This week's onsales
The Orpheum: Jackson Browne, Oct. 5 (Sun.)
Spaceland: Beach House, Sept. 30; the Broken West, Oct. 4; Heroine Sheiks, Oct. 17; Rose Hill Drive, Oct. 23; the Acorn with the Shaky Hands, Oct. 24; West Indian Girl, Nov. 6 and 13; Jeans Team, Nov. 8; Torche, Nov. 15 (now).
The Troubadour: Mirah & Spectratone International, Sept. 12; Aesop Rock, Sept. 13-15; the Wedding Present, Sept. 19; Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Sept. 22; Amy MacDonald, Sept. 23; Megapuss, Sept. 25; Liz Phair performs “Exile In Guyville,” Oct. 15-16 (now).
This week's onsales
Walt Disney Concert Hall: Antony and the Johnsons, Oct. 14 (now).
Music Box @ Fonda: Hotel Café Tour with Rachael Yamagata, Meiko, Thao Nguyen and more, Nov. 18 (Tue.).
The Wiltern: She & Him, Nov. 1 (Thurs.).
Wilshire Theatre: Musiq Soulchild, Sept. 17 (now).
House of Blues: Panic at the Disco, Sept. 6; Billy Bob Thornton, Sept. 7; Cubensis, Oct. 7; The Academy Is..., Oct. 15; Umphrey’s McGee, Oct. 28; All Time Low, Nov. 1; Hanson, Nov. 14; Gwar, Nov. 24; Bell Biv DeVoe, Nov. 28 (now); Gram Rabbit, Oct. 2; White Lion, Oct. 10; Suicide Silence, Oct. 2; Method Man & Red Man, Nov. 11, the Misfits, Nov. 18 (Sat.).
This week's on-sales
Walt Disney Concert Hall: Antony and the Johnsons, Oct. 14 (Sun.)
Glass House: Gorgeous Frankenstein, Aug. 23; Job for Cowboy, Nov. 13 (now); Norma Jean, Oct. 16; Gwar, Nov. 21; (Fri.)
Music Box @ Fonda: Cold War Kids, Sept. 24; MSTRKRFT, Sept. 26; (Fri.)
El Rey Theatre: Mike Ness, Dec. 5 (now); MSTRKRFT, Sept. 28 (Fri.); Nikka Costa, Oct. 3 (Sat.)
Nokia Theatre: Lo Mejor de la Musica Mexicana with Groupo Intocable and more, Oct. 8 (Sat.)
Will Call: This week's on-sales
Gibson Ampitheatre: Danzig / Dimmu Borgir, Nov. 5; Reencuentros, Oct. 5 (Friday); Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, Sept. 14 (Saturday)
The Wiltern: Brazilian Girls, Sept. 24; Chiodos, Oct. 23 (Friday); Common/N.E.R.D., Sept. 14, Dir En Grey, Nov. 29 (Saturday), Aimee Mann, Dec. 6 (Monday)
Key Club: Asleep at the Wheel, Oct. 2; Snot, Oct. 10; Electric Six & Local H, Nov. 7 (now).
House of Blues: Evelyn “Champagne” King, Aug.19; Nelly, Sept. 15; Maldita Vecindad, Sept. 12; Talib Kweli and David Banner, Sept. 30; Stand Ridgway and His Band, Oct. 29 (now); Tommy Emmanuel, Sept 23; Matt Nathenson w/ Jesse Baylin, Oct. 29; Five Finger Death Punch, Nov. 20; Chicago Blues Reunion, Dec. 7 (Saturday)
House of Blues Anaheim: Tricky, Sept. 11; Nelly, Sept. 14; Big Head Todd, Sept. 19; Maldita Vecindad, Sept. 22; Bouncing Souls, Nov. 7; Misfits, Nov. 23 (now); Yngwie Malmsteen, Oct. 9; The Head Cat, Oct. 16; Five Finger Death Punch, Nov. 21; Buckethead, Nov. 22 (Saturday)
Will Call: This week's onsales in the Southland
House of Blues: Carcass, Sept. 18; Unearth, Oct. 14; Taj Mahal, Oct. 23; Possessed, Jan. 18 (now); Stan Ridgway, Oct. 26 (Sat.)
House of Blues Anaheim: Bullet for My Valentine, Aug. 20; Estelle, Sept. 4; Unwritten Law, Sept. 16, Jorge Celedon and Jimmy Zambrano, Oct. 19; Wayne Brady, Oct. 22 (now); Tricky, Sept. 11; Nelly, Sept. 14, Big Head Todd, Sept. 19; Maldita Vecindad, Sept. 22; Bouncing Souls, Nov. 7; Misfits, Nov. 23 (Sat.)
Greek Theatre: Jason Mraz, Nov. 1 (Fri.)
Grove of Anaheim: The Music of Abba, Oct. 12; Joe Jackson, Oct. 17 (Sat.)
Santa Barbara Bowl: Bob Dylan, Sept. 7 (Sat.)
Canyon Club: The English Beat, Sept. 5; Queen Nation, Sept. 12; UB40, Sept. 20 (now)
Glass House: Tyrone Wells, Sept. 13 (now); Trapt, Sept. 26 (Sat.); People Under the Stairs, Oct. 2 (Wed.); Minus the Bear, the Annuals, Nov. 15-16 (Sat.)
Will Call Winner: Lindsey Buckingham
The results are in and it's official: The winner of this week's on-sales grab bag is Lindsey Buckingham, that quietly brilliant guitarist and pop maestro from Fleetwood Mac. He'll be playing two Southland shows: the first on Sept. 14 at UCLA's Royce Hall; the second on Sept. 19 at the Grove of Anaheim. Tickets for both will be available on Saturday.
The rest of this week's goods follow after the jump.
--Liam Gowing
Photo of Lindsey Buckingham by Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times
Will Call Winner: The Who – with update!
The receipts and the rumors are in from this week's Will Call and it's all about rock's biggest pronoun.
Fresh off their Saturday appearance at the VH1 Honors tribute at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, the Who will be playing a show in Los Angeles in the not-so-distant future. Yes, thanks to Reuters, word is out that the group will be playing at the Orpheum on Wednesday to promote the video game Rock Band, whose soundtrack includes the group's classic screamer "Won't Get Fooled Again."
It's a private party, so unless you have serious juice with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey or the gaming companies EA, MTV Games and Harmonix, you're out of luck. But that's where Will Call has your back. The group will also be playing the Nokia Theatre on Nov. 8 and 9. Run do not walk to get your tickets Monday.
