wiltern.  Or stroll down to the House of Blues in Anaheim and throw your hands in the air for Nelly.  Also, keeping with the hip-hop themed Sunday without veering too far off the indie road, Aesop Rock will be blasting Santa Monica Blvd. with their sick beats during their performance at the Troubadour. Whatever your preference, enjoy the music tonight:

• Miley Cyrus with the Jonas Brothers | 5:00pm at Gibson Amphitheatre - Map | All Ages. Tickets $100 Buy Tickets
• Lindsey Buckingham | 7:00pm at Royce Hall - Map|All Ages.  Tickets $56 Buy Tickets
• Nelly | 7:00pm at House of Blues Anaheim- Map| 18+ Tickets $42.50 Buy Tickets

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Wow, what a week: Angels clinched, Dodgers are hot, hockey season is around the corner, Fringe was better then expected and it was proven that no matter what contradictory things Sarah Palin has done or said in her past, the focus always must be on unrelated pig and lipstick comments.

Here are a few concert on sales to close out your work week and bring you into your drunken weekend.

- As mentioned in this week’s Music News article, the Decemberists have announced a headlining tour, a headlining tour which in fact hits the Wiltern on November 24th. Tickets for this show go on sale today at 10 am and cost around $28. A night of fun sing alongs and highly visual songs will ensue.

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If you thought last night’s selection was great, just look at all the substance in tonight’s! Here is round up of all your glorious bands playing in LA - with times, directions, ticket info and more!

• Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, DJ Big Whiz, Mighty Underdogs | 7:00pm at The Glass House - Map | All Ages | Tickets $18 Buy now
• Unwritten Law | 7:00pm at House of Blues Anaheim - Map | All Ages | Tickets $25 Buy now
• Maroon 5, Counting Crows, Augustana | 7:00pm at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine Meadows) - Map | All Ages | Tickets $29.50 Buy now
• Breaker Breaker One Niner, Dead City Dregs, Max and The Marginalized, Gentlemen Prefer Blood | 8:00pm at Knitting Factory - Map | All Ages | Tickets $8 Buy now
• Brooke Fraser | 8:00pm at El Rey Theatre - Map | All Ages | Tickets $18 Buy now

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At a loss as to what to do this weekend? Well, everyone’s gotta eat. And if you have to eat, why not do it in the sun, accompanied by all of your friends and family? This weekend, Santa Monica will be hosting two separate food events the LA BBQ Festival and Taste of Santa Monica.

Start at the BBQ Festival, which runs both Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6pm on the Santa Monica beach. Grillers, smokers and hard-core que-ers will be showcasing their wares on the beach to live country tunes, and only you can decide which is better: Kansas City, Texas or Mississippi. General admission is $10, and 1/3-1/2 lb portions of meat can be purchased from each pitmaster for $10.   Santa Monica Beach at Ocean & Colorado

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“TOLERANCE” is a Green and Fair-Trade 160 page book printed on recycled bleach free paper with vegetable based ink, featuring 159 full-color images including numerous essays written by the artist. The book is being released in conjunction with Chris Mars’ exhibition at Billy Shire Fine Arts, Sept. 13 – Oct. 4, opening reception and book signing will be on Saturday, September 13th from 7 pm – 10 pm. The exhibition will consist of 30 new oil paintings and will be Mars’ first out-of-town public appearance since 1996. Mars will also be signing “TOLERANCE” at the Laguna Art Museum on Sept. 14 from 3 pm – 6 pm.

Rock star, recluse, brother, activist. Artist. Chris Mars’ work graces the hallowed halls of museums throughout America and is tattooed on calves and biceps throughout the world. “Tolerance” is the long-awaited collection of his work.

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Fever Blister never does anything in half measures. From former Club Kid and Go-Go girl in Cleveland to reinventing herself in Los Angeles this year on the local Burlesque scene, this tongue-and-cheek Neo-burlesque super queen, pet advocate, producer of her first burlesque show and charity event, “Cha Ching for Cha Cha,” and The Bang! Bang! Burlesque Show production; “Put another Shrimp on the Barbie,” Fever Blister is a performer who once seen is never forgotten. She’s an undeniably mesmerizing stage presence with knock-out assets, red lipstick, and an ability to change from innocent to mischievous with one comedic slight turn of smile. Not bad for a woman who made her first burlesque performance in February of this year at Monday Night Tease, LA’s longest running burlesque show.

The Ohio State Tae Kwon Do champion and collector of Spice Girls memorabilia left Cleveland in 2007 after a failed relationship, met and fell in love with rockabilly musician Tony James, and moved to LA in October. Tony took her to a local burlesque show and Fever Blister was born. Many performers build their reputation with one or two signature acts, Fever Blister believes in keeping it fresh and trying something new each time she gets on stage, whether it’s fighting a larger-than-life bunny rabbit or performing Uma Thurman’s drug overdose scene in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction.

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