Tonight in L.A.: Patti Smith, the Pretenders, NIN

[Happy birthday, Jonesy. We miss your jukebox …]

Keeping it very brief today: Which legend you wanna see? Patti Smith plays a free show at the Santa Monica Pier, while the Pretenders, joined by Cat Power, are at the Greek Theatre. …. Nine Inch Nails plays the second of its four SoCal shows at the Music Box @ Fonda. … There’s the 415 Records reunion show at the Knitting Factory with Wire Train, Translator and Debora Iyall of Romeo Void. … He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister and Spirit Vine play Spaceland on a bill that includes Fort Wife (members of Avi Buffalo). … And local ska guys See Spot headline the Troubadour before a big European tour. … Also: Buddy at the Hotel Cafe; Marcy Playground at the Viper Room; Division Day and Bad Veins at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa; Xu Xu Fang, along with the Meeting Places and the Boxing Lesson, at the Prospector in Long Beach; Lily & the Ladies at the Echo; Last American Buffalo and Mississippi Man at the Bootleg Theater; Old Believers at the Silverlake Lounge; the Nightbirds at the Roxy; and Tim Easton and the Faraway Places at the Redwood Bar.