Kevin Bronson on March 13th, 2009

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[Birthday candles Sunday for both Ry Cooder and Sly Stone on what will be a very busy weekend …]

Tonight: Van Nuys-based imprint Hopeless/Sub City Records has been doing good things for years with its charity outreach, and its eight annual Take Action Tour, with DoSomething.org as this year’s beneficiary (the group will get three $1,000 grants), hits the House of Blues with Buffalo, N.Y., emo-rockers Cute Is What We Aim For as the headliner. I’m more curious to hear the new material from opener Meg & Dia [pictured], whose new album “Here, Here and Here” is out April 21. The Utah quintet, which rose above the pack when I saw them on the 2007 Warped Tour, made their new album with heavyweight producer Howard Benson. … Former L.A. resident Richard Swift has a new album coming too (“The Atlantic Ocean,” due April 7 on Secretly Canadian, more on that at a later date), and he is in town to play Spaceland. … At the Echoplex, strange couture and fun music will be in order when Gram Rabbit and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros perform. … Upstairs at the Echo, L.A.-reared Eric Elbogen performs as Say Hi …”  Tindersticks visit the Music Box @ Fonda. … Great band in a cozy spot: Vancouver’s the Pack A.D. bring their White Stripes/Black Keys vibe to downtown’s Redwood Bar; their 2008 album “Funeral Mixtape” is highly recommended. … Cursive plays its second night in L.A., at the Troubadour. … And there’s also: a Runaway Tribute at the Roxy; Archways at CIA in North Hollywood; Casxio at Home restaurant; Lady Gaga at the Wiltern; Simply Red at Club Nokia; the English Beat at Brixton in Redondo Beach; Millencolin (with the Briggs) at the El Rey Theatre; Sara Bareilles (sold out) at the Hotel Cafe; and acoustic sets from Meiko, Evan Way and Adeline along with the rock photography at the Where gallery in Silver Lake. Whew.

||| Download: The Pack A.D.’s “Making Gestures”

Saturday: Majordomo Records’ new addition the Von Bondies blast into town, touring with Nico Vega for a show at the Roxy. … With its new ablum “Hush” just out, Asobi Seksu brings its candy-coated shoegaze to the Troubadour. … At downtown’s Tricot Showroom (843 Werdin Pl.), the Bird and the Bee head up a big four-band lineup. … Richard Swift moves his tour down to the Yost Theater in Santa Ana, where the Local Natives open. … Leeds trio Sky Larkin rock Spaceland. … And there’s also: the Phosphorescent/Viva Voce show at the Regent Theater [see Downloads post above]; Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys at the El Rey; Lyrics Born at the Mint; Futurecop at the Echoplex; and El Ten Eleven at Home restaurant.

Sunday: Meiko and Emily Wells play at Sainte Rocke in Hermosa Beach. … At the Echo, there’s the Australian BBQ featuring seven bands, including the Drones and Dappled Cities. …. And Rademacher has a gig at 1 p.m. at Space 1520 on Cahuenga.

Photo of Meg and Dia by Saye Farrokhtala