Records nerds take heed: limited record releases from the Flaming Lips, Neon Indian, Jack White, Mark Sultan, Xiu Xiu with Dirty Beaches, and more await thee. If you're a lover/supporter of independent music, you'll be celebrating Record Store Day this weekend with the rest of us. Err...that is, buying up some new vinyl.

And why not? The US-wide event, which began in 2007, keeps getting bigger and better, with even more releases, and even weirder vinyl variations (liquid, colored, etched, can Laffy Taffy grooves be that far away?). Read more »

There is nothing quite like hearing the song that’s been stuck in your head — persistently playing on repeat — finally materialize in front of you.

When the all-too-recognizable trickles of the xylophone and Gotye’s effortlessly poignant voice introduced  “Someone That I Used To Know” last night at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the crowd went ballistic; a collective jolt of ecstatic bliss took over, followed by a vigil of raised iPhones and Androids. Read more »

Photographer Charles Russo shot Refused and the Hives at the Warfield. 

It took 14 years to happen, but the sweaty, sold-out, packed-to-the-rafters crowd at the Refused concert Wednesday night would tell you it was worth the wait. Read more »

San Franciscans faced a sort of litmus test Wednesday night: which popular band would they see live when given copious quality options, what does that say about their whole being, and who among us chose best? Thanks to Coachella and just lucky circumstance, there were major acts playing sold out or close-to-it shows all around town last night: Godspeed, Gotye, Refused, and Wild Flag. Read more »

All photos by Eric Lynch.

Bears, bloggers and bands, oh my.  Sunday indeed brought sun, by mid afternoon all the good shadows were occupied -- the lengths of tree shadows, behind garbage cans, and next to the churro stand. I arrived just as the largest crowd yet was dissipating from Santigold.   Read more »

Holy cow, the Outside Lands lineup is out and it is packed full of major, big name acts. How long 'till San Francisco festival season? More thoughts on this to come. But for now, confirmed Outside Lands 2012 lineup is below:

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All photos by Eric Lynch

I guess the story of the first day was the weather. Everyone checking their iPhones for what time the rain would begin.  And it eventually came, not SF rain, but a startling event none the less for Coachella. Read more »

Lots of big name, sold-out shows this week. Swedish indie folk sister duo First Aid Kid at Slim's is officially out of tickets, as expected. As is Pulp and Refused (separate shows) at the Warfield, and Childish Gambino and Danny Brown (same show) at the Fox. SBTRKT at the Independent, M83 at the Fillmore, Bon Iver, and the following day, Wiz Khalifa with A$AP Rocky, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium are all full – and sure to be packed, sticky houses. Read more »