Kevin Bronson on February 12th, 2010

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[Once around the weekend as we wish Leslie Feist a happy birthday …]

Tonight: Don’t know if you saw the big piece in the local newspaper recently on Shadow Shadow Shade (formerly the Afternoons). SSS plays its first show at Spaceland under its new moniker (Twilight Sleep and Marvelous Toy support) – and over at Web in Front, one of the band’s new songs is streaming. … That’s the tip of the iceberg on a night of excellent local shows. The Idyllists celebrate the release of their new album at the Hotel Cafe. … Miss Derringer [pictured] will be shedding her “Black Tears” at the Troubadour. … Fitz & the Tantrums, working on finishing up their debut full-length album, bring their souls (and their soul music) to the Echo. … Billy Boy on Poison rocks the Viper Room. … And at cozy Pehrspace, there’s a great trio of artists – Sierra Swan, Carina Round and Samuel Stewart. … Also: Chicago Underground Duo, with Pit Er Pat and the Pity Party, at the Bootleg Theater; Meshell Ndegeocello at Largo; I See Hawks in L.A. at the Cinema Bar; the Monolators at the Smell; the Beat Junkies (with Slum Village) at the Echoplex; Pocahaunted at Synchronicity Space; and STS9 at the Wiltern.

Saturday: Jimmy Lavalle has been making music as the Album Leaf for 10 years now, and this month’s newest release, “A Chorus of Storytellers,” is his most brilliant album yet. The dream-rockers bring their harmonic strings, keys, guitars and vocals to the El Rey Theatre, where Sea Wolf opens. … Producer/songwriter Daniel Lanois brings his new project, Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub, to Spaceland. … Alice in Chains plays to a sold-out Palladium … The fun foursome in Saint Motel stages its “2nd Annual Zombie Prom” at the Roxy, with support from Chasing Kings and Links. …  West Indian Girl plays its first L.A. show with its new lineup – Melissa Baldwin is the band’s new singer – at the Bootleg Theater. … At the Echoplex, it’s the “Lovers and Strangers” festival with the Idyllists, Radio Freq and White Arrows. … Also: ALO at the Troubadour; G. Love & Special Sauce at the House of Blues; Coby Brown at the Hotel Cafe; the Fay Wrays at McWorld (511 Adams Blvd.); and Love Grenades at the Stone Bar (5221 Hollywood Blvd.).

Sunday: Good grouping at the Viper Room, where the double-fisted classic rock of Night Horse meets the edgy female-fronted dark wave of Normandie meets the agit-rock of Yours Til Death. … Also: The second night of Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub at Spaceland; Van Dyke Parks at McCabe’s; and the Kidrockers matinee show at the Echo with Dengue Fever and Buddy.