This weekend in L.A.: Grammy mania, LL Cool J, Figurine, Polysics, Strung Out, I See Hawks in L.A.

Kevin Bronson on January 29th, 2010

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[In between all the Grammy prepping and posturing, there is a massive amount of live music to enjoy. Don’t know where to start, really, except to wish Justin Timberlake a happy birthday on Sunday – maybe he can take home one of those cute gramophone trophies from the big awards show …]

Tonight: The big stuff has LL Cool J at the Key Club, Herb Alpert at Disney Hall, Chris Cornell at the sold-out Troubadour, the Fray at the House of Blues and Nick Jonas at the Wiltern. … Then there is the show highlighting music from “True Blood” at the Echoplex, with John Doe & the Sadies, CC Adcock and Jace Everett performing. … Japan’s Polysics (pictured; with Sabrosa Purr supporting) hit the Roxy behind their new album “Absolute POLYSICS.” … And there’s a rare show from Figurine – the occasional guise of bliptastic Jimmy Tamborello (The Postal Service/Dntel) – at Pehrspace. … Also: Andy Clockwise celebrating his new single “Taking Over the World” at the Hotel Cafe; the Tender Box and Satellite Crush at Club Underground’s nine-year anniversary show at the Echo; Bowling for Soup at the El Rye; VV Brown and Love Grenades at Spaceland; Sugar Ray at the Galaxy Concert Theatre; the Pink Floyd Experience at the Orpheum; 100 Monkeys at the Viper Room; GPKISM at the Bootleg Theater; Slang Chickens at Echo Curio; and Tim Reynolds & TR3 at the Mint.

Saturday: It’s kind of the anti-awards-show show – L.A. punk veterans Strung Out, who last fall marked their 20th anniversary of a band by releasing their seventh album “Agents of the Underground,” play the El Rey Theatre. [Download: “Black Crosses”] … While I’m dishing downloads, and on a completely different tip, here’s “Beneath Your Tree” from North Carolina’s Bowerbirds, who play an early show at the Echo. … I See Hawks in L.A. plays downtown’s Redwood Bar in the last of three shows celebrating the release of its 17-song retrospective “Shoulda Been Gold;” Old Californio opens. … Nico Stai and Chief team up at Spaceland. … The Soft Pack, whose debut album comes out Tuesday, play at 10 locations across SoCal – try to keep up. … The Pity Party, Pocahaunted and Letting Up Despite Great Faults team up for a Help Haiti benefit at Cinespace. … Also: Los Lobos playing two shows at UCLA’s Royce Hall; Moving Units and Casxio at the Glass House; the Residents at the Fonda; Meredith Meyer and Manhattan Murder Mystery at Pehrpsace; Riverboat Gamblers in Long Beach at Alex’s Bar; Daijobu at the Troubadour; Star Parts at El Cid; Lelia Broussard and One Trick Pony at the Hotel Cafe; John Nolan at the Bootleg Theater; and David Lindley at McCabe’s.