And in late-breaking news, Queens of the Stone Age announced a concert to celebrate the life of Eleven member and QOTSA collaborator Natasha Schneider, who died of cancer on July 2. The show will take place on Aug. 16 at the Music Box at the Henry Fonda and will include appearances from PJ Harvey, Jack Black and Kyle Gass, Matt Cameron, Brody Dalle, Jesse Hughes, Billy F. Gibbons, Chris Goss, and Alain Johannes. Get tickets Saturday for that.
In a final late-breaker, Stereophonics announced a show at the Music Box at the Henry Fonda on Sept. 16; tickets for that go on sale Saturday as well.
There's lots more in the Will Call mailbag, of course. Check after the jump for all the assorted goodies.
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of the Who by Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times
Will Call Winner: The Raconteurs at the Greek
It's a slow week at Will Call and yet there's a little something fun from several decades past.
From the '60s, we have Monkee Davy Jones, coming to the Canyon Club on Nov. 7 (tickets on sale now). From the '70s, there's Maze and Chaka Khan coming to Gibson Amphitheatre on Sept. 5 (get tickets Saturday). From the '80s, there's Billy Idol playing the Sunset Strip House of Blues on Sept. 16, 17 and 19, and Eddy Grant playing the El Rey on Aug. 26 (tickets to both on sale Saturday). From the '90s, there's Matthew Sweet coming to the Echo on Aug. 28 (tickets on sale now) and Ice Cube coming to the Grove of Anaheim on Aug. 29 and the Sunset Strip House of Blues on Sept 1 (tickets to both shows on sale Saturday).
And what of artists who are a little more au courant?
Will Call Winner: Conor Oberst
Not since that useless week between Christmas and New Year's has there been such a quiet time at Will Call. Seriously, when the biggest names are Frank Stallone and Michael Sembello (July 24 at Malibu Inn; tickets on sale now) and Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo (Oct. 10 at the Canyon Club; tickets on sale now), it's a quiet week for concert ticket sales in L.A.
As such, Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band handily win pole position this week with the announcement of two shows at the Music Box @ Fonda on Oct. 21-22. Tickets are already on sale, so run do not walk to pick some up if Oberst tickles your fancy.
Anything else?
Will Call Winner: Nine Inch Nails
It was a tragic week at Will Call as Southern California audiences lost the opportunity to see not one but two of the world's most beloved transvestite singers: Boy George was forced to cancel his scheduled American tour after being denied a visa by the State Department, and Dead or Alive's Pete Burns pulled out of his own tour plans, citing health problems.But the show must and shall go on with lots of other big names, running the gamut of genres and tastes.
Will Call Winner: Street Scene with Beck (and a million others)
It's one of those weeks when a clear-cut champion emerges right out of the gate.
Returning to the streets of downtown San Diego for the 24th year, Street Scene should be well worth the drive south. Beck and the Black Crowes are the headliners, but the roster runs deep with a mini-who's who of all things indie: Justice, STS9, Michael Franti and Spearhead, the National, Spoon, TV on the Radio, Atmosphere, Cat Power, Hot Chip, Tegan and Sara, the New Pornographers, X, Vampire Weekend, the Hives, the Cold War Kids, Ghostland Observatory, Spiritualized, Antibalas, Man Man, the Mother Hips, Tokyo Police Club, DeVotchKa, the Night Marchers, Nortec Collective, Del the Funky Homosapien, Eagles of Death Metal, Foals, the Muslims, Dengue Fever, MGMT, Sea Wolf, West Indian Girl, Chester French and Does it Offend You, Yeah? are all scheduled to perform.
Will Call Winner: the 11th hour festival add-on
With sales of her new album "Discipline" in a stall and her record label apparently giving up on it, Janet Jackson may not be the hot commodity she once was. But since she hasn't toured in seven years, her visit to Staples Center on Sept. 17 surely counts as the biggest news from Will Call this week. Tickets go on sale Monday for that one.
So what else is happening?
The big news in hip-hop came out of the Grove of Anaheim, which will enjoy a visit from Bow Wow and Tech N9ne on Aug. 14 (get tickets Saturday); the Wiltern, which gets Bow Wow on Aug. 17 (Saturday); and the Vault 350, which will host the 2008 Rappers Ball with Ice-T & Black Silver and Too $hort on June 24 (tickets on sale now).
In classic rock, there's Kinks frontman Ray Davies playing the Grove of Anaheim on July 22 (tickets on sale Thursday) and prog pied pipers Jethro Tull playing the Greek Theatre on Aug. 17 (tickets on sale Sunday).
In not-so-classic rock, there's post-rock icons Mogwai coming to the Wiltern on Sept. 9 (Friday) and System of a Down singer Serj Tankian coming to the Wiltern on Aug. 1 (Saturday).
And in altogether random festival news, there's Projekt Revolution 2008 marching into the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Aug. 10 with nu-metal popsters Linkin Park, ex-Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, slick indie-rockers the Bravery and rapper Busta Rhymes in tow (tickets Saturday).
So who or rather what is the winner this week?
That'd be the 11th hour festival add-on, a phenomenon that has popped up twice this week: First, the Vans Warped Tour wisely added South Bay hardcore punks Pennywise to its Pomona Fairplex stop on June 20. Even better, the Download Festival coming to the Gibson Amphitheatre on July 20 got the major talent injection of the Jesus and Mary Chain (pictured) and Gang of Four. Tickets are already on sale for both.
Finally, who was the Will Call Loser this week? That'd be Sisqó with Dru Hill, who announced the cancellation of their June 29 show at the Nokia Theater. Opening acts Ginuwine, En Vogue, Montell Jordan, Shai and Jimmie "JJ" Walker must be bummed.
As Walker might say, that is not dyn-o-mite!
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of the Jesus and Mary Chain by Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times
Will Call Winner: Coldplay at the Forum
It's rather a strange crop here at Will Call this week.
First, there was the announcement that the recently reunited New Kids on the Block would be coming to Staples Center on Oct. 8. Yes, you heard that right — the 20,000-seat Staples Center. With all due respect to their multiplatinum sales in the late '80s and pre-Nirvana '90s, this is a group of guys who were so ashamed of their original formula that they switched their name to the back-to-the-drawing-board acronym NKOTB in 1993. Well, what was obvious then is even more obvious now: Boy bands don't age well! Yet after 15 years on the shelf, the reunited Kids think they're popular enough to fill the Lakers' living room? Tickets go on sale Monday, so I suppose we'll find out soon enough.
