Kevin Bronson on June 12th, 2009

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[Rivers Cuomo turns 39 on Saturday. Watch out for that next one, pal.]

Today: It feels as if there are a week’s worth of great shows, all battling for your ears on this Friday night. We’re pretty spoiled in our little town. Here goes … Neko Case and Jason Lytle [pictured] have each released excellent albums this year, and there they are, sharing the bill at the Greek Theatre. … Scottish quartet Glasvegas plays at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. .. The Echo and Echoplex figures to be hopping upstairs and downstairs; Jay Reatard and Thee Oh Sees rock the smaller room, while dancetastic Swedes Love Is All play downstairs. … The benefit for the fire-damaged Taco Zone truck goes off at Spaceland with a trio of headliner-worthy acts – Kenan Bell, Red Cortez and Robert Francis. … At the Roxy, old fave Jay Buchanan surfaces as frontman of a new quartet, the Rival Sons. …”  A strong trio of local bands – Fight From Above, Saint Motel and Links, takes on the Viper Room. … Chris Corner brings IAMX back to town, tossing a dance party at the El Rey Theatre. … Nikka Costa brings her sultry stuff to the Troubadour. … Also: Chris Pierce at the Mint; Beth Thornley at the Hotel Cafe; Del Tha Funky Homosapien at the House of Blues; Latin pop trio Reik at Club Nokia and Flosstradamus at the Avalon.

Saturday: The Hollywood Bowl sees Day 1 of the Playboy Jazz Festival, which seems to be lacking only an emo band in its cater-to-all-tastes lineup, and the always-great Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are playing. … Datarock’s forthcoming second album, “Red,” has thrown me for a loop after a couple cursory listens – more on it later – but the Norwegian fun bunch is playing with Key Club with local electro-soul stalwarts Casxio. …”  J.D. Souther teams up with Jill Sobule to entertain at the El Rey. … The Felice Brothers are back to headline the Troubadour. … The Smell will need more square footage if it continues to put goether lineups like this – Telepathe, Abe Vigoda, Nite Jewel and Blue Jungle. … It’s the album-release party for locals Atlantic Line (as well as San Francisco’s the Hundred Days at the Scene Bar in Glendale. … Also: Clipse at Club Nokia; the Night Marchers headlining an RSVP-only party at 613 Imperial St. downtown; Halloween Jack at Spaceland; Agent Orange at the Knitting Factory; and Sara Haze at the Hotel Cafe.

Sunday: The Present [pictured], an experimental New York three-piece featuring Rusty Santos (producer for Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Gang Gang Dance), visits Spaceland behind its sophomore album, “The Way We Are.” … Kissing Cousins celebrate the release of their first full-length album with a show at the Silver Factory Studios (915 Mateo St.). … Useless Keys and Venus Infers rock the Viper Room. … At Que Sera in Long Beach, it’s the Rhone Occupation, Star Parts and Marvelous Toy. … Bat For Lashes plays a corporate-sponsored, RSVP-only gig at Lucky Brand Jeans on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. … Also: Mike Stinson at Grand Ole Echo; Sanavan at the Smell; and Naked Hearts at the Hotel Cafe.