Kevin Bronson on December 11th, 2009

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[Happy birthday to Jon Brion, who, of course, is doing his popular weekly show at Largo tonight. Now, quickly rounding up what else is on the menu – including a couple of off-the-beaten-path events Saturday and Sunday:]

Tonight: Son Volt gallops back into town behind one of its most lauded records, “American Central Dust.” Jay Farrar and crew headline the El Rey Theatre. … San Diego’s instrumental adventurers Tristeza [pictured] just released a new album,”Fate Unfolds” [downloads below], and they headline Spaceland supported by Lower Heaven and Drew Andrews. … And it’ll be a good one at the sold-out Troubadour: U.K. trio Band of Skulls make yet another stop in L.A., with local four-piece Red Cortez kicking off the evening. … Elsewhere: Ice Cube at the House of Blues; Camp Freddy at the Roxy; U-N-I and Audible Mainframe at the Viper Room; John Doe’s two shows at McCabe’s; Magik Markers at the Smell; Queen Kwong at the Bootleg Theater; the Capshuns and Bixby Knolls at the Echo; People Under the Stairs, with Kenan Bell, at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa; Curtis Peoples and Keaton Simons at the Mint; and the Rescues and Brian Wright & the Wac Tragedies at the Hotel Cafe.

||| Download: Tristeza’s “Tension Futura” and “Manitas”

Saturday: Big stuff all over town, including the first night of KROQ-FM’s Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Gibson Amphitheatre, featuring Rise Against, 30 Seconds to Mars and AFI, among others. And there’s the annual Stevie Wonder House Full of Toys benefit at the Nokia Theatre, boasting the Jonas Bros. … Brett Dennen, whose new EP features collaborations with Jason Mraz and Brazilians Forro in the Dark, tops a strong bill at the Wiltern that features Grace Potter and the Nocturnals [pictured] and L.A. wunderkind Robert Francis. … Also: Passion Pit and Band of Skulls at Pomona’s Fox Theatre; The Start, Mellowdrone and Shiloe at the Troubadour; Princeton, the Parson Red Heads and the Coals at Spaceland; Grant Lee Phillips and Sara Watkins, followed by Kate Earl and the Rescues, at the Hotel Cafe; Todd Snider at the El Rey Theatre; Grooms and 60 Watt Kid at the Courtyard (location changed due to weather; now at 5011 W. Adams); Pocahaunted at the Smell; and the four-year anniversary party of Hit+Run at the Echoplex, with Nobody, Kutmah, the Gaslamp Killer and others. … And, off the beaten path, Nico Stai plays a free 9:30 set at the Tarryn Teresa Gallery, 1820 Industrial St., No. 230, downtown.

Sunday: There’s the free Buzz Bands LA Holidaze show at Spaceland, with Spirit Animal starting the party, followed by Death Kit, Letting Up Despite Great Faults and Wet & Reckless. … Elsewhere, Night 2 of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas features the likes of Muse, Phoenix and Metric. … Jackson Browne, Olivia Newton John, Inara George and Beth Nielsen team up at the Million Dollar Theatre for the Benefit for Fran Drescher’s Cancer Movement. … Songsmith Joe Purdy starts a three-night run at the Hotel Cafe. … And the Slits and Weave! do Part Time Punks at the Echo. … Also: Aimee Mann’s sold-out Christmas show at Largo; Evangelista at the Echoplex; Manhattan Murder Mystery at the Smell; and Love Grenades at the Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica. … And, off the beaten path, Adam Freeland is playing a free show from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Best Fish Taco in Ensenada stand, 1650 Hillhurst Ave. (He has a track called “Best Fish Taco in Ensenada” on his 2009 release “Cope.”)