Next up, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band: They announced a show for Aug. 2 at the Greek Theatre. Now, Ringo's a Beatle and can do no wrong as far as I and a lot of people are concerned, and I'm sure he'll have no problem when tickets go on sale Sunday. But his All-Starr Band — Colin Hay from Men at Work, Billy Squier of "The Stroke" fame, Average White Band's Hamish Stuart, that freakishly pale proponent of the keytar Edgar Winter, the "Dream Weaver" Gary Wright and drummer Gregg Bissonette — is a pretty funny hodgepodge of different eras and genres. Who put the lineup together? JackFM?
Then there's Bonnie Tyler, who should escape from karaoke purgatory in time to appear at the Canyon Club on Sept. 24 (tickets on sale now). Watch this to understand just how strange and over-the-top this female answer to Meatloaf really is.
Aside from the obvious, there was some straightforward and infinitely more current news: The Jack White-Brendan Benson bonanza the Raconteurs will appear with the Kills at the Greek Theatre on Sept. 22 (tickets Saturday); those Afropop-flavored indie rockers Vampire Weekend have added a second show at the Wiltern, on Sept. 18 (tickets on sale now); Dim Mak's dance rock impresario Steve Aoki will head the Elements of Life Benefit at the Roxy on Monday (on sale now); Supreme Beings of Leisure will bring their lounge-y trip-hop to the Viper Room on July 10 (on sale now); and Amy-Winehouse-lite singer Duffy will be visiting the El Rey Theatre on June 19 (on sale now).
So who's the winner? That'd be Coldplay, who'll appear at the Forum on July 15. The foursome has a new Brian Eno co-produced album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," coming out June 17, but as far as I'm concerned, you can blame it all on "A Rush of Blood to the Head." Tickets go on sale Saturday for that one.
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of Coldplay courtesy of MTV
Will Call Winner: Madonna at Dodger Stadium
A lot of big-name acts had a shot at the Will Call title this week.
First, or should I say primero, we had diminutive Latin heartthrob Marc Anthony, who'll be leaving his famous missus at home and appearing solo at the Gibson Amphitheatre on July 26; get tickets for the show Friday.
Standing tall after their confrontation with Maxim Magazine, the Black Crowes will play the Greek Theatre on Sept. 17; tickets for the grits-and-gravy rockers go on sale Saturday.
Indie 103.1's recent obsession, the vaguely Afro-pop indie rock band Vampire Weekend will play the Wiltern the same night (that's Sept. 17 for all you ADHD sufferers out there); tickets go on sale Thursday.
And Brazilian dance-rockers CSS scored double points for announcing two sets of local shows with SSION — Sept. 22-23 at the Mayan and Sept. 24 at the Glass House — both on sale now.
But there's no point in giving any of them the bold ink over uber-celebrity singer Madonna, who announced a Nov. 6 show at Dodger Stadium in support of her recently released and already million-selling album, "Hard Candy." What more can I say? At this point, Madonna's like the Terminator:
It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop...
The show goes on sale Sunday so you've got plenty of time to get your redial button unstuck.
--Liam Gowing
Photo of Madonna by Matt Sayles / Associated Press
Will Call Winner: Foxboro Hot Tubs at the Roxy
Never mind all the secret shows lately. What is it about big-name bands trying to get back to their roots by playing in smaller clubs?
First Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers — with a couple of rhythm section substitutions — played the Troubadour in a reunion of the little-known Heartbreaker precursor band Mudcrutch. Then Hall & Oates booked its imminent two-night stand at the Troubadour as, well, Daryl Hall and John Oates. Now Green Day is heading to the Roxy to perform as its garagier alter ego, Foxboro Hot Tubs, next Tuesday.
Regardless of the anonymity-seeking nom de plume, the nature of which the members of Green Day kept under wraps until fairly recently, it's always endearing when a band that could fill an arena plays a club the size of the Roxy, although the logistics are bound to be a nightmare. You guessed it: Tickets go on sale at the Roxy box office the night of the show.
Doors open at 7 p.m. Enjoy yourself in the inevitable queue.
In other news, there wasn't that much other news. Here's a taste: The legendary Tina Turner added another night at Staples Center, Oct. 16, (tickets already on sale); psychedelic indie-pop duo the Helio Sequence will play the Echoplex on June 12 (tickets on sale now); alt rockers Everclear, Soul Asylum and Camper Van Beethoven will play the House of Blues on June 26 (tickets go on sale Thursday) as part of the Sunset Strip Music Festival; and funky singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello will play the Key Club on June 29 (tickets on sale Saturday).
In the hottest news, dance rockers Hot Chip will play a two-night stand at the Wiltern but it's a long way off: Sept. 21-22. Get your tickets Friday for that one.
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of Green Day, a.k.a. Foxboro Hot Tubs, by Reuters / Mario Anzuoni
Will Call Winner: Rancid
Good things come in threes this week, at least as far as musical icons go.
To wit, George Michael will be coming to the Honda Center on June 27 (tickets go on sale Sunday); Stevie Wonder will be hitting the Hollywood Bowl on July 7 (tickets on sale Sunday); and Tina Turner will be playing the Staples Center on Oct. 13 and the Honda Center on Oct. 14 (tickets Monday).
In hip-hop news, the big announcement came from Power 106, which is putting on Powerhouse '08 with Chris Brown, Lil' Wayne, the Game, T-Pain, Ice Cube and Colby O'Donis at the Honda Center on June 21 (tickets on sale Saturday).
In rock, the big show news came from My Morning Jacket, who'll be playing the Greek on Sept. 21 (tickets Saturday). The little-r, indie-r news was every bit as noteworthy though, with the Black Angels playing the Troubadour on June 5 (on sale now) the Faint playing the Music Box at the Fonda Aug. 7 and 8 (Saturday) and Stereolab playing the Glass House on Sept. 21 and the Music Box at the Fonda Oct. 23 (on sale now).
The "where are they now?" category had entries as well from the '70s, '80s and the '90s with: Morris Day, the S.O.S. Band, Zapp, Midnight Starr and Con Funk Shun playing the Greek Theatre on Aug. 9 (tickets Sunday); the English Beat, the Alarm and the Fixx playing the House of Blues Anaheim on July 27 (Saturday); and Live, Collective Soul and Blues Traveler playing the Greek on Sept. 21 (Saturday).
