Kevin Bronson on May 13th, 2010

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[A bit of everything here: benefit shows, bands with new names and World Cup soccer:]

The Airborne Toxic Event returns to the site of their very first show, the Echo, on May 25 for a charity gig for the Neda Project – an Amnesty International-related effort named for Neda Agha-Soltan, the Iranian woman who was gunned down last June during peaceful protests over the election of Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadenijad. The L.A. quintet has also recorded a song, “Neda,” in her honor and will release it June 8. Tickets for the benefit are $30 and went on sale Wednesday.

‣ Benefit shows, add 1: Our friends at Radio Free Silver Lake are bringing back their Rock Against HD event, “Under Covered,” for a second year. It’s a benefit show for Huntington’s Disease research, and the concept is that local bands cover material by other local bands. And the lineup is promising this year – Seasons, Rademacher, One Trick Pony, George Glass and the Hectors will be the performers, covering tunes from the likes of the Henry Clay People, the Happy Hollows, Radars to the Sky, the Monolators and others. The all-ages show is at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 30, at All-Star Lanes (4459 Eagle Rock Blvd.) and it’s only 8 bucks.

‣ Not just the name has changed: O.C. quintet Aushua [a longtime favorite at Buzz Bands HQ] has changed its name to Pacific Hurt. Like a lot of the other recent band name changes around town, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher to me – though not as puzzling as the band’s decision to forgo playing any Aushua songs and just concentrate on new material. Frontman Nathan Gammill explains in an interview with Everyday Noise. I’m not sure O.C. whiz kids the Jakes did themselves any favors either; their new name is Young the Giant.

‣ And finally, indie-pop for kicks: Dublin-based digital label Indiecater Records had a world-beater of an idea – solicit 32 songs from 32 bands from the 32 countries that qualified for the World Cup. Now the label is releasing “Fast Forward.” (The label’s “Freebies” section has some nice downloads if your tastes run toward the twee.)

||| Download: Le Man Avec Les Lunettes, “Don’t Get Fooled by the Football Players’ Summery Outfit”

Photo by Laurie Scavo