Kevin Bronson on January 23rd, 2009

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[Birthdays wishes go out to Robin Zander … now, if making through this weekend’s concert schedule were only a cheap trick:]

Today: Chris Pierce [pictured] has been spreading his feel-good R&B around his native Los Angeles since he was a teenager, and the young soul man has amassed enough devotees that he has the headlining slot at the El Rey Theatre, where concert-goers will get first crack at buying his new album, “Chris Pierce Live at the Hotel Cafe,” recorded last August at the Hollywood venue. … The Animal Collective show at the Music Box @ Fonda is sold out, as is the Department of Eagles gig at the Troubadour. … It’ll be crowded, if not packed, when Jay Reatard plays the Echoplex too. … Upstairs at the Echo, Japanese Motors will entertain at Club Underground. The Adolescents rock the Knitting Factory. … Ex-Jawbreaker/Jets to Brazil dude Blake Schwarzenbach’s new project Thorns of Life plays at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts. … The Hectors head up a big local bill at the Highland Park American Legion Hall. … O.A.R. is at Club Nokia. … And Very Be Careful plays the Mint. (Note: It still appears on some online calendars I’ve seen, but Femi Kuti’s show, originally slated for the House of Blues, was canceled, along with the rest of his January tour, due to illness.)

Saturday: The Raveonettes, playing a series of shows with a 4-piece band, play their last gig before heading into the studio to record their next album; it’s at the Music Box @ Fonda with the Soft Pack. … At the El Rey, next-big-things Wild Light support Tapes ‘n Tapes. … Yes, that second Animal Collective gig at the Troubadour is sold out too. …”  Futurecop heads up a dance party at the Echoplex. … Moving Units and the Knux rock the Glass House in Pomona. … West Indian Girl is joined by Juliette Commagere for a night at the Roxy. … And it seems like this room would be too small for either act, but: Eleni Mandell and the Henry Clay People at the Prospector in Long Beach?

Sunday: Isn’t diversity grand? You can get soulful with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at Club Nokia, or get down with Molotov at the El Rey, or get crazy with the all-scene-star lineup of No Age, Mika Miko and Abe Vigoda (starting at 1 p.m.) at the Smell. … Also, there’s Pop Noir at the Viper Room, Kaki King at Brixton South Bay, Seasons at the Scene and the Ex-Detectives at the Airliner Club.

Photo by Mathieu Biton