But who's the winner? Well, the American Idols Live show, which will bring all top-10 finalists from the current season of the show to the Staples Center on July 7 (tickets available Saturday), will probably get more ink. But I have to go with Rancid, who announced eight shows at once.
The West Coast punks are playing the House of Blues Anaheim Sept. 20 and 21 and the Music Box at the Fonda Sept. 30 through Oct. 5. You have to hand it to the band for their work ethic — that six-night stand is no joke — and for bringing so many of their brohemians along for the ride. Yes, the band will have a different opening act each night: H2O and Civet on Sept. 20; Guana Batz and Bad Luck Bandits on Sept. 21; the Adolescents and Left Alone on Sept. 30; T.S.O.L. and Banda Newsense on Oct. 1; Dr. Know and Switchblade Riot on Oct. 2; Manic Hispanic and Society's Parasites on Oct. 3; the Aquabats and the Oohlas on Oct. 4; and MXPX and Los Creepers on Oct. 5.
Nice work if you can get it.
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of Rancid by Olaf Heine
Will call winner: the Hollywood Bowl
Those of you hip to colleague Charlie Amter's blog on the subject already know the big news this week: Shoegaze legend My Bloody Valentine is once again a going concern and coming to the Santa Monica Civic for a two-night stand Oct. 1-2. Tickets go on sale Friday and all I can say is good luck on that one. You may need it.
There's a bit more news in the not-so-recent reunion pile.
A Tribe Called Quest will headline Rock the Bells at the Glen Helen Pavilion on Aug. 9 along with Nas, De La Soul and the Pharcyde. Tickets for the hip-hop juggernaut go on sale Saturday.
And Cinderella and Warrant will co-headline a show at the Gibson Amphitheatre on July 4 of all days. Frankly I'm not sure that these bands actually broke up, but their longstanding irrelevance is just as good as a hiatus. Tickets for their aerosol metal fest go on sale Friday. Of course, real metalheads may want to hold out for the Metal Masters Tour with Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament, which stops at the Glen Helen Pavilion on Aug. 30, or perhaps even the Scorpions concert with Sammy Hagar & the Wabos at the Pacific Amphitheatre on Aug. 3; Tickets go on sale Saturday for both.
And in more noteworthy nostalgia, Hippiefest -- with the awesome Jack Bruce of Cream, Eric Burdon & the Animals, the Turtles and whatever's left of Badfinger -- will be coming to the Greek Theatre on July 16, while the Zombies and Jefferson Starship will be teaming up for a show at the Grove of Anaheim on July 17; get tickets to both of these love fests on Saturday.
In other absolutely non-reunion-related news, a few cool indie rock shows were announced: The Fratellis at Key Club on June 15 (on sale Monday); Chromeo at the Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theatre on July 30 (tickets Saturday); the Black Keys at House of Blues Anaheim on Aug. 25 (on sale? now?); and Hot Hot Heat at the Roxy on June 27 and the 88 and Ima Robot who will play the Roxy on June 28 (on sale now).
So who's the winner? I've got to give it to the Hollywood Bowl, which just announced a slew of noteworthy shows including: Gilberto Gil and Devendra Banhart on June 29; Feist on July 20; Diana Ross July 25-26; Gnarls Barkley with Youssou N'Dour and Deerhoof on July 27; Donna Summer Aug. 22-23; Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds with Spiritualized on Sept. 17; and Beck with Spoon and MGMT on Sept. 20.
-Liam Gowing
Photo of Spoon's Britt Daniel by Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times
Will Call Winner: Steely Squeeze Death Bloc Mellencamp
It was looking like another quiet week for Will Call during this recovery period between the psychedelic indie-rock funk fest of the Prince and Roger Waters-led Coachella Festival and the Eagles-summited Stagecoach country music festival. For a few days there, it seemed like the only notable announcement would be coming from '70s studio geeks Steely Dan. And a notable announcement it was, with two big-venue dates for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famers — a July 23 show at the Nokia Theatre and another at the Honda Center on Aug. 4 — going on sale Monday.
But then all those publicists awoke from their desert hangover and opened the floodgates.
First up, local indie-pop institution Rilo Kiley will be playing a big show at the Greek Theatre on June 18, while Portland's indie-pop champs Death Cab for Cutie will play the Nokia Theatre on June 23 with notable openers Rogue Wave. Get tickets for both shows on Saturday.
In slightly funkier news, UK dance-rock darlings Bloc Party announced two shows with up-and-comers Does It Offend You, Yeah? at the Glass House on July 28 (get tickets Friday) and the Mayan Theatre on July 29 (get tickets Saturday). And dropping presale tickets right now, Dim Mak Records announced news of the Hard Summer Music Festival with N.E.R.D., MSTRKRFT, Spank Rock, Kid Sister, A Trak, Steve Aoki and KCRW DJ Jason Bentley to go down July 19; public tickets go on sale on Monday for that one.
If that weren't enough indie-dom, two new wave icons announced L.A. shows: Boy George will play the El Rey on July 15-16 (tickets go on sale Saturday), while Squeeze will play the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 10 (tickets on sale Sunday).
And they're not the only big names from the '80s with upcoming local dates. John Mellencamp will play the Greek Theatre with Lucinda Williams on July 31 (tickets Sunday), while Bryan Adams will play — get this — the little ol' Roxy on May 19. Get your tickets for that one on Thursday, if you can.
So who's the winner? That'd be Steely Dan. Any band named after a steam-powered sexual aid envisioned by William Burroughs in "Naked Lunch" has my vote.
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen and Walter Becker by AFP Photo / Stan Honda
Will Call Winner: Bootsy Collins
With Coachella coming up this weekend, it's pretty obvious that a lot of the concert promoters, tour bookers and publicists in town are already packing, because this was a week of slim pickings.
The biggest show announcements came from '90s acts whose stars have faded somewhat: Sheryl Crow, who'll play the Greek on June 11; 311 and Snoop Dogg in an odd "Unity Tour" pairing at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on June 28; Matchbox Twenty at the Pacific Amphitheatre on July 31 (all tickets on sale Saturday). And, of course, there are the classic rockers: Santana at the Nokia on July 31 (tickets on sale Saturday); and Boston and Styx, touring together without either of their signature lead singers and coming to the Gibson Amphitheatre on July 1 anyway (tickets on sale Sunday).
Of course, metalheads old and young, respectively, will be happy to note that Motor City Madman Ted Nugent has a June 17 show at the House of Blues Anaheim and a June 20 show at Canyon Club (tickets for both on sale now), and that Slipknot, Disturbed, Underoath and more will be teaming up for the Mayhem Festival at the Glen Helen Pavilion on July 13. Tickets go on sale Saturday.
