[Why, it's Paula Abdul's birthday today. Isn't that nice ...]

Today: A seriously busy weekend gets started with the seriously beautiful orchestral maneuvers of Grizzly Bear, who are joined by Here We Go Magic to play a (very) sold-out show at the Wiltern. … It’s also opening night at the Hollywood Bowl, where the Bowl Hall of Fame inducts Dame Kiri Te Kawana and Josh Groban and Roger Daltrey and Trisha Yearwood are among the guest performers. … Old Buzz Bands fave Todd Rundgren plays Club Nokia, while Ben Kweller gets support from Local Natives for a gig at the El Rey Theatre. … Art Brut finishes up its four-night stand in L.A. with a show at the Echo that also features the Blood Arm. … Mere Mortals will be unveiling some new wares — pretty sweet stuff, at that — at Spaceland, joined the Lower Heaven and the Black Kites. … LoveLikeFire burns up the Bootleg Theatre, with Danish electro-rockers Spleen United playing the late set. … Stellar bill at the Hotel Cafe, with Emily Wells (her EP release show), Olin and the Moon, the Grizzly Owls, Andy Clockwise and Y La Bamba. … Also: The Queers at the Knitting Factory; Jay Reatard at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach; Parisians Thieves Like Us, with the U.K.’s Esser, at the Echoplex; Warner Drive at the Viper Room; the Cab at the sold-out Roxy; and (hed) p.e. at the Key Club.

Saturday: Wilco, supported by next-generation Laurel Canyon dude Jonathan Wilson, starts a four-show SoCal run with a sold-out date at the Fox Theater Pomona. …  Also sold out: PJ Harvey and John Parish at the Wiltern, and Grizzly Bear and Here We Go Magic at the Troubadour. … It’s flashback night at the Echoplex, where Shellac headlines. … Nouvelle Vague headlines the Music Box @ Fonda, where Sara Lov supports. … Josh Schwartz’s Bolero holds forth at the Bootleg Theater. … The Getty’s Saturdays Off the 405 series gets started with a 6 p.m. performance by Chairlift. … And Tom Brosseau and Mike Stinson team up at McCabe’s. … Also: Dinosaur Jr. at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa; Gary Jules at the Mint; Lauren LaRocca at the Knitting Factory; Parade of Lights at the Alterknit Lounge; the Monthlies at the Unknown Theatre; I Make This Sound at Mr. T’s Bowl; the Dear Hunter at the El Rey Theatre; Amusement Parks on Fire at the Prospector in Long Beach; the Queers at Alex’s Bar; Halloween Jack and Sabrosa Purr at Spaceland; and Mike Watt at the Redwood Bar.

Sunday: Music outdoors, ’tis the season — Make Music Pasadena has its multi-stage, free, all-ages shows throughout the day, featuring the likes of Juana Molina, Quetzal and the Whispertown 2000. And at the Hollywood Bowl, it’s the heavyweight lineup of  Femi Kuti, Santigold and Raphael Saadiq. …Elsewhere, Shellac plays a second night at the Echoplex, while Venus Infers and the Valley Arena team up at Spaceland. … Also: The Circle Jerks at the Key Club; the Photo Atlas at the Knitting Factory; Dave Gleason at the Grand Ole Echo; Charilift at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa; and Halloween Swim Team at the Smell.

Photo: Mere Mortals by Aaron Lucy

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[Lester William Polsfuss was born 94 years ago today. You probably know him as Les Paul, the Wizard of Waukesha, inventor of the solid-body electric guitar.]

Mr. Paul’s legacy clamors on throughout L.A. tonight. The Lemonheads [Evan Dando, pictured] are back in town, stopping at Spaceland in support of “Varshons,” a new album of cover songs. … Camera Obscura’s new album “My Maudlin Career” is anything but maudlin; the Glaswegian sextet is at the Glass House for the first of two shows in SoCal this week. … Secret Chiefs 3 bring their metaphysical metal to the El Rey Theatre. … Great lineup at the Roxy, where Patrick Wolf, Jaguar Love, Living Things and Plasticines will keep your earplugs in. … The Tragically Hip start a three-night run at the Troubadour — only Thursday is sold out as of right now. … Scorpions axeman Michael Schenker rocks the Key Club. … The lovely Americana of the Grizzly Owls will fill the Silverlake Lounge. … And Courtenay Green and Killing Cassanova head up a big bill at the Airliner. … Also: Gaslamp Killer at the Echo; Bash Bash and Frankie J at the House of Blues; Golden State at the Dragonfly; Raining Jane at the Hotel Cafe; Lady Sinatra at the Viper Room; and Mike Stinson at the Redwood Bar.

