Timothy Norris

Drum roll, please...

Individual results may vary.

We've just rolled out a new and improved calendar of Los Angeles concerts.

Our online music listings are now sortable by artist, venue and price. We've also got a raw, unadulterated, alphabetical list of upcoming shows in the drop-down menus on the righthand side of that page.

And now you can even buy concert tickets directly from our website, with more options on the way.

Take a look. Bang around a little. We're still tweaking, so let us know what you think in the comments below.

The family Knowles in happier times

In light of the surprising news over the reasons Beyonce fired her longtime manager (and longtime father for that matter) Mathew Knowles, we remembered a time when scummy managers were not only the norm, but expected. Here are the Top 10 Managers in Music History Who Fucked Over Their Clients With a Coke and a Smile:

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LaToya looking as fly as ever

From the mixed up files of the Jackson family of Gary comes yet another doozy. As we all know, LaToya tends to be the kookiest of all things Jackson, and that's saying something. From her outlandish comments to her failed music career to her Playboy pictorials, LaToya has managed to burn more bridges than a fire caused by the Santa Ana winds.

However, her recent revelation that her late husband Jack Gordon (who unfortunately is unable to defend himself since he died in 2005) offered her sexual services (think Indecent Proposal, but creepier) to Mike Tyson (yes, that Mike Tyson) for a mere $100,000 may take the cake.

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We'd rather know many she's had

Phil Varone, the drummer for Saigon Kick, Skid Row and Prunella Scales, is unleashing his sexy on the world with his XXX movie Phil Varone's Secret Sex Stash (sorry, we just gagged, too).

In the highly NSFW teaser, alongside which appropriately features a photo of Varone with "Star of VH1's Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew" splashed across it, we get a sampling of the 3000 groupies Varone claims he's had sex with.

"Sex has been the defining element in my life and both the movie and my website document my continuing extraordinary adventures," says Varone. "They've got an addiction claim for everything you can do, but I never considered myself a sex addict because sex never screwed up the rest of my life or my ability to function at a high level."

Well, sure. He's a rock star. "Have sex" is listed just below "play shows" and "do drugs."

But he's not a player, he just fucks a lot:

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Dear Diary,

"I'm not going to lie, yes, my life is pretty much in chaos right now. And that's exactly why it's a perfect time to write a column for my friend. Here. For you. Every week or so. Ish. It's a test of sorts. Can I do it?"

XOXO
Courtney Love

Courtney Love is writing a column for XOJane.com, the new venture of Jane Pratt, founder of Sassy and Jane magazines. This is awesome. As Courtney says, "Jane is anti-shame. Pro-slut."

We don't even care that Courtney's talking gibberish about being in Istanbul for some "five-star camp," posting pictures of herself prancing around in a bikini, and ruminating on the impossibility of her accepting the LA Times' standing offer to be an op-ed columnist.

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The Scenesters screens at the Downtown Independent, live music from Big Search, Sweaters, Franks and Lord Huron

Full disclosure: I, L.A. Weekly writer Chris Martins, served as music supervisor on this film, and booked the bands for this event. But that doesn't make 14 free songs any less sweet.

The week-long The Scenesters Run L.A. event at the Downtown Independent is in full swing. There are just two nights left in the music and film series, which celebrates the local screening of East Side-based murder mystery The Scenesters.

Tonight, Foreign Born singer and Fool's Gold guitarist Matt Popieluch headlines with his Big Search project, while local upstarts Sweaters, fresh off a Sunset Junction performance, open.

Thursday's closing night brings Echo Park garage punks the Franks, with support from the reverb-drenched Paul Simon pop of Lord Huron.

Tickets are $10, but $15 at the door tonight will get you access to both shows, which kick off with the screening at 8 p.m. (music starts around 9:30).

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So much independence, so little time: The Scenesters comes to the Downtown Independent

Independent music and independent movies at the Downtown Independent?

Who'd have guessed?

On Friday, August 20, the Downtown Independent theater will host an independent eruption featuring seven nights of live music corresponding with the week-long theatrical run of Silver Lake murder mockumentary, The Scenesters.

Presented by comedy dudes The Vacationeers and Funny Ha Ha (run by The Scenesters music supervisor, West Coast Sound contributor, and aspiring haberdasher Chris Martins), "The Scenesters Run L.A." will feature 14 bands.

From the down-home rock of Le Switch to the ravesploitation of Captain Ahab to an all-star country Misfits cover band, each night will dish out an eclectic mashup of artists from L.A.'s diverse musical landscape.

Oh yeah, and some super secret guests will stop by too, like ethereal beat banger Baths. That's right, secret revealed. Whoomp, there it is.

And if that wasn't enough to make you skip out on jogging with your bipedal dog, Dublab is offering free tickets via their newsletter.

More fun than blasting dubstep at toddlers!

Full lineup, The Scenesters trailer, and free exclusive song from PAPA after the jump.

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As one whose love of music was cultivated on cassette tapes and who began writing about it on a typewriter (and who admittedly was once averse to social networking and the web in general as a medium on par with print), we weren't sure we were the right person to be on a panel about music blogging at the Digital Music Forum West event at the Roosevelt Hotel this week. But then our pal Heidi Richman (who'll be moderating the panel tomorrow afternoon) pointed out that there are many like us. Writers, industry types and even fans who've ultimately given up their old school notions and snobbery to discover that the music experience can be enhanced by online exposure, downloading and critique in ways we never imagined. We're still learning, but we're excited to do so.

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