Hard to imagine that KT Tunstall comes from a family with no interest in music. The Scottish folk-pop singer-songwriter and guitarist has busked and played in indie bands, released four well-received albums, performed all over the world, won various British music awards, and received a Grammy nod. Why all the buzz? Her live shows, featuring great backup musicians, singers, and a loop pedal, reveal her wizardry with recording herself onstage and singing to the playback. Talented indie artist Charlie Mars…

Their music is hard to peg, and their fan base includes Kanye West. Swedish alt-rock band PB&J comes to town on the heels of their latest release, Gimme Some. More information.     

It’s a thrill to see the ‘70s Irish punk legends Stiff Little Fingers, no matter who’s behind the kit. Or the guitar. Or the bass. Yes, the band’s lineup may have changed a few times over the years, but these guys are the real deal. Show the kids where Green Day came from. More information.     

Consistently, heartbreakingly good, indie veterans Death Cab for Cutie descend from their Pacific Northwest fog to play tracks from their latest, Codes and Keys. More information.

John Darnielle's songs are like folk tales: rambling, simple, beautiful, resonant. With his band, the Mountain Goats, the singer-songwriter lets loose with impassioned ballads of love, hate, and everything in between while strumming hard and fast on his acoustic guitar. He's done this for 11 records, and we still can't get enough. More information.

Yay, the Lemonheads are still around! Or maybe around again. Evan Dando’s legendary pop-punk outfit got its start more than two decades ago and has had all sorts of incarnations and lineups since. For this show the band will plays its international hit album, 1992’s It’s a Shame About Ray, in its entirety, along with a selection of songs from other releases. More information.

Now that there are six people in the band, it will be harder to tour by bicycle like they used to. But the fuller sound on their second studio album, We Are the Tide, released in September, enhances the great songs and heartfelt music of this indie folk group. You may have seen them open for the likes of the Counting Crows, the Hold Steady, or the Decemberists, but now you can catch them holding their own at the El…

Born and bred in the San Fernando Valley, young Will Wiesenfield—aka Baths—has become the latest “It” boy on the L.A. beat scene. His surreal, falsetto-laced album Cerulean has gotten scads of attention in the blogosphere. Catch him before he blows up (in a good way). More information.

Ricky Reed is the hypersexed alter ego of Eric Frederic as well as the front man for the tongue-in-cheek electro-funk duo Wallpaper. Whether from laughter or those ’80s synthesizer grooves, your body will be shaking. More information

Riding the wave of accolades for his U.S. debut, Making Mirrors, Aussie singer Gotye returns stateside. He’ll show off the soaring vocals and playful polyrhythms that made his “Somebody That I Used to Know” the happiest breakup anthem ever. More information. 

With infectious tunes that never fail to impart compelling messages, the one-of-a-kind troubadour returns to L.A. to showcase his new album, Fall Like Rain, which was released last month. More information.

The third album from this young English band has an upbeat electronic feel. Aptly titled A Different Type of Fix, it’s a big change from the acoustic album that preceded. No matter: The group has talent and momentum on its side. We can’t wait to see what it does next. More information.

Lately the Irish singer-songwriter has been in the news for her new on-again, off-again marriage and admissions of drug use, but when she comes to L.A. for two nights, our attention will be focused on her still-amazing pipes. Then again, we won’t be surprised (or disappointed) if she does something outrageous. More information.

For a fascinating look at the rise and fall of the Texas-born Erickson, check out the documentary You’re Gonna Miss Me. He’s the former front man for the 13th Floor Elevators, who were pioneers of the psychedelic rock sound. Luckily, he’s risen again, releasing a CD of all-new material in 2010 and touring and performing regularly since. More information.

You can’t call their music bluegrass, even though the instrumentation makes you want to. These guys go where no string band has gone before. Chris Thile of Nickel Creek teamed with talented old friends to push the envelope on folk, bluegrass, and country. A move to New York for some of the guys inspired a new approach to songwriting, and they came back to L.A. to record their latest CD, Antifogmatic, as a true collaboration, with L.A.’s beloved mad-scientist performer…

Ottawa native Edwards has been singing her heart out in an alt-country style since her first album came out in 2003. Her latest effort, Voyageur, could have a different feel, since it’s coproduced by Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver). That’s fine by us—she sounds good singing anything. More information.

