Getting a residency at a club or bar is often a great opportunity for an up-and-coming band, giving them a chance to gradually build a following. But Derek Jordan -- whose band Decoded plays Amplyfi every Thursday in May -- also saw it as an opportunity make a difference. "The small venue made it a great opportunity to do something for the community," he says of the alcohol-free, all-ages spot.

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The subgenre of hardcore called powerviolence is known for heavy riffs, blast beats and a wacky, off-beat sense of kitschy humor. It's also a very tight-knit community. While not immune to the drama and politics that plague every scene, powerviolence denizens tend to have each other's backs when the shit comes down.

Case in point: Since Anti-Christ Demon Core (ACxDC) vocalist Sergio Amalfitano's daughter Savina has run into trouble, the community has rallied. Little Savina is just an infant, but she has a big problem: tetrology of fallot. This means she has a small pulmonary vein as well as a small hole in her tiny heart. For now, she's getting 94 percent of the oxygen she needs. But there are potentially serious consequences. For example, if she gets hurt or cries a lot, she can pass out and turn blue. As she's still a baby, this could cause serious developmental issues; she's already two pounds smaller than her twin sister Azellea.

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The Mowgli's

By Ed Carrasco

Christmas may be over, but lots of local musicians are still hoping for a little seasonal generosity. They're seeking help footing the bill for production of their albums -- remember those? -- and have turned to Kickstarter. You may be feeling tapped out at this time of year, but, hey, the economy's improving, right? Right? Anyway, here are five completely worthy local musicians who will put your shekels to good use.

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Billy Calderon

Colby Evans, one of Sessions LA's producers

Eighteen-year-old Argento Zavala (not his real name) became homeless this summer. After an argument with his mother, he got kicked out of the house. He'd been exposed to drugs since he was in 8th grade, but he began a new daily routine: do meth to stay awake, wander the city during the night, pay a dollar to shower at a hotel, go to school, and make music at a twice-weekly program called Sessions LA.

"He's one of the smartest kids we have, and through that whole thing, Sessions was a way for him to escape the drama. We knew he felt safe here, and it was a way for him to relieve a lot of stuff he was going through by writing and recording his music," says 29-year-old Patrick Huang, aka DJ Phatrick of Native Guns). He's one of the instructors at the helm of Sessions LA, a music writing and recording program for youth in the Rampart District of Los Angeles.

But as of October 1st, that refuge has been threatened. Due to a budget cut, Sessions LA no longer has the financial means to continue its programming. They decided to raise money on their own through an IndieGoGo campaign, setting a goal of $15,000 by December 9th. So far, they've received only about half of that.

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