So who's this week's winner? I was tempted to give it to Spaceland, which after weeks of keeping mum announced a slew of shows with cool, up-and-coming indie rockers. But that was before I saw that bass-playing funkmaster Bootsy Collins was playing two tributes to the late, great James Brown -- at the House of Blues on May 28 and the House of Blues Anaheim on May 29.
Credit where credit is due.
-- Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: Stone Temple Pilots
There's a theme this week but it's hard to pinpoint: Bands reuniting? Check. Bands that never actually broke up but kind of disappeared for a while scheduling some new shows? Check. Bands that never actually broke up or disappeared for a while but are just past their prime scheduling some new shows? Check and mate.
First up, there's Stone Temple Pilots. Back together after a five-year hiatus, the SoCal alt rockers couldn't have planned their reunion any better, considering the timing of "troubled" lead singer Scott Weiland's acrimonious split from the GN'R diaspora band, Velvet Revolver. It went something like this:
Slash: Hey everybody, we're kicking Weiland out of Velvet Revolver.Weiland: That's a silly thing to do since I announced I was leaving the group at a show last month, and have already set up this big tour with my old band.
OK, the preceding is a rather loose paraphrasing (for a bona fide play-by-play go here), but still -- Snap!
Anyway, the flaming bag of poo Weiland left on Velvet Revolver's front porch was the perfect fertilizer for STP, who'll be bringing their hard-charging-yet-infinitely-melodic bag of tricks to the Hollywood Bowl on June 24. Get your tickets Saturday.
And in less exciting, getting-the-band-back-together news, there's R&B singer and lingerie enthusiast Sisqó, who popped up for a Dru Hill reunion coming to the Nokia Theatre with Blackstreet and En Vogue on June 29 (tickets Friday)
Then there's Dilated Peoples, a hugely promising L.A. hip-hop group who experienced a world of trouble with their label as the music industry started eating its own young to stave off its hunger pangs -- a story told beautifully by filmmaker Jason Goldwatch. The trio is active again and will be playing with Aceyalone and the Alchemist at House of Blues Anaheim on June 13 and House of Blues Sunset Strip on June 27; get tickets Saturday.
And reaching further back, there's Mötley Crüe -- adding Buckcherry and Papa Roach to their CrueFest (no, it's not a colloquialism; that's what it's actually called) -- at the Glen Helen Pavilion on Aug. 2 (get tickets Saturday); the karaoke-friendly triple bill of Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick coming to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on July 16 (tickets Saturday); the "Lost '80s Live" package tour featuring Dramarama, Missing Persons, When in Rome, Real Life and Animotion, which will be at House of Blues Anaheim on Aug. 29 and House of Blues Sunset Strip on Aug. 30 (both shows on sale Saturday); and Boy George, who has actually been lost since the '80s, coming to the Grove of Anaheim on July 13 (tickets Saturday).
Finally, there's a bunch of fantastic artists that don't fit this week's theme but deserve a mention: Goth-pop superstars the Cure, playing the Shrine Auditorium on June 1 (on sale Saturday); the awesome Britpop band Supergrass, playing the Avalon on July 12 (on sale now); country legend Dolly Parton playing the Greek Theatre on Aug. 3 (on sale Saturday); and Motown maestro Smokey Robinson at the Greek on June 13 (on sale Sunday)
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of Stone Temple Pilots by Chapman Baehler
Will Call Winner: Radiohead
I was tempted to reserve this week's blue ribbon for Daryl Hall & John Oates, who will be treating L.A. to something special and playing the little old Troubadour on May 22-23 (get your tickets Friday if you can). What can I say? I have a soft spot for their bastardized blend of Philly soul and not-quite-New Wave pop.
I even entertained the idea of giving the top slot to Crowded House, who will be playing their own two-night stand at the Orpheum on May 16-17 (get your tickets Sunday). The Antipodean combo put out a really excellent record last year, "Time on Earth" -- a sweet tribute to the group's original drummer, who committed suicide in 2005 -- that hasn't really gotten the press it deserves.
But how could I not give it to Radiohead, who announced they'd be playing the biggest two-night stand of all at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 24-25? Eleven years after the Oxford boys threw rock music the giant lifesaver that was "OK Computer," they're still the best, most innovative, most confounding, most consistently engaging band on the planet, and they are amazing live, particularly at the Bowl. Run, do not walk, to get your tickets Saturday.
That's not all going on at Will Call, though. '60s icons the Zombies will be at the Canyon Club on July 19 (tickets available now). Prog-rock forefathers Yes will be at the Honda Center on Aug. 20 (tickets Sunday) and the Gibson Amphitheatre on Aug. 22 (tickets Saturday). Hair-metal hooligans Poison, Dokken and Sebastian Bach will be at Gibson Amphitheatre on Aug. 23 (tickets Saturday). AOR icons Steve Miller Band and Joe Cocker will be playing the Nokia Theatre on Aug. 6 (tickets available now).
And hoarse-throated soul-popper Macy Gray gets a gold star for teaming up with two very different headliners for two separate shows: Earth, Wind & Fire at the Greek Theatre on June 22 and Seal at the Pacific Amphitheatre on July 27 (tickets to both on Saturday).
In smaller, indie-r news, it was a decent week: Calvin Harris will be re-creating disco again at the Music Box @ Fonda on April 23; whistling Swedes Peter, Bjorn and John will be at the Troubadour on May 3; and multi-instrumental nutter Dosh will play Spaceland with opener Anathallo on June 15. Tickets to these shows, which just skim the surface of what's coming in the column Thursday, are available right now. So what are you waiting for?
-- Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: Mudcrutch!
With summer dates upon us, it was a big week for classic rock, classic pop and even classic funk at Will Call. In the first category, Chicago and the Doobie Brothers will team up for a Gibson Amphitheatre show on June 5 (get your tickets Sunday), while Boz Scaggs will have one for the road on Aug. 7 at the Grove of Anaheim (tickets Saturday). In the second, George Michael will have faith in the Forum on June 25 (tickets Monday), Pat Benatar, Berlin and Scandal will be hitting Pacific Amphitheatre with their best songs on Aug. 1, while Cyndi Lauper and the recently reactivated B-52s just wanna have a fun-plex at the Greek on June 28 (both on sale Saturday). And finally, there's George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, who will be making your funk the P-funk at the House of Blues Anaheim on June 4 (Saturday) and the Crash Mansion on June 5 (now).