There is nothing quite as joyful as a show put on by these guys. The symphonic pop rock ensemble from Dallas features musicians playing a multitude of instruments while backing a full-on choral group. Catch the band that has played at a Nobel Peace Prize concert, opened for David Bowie, and whose music you might recognize from TV shows and movie soundtracks. More information.

U.K. youngsters Kitty, Daisy & Lewis Durham make throwback rockabilly, ska, and northern British soul feel fresh squeezed from the jukebox era. With Mum and Pa as backup band, this swinging group keeps it all in the family. More information.

Backed by pros, including Jay Bellerose on drums and Kevin Breit on guitar, Laurie—yes, that one—performs songs from his new blues album, Let Them Talk! More information. 

Hahn is an American violin virtuoso who made her major orchestral debut at age ten. Hauschka (né Volker Bertelmann) is a German pianist known for creating new sounds by manipulating the instrument’s strings with props. Together they create avant-garde music at its most hip, and tonight they perform pieces from Silfra, their first studio collaboration. More information.   

The L.A.-based quartet has a reputation for playing rousing concerts that showcase their inventive indie pop. Help them celebrate the release of their debut effort, Voyeur, at this album release party. Local bands Princeton and Chasing Kings open. More information.

Luckily, the original lineup of one of the most enduring alt country-rock bands is still intact. Rhett Miller and Murry Hammond have done solo work, and hiatuses have ensued. On tour to celebrate their 15th anniversary, the duo no doubt will offer a full evening of twangy power pop, with the bonus of Miller’s opening the show with a solo set. More information.

Earlier this year folk rocker J. Tillman reinvented himself as Father John Misty, debuting a take on blue-eyed soul that mixes his velvety voice with Hall & Oates-style yacht rock. More information.

For 16 years the Tucson rock outfit has sung of hacienda fiestas and moonlit highways with ditties that straddle the border of traditional Mexican music and evocative alt country. It’s the perfect soundtrack for cruising the 395—or Wilshire at 3 a.m. More information.

Nigeria’s Fela Kuti mixed American funk with tribal rhythms and political messages of African unity and self-determination, spawning a movement that traveled far beyond his continent’s shores during the 1970s. His son Femi keeps the torch burning, pairing Dad’s songs with his own groove-filled jams. More information.

The reclusive singer, whose smooth grooves have been sampled in countless hip-hop songs, returns to the limelight with a triple whammy: the rerelease of a classic 1976 album, a new recording, and a world tour. Enjoy the Shuggie rush. theelrey.com.

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of their renowned show in Budokan, Japan, Cheap Trick take to the El Rey stage to play the exact set once again. Fans who don't make it in the door can watch live on AXS TV. More information

Ever since singer Bethany Cosentino moved back to L.A. from New York, Best Coast’s surf pop revival has been all about her love songs to Southern California—calling it The Only Place on the indie band's last CD. Sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, the pop punk of Bleached, also play, and local garage band Lovely Bad Things opens the show. More information.

Good for Lisa-Marie! Being Elvis’s daughter, it can’t be easy to get up in front of an audience and do your thing without feeling people’s constant comparisons. Her latest album is Storm and Grace, which describes her life. It’s an Americana-inspired departure from her previous releases, produced by T Bone Burnett. More information.

Back when alternative was the de rigueur adjective for ’90s bands, this New York noise-pop outfit had instant street cred. These days the group leans toward dreamy dance rock, and the vocals of Kazu Makino are as hypnotizing as ever. More information.

Their upbeat indie pop has made Superchunk a staple on any dive bar juke. A just-released album, I Hate Music, is a return to form, blasting ecstatic anthems that pair perfectly with PBRs and old pals. More information.

The Pixies are back with their first new song in nearly a decade! No word on a new album yet, but the single “Bagboy” is a YouTube hit for Black Francis and the gang, which is joined by new girl Kim Shattuck, who has replaced Kim Deal on bass. The influential alternative rockers play one night at the Mayan Theatre after three at the El Rey. More information.

