With openers Holy Ghost! Photos by Pooneh Ghana. more ›

It wasn't so long ago that we watched Cut Copy debut tracks from 2008's In Ghost Colours from atop a couch at the Karma Lounge. The assembled crowd didn't know quite what to expect, as the record wasn't out yet, but the teaser single "Lights And Music" wasn't a red herring: the record was chock full of synth-y dance anthems that soundtracked a million parties in the years to come. In the space of a year, the band graduated from the obscure dance bar to Emo's and then to a sold out victory-lap gig at Stubb's, which ranks along with LCD Soundsystem as the happiest audience we've ever seen at that venue. more ›

MGMT is barely retreating out to sea only to have Stubb's taken over yet again (and, *scalper alert*, sold out yet again), this time by one of the few bands touring this year who'd maybe possibly perhaps rate higher on the "cool scale," LCD Soundsystem. The New York mavens, led by the always compelling James Murphy, are touring in support of their excellent new album, This Is Happening, which features songs reminiscent of what's worked for them in the past (see "Pow Pow" and the trance-inducingly awesome "Dance Yrself Clean"), as well as a nod towards the ironic singalong with first single "Drunk Girls." And we can tell you this for sure---we'll be there, no matter how long that damn line is. If you're realllllll lucky you'll win a free pair of tickets to go with your name in the entry box, located just after that jump..... more ›

Diligently peddling wares from bands like Grupo Fantasma, Ume, and Ocote Soul Sounds during the daytime shift, local PR firm Learning Secrets continues to make a name for itself, all the while acquiring a healthy reputation. But the LS crew doesn’t stop at 5 p.m. They curate regular late night shindigs in town and are veritable purveyors of sweaty dance-floor mayhem. The event planners extraordinaire recently hosted quite a party to close out day one of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. A typically robust Voxtrot effort and some choice Loyauté Soundsystem selections had Beauty Bar bumping all night long and the tangible energy in the club definitely helped revive our tired legs. We’re pleased to hear that a pre-Fun Fest bash is currently being planned, especially since early reports cite a DJ set by Yeasayer inside plus performances by Best Fwends, Total Michael, and Josh Mills’ (Clap!Clap!) new project Missions in the Beauty Bar parking lot. more ›