Timothy Norris

Queens of The Stone Age were becoming reliable, but as they were hitting their stride at the end of 2008, the band decided to take a break and work on solo projects, most notably Josh Homme with Them Crooked Vultures. The Queens (he he) returned for tours in 2010 and 2011 to support the deluxe reissues of Rated R and their self-titled album, but didn't record any new material until last summer.

See also: Photos of Queens of the Stone Age @ The Wiltern Theatre

Last night's show at the Wiltern served to showcase songs from their upcoming album, ...Like Clockwork. It's been six years since the Palm Desert-natives released new material, and since then Jon Theodore replaced Joey Castilla behind the drum kit. This was bassist Michael Shuman's first album since joining the band after the recording of Era Vulgaris. But the new additions proved to be quick studies and the band's drone-y, riff-heavy guitars and pulsating drums were as brooding as ever.

Credit: Timothy Norris

The Rolling Stones performing at the Honda Center in Anaheim

The Rolling Stones
Staples Center
5-20-13

If last night's concert at Staples Center really was the Rolling Stones' final show in Los Angeles after nearly 50 years of faithful pilgrimages to the Southland, it revealed that the British warhorses are still capable of major gasp-inducing surprises. When the tour officially kicked off at this arena three weeks ago, there was considerable pomp and circumstance to mark the occasion, including visitations from moderately stellar celebrity guests and the stirring spectacle of dozens of blue-jacketed members of the UCLA Marching Band streaming through the aisles, belching out a festive instrumental version of "Satisfaction." However, at last night's bookend sequel at Staples, the thrills and chills were largely musical instead of theatrical.

See also: We Lurked Outside the Rolling Stones' Rehearsals in Burbank

Photo: Jesse Fairfax

Danny Brown is a magnetic but troublesome figure in hip-hop. In the past month he's fallen under heavy scrutiny for receiving a blow job while performing in Minneapolis; his opener that night, Kitty, launched into a passionate defense, suggesting that the oral sex was against his will and that the woman who administered it should be arrested for rape. During her opening set in New York a couple weeks ago, meanwhile, certain jackass crowd members chanted, "Suck his dick."

Electra Keller

Markus Schulz

German DJ Markus Schulz mixes progressive trance with house. Know for varying his sets according to the crowd's temperature, so far this year, he has performed at Ultra Music Festival and Beyond Wonderland, and is currently on tour promoting his latest album, Scream. Saturday night at the Avalon was the tour's finale, and we were there.

Before the show, the press got a chance to speak with Schulz about his upcoming Scream II album due out this fall. "I have been listening to a lot of classic rock lately," he said. "Before the Scream tour I studied Dark Side of the Moon."

Ivan Fernandez

Mexican Dubwiser

Better Than...his DJ sets

Mexican Dubwiser, the stage name of producer Marcelo Tijerina, celebrated the release of his debut album Revolution Radio in the U.S. with a live set at the Viper Room Friday.

Tijerina, who's lived in L.A. since 2000, takes his name not after the beer but from elements of his life: He was raised in Monterrey, one of Mexico's hotbeds for new music and the pointy boots craze, and has devoted the past few years of his life to mixing Mexican cumbia with dub reggae. (His handle sounds better in Spanish: el Mexicano sabio del dub.)

Credit: Kevin Mazur

Prince in Vancouver on his current tour

Prince
City National Grove of Anaheim
5/7/13

"Do you love rock and roll?" Prince asked last night. "Do you like your rock and roll funky, though?"

A Prince show is always a big deal; his passion and showmanship is Springsteen-like. Even better, his need to constantly perform is Dylan-like, so you sometimes get to see him in way too small venues. Which is how we found ourselves at the 1700 capacity City National Grove of Anaheim -- a small, bizarre venue located, essentially, in the Angels' parking lot -- just feet away from him.

David Monnich

Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos

Los Lobos Cinco De Mayo Festival
Greek Theatre
May 5, 2013

Despite the spotty weather, droves of Angelinos headed out to the Greek Theatre on Sunday afternoon for Los Lobos' second annual Cinco de Mayo Festival. Last year's event proved that the East L.A. veteran group are master curators, and they again put together a diverse roster of artists with both traditional and modern sounds.

Featuring two stages, six bands and numerous guest artists, the festival brought together some excellent roots and alternative talent, and was a great way to mark the beginning of the Greek's 2013 season.

Timothy Norris

Simon Green of Bonobo

On Saturday an electronic music show was scheduled at the Fonda. Instead, a jazz concert broke out. And it was awesome. New York-based Ninja Tune producer Simon Green, the man behind Bonobo, has been evolving away from his downtempo electronica roots for awhile now. His last three albums, including this year's luminous The North Borders, have used more and more live instruments and vocals, adding textures and layers of sound rarely heard alongside programmed beats since the early '00s heyday of nu jazz.

In concert, with a 10-piece backing band, Green brought those textures into the foreground, transforming his jewel-box compositions into extended, fiery jam sessions with live drums, vocals, sax and flute solos and even a damn string section. I'd call it "livetronica" but a) that term kinda sucks and b) it's already been claimed by shitty synth-based jam bands like Sound Tribe Sector 9.

Lina Lecaro

The Rolling Stones still put in the work, as was demonstrated by their stint here in Los Angeles over the last two weeks, which included a series of rehearsals in Burbank -- Falling James lurked outside -- and their secret show at the Echoplex.

See also:
*Our slideshow of the Staples Center show
*Our review of the Rolling Stones show at the Echoplex

Some may consider them dinosaurs, but we think they're as vital as ever, which was confirmed by last night's two hour plus tour kick-off show at the Staples Center.