The psychedelic name betrays the rolled up sleeved Americana rock of Matthew Houck, who is Phosphorescent. Live, he surrounds himself with strong, spirited musicians, but the albums are pretty much only him. A life crisis made him flee to a hut on a beach in Mexico, where he wrote the songs for his most ambitious and critically acclaimed album yet, Muchacho. More information.

Who knows why frontman Mike Scott is the sole constant member of the influential Waterboys? Their Celtic rock sound came onto the scene in the ’80’s with the albums This Is the Sea and Fisherman’s Blues.Whoever they are, his current traveling musical companions are bound to be top notch Brits bringing those classic songs to life. More information.

Natalie Maines left the Dixie Chicks to record a very different and edgy solo album, MOTHER (a Pink Floyd cover from The Wall gave the album its name), produced by guitar wizard Ben Harper. More information. 

Two years after releasing their first album, these kids from Florida were opening for the Pixies. Not bad. They’ve had a whirlwind of a year, releasing a sophomore album of upbeat pop rock and infectious hooks titled Pythons. Prepare to move your feet. More information. 

Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion started Cults as a hobby in their New York apartment. The songs they posted online generated buzz and next thing they knew, their bouncing and shimmering girl-group pop led to gigs at the Lollapalooza, Pitchfork, and Bonnaroo music festivals. Their second album, Static, comes out this year. More information.

South African transplant-to-Brooklyn Jean-Philip Grobler, better known as St. Lucia, deals in atmospheric electro-pop and stops in L.A. to play a show in support of his new album, When the Night. Local act Sir Sly is also on the bill. More information 

On their latest album, We the Common, San Francisco folkster Thao Nguyen and her band weave simple tunes accented by smoky vocals. More information 

The expat Japanese duo was a crucial part of New York’s alt-music scene in the ’90s, along with the Beastie Boys and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. After releasing only one EP in 15 years, the hip-hop act has returned with a new album, Hotel Valentine. More information 

Michigan bred pop duo Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott show off tracks from their sophomore album, The Speed of Things. And no, they've never met Dale Earnhardt Jr. More information

Dozens of musicians come together to celebrate the music of the legendary Tom Petty. Performing their favorite Petty classics, confirmed guests include Flea, Albert Hammond Jr., The Walking Papers, Brendan Benson, Nikki Lane, Dhani Harrison, Jason Lee, Butch Walker, Valentine of Maroon 5, Pete Yorn, and many more. All of the proceeds from the event will go to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. More information

It'll be a first-rate night of Americana music as the beloved alt-country pioneers from Dallas bring their live show to the El Rey. Newcomer Nikki Lane (whose highly anticipated release, All or Nothin’, was produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys) opens. More information

When British producers revamped this singer-songwriter’s typically a cappella song “Tom’s Diner” into a dance tune, it made everyone realize her voice and storytelling transcend genres. On her first new album in six years, Vega has followed that lead and mixed the traditional acoustic vibe with cool synthesized beats. More information

First Aid Kit burst on the scene in 2012 with the country ditty “Emmylou,” a sweet homage to Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, and June Carter. They surprised us all by being two sisters from Sweden. The duo's third album, Stay Gold, comes out in June. More information.

It’s the first L.A. show in ten years for the female trio, who brought us the catchy dance hit “Naked Eye” in 1997. Magic Hour is the group’s new album of upbeat party songs. More information.

Brooklyn’s indie rock band the Hold Steady just released a new album of bigger and tougher guitar songs called “Teeth Dreams.” More information.

Led by the Braun brothers Willy and Cody, Austin’s Reckless Kelly got its start touring with dad and his western swing band. For 17 years the group has put out authentic but polished honky-tonk, gaining fans and the respect from a multitude of Texas troubadours, including Robert Earl Keen, Joe Ely, and Steve Earle. It’s all in the family as younger brothers Mickey and Gary, dubbed Mickey and the Motorcars, open the show. More information.

Dressed in their finest black and bearing a tapestry of tattoos, the synth-rock duo from San Diego are pioneers of “cholo goth”