In not-yet-classic hip-hop news, RZA will be coming to the Music Box @ Fonda on June 20 (tickets Saturday), while Naughty by Nature, Coolio, Tone-Loc and Young MC will team up with Stevie B, Lisa Lisa, Trinere, Nocera, Klymaxx and Club Nouveau for Freestyle Explosion 2008 at the Honda Center on June 13 (tickets Saturday). And in positively new country news, there's Kenny Chesney and LeAnn Rimes, who'll be playing Staples Center on May 28 (tickets Monday).
As for the winner, on any other week that'd have to be Rock and Roll Hall of Famers R.E.M., who'll be playing the glorious Hollywood Bowl with two powerhouse indie-rock openers, Modest Mouse and the National, on May 29 ; get your tickets Sunday for that one.
But I have to give the blue ribbon to Mudcrutch, Tom Petty's old band, three-fifths of which went on to form the Heartbreakers, leaving two original members out in the cold. Apparently not one to let them fade out Pete Best-style, Petty got the band back together to record its long, long, long-awaited debut album, which will come out April 29. In the lead-up to what is certain to be a heck of a release party, Mudcrutch will play a four-night stand (April 25-26 and 28-29) -- not at some huge venue that Petty could have booked on the strength of his fame alone -- but at the Troubadour. How cool is that? Despite what the print article says about tickets being available now (my bad), they actually go on sale Friday. Mudcrutch fans take note.
-- Liam Gowing
Tom Petty photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
Will Call Winner: kid-core
Not simply to aggravate all the readers who took exception to August Brown's post on bro core, but the winner of this week's on-sales info column is kid-core. Kids wearing Vans specifically. Yep, it's that special time of year when teenage-centric punk, skating culture and quality footwear come together in a joyous, mobile orgy of noise and anti-consumerist consumerism known as the Vans Warped Tour, which will be making stops at the Fairplex in Pomona on June 20 and the Home Depot Center on Aug. 17.
If you're into Angels & Airwaves, Reliant K, the Academy Is..., Every Time I Die, From First to Last, the Bronx, Street Dogs, Against Me!, Gym Class Heroes or any of the other bands on this year's huge roster, pick up your tickets Saturday.
Yes, folks, this is the week that news of the big summer shows has started to trickle in. On the early side of things, there's Wango Tango 2008 with Snoop Dogg, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Danity Kane and Pitbull -- coming to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on May 10; get your tickets Saturday.
At Staples Center, tickets go on sale Saturday for a two-night stand with Dave Matthews Band, Aug. 19-20.
And at the Greek, there's KC & the Sunshine Band on June 7, Erykah Badu and the Roots on June 12 (get tickets for both Saturday), and Crosby, Stills & Nash on June 14 (tickets Sunday).
Along the same blast-from-the-past line, though, my favorite news has to be about the Regeneration Tour, which features the Human League, Belinda Carlisle, ABC, Dead or Alive and Naked Eyes coming to the Gibson Amphitheatre on Aug. 5. Indeed, there's always something there to remind you of the '80s. And I'm here to remind you to get your tickets Saturday.
Finally, in a total surprise that's just around the corner, Wu-Tang Clan member-producer RZA is playing the little old Knitting Factory on April 5. Tickets are on sale now, so run, don't walk...
-- Liam Gowing
Photo of Angels & Airwaves by Critter
P.S. -- Having just been released from an oath of secrecy, I can now reveal some breaking news. Rod Stewart and special guest Bryan Adams will be performing at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on August 1, and the tickets will go on sale Monday. It's not quite a "stop the presses" moment, but I thought a few of you might want to know anyway.
Will Call Winner: Glenn Frey and Shwayze
Well, it may not amount to the Led Zeppelin reunion tour that a lot of folks have been hoping for, but the mighty Zep's lead singer, Robert Plant, will be making a sojourn to the Greek Theatre on June 23 and 24, with his new musical partner in crime, bluegrass singer-fiddler Alison Krauss. Sure, the pairing seems weird, but it's a classic concept -- she's a little bit country and he's a little bit rock 'n' roll. Get your tickets on Saturday.
In more big news on the classic artist front, Sly & the Family Stone will be playing the House of Blues Anaheim on April 25 and the House of Blues Sunset Strip on April 26. If you're a fan of funky soul -- and you know you are -- get your tickets to both shows Saturday.
And in less big news on the not-quite-yet-classic front, new wave icons Duran Duran will be hitting the Nokia Theatre on May 4. There may not be a new moon on Monday, but there will be new tickets for the show.
As for the winner, that has to be the Keep a Child Alive benefit show at the Roxy on April 11. And no, it's not the winner because it's for a good cause. It's the winner because it's possibly your only opportunity to see Glenn Frey share the stage with Malibu rapper Shwayze. It won't be simultaneously -- Shwayze and Cisco Adler are opening the show for the headlining Eagle along with Don Was, the Bird & the Bee, Hello Stranger and a few other cats. But it's still weird. Run, don't walk, for this one, because tickets are on sale now.
Lots of other good shows in country (David Allan Coe), protest folk (Billy Bragg), indie pop (Mates of State) and Afrobeat neo-soul (Les Nubians), but you'll just have to read the column if you want to know the specifics.
So there.
-- Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: A complete unknown
With Austin's mega-music-festival South by Southwest sucking up the collective energies of seemingly every booker, publicist and hanger-on in the country, it was a fairly quiet week at Will Call with a few notable exceptions.
There was news in the tween pop, R&B and hip-hop department from Raven-Symone's Pajama Party Concert, which will be pillow-fighting its way to the Nokia Theatre on July 7 and the Honda Center in Anaheim on July9. If you're a fan of Mitchel Musso, B5 or Clique Girlz, ask your parents for permission to buy tickets Saturday.
There's news in the post-tween pop, R&B and hip-hop department too, and by this I mean Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo and Jordin Sparks, who will be teaming up for shows at the Honda Center on May 4 and Staples Center on May 5 (get your tickets Saturday).
And there's news for country (and sorta country) fans, namely Brad Paisley and Jewel who'll be playing June 14 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (get tickets Saturday), and George Straight, who'll be playing the Honda Center on March 29 (for some strange reason, tickets are already on sale for this one).
But for me personally, the big news is all about the Skirball Center's Bob Dylan tribute concert, Like a Complete Unknown, which will feature Rage frontman Zack de la Rocha, X bassist John Doe, Spearhead dude Michael Franti and ex-Lone Justice singer Maria McKee paying their respects to the all-powerful Wilbury.
