KCRW Presents dozens of shows across Southern California and here are some photo highlights!

Yes, I know there is a lot of list-o-mania out there right now (Phoenix pun, pretty bad) but I wanted to add one more to the pile. Earlier this month, NPR Music asked Jason Bentley to share his Top 5 LA Albums of the Year.
I think everyone agrees it was an INCREDIBLE year for music in SoCal. KCRW plays music from all over the world, but our playlists were consistently topped by local artists all year. And, let’s be honest, there is a little bit of a pride thing too …

I was spending a rare night at home recently and heard two KCRW favorites on big commercials. It’s so exciting to recognize a song by a band you love and realize a whole new audience is now going to be introduced to them.
The Morning Benders’ “Excuses,” a highlight of their recent live set on Morning Becomes Eclectic, is in a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercial. It’s actually a pretty cute ad and the song is just perfect.
Fitz and the Tantrums are featured prominently in the new HTC commercial with their …

Fitz and the Tantrums’ full length “Pickin’ Up the Pieces” is out today and, to celebrate one of KCRW’s favorite local bands, here is the video for their single “Moneygrabber.” KCRW music librarian and DJ Eric J Lawrence started spinning the band back in May 2009 and it’s great to see how far they’ve come. Eric tells the story best on our Album Preview page. You can hear the new CD streaming in its entirety until September 14 here.
Check out Fitz and the Tantrums’ live performance on KCRW and photos …

Outdoor street festival Sunset Junction will feature 5 stages with a wide variety of local bands, many of them KCRW alums! If you’re thinking of heading out this Saturday and Sunday, sample some music from our archives to decide your must-sees. The full line up is available here:
**Saturday, August 21
BATES STAGE
4pm: Saint Motel played The Hammer Museum’s “Also I Like to Rock” series and thrives outside. Just check out these pics!
5pm: Chris Pierce is a soulful singer with powerful and positive lyrics.
6:30pm Dam Funk joined Garth Trinidad for a …

Fitz & the Tantrums made their live radio debut on KCRW last year and played our blockbuster SXSW showcase. Now we are pleased to offer up a stream of their full length debut “Breakin’ The Chains of Love.” More from DJ Eric J Lawrence:
Fitz and the Tantrums, “Breakin’ The Chains of Love” (Dangerbird Records)
Los Angeles might not be the first place you think of when it comes to being the home of classic blue-eyed soul music, but Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums is doing his best to change that.  …

Text courtesy of Kevin Bronson of Buzzbands.la, who has been curating the “Also I Like to Rock” series at the Hammer, presented by KCRW.
It was a night of sweaty soul and furious funk on Thursday at the Hammer Museum, where the third installment of this month’s Also I Like to Rock series paired local sensations Fitz & the Tantrums with gritty U.K. outfit the Heavy, playing their last date on a U.S. tour. Both bands had spent time this year as the opening act for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, …

UK’s The Heavy have had an incredible year. Their sophomore album, “The House that Dirt Built,” came out at the end of 2009 and their track, “How You Like Me Now?” was used expertly in a Kia commercial that aired during the Super Bowl in January. It was one of those rare times where I enjoyed seeing a song I like used in a commercial, because it was so clever! (and I should mention that I just found out 5 minutes ago that our own DJ Nic Harcourt was responsible …

The second installment of the Hammer Museum’s Also I Like to Rock music series served as the tour kickoff for Admiral Radley, which includes members of West Coast indie rock favorites Grandaddy and Earlimart. They played lush pop from their debut,  “I Heart California,” and even included a version of “Everytime I’m With You,” a song from the “Dark Night of the Soul” album which will finally see an official release tomorrow. It was just one of singer Jason Lytle’s contributions to the album. LA power trio Happy Hollows …

Our free, all ages music series starts this Saturday with a performance by Hot Hot Heat at One Colorado in Pasadena. This summer, KCRW is bringing live music and DJs directly to music fans all over town — Pasadena, Downtown, Westwood, Chinatown and more. See the full list below and mark your calendars!

KCRW Summer Nights
All Free, All Ages Music from KCRW This Summer

PASADENA

KCRW Presents One Colorado
Location : One Colorado is one city block bounded by Fair …