The Coachella 2008 line-up was announced last night. The reason you didn't hear anything about it was because they announced it in Mexico City, something to do with creating international ties. “This is really a way for us to get closer to our fans throughout Latin America who have been supportive of Coachella for the past 10 years,” says Goldenvoice’s Paul Tollett. Super; we just care about the line-up. We instantly checked to see who......

We're sure you've read, by now, Pitchfork's or Paste's, "Best Albums of 2007" lists. Now we could get all "official" and post a similar list to Austinist's Top 15 (which we agree pretty heavily with) but we didn't want to type the same list and publish it again; we're going to try something a bit different. Now, at Sfist we use the collective and most sacred "we", but this time, this is strictly mine. I......

Aaron Axelsen has been a major force in promoting local independent music with San Francisco's indie-dance party, Popscene and his Sunday night radio show on Live 105. (You can listen from 7-10pm. Check out what he plays, here.) We wanted to feature his top ten albums of the year to find out what he thinks rocked 2007. Here's the list: Aaron Axelsen, Live 105 Music Director's, Top 10 Albums of 2007 1. Great Northern......

SFist interviews Jason Poranksi of Beirut, who are performing two nights at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco...

This week, Phillyist saw the waters of a landmark fountain run red for a Showtime marketing stunt, the Phils pull ahead, and some serious nostalgia. They also got a chance to review an awesome tribute album, reminded folks to see the King and appreciated their beautiful skyline. Chicagoist knows what it's like to like the Cubs. But naming your kid Wrigley Fields? At least they can breathe a little easier now that Grossman's out......

The Arcade Fire came through Mountain View's Shoreline Amphitheatre last Friday. We have the pictures to prove this. A suddenly-rather-popular independent rock band, it's surprising that this little-group-that-could is suddenly playing arena-size venues. And what does The Arcade Fire sound like? Figure that the group's music is like some sort of 10-person raucously ad-hoc mix-up of Neutral Milk Hotel, Slipknot, Springsteen's E Street Band, and The Coen Bros' Hudsucker Proxy shrieking songs of broken/renewed faith......

-- The Arcade Fire: LCD Soundsystem and Wild Light open for this white-hot -- that's right, white-hot, or so we hear -- Canadian indie-rock band. Music starts tonight at 7 p.m. at Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View; $19-40. -- High School Musical: You know what? We watched this on Disney and it sucked us in. Sad, yes. Absorbing, for sure. Ray of Light Theatre and School of the Arts (SOTA) put on......

Last week's winner, the SF Weekly: Someone's angry with the Bouncer. Local progressive Adam Werbach is a Walmart sellout. Why won't anyone endorse the mayor? Cover article: the back story about the Haight neighborhood activist killed in an S/M session gone wrong. These drawings illustrating the piece are pretty rad, though (see left) -- did Matt Smith do 'em? A Hank Williams Birthday Karaoke Sing-Off???? There's a tear in our beer too! The anti-war Berkeley......

Got a second? Good! Because we want to thank the advertisers on SFist this week: CNN.com, who has a surprising amount of video on their site (including one of a couple with sextuplets). Cazadores, because after a long week, we could surely use some...or a lot. KQED, which is the Bay Area's home for independent films (so we read). Fierce People, in fine theaters now! Arcade Fire with LCD Soundsystem are playing next Friday at......

There are no less than three fantastic music festivals all taking place over the weekend of September 14-16. What gives? And how do we choose? Since we live in the bay area, perhaps our decision has been made for us: we're heading to the inaugural Treasure Island Music Festival presented by the fine folks at Noise Pop and Another Planet. The two day festival features 14 bands each day on two stages with mostly hip......

Good God, it was cold out last night. On our trek up to the Greek Theater in Berkeley to see Arcade Fire in the first of their two gigs in the area, we ended up having to stop by the American Apparel store on Bancroft and Telegraph to buy a scarf. Who knew they even sold scarves at the daringly-bare no-sweatshop emporium? We are now officially so old, we didn't even bother looking for......

We've got a really cool giveaway this week. Everyone knows who Rufus Wainwright is, right? Please, tell us that you do. He's still crooning luxuriously behind the piano, wearing fabulously tailored suits and hasn't aged a day since his auspicious self-titled debut nearly ten years ago. His brand new record, Release the Stars, is hot off the presses and he's coming to play a special show at Nob Hill Masonic Center with Sean Lennon......

LAist is experimenting with blogging dates from J-Date, but finds the best men are found offline. Some date vicariously online and that is one reason why porn is big -- really freaking big -- so they ask if they should cover XXX since the heart of it lays in the city's San Fernando Valley. A writer grapples with her food porn photography obsession, another gets censored on Flickr, one gets scooped by the LA......

