At the Echoplex this Sunday, indie bands are playing for a great cause. Cat-ch (har har har) this huge show with dozens of bands, art, and giveaways–and you can help save cute little (or big) kitties, doggies, even bunnies.

The event, called “Rock ‘n Roll ‘n Rescue,” is to benefit the Sante D’or Foundation, an animal rescue and healing hospice in Los Feliz. The show will kick ass, with Gliss (listen), Death to Anders, Rainbow Arabia (listen), Army Navy, The Polyamorous Affair (listen) Exitmusic and more. There’ll be a main stage & an outside stage so you can show up early & check out a slew of great bands. Plus, it’s for the kittens!

Info on the show is here!

Friend of the blog, Eric (@es on twitter) sent us this picture taken after the screening of Anvil: The Story of Anvil this past Wednesday at the Landmark Theater in Westwood.

The band asked Eric how he heard about the screening and he said Metblogs. Thanks for the shout out, man! Then the band sent me a direct message on twitter to thank me for spreading the word (my previous post here). How cool is that?

Anvil and Eric Schlissel

Here are some soundbytes Eric clipped during the Q&A with the band and the director after the movie:

- A lot of people turned out for the screening, the top of the theater was packed

- The band is being managed by the manager of the Scorpions now

- EMI Canada recently changed their minds and decided to press a few CDs for the band (after rejecting them in the movie)

- Anvil brought their last Sundance poster for some guy named Oscar (a dude in the audience who was having a birthday)

- They couldn’t get distribution for the movie, even though everyone at Sundance loved them, so they’re doing it on their own

- They will have three tracks on Rock Band soon

- Audience Question: “Why dildo’s?” Anvil Answer: “They were $3 each”

Thanks again for the follow up, Eric!

If you’re looking for something to do on a Monday night, I highly recommend that you check out LA-based retro future rockers Echoes de Luxe tonight at El Cid.

Echoes de Luxe finished their debut EP in late 2008. Mixed by Alex Newport (Mars Volta, Death Cab for Cutie) and mastered by Pete Lyman (Mars Volta, Jubilee), it’s no wonder Dave Navarro couldn’t stop playing their stuff on his L.A.-based radio show, “Dark Matter” on Indie 103.1.

There’s something so gritty about their sound, like warm keg beer, but still so tight and together, like a smart leisure suit topped off with a jaunty ascot. Are you still with me? My favorite track off their debut EP is One Minute More. Check it out here.

Echoes de Luxe at El Cid May 4 at 10pm

Echoes de Luxe is:

Richard Swan – vocals/guitar
Justin K. Smith – guitar/keys
Brahm Bourque – bass
Matt Lesser – drums

El Cid, 4212 W Sunset Blvd, Silver Lake. 10PM.

I just saw Anvil! The Story of Anvil last night and I am so totally enraptured that I would gladly endure another sweltering, crowded, reeling from motion sickness car ride from Silver Lake to Westwood to see it again. I would.

In fact, I may be doing that because I just found out that Anvil will be making a live appearance at the 7:50 PM screening of the film this Wednesday at The Landmark Theater in Westwood! You can buy tickets in advance here.

For those unfamiliar, Anvil! The Story of Anvil is a documentary about the Canadian heavy metal band, Anvil. This is not one of those Spinal Tap-ish fake documentaries, these dudes are painfully real. The film is directed by Sacha Gervasi and I would tell you more about it, but it won’t be as good as you just watching the trailer, so check it out:

Anvil! The Story of Anvil is only showing at one theater in LA, Read the rest of this entry →

Locals-made-good the Moving Units play this Friday at the El Rey with Rumspringa, All Leather and HAWEsome local DJ Them Jeans. Should be a fantastic show. And we’ve got tickets to give you! IF you enter a comment, that is.

Drop in a comment below telling me who YOUR favorite local DJ is. If they have a website or myspace page please do include a link. Tell me why they’re awesome, where you first heard them, and where they usually spin.

And if you’d like, you could twitter this post so people can see your listings of all these local DJs. How ya like them apples?

Info on the show is here.

I just had a chance to take in a little show these guys put on at my work here in Burbank and I can’t recommend them enough for fans of Radiohead, Travis, Elliot Smith and Sigur Ros. Audrye Sessions on myspace | on last.fm

You know when you see a new band with that “green” kind of feel, but you sense they’re gonna go far? I remember seeing Autolux at a gig at the Derby back when Scott Sterling was booking it, in like early 2001, and I had the same feeling. I’d suggest keeping your eyes on them. Besides, you can’t argue with the words FREE SHOW.