The Hotel Cafe gets more and more juice every

week, it seems. Nights like Saturday, which spawn dozens of anecdotes along with

delectable music, are a big reason.

The occasion was an installment of Attic Jam, billed as a "musical and

conversational round-robin" with Pete Townshend and Rachel Fuller. Our Buzz Bands

scout was fairly wowed and passed along a couple stories from the proceedings:

The lineup included Tenacious D, Joe Purdy,

Fuller, Alexi Murdoch, Ben Harper and

Townshend, with the Who icon performing a song with each artist (except D). Toward the

end of Murdoch’s particularly strong set, the singer-songwriter paused to tune his

guitar, saying, "I’m sorry, this guitar’s from 1946."

On cue,

somebody from the audience blurted out, "It’s still younger than Pete."

Laughter.

Said Murdoch, "I think someone’s about to get their [butt] kicked."

Then there was the Arkansas-bred, L.A.-based Purdy, who invited his father

onstage to play mandolin on a song. As the older Purdy struggled with his mike stand, a

figure emerged from the front row to make the necessary adjustments.

"Hey Dad," Joe deadpanned, "Pete Townshend is fixing your microphone

…"

||| Attic Jam will present a showcase at the South by

Southwest Music Festival on March 15.

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for

Tuesday, March 6: Visa problems prevented the Young Knives from getting into the

U.S. in time to play their date at Safari Sam’s tonight (they will be at Spaceland on

for Club NME on Wednesday), but the Check Yo’ Ponytail folks still have the dancy Lo-Fi-Fnk playing. … Sam Phillips headlines a benefit for the

Rose Scharlin School at Spaceland. … The Albert Hammond Jr./Mooney Suzuki show at the El Rey Theatre is sold

out. … And Nico Vega and Lemon Sun head up the lineup at the

Troubadour.

[Humble apologies for the dearth of posts last week. I was walloped and waylaid

Now, here’s to wellness:]

Limbeck’s music wears like a flannel shirt on

a brisk morning. The Orange County foursome, which shunned their pop-punk leanings after

their first album, has matured largely in a tour van, with the highways and landscapes

of the U.S. coloring their experiences. Limbeck recently expanded its travels to include

Australia, where singer Robb MacLean and band mates Patrick Carrie, Justin Enstmiger and

Casey Prestwood were greeted warmly on a 16-city tour. "Everyone was so

hospitable," MacLean says. "They laugh a lot at your jokes — which really

lowers the bar on how funny your jokes have to be." On April 10, the quartet

unveils its fourth album, this one titled, simply, "Limbeck." It’s another

growth spurt for the band’s wide-eyed but grown-up Americana. The band won’t be back in

its home state until April 18 and 19 (Chain Reaction and the Troubadour, respectively)

to play behind the release, but here’s a new song to tide fans over:

Download: "Big

Drag"

Photo of Limbeck by Bryan Sheffield

◊ ◊ ◊

Emma Burgess, who was the subject my

Buzz Bands print column this week, will be back at the Hotel Cafe on March 27 (it’s

the release show for Norwegian songstress Kate Havnevik’s album

"Melankton"). Burgess’ album "Swim" is thus far only available

digitally, at eMusic on her MySpace website using the SnoCap software. Here’s a taste:

Download: "Big

Break"

◊ ◊ ◊

I was also sorry to have missed the Jason

Lee-endorsed Midlake last week at the Troubadour,

not that their album "The Trials of Van Occupanther" was as life-changing as

Mr. Lee apparently found it. This song has been around the web a while, but here’s a

taste in case you missed it:

Download: "Roscoe."

◊ ◊ ◊

Seems like ages until the May release of "Trading Twilight for

Daylight" by the gorgeously melancholic local outfit Great Northern. They play tonight at the

Viper Room with the Pity Party at

Indie 103.1’s "Check One … Two" night. In the interest of tiding you over:

Download: "Home."

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for Monday, March 5: The red-hot Airborne Toxic Event opens its

residency at the Echo, with the Happy

Hollows among those supporting. …  Australians the Panda Band play Spaceland in the

first of their three L.A. dates in seven days; the occasion is the first night of Berko’s residency. … Buffalo Roam and Castle Door have a dual residency at

the Silverlake Lounge. … The Vacation rock Safari Sam’s. …  And To Live and Die in L.A. and Kissing Tigers play a free show at the

Troubadour.