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P  R  O  M  O  T  I  O N

Buzz Bands has  a pair of tickets to give away to Friday’s show at Greek Theatre featuring Neko Case and Jason Lytle (of Grandaddy). Be the first person to e-mail buzzbands(at)gmail(dot)com with “Neko” in the subject line and they’re yours.

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Some great reasons to get out of the house tonight: The big shows have the Decemberists (supported by very talented Oklahomans Other Lives) at the Palladium, and a lot of people my age heading to see the brother acts — the Allmans and the Doobies — at the Greek Theatre. … Ex-rapper Hesta Prynn (Northern State), who’s reinvented herself as a pretty nifty pop songstress, plays the Silverlake Lounge along with Rachel Cantu, and others. … Australia’s Youth Group visits the Troubadour with support from local up-and-comers Nico Stai and Useless Keys … Avi Buffalo’s residency continues at the Echo, and Bobb Bruno is among the supporting acts. … Local trio Until June [pictured] releases its new album, “Sound of Defeat,” today and celebrates with a show at the Hotel Cafe. … At the Prospector in Long Beach, it’s the Minor Canon and Blank Blue. … And Ready the Jet and Jr. Juggernaut plays Spaceland. … Also: Sierra Swan at the Viper Room; Cydney Robinson at the Bootleg Theatre; Matt Sorum and the Darling Stilettos at the Dragonfly; Chickenfoot at the Roxy and Mike Stinson at the Redwood Bar.

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[Birthday cheers go out Sunday to Donovan, and I hope this abbreviated rundown isn't too late to inform your weekend plans:]

Tonight, updated: Here’s where it gets loud — Spectrum, who will be joined by members MGMT, plays Club Underground at the Echo tonight, along with the Entrance Band and Abe Vigoda. … Grand Duchy, the musical collaboration between Black Francis and his wife Violet Clark, hits the Detroit Bar tonight behind last month’s release of its debut “Petit Fours,” a collection of endearingly off-kilter synth-pop. … Huge benefit at Club Nokia tonight — the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis will be feted for his charity work, with the proceeds going to the MusicCares MAP Fund. Among the many performers: Iggy Pop, with Steve Jones filling in for the late Ron Ashton on guitar. … Elsewhere: Local Natives, Aushua and Voxhaul Broadcast at Spaceland; Patrick Watson at the Hotel Cafe; the Voyeurs and Les Blanks at the Scene; Star Parts at Crane’s; the Good Listeners at the Bootleg Theatre; and Iron and Wine at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Saturday: Nous Non Plus [pictured] visits Spaceland for a night of fun fake French music. … Iron and Wine moves to the Troubadour for a show that’s very, very sold out ($100 tickets on the Internet?). … It’s the album-release party for Mika Miko at the Smell. … Big goings-on in the bigger venues — Shiny Toy Guns, Nico Vega and the Ringers play Club Nokia; Keane and the Helio Sequence tackle the Palladium; the Avett Brothers check in to the Music Box @ Fonda; and Van Morrison plays another night at the Orpheum. … And there’s the KIIS-FM Wango Tango at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre.

Sunday: Some excellent Mother’s Day offerings — the Shins (with the Delta Spirit) play the Palladium, while the Vaselines (along with the Tyde) play the El Rey Theatre and the Beach Boys play the Orpheum. … Also: Destroyer at the Echoplex; El Vez at Spaceland; and Mike Stinson at the Redwood Bar,

See Duke for more listings

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[Happy Cinco de Mayo, and here are a few musical party options;]

Iglu & Hartly, the Los Angeles-via-Colorado quintet who hit it big in the U.K. with its party-minded amalgamation of rock, rap (lite) and cheesy synths, brings its dance show back to the U.S. in earnest, playing a KROQ-sponsored record release show at the Roxy for its debut “And Then Boom” (out today). It’s the kind of music that sends indie purists running for cover, but the band is poised to be one of the city’s biggest break-out stories of the year. Pop Noir and On Blast support at tonight’s festivities. [Download: "Day Glo"] … Young Long Beach quintet Avi Buffalo kicks off a free Tuesday residency at the Echo — yes, they’re likable — and if I were a betting man I’d say they’ll be signed by the end of the summer. Deep Sea Diver and Tenlons Fort are also on the bill. … Another unsigned L.A. band, Scarlet Grey, headlines the Troubadour. … Ex-Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty has the headlining slot at the Hotel Cafe (and he’s at Largo on Wednesday). … The Parson Red Heads (with the Monolators) rock the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa. … Visiting  from Peoria (obligatory hometown plug), the Forecast joins the Photo Atlas at the Knitting Factory. … And it’s Signal Hill at the Silverlake Lounge; Greycoats at the Alterknit Lounge; Culture Killers at the Dragonfly; and the always-good Mike Stinson at the Redwood Bar.