Now it's true, Guide music man August Brown just blogged about this very show, but why should he get all the fun? Someone's got to run the risk of being redundant and remind you all to buy your tickets on Thursday, since it's likely they'll be all sold out -- to use some De la Rochian language -- by Friday.
And last but not least, bucking Maxim's baseless conclusion that they were all washed up, the Black Crowes have moved their March 20 show from the Avalon to the Wiltern. The original tickets are still good, but as the band is moving to a bigger venue, a bunch more will go on sale Friday.
-- Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: Reunited (and it feels so good)
Reunion fever's going around and Will Call's got it.
First, one of the great non-grunge bands of the 1990s is back together for the first time in nearly a decade -- Swervedriver. With all due respect to My Bloody Valentine and Ride, it was this Creation Records quartet that really blew the lid off the shoegazing movement. These guys were about more than just wall-of-sound guitars and shimmering production; they had amazing, almost orchestral songs and an innovative lyrical style. Two screwed-up record deals in a row led to things fizzling out. But the group is giving it another whirl and will be appearing at the Music Box @ Fonda on May 31. And if the reunited band sounds anything like front man Adam Franklin's latest solo album, "Bolts of Melody," it'll be beautiful. Run, do not walk, to get your tickets Saturday.
If that weren't enough good news, another great and underappreciated group will be making a comeback -- this one after a hiatus of 25 years -- Yaz. If you remember the group's 1982 album "Upstairs at Eric's," you know that Yaz was more than just a way-station between keyboardist-programmer Vince Clarke's departure from Depeche Mode and his launch of Erasure. With Alison Moyet's bluesy vocals on top of Clarke's warped synth lines, it was one of the coolest unions of man and machine since Steve Austin. Anyway, with the dance-rock movement they helped spawn in full swing, tickets for their two-night stand at the Orpheum Theatre -- July 10-11 -- should go fast, so don't sleep in too late Saturday when they go on sale.
From the '90s and '80s, we go to the '70s and '60s (and even '50s) for another reunion of sorts -- this one of some of the great rock 'n' roll, soul and R&B artists that put out records on Stax. As hip as Motown in its early days and racially integrated before the country was, the chic Memphis, Tenn.-based label went out of business in 1975 but relaunched recently under the auspices of Concord Records. The campaign's timed to the 50th anniversary of Stax's founding and comes complete with a celebratory concert featuring four of the artists from the old roster: Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MGs, William Bell and Mable John. They'll be playing the Nokia Theatre on April 13, and you can get your tickets on (you guessed it) Saturday. This should be a treat. Where else can you expect to hear "Shaft" live?
-- Liam Gowing
Yaz photo courtesy of Bill Silva Presents
Will Call Winner: Reg strikes again
As if you didn't get enough Elton John on Oscar night -- OK, in fairness, his Academy Awards afterparty did raise $5.1 million for his AIDS Foundation -- the knighted Brit has announced a show at the Honda Center on April 19. If you're a fan, get yourself a ticket Monday. Word is ol' Reggie still puts on a great show and isn't afraid to play the hits.
Now, that's the big fish, but there are lots of big names adding additional dates and venues to their ongoing tours this week: To wit, hip-hop royalty Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z will be at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on April 18 (get tickets Saturday); prog gods Rush have added May 8 to their stay at the Nokia Theatre (get tickets Saturday); and the cowpunk icons of X have added April 11 to their visit to the Music Box @ Fonda.
But the longest (if not the biggest) announcements also bear repeating: First off, the emo carnival that is Bamboozle Left will be taking over Verizon Wireless Amphitheater for two nights: There's Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, Face to Face and the All-American Rejects on April 5; and My Chemical Romance, Blaqk Audio, Anti-Flag, Chiodos, the Dillinger Escape Plan and From First to Last on April 6. You'll have to wait for the shows, but you can buy your tickets right now.
That's all well and good, but frankly, if you want a taste of truly "alternative" music, Spaceland has your number Sunday, when the club celebrates its 13th anniversary with an impressive slew of indie punk, rock and even rawk groups -- 400 Blows, the Blood Arm, Earlimart, Wiskey Biscuit, Radar Bros., Oliver Future, Run Run Run, the Vacation, the Broken West, the Movies, Let's Go Sailing and the Tyde.
Yep. Twelve bands for a 13th anniversary party. If that seems fishy, your nose is working. Count on a "surprise" artist balancing out the numbers.
-- Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: the Police and Elvis Costello
If there's a theme to this week's new ticket on-sales, it just might be old bands reforming with new members or coming off a hiatus or just plain coming out of the woodwork.
A mix of all three, Foghat will be taking a "Slow Ride" to Canyon Club on May 16 (tickets available now). Playing again with newbie Travis Warren in place of the late Shannon Hoon, Blind Melon will appear at the El Rey on May 2 (get tickets Saturday). And hitting the road to support a forthcoming new album -- their first in years -- Candlebox will be shaking off the wax at the House of Blues Anaheim on March 18 and at the Roxy on March 25 (tickets for both shows available now).
And the big news, of course, is that the Police are coming back to town with Elvis Costello & the Imposters in tow, for a big reunion tour finale at the Hollywood Bowl on May 27. To be frank, their earlier shows at Dodger Stadium were slightly underwhelming thanks to a few limp, vaguely jazzified versions of the old hits. The old songs are amazing, though, and if anyone has the right to change them around it's Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland. So yes, run, do not walk, to get your tickets Sunday.
In slightly less moldy-oldie news, Eddie Vedder and Liam Finn will head into the Wiltern on April 12 and 13 (tickets available Friday). And Kanye West, Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco have added a new date and venue to their hip-hop juggernaut: June 7 at Staples Center (get tickets Friday).
There's more good stuff this week in rock and hip-hop -- particularly at the El Rey Theatre, which has announced a slew of cool shows -- but you just have to read the column to get the details.
-- Liam Gowing
[Photo of the Police in concert: Toru Yamanaka / AFP / Getty Images]
Will Call Winner: Go (to) West, young man or woman
Well, the biggest concert announcement this week has come from the Eagles, who will be sharing their "Peaceful Easy Feeling" with audiences at Stagecoach in Indio on May 2. Unfortunately, the press release came in after our deadline, so it's not in the column, but you can read more about it here and find out more about Stagecoach's potent Friday-night lineup, which the Eagles are headlining, here.
