Conor Oberst

The Five Best Concerts in L.A. This Weekend

Friday, August 31 Mark de Clive-Lowe BLUE WHALE As one might expect from a hapa Japanese-New Zealander who arrived in L.A. via Boston, New York and London, this keyboardist/DJ/music producer is a complex synthesis of musical styles and cultures. Mark de Clive-Lowe honed his craft in the United King ... More >>

The 20 Worst Hipster Bands: The Complete List

The 20 Worst Hipster Bands: 10-1 Top 20 Worst Bands of All Time Top 20 Musicians of All Time, in Any Genre Top 20 Whitest Musicians of All Time Who are these hipsters we see each day in the streets, on our Tumblr feeds, and on the local news? And why are so many in bands? It's not the mere existen ... More >>

The 20 Worst Hipster Bands: 10-1

Top 20 Worst Bands of All Time Top 20 Musicians of All Time, in Any Genre Top 20 Whitest Musicians of All Time 10. White Rabbits Why do bands need a second drummer? In recent years everyone from Local Natives to Bon Iver to fucking Radiohead has thrown a second kit out there, or at least a floor to ... More >>

Tonight: Perfume Genius, the Black Keys, Guster, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sara Bareilles, Bettye LaVette, Funeral Party

Perfume Genius​Mike Hadreas, the 28-year-old Seattle-based pianist who makes music as Perfume Genius, creates hyper-emotional ballads so fragile a stiff breeze might knock them over. He's found plenty of strength in the them, though -- Hadreas turned to the keyboard to quell the inner turmoil ... More >>

The Ten Worst Hats in Modern Music History, In Honor of Empire of the Sun

Australian psychedelic popsters Empire of the Sun come to the Music Box this week, playing three consecutive sold-out nights beginning Wednesday. This is no small feat for the scrappy duo, which formed only halfway through 2008. No small feat, but not without explanation. West Coast Sound has cru ... More >>

Tonight: Laura Marling, Squeeze, Sister Nancy at Dub Club, Obits, Neon Trees, Vanaprasta

Laura Marling​One week, two acclaimed U.K. folk singers: Somebody must have planned this thing. Last night it was Conor O'Brien, aka Villagers, giving a mesmerizing solo performance at the Hotel Cafe. (And, yes, this Conor O. very much recalls Conor Oberst.) Tonight, Laura Marling visits the ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Rage Against The Machine's Immigrant Rights Benefit at the Palladium

Timothy NorrisRage Against Arizona's Controversial Legislation​[For more photos check out Timothy Norris' slideshow,"Rage Against The Machine's Immigrant Rights Benefit @ Palladium."] With all the turmoil and wrongdoing in the world, it's a wonder Rage Against the Machine ever left the stage. ... More >>

This Weekend: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Rage Against the Machine, Robyn, Jackson Browne, Lyle Lovett, Keith Urban, Delta Spirit

via MySpaceMiguel Atwood-Ferguson​Tonight's installment of Grand Performances at California Plaza -- one of our town's finest, free music al fresco opportunities -- figures to be especially grand. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, the composer/producer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist who boasts a resume ... More >>

Music Picks: Phosphorescent, Bomba Estereo, Gangi, Pablo Heras-Casado

Also, Jimmy Cliff, Suzy Williams, Funeral Party and others

Rage Against The Machine To Headline Concert Fighting Arizona Immigration Law [Updated]

By Steve La Steve La(From left) Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine​ Some rockers are taking on the Arizona immigration law that has stirred a lot of passionate opposition here in L.A., including boycotts of Arizona by several cities. "This is not a Latino or immig ... More >>

Rage's Zack de la Rocha: Arizona Debate is Not about Immigration, but "a Battle for Human Dignity"

​Rage Against the Machine Zack de la Rocha, organizer through his group Sound Strike of a concert in opposition to Arizona's controversial immigration law, gave a press conference today to explain the reasons behind the upcoming show. The Informer, LA Weekly's news blog, sent reporter Steve L ... More >>

Rage Against the Machine, Sonic Youth, Massive Attack and Many Others Push for Boycott Against Arizona Law

​(Via Billboard) A number of influential musicians and other artists have now joined their voices to the organized repudiation of the recent immigration legislation in Arizona. The following names have been posted on the website thesoundstrike.net endorsing a boycott of Arizona, most likely b ... More >>

Music Picks: Sasha & Kazell, She & Him, Efterklang, Xiu Xiu

Also, Holly Miranda, Les Blanks, Mumiy Troll and others

Listen: Four Songs From New Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley) LP [MP3]

Butch Hogan​Longtime drummer for Rilo Kiley and frequent time-keeper to various Conor Oberst-led outfits, Jason Boesel, is releasing his debut solo album next Tuesday, but music fans can hear four songs from Hustler's Son right now. The first three -- "French Kissing," "Black Waves," and "Ne ... More >>

Sunset Junction: Corner of Mellow and Sparse

Over the Weekend: Sunset Junction, Girls Gone Graff, Kings of Leon

This weekend marked the annual Sunset Junction festival in Silver Lake, the last big summer street bash that signals a fast approaching fall and, for many, a return to school. Despite ongoing conflicts between festival promoters, local residents and business owners, Sunset Junction went off in full ... More >>