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[Friend of Buzz Bands Doug Kresse was on hand at Spaceland on Saturday night and passed along this account:]

By Doug Kresse
Not even a power outage a half-hour into his set could sap the energy and heart from 81-year-old country music legend Charlie Louvin on Saturday night at Spaceland. With a backing cast of local musicians and guest turns from the likes of Lucinda Williams, Louvin carried on in the dimness of emergency lights and delivered a heartfelt set rich in the art of storytelling.

After sets by Frank Fairfield and local treasure Mike Stinson and his band (who would become Louvin’s backup band), Louvin took the stage in front of a packed house about 11:15 p.m. Plenty of fellow musicians populated the crowd, including Chris Isaak. With occasional turns from guest vocalists, Louvin sang a lot of his great gospel hits, and classics like “I Don’t Love You Anymore.”

Then, around 11:45, the lights flickered and everything went black inside the club. Emergency backup lights kicked on, and the Spaceland crew scrambled to keep the show on the road (somehow the sound system was not affected). Working with little light, Charlie and the band shifted to working without the reliance of the sheet music.  At one point, bassist Rob Douglas attempted to scan the sheet music, trying to get the chords down, but Louvin just told Douglas not to worry. He helped the bassist and Stinson along, and the set went on in conditions that may have rattled many musicians — but not these.

Later, Louvin welcomed Lucinda Williams on the stage to sing with him. But one of the things I’ll remember most were the stories Charlie told between songs.  He connected with the audience, recounting a life of great memories.  One was the time — long ago — that he and a band had just finished a long set, were packing up to go home, then saw some miners, just getting off their shift, who suggested it’d be wise to play some more. Louvin honored their request. He also told of the times when club patrons who talked during a set and disrupted it (not an uncommon occurrence in Eastside environs) were “carried out.” His anecdotes spanned several decades.

It’s clear Charlie Louvin has created a rich history of music — and added to it with Saturday’s show. In the midst of what to him was a minor inconvenience, he showed true class.

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Nailed down your plans for New Year’s Eve yet? The Times has exhaustive guides of options for ringing in 2009 — I went through two plates of hors d’oeuvres just reading them, then got a stomach ache over the ticket prices. Not one to partake of any of the dance-music massives (and not one to dress up), I’ve compiled a Top 5 bang-for-your-buck, we-like-our-music-live New Year’s Eve shows:

The Henry Clay People, the Happy Hollows and the Pity Party at Spaceland. $10. THCP are to indie rock what bubbles are to champagne. The never-disappointing quartet (brothers Joey and Andy Siara, pictured) is supported by the agit-experimentalism of the Pity Party and the winsome thrash of up-and-coming trio the Happy Hollows. Yes, these three bands played around a lot in ‘08, but if you’re looking for a reliable good time, this is it. And maybe the Pity Party will knit some new sweaters for the occasion.

Beachwood Sparks, Crystal Antlers, Port O’Brien and others at the Old Bank Building. $20. DJ Kutmah and J-Logic are among the others partying at 401 Main St. in downtown L.A. Beachwood Sparks, of course, reunited for the Sub Pop 20th anniversary shindig this year, and with its members spread out all over the country, who knows when they will play again? This just in: According to promoters, Brent Rademaker from Beachwood Sparks is so sick that the band is having to scratch. New headliner: Ariel Pink, appearing with members of Beachwood Sparks.

LA Riots, Mattie Safer and others at the Viper Room. $50 (or $100 with open bar). Dancetastic techno dudes LA Riots could easily be playing one of the massives. If you like your dancefloor cozy and sweaty, this could be good.

We Are the World, the Blood Arm and others at the Echo. $10. This 18+ party has the Club Underground and Hang the DJs crew on the decks, along with guest Eddie Argos of Art Brut. Newbies We Are the World are part of the Manimal Vinyl roster, and the Blood Arm, longtime strivers in L.A., have done better for themselves across the Atlantic than at home.

Wayne “The Train” Hancock, Mike Stinson and others at the Redwood Bar. $20 One of L.A.’s country treasures, Stinson will be onstage for the “country New Year’s toast” (that’s Pabst in a champagne glass), but it’s the veteran Hancock who will turn downtown’s kitschy “pirate bar” into a juke joint.

P.S.: As much as I’d love to compare air quality at the House of Blues (Snoop Dogg, $115 and up) and the Roxy (the Wailers, $75), I think my next-favorite show (if I were more flush with cash) would be the 1990s flashback of seeing the Stone Temple Pilots ($75, $125) at Club Nokia. Even though I’m already tired of Club Nokia after only three trips there.

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