So, what are the highlights of the actual column, then?
If you're a country fan (who can't stand the Empire Polo Fields in Indio or something), that'd be George Strait, who'll be playing at the Home Depot Center on March 29 (tickets available now).
If you're an indie rock fan, Ladytron and Datarock will be teaming up for a two-night dancefest at the Music Box @ Fonda on May 29-30 (get tickets now); Louis XIV will be making eyes at the young girls at the Avalon on April 4 (tickets Saturday); and the Kills will be at the El Rey on May 21 (tickets Thursday).
But the biggest bang comes from the hip-hop universe this week. Mary J. Blige will share the stage at the Hollywood Bowl with Jay-Z on April 16 (get tickets Saturday). And in any other week, that would be the high point. But not this week, because Kanye West, Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco are teaming up to appear at L.A. Live's Nokia Theatre on April 21. Tickets for this show -- a part of Kanye's Glow in the Dark Tour -- go on sale Friday, and if you want one, you'd be wise to make the effort the same day. Fresh off his Grammy performance with Daft Punk, West has so much crossover appeal, this bonanza's sure to sell out instantly.
Photo of Kanye West: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times
Will Call Winner: X marks the spot
With the winner listed in the title, there's no sense beating around the bush: The cowpunk legends of X have the momentum this week. (Why? Because "X marks the spot" is about as creative a title as I can think of right now as I'm suffering from a post-Catalina overdose of Dramamine.) The original lineup will be playing a show on April 10 at the Music Box @ Fonda. Tickets go on sale Saturday.
Otherwise, it's a quiet week with a few explosive exceptions.
In hip-hop, it's a tossup between GZA from Wu-Tang, who will appearing at the El Rey on March 29 (get your tickets Saturday), and Wyclef Jean, who has added a second show at the House of Blues Sunset Strip on Sunday (get tickets now). Dapper rapper Pigeon John of Inglewood deserves mention too for his March 1 show at the Malibu Inn, which is on sale now.
In indie rock, it's another knock-down drag-out between Eels at the El Rey on April 16 (tickets Saturday) and the Decemberists' Colin Meloy at the Music Box @ Fonda on April 28 (both tickets Saturday).
Keeping the dualism thread going, there's a pair of worthwhile neo-soul singers that MTV fans may actually know who are coming to town as well: Jill Scott will be at the Gibson Amphitheatre on Valentine's Day (tickets available now), and Angie Stone will play the Grove of Anaheim on March 28 (get tickets Saturday).
In uncategorizable awesomeness -- OK, Cambodian pop meets ska meets klezmer meets Ethiopian jazz -- Dengue Fever is worth catching at the Viper Room on Feb. 18 (tickets now).
Finally, honorable mention in the category of good booking this week goes to Spaceland, which has funky, funny Har Mar Superstar on Feb. 17, rising rapper-singer the Gray Kid on Feb. 22, swirling poppers the Helio Sequence on Feb. 26 plus Travis Morrison with Say Hi -- no longer to your mom, apparently -- on March 21 (all tickets available now). Good work, Spaceland. You get a gold star.
-- Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: Harptallica!
First things first: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers will be playing the Hollywood Bowl on June 25 and Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Aug. 22 with a little help from opening act Steve Winwood. Tickets to both shows go on sale Monday, and if you're even a petite Petty fan, you should pick one up then.
Scratching a completely different itch among folks in a similar demographic, those time-signature abusing Canadians, Rush, also announced two shows: May 6 at the Nokia Theatre and May 11 at Verizon Wireless. Tickets go on sale Monday, but there's no, umm, hurry to buy them.
In less geriatric news, the Bamboozle Left is coming to Verizon Wireless on April 5-6. You can pick up passes to see both shows (which include Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, Face to Face and the All-American Rejects the first day and My Chemical Romance, Anti-Flag, Chiodos and Armor for Sleep the second) here right now, or wait 'til Saturday to get one-day tickets.
If neither aging rockers nor cheesy emo bands are your thing, don't fret. Other options await at Will Call. There are KCRW faves such as Ed Harcourt, March 10 at the Echoplex (tickets available now), and Kaki King, March 26 at the Roxy (tickets available Friday). There are hip-hop artists worth the drive to the Vault 350, including Pitbull and Baby Bash, April 3 (get tickets Saturday), and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Aceyalone, Feb. 20 (get tickets now).
But the winner? That has to be Harptallica, the all-harp tribute to Metallica, which plays the Malibu Inn on May 13 (tickets now). Why? With the possible exception of the Gregorian Masters of Chant, who play the El Rey on April 15 (tickets Saturday), there's no one else quite like them.
--Liam Gowing
Will Call Winner: Coachella 2008
The big Will Call news this week came from Goldenvoice, which announced the lineup for the 2008 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, to be held April 25-27 at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio. It's an interesting crop blooming in the desert this year with surprises right up to the top of the bill, which includes surfer-singer Jack Johnson, a reunited Portishead, and Pink Floyd visionary Roger Waters, who'll be playing "Dark Side of the Moon" in its entirety.
Surprised by one or two of the headliners and interested in discussing it? Want to know who else is playing the festival??? Go here for the complete lineup and a lively thread on the topic.
In other news, it was a decent week. Bittersweet songstress Cat Power will be playing the Wiltern on Feb. 29 (tickets on sale Saturday). Brooklyn indie rockers Grizzly Bear will be teaming up with the L.A. Philharmonic for a March 1 show at Walt Disney Concert Hall (tickets on sale next Saturday, Feb. 2). And dance-rock acts MSTRKRFT and Z-Trip will be performing with LA Riots and DJ Diabetic at the Music Box at the Fonda on April 18 (tickets on sale Saturday).
Hip-hop fans will be happy to note the Paid Dues concert featuring Book Camp Clik, Sage Francis, Living Legends and Hieroglyphics at the San Bernadino NOS Events Center on March 22, and that Common will be playing the House of Blues West Hollywood on Feb. 12 and Anaheim on Feb. 13 (tickets to both shows go on sale Saturday).
The winner this week? Clearly, it' s Jack Johnson. (Headlining Coachella's first night? Seriously, whose board did he wax to attain that honor?) But in the interest of simplicity, let's give it to the whole of Coachella 2008 for that curveball of a lineup.
--Liam Gowing
Editor's note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that tickets for Grizzly Bear's show with the L.A. Philharmonic (March 1 at Walt Disney Concert Hall) would go on sale this Saturday. In fact, tickets for the show will g