The nicer the weather gets, the busier we get across the Ist-A-Verse. But we like being busy. Here's a peek at what we've been up to since last week! Chicagoist had an interview with Audrey Niffenegger, whose popular book, The Time Traveler's Wife, was based in their fine city. They also had a heated discussion about Rush Limbaugh's controversial Barack Obama parody, talked about whether Uncle Julio's Hacienda is a good place to get......

A little bit more of those tapes that the Angelides camp got their grubby little hands on months ago were released and if you dial a 1-800 number you could listen to them. No, wait, that's the new Arcade Fire song, not these tapes. Either way, the Governator's people aren't happy that they got put out there. But since the CHP deemed nothing illegal on what happened, there's nothing they can do about it....

Special bold-name bands edition. Like it? Hate it? Tell us in the comments. Hailing from our beloved city of Austin, TX, What Made Milwaukee Famous has all the right ingredients for no-need-to-actually-listen-to-them indie cred: a hip home town, a nonsensical phrase for a name, indie stalwart Barsuk as their record label, opening gigs for Arcade Fire and an appearance on "Austin City Limits" (ultra-rare for a then-unsigned band). But we do think you need to......

The weeks starts out right when a sucker punch on the field lands Chicagoist in the middle of a Sox/Cubs throwdown and the fists continue to fly in the comments. Despite suburban resident Ms. Pinney's best little try no books will be banned anytime soon and the El is really really gross. Houstonist is there to start compiling the punditry when when the guilty, guilty Enron verdict comes down. This guy seems to be able......

Shanghaiist probably knows a little more about China than the Chicago Sun-Times. Giving them the benefit of the doubt on that one. The city does to have a music scene. Don't even front like they don't. They also have Dorito bananas and white guys shopping for wives. What they don't have is any more tolerance for jaywalkers. Bostonist sees Boston and Somerville each whip out their art and face off. A plagiarized novel is the......

SFist reviews Voxtrot and Kiss Me Deadly at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco...

Our concert picks for the week of 1/19-1/25. One more reason why SF is a great city for music: the feature length film about the annual Coachella music festival is showing here this week. The film showcases one song each from a long list of performers, including Bjork, Radiohead, Oasis, The Crystal Method and many more, plus acts you may not have had the chance to see live like Morrissey, Fischerspooner, Polyphonic Spree, Pixies and......

On an irregular holiday schedule... We'll be keeping a close eye on new blog Oaky Ton, devoted to all things Oaksterdam. Speaking of Smokeland, after getting raided by the DEA, HopeNet is robbed the next day, and blame the feds for crashing through the door even though they had a key. Guest blogger Corey recaps the recent Warriors loss to the Pistons as though it were an IMDB entry. And M. C- shares a......

We missed the Arcade Fire show this weekend but: The Power's Out -- in the Heart of Man! (shicka shicka bell bell). Haven't we already heard this story? Yet another PG&E underground vault blew up this afternoon, injuring a passerby -- but this time in Berkeley, at Bancroft and Telegraph. A manhole cover was blown off by the blast, hitting a person driving by in his car. The airbags on the car deploying, injuring the driver. There was a small fire, which is now out, and about 2200 people were without power. And speaking of the Ralph Lauren explosion, PG&E confirmed today that the August 19th explosion was caused by a misaligned gasket that allowed water to leak into the vault and short out the transformer. PG&E didn't know if this was the same cause of today's Berkeley explosion but said they'd look into it. During all this, PG&E crews were also scrambling to get to yet another blackout in Cow Hollow this afternoon, after a car hit a power pole. How was that Arcade Fire show, anyways? Image from the Arcade Fire Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) video...

We've never really gotten hip to the all the bands the kids are into these days and for a long time we could never figure out why. Then, one day, it hit us: not enough guitar. Oh sure, Arcade Fire has a guitarist and the Killers have one and so do all of those generically named bands that are all featured on "Laguna Beach," but none of those bands ever used the guitar for what it was put on God's green earth to do-- to rock. What other purpose is there for a guitar other than to dispense bone crushing riffs, squealing guitar solos, and blissfully beautiful wah-wahed out guitar noise? If for no other reason, the reunion of Dinosaur Jr. is needed today just to show the young folks how it's done. For Dinosaur Jr. is the kind of band desperately needed in these "I Love the 80's" times, the kind of band that makes one giddy just over the fact they use stacks and stacks of Marshall amps. ...

SFist reviews Architecture in Helsinki...

