Hanukkah or Xmas? Who Cares -- Free Stuff Either Way from the Universal Music Truck & Fool's Gold

Fool's Gold, offering praise

​We here at West Coast Sound like free stuff and assume you do too. And despite the fact that we have every reason to root for a well-fed music industry (well, at least the non-bloated part of it), we especially like pointing you in the direction of free (or near-free) music. We're not sure which side of the fence you stand on when it comes to the pending holidays (Christian? Jewish? Muslim? Buddhist? Wiccan?), but we figure any time of the year that involved consecutive days of getting things for free is pretty much a good time for everyone. Is that blasphemous? Not in America, no.

To help us celebrate Hanukkah, L.A.'s own Hebrew-singing Afro-pop band Fool's Gold is offering up eight days of downloadable excitement, starting Friday, via their MySpace page. We've been told to expect free MP3s, radio sessions, remixes, merch, mixtapes, vinyl and "other treats." We've also been told that Fool's Gold's recently released eponymous debut would make a good Hanukkah gift for "your favorite Jewish friend." We're inclined to agree, but they forgot to mention Kwanzaa.

Not to be outdone, Christmas, as the song says, has 12 days, so Universal Music has teamed up with cancer-fighting non-profit City Of Hope to bring this city the "$5 Buck Music Truck," which will be handing out some surprisingly decent albums in exchange for suggested $5 donations at 12 different stops around town. Sadly, the Five Dollar Guy is not involved.

Below, you'll find a list of each stop and the album that will be available there. The mini tour begins Saturday at the Grove and wraps up next Thursday at the City Of Hope HQ in Koreatown. Among the artists whose albums are featured: Nirvana, Bob Marley, Morrissey, Jackson 5, U2, and The Carpenters.

Saturday, December 12
#1 12-3 pm - Pan Pacific Park (7600 Beverly Blvd.) & The Grove
Featured Album: Bob Marley - B is for Bob

#2 5-7 pm - Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE (W. 11th St. & S. Figueroa St.)
Featured Album: Jackson 5 - I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters

Sunday, December 13
#3 9-11 am - Hollywood Farmer's Market (Sunset Blvd. & Ivar Ave.)
Featured Album: John Fogerty - The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again

#4 12-2 pm - 3rd Street Promenade (4th St. & Santa Monica Blvd.)
Featured Album: Janet Jackson - Number Ones

Monday, December 14
#5 12-2 pm - Pershing Square - (W. 5th St. & S. Olive St.)
Featured Album: Morrissey - Swords & Maladjusted

#6 3-5 pm - USC (Jefferson Blvd. & Hoover St.)
Featured Album: Nirvana - Live At Reading

Tuesday, December 15
#7 12-2 pm - Glendale Americana (S. Brand Blvd. & E. Harvard St.)
Featured Album: Diana Krall - Quiet Nights

#8 3-5 pm - Old Town Pasadena (W. Colorado Blvd. & Hermosa Ave.)
Featured Album: U2 - The Unforgettable Fire

Wednesday, December 16
#9 1-3 pm - Hollywood & Highland
Featured Album: Katharine McPhee - Single "Had It All" & Poster from her upcoming album Unbroken

#10 5-7 pm - Griffith Park DWP Lights Display (L.A. Zoo Parking Lot)
Featured Album: Rolling Stones Remasters

Thursday, December 17
#11 12-2 pm - CAA Century City Buildings (S. Ave. of the Stars & Galaxy Way)
Featured Album: Carpenters - 40/40

#12 3-5 pm - City of Hope (1055 Wilshire Blvd.)
Featured Album: Yusuf (aka Cat Stevens) - Roadsinger (To Warm You Through the Night)