The Monday Show Low Down (Or "All Your Nerd Belong to Us")

It’s the week of E3 in LA, the time every year when all the major video game companies announce all their new wares for the year and where a virtual nerd bomb gets dropped on the downtown convention center. (And I know, because one of those nerds is me...)

On the show front, Destroyer and Blood on the Wall’s Tuesday show at Spaceland is sold-out online, but tickets are available at the door and possibly at Sea Level Records, which will be hosting the Ariel Pink record release party that night.

Fans of Brazilian music will probably want to note that Bebel Gilberto has two shows at The Conga Room at the end of the week, while Portland’s Helio Sequence will play at Spaceland and SF’s John Vanderslice and Laura Veirs appear at The Echo on Thursday, local singer/songwriter Tom Brousseau has an album release party at Tangiers on Friday, and (the legends of) The Fall will be at The Knitting Factory on Saturday.

But what’s got me really interested is news that The Silversun Pickups, who are basically the best band in LA right now, have been added to the June 9th show at Spaceland with SF’s ghost rockers Film School. And The Ship Collective, which SSPU are a part of, have announced a benefit show for Fyn Stec & LA Children’s Hospital at El Cid on Saturday, May 20th with Great Northern, members of Earlimart, and many more.

Here are other bands that have recently announced dates for LA: Radiohead, Calexico, Black Heart Procession, Oneida, Birdmonster, Magnolia Electric Co, Mike Watt, Eagles of Death Metal, Wolf Mother, Jose Gonzalez, Neko Case, Indian Jewelry, Gogogo Airheart, Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, Languis, Hella, Diplo, Comets on Fire, Silver Mt. Zion, and The Aquabats. (See the right-hand column in a few minutes for dates and venues.)