Last week's winner. the SF Weekly. Yikes, a free AOL cd fell out of our weekly! Throw it away. Hey, a letter about Mission Housing from one of our commenters, Jim Ausman! Moving up into print media, Jim, we like it! Cover article: one of those SF Weekly Card Games (tm), this time for baseball. We do not have time in this life to read Meredith Brody's thoughts on Cuba, but the other food columnist has a dandy time ordering lots of different dumplings at the Shanghai Dumpling Shop. Nate throws a good party and the Bravery is already overhyped. New Hot Band Stars! (Canada: the new Seattle!) And Savage Love: people who send out mixed signals. The Guardian: Does Susan Leal love public power now? A seven point test. Dufty and Alioto-Pier take on the Chris Daly TIC machine -- fight! fight! Trying to reduce the murder rate in the city. Cover article: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you (9/11 edition). Annalee Newitz has a good time at the emerging technology conference. Dan Leone makes no fricken sense yet again. New Hot Band Stars! (Canada: The New Seattle!) And Kim Chun has a good time at SXSW. No EBXs made it to our usual pickup point this week, but we have the Metro and the Weekly of the Week after the jump....

Even by 3:45 on Saturday, the lines were so packed around the Roxie that we had to walk onto 16th Street to try and read the (extremely poor) signage on the box office before the Indiefest double bill screening of Oakland Raider Parking Lot and 24 Hours on Craigslist. Over and over again: "Is this the line for will call or is it the wish line?" (FYI for future attendees -- buy tickets online, pick them up at the box office, wait in line to the right of the theater, on the Dalva side. If you didn't buy tickets, wish line goes to the left, on the Truly Med side.) The mob was so big, we missed all the other 'Fisters we were supposed to meet (sorry, guys!). Everyone feels at least a little bit proprietary about Craigslist -- that's where I hired a DJ/got moving boxes/signed up for marketing focus groups/paid through the nose for Arcade Fire tickets -- so it would only be fair to expect a movie showing the stories behind one day of the site's postings (August 4, 2003) to attract an unusually devoted crowd eager to see just who their compatriots are. Meet the couple trying to sell six strollers! The dog owner applying for a room! A woman looking for a gay sperm donor! See SFist Cheshire! (We won't spoil the surprise and tell you where he is in the movie, but he is neither the heavy metal chef, nor the guy with a big bottle of formaldehyde in his basement. Ask him in the comments if you want to know.) So... we got out of the movie around 6:15 (thus the title of this post). And how did we like it? Picture from the 24 Hours on Craiglist website...

We reckon a good percentage of San Franciso music-lovers will be at Great American Music Hall this week, whether it's at one of the three sold out Arcade Fire shows or Saturday's sold out X show. We commend you, SF, your taste is impeccable. While you're down at Great American, SFist Emily recommends stopping by the box office to purchase your ticket for the Tsunami Relief Benefit on January 28th. A $20 donation gets you......

I mean, when we heard from our musician friends that there weren't enough rehearsal spaces and music venues in the San Francisco area, we had no idea it was this bad. The Heavenly States, a locally based indie power-pop outfit that features a violin-forward aesthetic (that's how we guessed that "a California indie rock band" meant "a San Francisco indie rock band") came up with the idea of being the first Americans to rock Libya.......

It was a good year, it was a bad year. Here's my list of the so-best parts of 2004, in no order at all. So-Best photo: I'm not a super big fan of Norah Jones or anything, and it has no SF connection whatsoever, but I've been dying for an excuse to use this picture for months now. (I like the letter Y just fine, though.) So-Best city hall trend: Rate this year in local politics triple-X! Sex, violence, and foul language: F-bombs dropping like bunker busters, groping at the Gettys, and hand-to-mouth pumping action -- and that's just for two branches of the local government! Throw in some sizzling-hott judicial/executive same-sex marrying action, fights galore, plushie love, vandalism, computer hackery, and those ever-present Asian fetishists (you just love them for their money), and phew, you'd definitely have to prove you were over 18 to get into this movie! So-Best blotter entry/b>: The pranksters who stole the bronze Hermes outside the University Club. Runner-up: The angry Texas Ranger throwing the chair at heckling Mr. Bueno and hitting his wife in the nose. So-Best commuter tale: This was back in April, back when SFist was just a twinkle in our publisher's eye -- but remember that dude who threatened to kill himself on the Bay Bridge and tied up traffic for thirteen hours? And then they proposed shooting a big Spiderman net under him? The highlight of your westbound commute. Runner-up: The Baby Bullet/BART hookup finally working out is saa-weeeeeet. It could only be better if it actually went at like 200 miles an hour so when you looked out the windows, things go all blurry. So-Best makeshift top 40 radio station: I'm still torn up about the death of Z95.7. But now that I've finally gotten MTV Hits from my cable company RCN and TiVo DVR and an ipod to go, I'm completely up to date. (Damn you, Max Martin, and your catchy new Kelly Clarkson tune.) Runner-up MTV Networks so-best: Have you seen the new VH1 Classic show The Alternative? So-Best things I've learned at sfist: How to reserve books at the Public Library. Who this band the Arcade Fire is. How many different crime movies and TV shows were set in San Francisco. And all these cool people I have the privilege of writing with (awwww). Keep reading in 2005!...