Kevin Bronson on August 27th, 2010

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[Sunday would have marked Michael Jackson’s 52nd birthday. Observe accordingly.]

Top 5 stops on my personal tour this weekend, if there were a personal tour:

‣ I’m not sure there will be any Mexican wrestlers involved, but the Smashing Pumpkins headline Saturday’s street portion of the Sunset Strip Music Festival, which features the likes of Semi Precious Weapons, Travie McCoy, Neon Trees, Slash, Kid Cudi and Common playing the outdoor stages, as well as a host of club shows. In my item for the LA Weekly today, I recommend six bands who are playing in the clubs – Vanaprasta, White Arrows, Casxio, AWOLNATION, Wicker and  Links.
‣ The second annual Buskerfest goes off Saturday in the arts district of Long Beach, with Delta Spirit and Crystal Antlers capping the evening with main-stage performances. It’s a cool thing – here’s a backgrounder.
‣ The Fling celebrate the release of their debut album “When the Madhouses Appear” tonight at Spaceland (with Deep Sea Diver opening).
‣ The Little Ones play Club Underground at the Echo tonight.
‣ And Chemical Brothers, Chromeo and Yacht do it up big Sunday night at the Hollywood Bowl.

Also tonight: Boris and Red Sparowes at the El Rey; Cyndi Lauper at the Greek Theatre; Flosstradamus at Vanguard; the Juliana Theory at the Glass House; Jon Brion at Largo; Pete Molinari and Patrick Park at the Redwood; the Jayhawks’ Mark Olson at McCabe’s; Kix at the House Blues; Delta Rose and Warner Drive at the Viper Room; the Expendables at the Roxy; Asia at Club Nokia; Unwritten Law and Nico Vega at the Key Club; Denim Family Band at the Hotel Cafe; Stoic Ideal at the Troubadour; Gamble House at Pehrspace; the Shants at Echo Curio; Shannon Curtis at the Bootleg Theater; Neverever at 3 Clubs; and Damion Romero at the Smell.

Also Saturday: Wet & Reckless and Twilight Sleep as part of the matinee show at The Lab in Costa Mesa (a noon start); the Antlers at Saturdays Off the 405 at the Getty Museum; Morris Day at the Greek Theatre; Joan Sebastian at the Gibson Amphitheatre; Cap’N Jazz, Abe Vigoda and the Black Apples at the Echoplex; Something Corporate at Club Nokia; the Juliana Theory at the El Rey Theatre; Former Ghosts at the Troubadour; Moenia at the House of Blues; Oneida and the Lights at Spaceland; Jaill and Woah Hunx at the 6th Street Warehouse; Jon Brion and Nels Cline at Largo; Matthew Sweet at McCabe’s; Boris and Red Sparowes at the Glass House; Pete Molinari and Eleni Mandell at the Redwood Bar; Andre Theirry at the Mint; Useless Keys at Casey’s downtown; Cobra Lilies at Pehrpsace; David Poe at the Hotel Cafe; Pete Swanson at the Smell; Cinder Cone at Echo Curio; and the Hold Steady and Rogue Wave at a RSVP-only, beer-sponsored event in Culver City.

Also Sunday: The Goo Goo Dolls and Switchfoot at the Greek Theatre; West Indian Girl at the Hotel Cafe; Ron Emory at Spaceland; Batwings Catwings at the Echo; Magic Johnson at the Smell; Pete Molinari at the Redwood Bar and Pete Swanson at Echo Curio.