The Monday Show Low Down (or "Somehow the Best Parts Stayed the Same")

Sometimes the past comes back around to give you another chance at what was missed. That opportunity is coming up as the elusive ESG return to The Ex-Plx/Echo on October 28. After keeping quiet for almost five years, the reunited and invigorated godmothers of bands ranging from Liars to LCD Soundsystem to Public Enemy revisited LA just last February and now they're headed here again. Their influence cannot be overstated and seeing them is something that should thrill hipsters and historians alike.

Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves though. There's a lot of amazing shows happening just this week alone. Monday night you can mope-out with Black Heart Procession and Castanets at The Knitting Factory while Tuesday promises an incendiarily namesake-invoking performance by Comets on Fire at The Echo. Wednesday the mighty matrimonial Mates of State play Amoeba Music for free while Birdmonster and Division Day give you indie rock at Spaceland. Surging stars Silversun Pickups have already sold-out The Troubadour so Thursday is all about Two Sheds at The Silver Lake Lounge. Fuck Yeah Fest opens Friday and keeps kicking ass on through Sunday with an impossibly awesome lineup including 400 Blows, Blood Meridian, Burning Brides, Dios Malos, The Thermals, Darker My Love, Foreign Born, Midnight Movies, The Ponys, and Erase Errata. The Clientele offer some slight reprieve at The Knitting Factory on Saturday and Sunday brings the Franco-Cambodian billing of Nous Non Plus and Dengue Fever to Safari Sam's.

Back to the future, there are a lot more big shows coming up. Grizzly Bear, Juana Molina, Xiu Xiu, and Wolf Eyes have all announced dates at The Echo. Brian Jonestown Massacre have booked a two night stand at Safari Sam's on September 23 and 24 while Yeah Yeah Yeahs take over The Palladium on October 1 and 2. International internet sensations The Knife are at The El Rey on November 4 while the Avalon has unleashed new dates for CocoRosie, Feist, DJ Shadow, and Secret Machines. Last but not least, Lily Allen makes her very first Los Angeles appearance at The Troubadour on October 14.

But wait, there's more! The following have also announced dates in LA: Magnolia Electric Co, The Advantage, Alias & Tarsier, The Hidden Cameras, White Whale, The Tyde, Starflyer 59, Califone, Bettie Serveert, The Kooks, Mudhoney, Howlin' Rain, Frank Black, Kite Flying Society, Monsters are Waiting, Lemon Sun, The Human Value, WovenHand, Viva Voce, Rogue Wave, Jason Collett, Silversun Pickups, Teddy's Cheer Club, Mojave 3, The Black Keys, Nina Nastasia, and Thunderbirds Are Now! (See right-hand column for details.)