Saturday's Sunset Junction: Meat-on-a-Stick, Dengue Fever, Conor Oberst

View more photos from Saturday's Sunset Junction at Colin Young-Wolff's slideshow. Street fairs stand to remind us of two thing: 1) People love grilled meat on a stick; and, 2) teenagers love to try and have sex in public. Saturday's first day kickoff of the Sunset Junction was no different. Those ... More >>

Four-Word Sunset Junction 2009 Review (NSFW)

At least one neighbor at this weekend's Sunset Junction Street Fair had an opinion on the music and atmosphere of this year's festival. This is not, mind you, West Coast Sound's endorsed review. Just one opinionated person's take: "borrowed" from Rita Neyter's Facebook page​ It is unknown wh ... More >>

Sunset Junction Street Fair: Hurdles (Mostly) Cleared, the Annual Party Moves Forward

​ After several years of tension between the Sunset Junction Neighborhood Alliance, Silver Lake residents and business owners came to a head in recent months, it looked as though the annual Sunset Junction Street Fair was about to head a dead end. But the tide is changing in the community and ... More >>

Coachella Day 2: Jenny Lewis on God, Love, Family and Travel

Timothy NorrisCoachella nights, bathed in tattoo blue. Out under the stars, Jenny Lewis' songs about God, love, family and travel sounded divine. Her coutry-tinged rock 'n' roll, even at its most bar-room raucous, gave the impression of a fireside gathering led by a counselor with a flair (and grea ... More >>

Coachella Day 1: Buraka Som Sistema and Conor Oberst

Timothy NorrisBuraka Som Sistema Buraka Som Sistema Gobi, 5:35 5:50 - 6:20   A sizeable crowd has gathered for Buraka Som Sistema in the Gobi tent, but the music hasn't started. Several men are running around the stage, chasing cables, jiggling things, playing music, stopping and starting again. ... More >>

Coachella Friday Set Times Leaked? Are These Real?

Greg Gillis, aka Girl Talk. The Coachella message board lit up this morning when someone posted a pretty convincing list of Friday set times, one of the last big secrets the festival reveals. For those of us going, the set times are obviously important because they dictate what we'll be missing, w ... More >>

Coachella 2009 Announced: Amy Winehouse, Paul McCartney, My Bloody Valentine ... Throbbing Gristle! Leonard Cohen!

Yeah, so all the silly speculation probably isn't done yet, as Goldenvoice always adds a few heavy-hitters after the initial announcement, but the initial line-up is up. Click through to see it in all it's glory. We'll start analyzing it soon, but for now: Throbbing Gristle! No Pavement? Let the ... More >>

Weiss' 50 Best Albums of the Year (#40-31) (Sponsored By Crystal Pepsi)

If you're going to drink one clear cola this year, make it Crystal Pepsi. Please.40. No Age-Nouns (Sub Pop) Face it, *Nouns* is this decade's *Let it Be* (The Replacements, not The Beatles): A ragtag posse of scruffy dudes sonically illustrating their homes with spectacular tunes and pure passi ... More >>

Top 10 Americana Albums of 2008

By Noah W. Bailey Picking the best folk and Americana records of the year isn't nearly as hard as discarding those great records that just didn't feel right stuck in the category.Releases by Calexico and DeVotchKa felt far too worldly to pigeonhole as folk or country, for instance, while Blitzen ... More >>

Rock Picks: Tegan & Sara, Patti Smith, Stereolab

Also, Pinback, the Quarrymen, Kris Kristofferson and more

F Yeah: Frickin' Yes in the Summertime

This weekend's fest offers a glimpse into the future of rock & roll

Record Reviews: Bodies of Water, Conor Oberst

Also, the Pinker Tones

Rock Picks: Peanut Butter Wolf, Serj Tankian, Conor Oberst

Also, Carrie Rodriguez, Dolly Parton, Buddy Guy, and more

Life is like a Reese's peanut butter cup: "You got rock'n'roll in my politics."

RIYL, Bruce Springsteen, Scarlett Johansson, Obama, Portland based indie rock bands, catch phrases from feature films and television commercials.

Record Reviews: Usher, Lurker of Chalice

Also, The Dodos, Mezzanine Owls and more

Devendra & Natalie sitting in a tree. But are they K-I-S-S-I-N-G?

Is Devendra Banhart a starfucker or just a star?

The mysterious case of the Microphones who climbed away to Mt. Eerie

Our newest musical voices who, a decade a ago, might have been tempted to call themselves Moon Flower or Dog Park proudly go by their given names: Sufjan Stevens, Joanna Newsom, Neko Case, Devendra Banhart. Not so with the mysterious Mr. Phil Elverum...

Record Reviews: Atlas Sound, Chris Walla, The Clipse

Conor Vs. Phil

Is laying a ton of L.A. Philharmonic strings and horns on top of Bright Eyes’ insistent beat going to turn it into a big soft pile of adult-oriented mush?

Bright Eyes and Gillian Welch

At Disney Hall, May 6, 2007

Rock Picks

For the week of April 5–12

Rock Picks

For the week of March 15 - 22

Rock Picks

For February 1–8

Heady Metal, Britain's Favorite DJ, and a Defense of Americana's Best Killers

Annual Anagrams

More Politics Lists

The Psychic Hipster’s Pop 10

Every Now and Then He Falls Apart

Seeing Bright Eyes in the big picture

Waves of Sympathy

Politically 4th Street

The Story in the Soil

The Omaha rock scene, the world of the flyover people, the future of the music business, and one vicious head wound

Experiencing Disney Hall

Stay in Character