Kevin Bronson on August 20th, 2010

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[Sunset Junction, other Junction functions, shows by legends and a show by Legend, shows  in massive amphitheatres and shows by people with egos the size of amphitheatres – what a weekend. When am I going to find time to celebrate Serj Tankian’s birthday?]

Once through the weekend, real … slow … like:

Friday highlights:
‣ Crowded House [pictured] plays downtown’s Club Nokia behind its new album “Intriguer,” its second disc since the band reformed in 2007 and its strongest since way back when.
‣ Chief celebrates this week’s release of its debut “Modern Rituals” at the Bootleg Theater, supported by Grouplove. (Chief also plays Sunset Junction.)
‣ John Legend & the Roots play to a sold-out Troubadour.
‣ And, if you want a chill evening that’s easy on the pocketbook, you can take in Cambodian psych-pop band Dengue Fever – recently signed to Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group – at Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena (Free)

Also Friday: Matt Sorum and the Darling Stilettos and dancing girls and such at the Viper Room; Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright at the Greek Theatre; electro songstress MNDR at the Echo; Hepcat at the Music Box; the Toledo Show at the Commerce Casion (yes, they’re having shows there now); Tijuana Panthers and the Franks at the Redwood Bar; Memphis Rascals, the Mother Truckers and Bryan Titus at the Mint; Ha Ha Tonka and Old Californio at Spaceland; the Warlocks and Summer Darling at the Grandstar in Chinatown (corrected); Pictureplane at the Echoplex; Fly Me to Brazil at the Roxy; Scars on Broadway at the Avalon; Annie Stela & Lucas Field and Jay Buchanan at the Hotel Cafe; Yonder Mountain String Band at the House of Blues; Liz Pappademas at Pehrspace; Captain Ahab at the Smell; LA Guns at the Galaxy Theatre; and Night Horse’s in-store at Vacation Vinyl.

Saturday’s highlights:
‣ Al Green, Greek Theatre. No description necessary. In a perfect world, he would be playing atop a bunch of the soul acts at Sunset Junction.
‣ Sunset Junction. My don’t-miss bands include Everest, Eastern Conference Champions, Saint Motel and Bad Brains. [Here are your set times and a Sunset Junction mixtape.]
‣ Conjunction Junction. A free event at Sunset Junction-adjacent Malo featuring, among others, White Arrows, Jessica 6, Woah Hunx and Dirt Dress.
‣ The Bellrays rock Spaceland, speaking of singers with soulful pipes. (It’s free with an SJ wristband.)
‣ And, again, free and easy on the pocketbook: a matinee show at the Lab in Costa Mesa featuring Wait. Think. Fast, Rumspringa, White Arrows and Vanaprasta; the Bodeans at Pershing Square downtown; a great show at California Plaza featuring Nortec Collective; and, in downtown Santa Ana, the Posse on Broadway featuring Free Moral Agents and Blank Blue (DJ Nobody).

Also Saturday: Cary Brothers at the Troubadour; Ben Sollee and Sara Lov at the Bootleg Theater; the Dave Mathews Band at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre; Josh Rifkin at the Hotel Cafe; Le Switch and Spirit Animal playing at the Downtown Independent Theater after a screening of the movie “The Scenesters;” Useless Keys at Casey’s downtown; the Cliks at the Roxy; LA Font at Echo Curio; and Former Ghosts at the Smell.

Sunday’s highlights:
‣ Sunset Junction. My don’t miss acts include Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Fitz & the Tantrums, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Red Cortez, Sam Sparro, the Deadly Syndrome and Leslie & the Badgers. Wish me luck.
‣ Conjunction Junction. A nice lineup featuring Useless Keys, Light FM, the Black Apples and Summer Darling.
‣ Baths and Jeans Wilder at the Downtown Independent Theater after the screening of “The Scenesters.”

Also Sunday: Agent Ribbons and the Sister Ruby Band at the Bootleg Theater; Rabbits Running, Parade of Lights and Radio Freq at Spaceland; John Mayer at the Hollywood Bowl; Crooked Still at McCabe’s; Nostalghia at the Hotel Cafe; and the So Cal Underground Band Slam at the Music Box with That Noise, Dead Man’s Army, Fiction Nation and Whiskey Six, among others.

Photo of Crowded House by Cybele Malinowski