Growing up wasn't easy for Lightspeed Champion. One day he was in a band widely hailed as the future of hardcore, the next he was striking out on the long, lonely path of establishing his own solo career. One can't help but think that Lightspeed Champion's appearance at Philly's First Unitarian Church last night was packed mostly out of respect for his former band, Test Icicles. This is a town that has never been ashamed of its hardcore, nor its UK imports. While some of the more cynical US reviewers have been critical of LC's latest album Falling Off the Lavender Bridge, Philadelphia has brought the love.

The Champion, whose real name is Devonte Hynes, has taken a nod from Patrick Wolf, whom he supported and covered last year. Lavender, which was co-crafted by Bright Eyes' Mike Moggis, aims at lush chamberpop. For fans of dramatic reversal, this is a definitive coup. For fans of hardcore, well, we'll see. Hynes does retain trace amounts of his former band's youthful brattiness in lyrical quality, mostly when discussing bodily functions and the loss of his virginity ("I Could Have Done This Myself." ) Also good for cheap laughs: "Everyone I Know is Listening To Crunk."

Before you go on filling yourself with Matzah tomorrow (merry Pesach!), eat some bread, drink some wheat beer, and check out some live rock. Here are some options for tonight:

The Mistfits @ Warsaw: After protesting the John Varvatos store yesterday, old school punks will put their frustration aside for some rock.

Tapes n' Tapes @ The Fillmore: Let's see if the past two years of hype were worth it. I'll be checking the show out just for opening trio, White Denim.

Kids in the Hall @ Nokia Theatre: These guys still exist? The sketch comedy troop brings their pre-comedy central act to the big stage.

New Model Army @ Mercury Lounge: Acoustic folk punk always makes for good entertainment, especially in a venue as intimate as Merc Lounge.

Cloud Cult @ Bowery Ballroom: Last time I saw CC, a painter adapted their experimental pop into visual art on stage. An amazing experience. Openers Illinois and The Forms should not be missed.

We're trying out a new style for our 'What You're Doing Tonight' posts. Tell us what you think. Here's whats going on tonight:

• Phosphorescent & Nina Nastasia @ Bowery Ballroom


• Minus The Bear & The Big Sleep @ Webster Hall


• Elf Power & Dawn Landes @ Mercury Lounge


• Dark Meat & Monotonix @ Union Hall

So I finally saw that terrible Ben Stiller flick Night at the Museum, and was patient enough to sit through the full two hours. As bad as it was, I couldn't help but think how cool it would be to hang out a museum after hours. That's why I was thrilled to hear that the American Museum of Natural History will be hosting a late night show in the Planetarium this evening. Playing the event is the always entertaining Simian Mobile Disco, an electronica duo that blew me away at SXSW. Tickets are $20, but include a free pass for the museum. More info here.

If the museum is too far uptown, head over to Webster Hall, where electro-soul duo Ghostland Observatory will perform. Anyone catch them on Conan last night?  Doors open at 7:30, and tickets are $20.

Looking for something off the beaten path? Check out Boston soul rockers Aloud at Crash Mansion at 9 PM. We discovered them at CMJ, and were super impressed. The show is a free open bar, so you can't go wrong.

Looking for something to do tonight? Here are some options: Counting Crows, an old favorite of mine, will be putting on a free show tonight at the Apple Store in Soho. The band is currently on an Apple Store tour, promoting their latest album, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, which hit shelves earlier this week. Word on the street is that Duritz still has it. That show starts at 7, but you may want to get there early to beat the crowds.

SXSW favorite Fuck Buttons bring their experimental electronica to Music Hall of Williamsburg. Headlining the event is psychedelic pop-rocker Caribou, who plays Bowery Ballroom tomorrow night. The event starts at 10, and tickets are $18.

Finally, if you're up for an adventure, take the trek out to the Brooklyn Masonic Temple for one of Sunset Rubdown's avant-garde performances. Left of Center plays "Stadiums and Shrines" every few songs now, so this one should be packed. Alt-rock band Blood on the Wall opens the show at 7:30. Tickets are $10.

Yeah, it's tempting to just spend tonight on your couch, eating all of those Cadbury Creme Eggs and Hamentashens left over from yesterday. Adventurous/ agnostic? Here are some live options:

For all of you Starbucks-drinkin', Mac-usin', 30-somethings, The Hotel Cafe Tour makes a stop off at Irving Plaza this evening. A handful of great acoustic pop songwriters form the lineup, including Ingrid Michaelson, Cary Brothers, Meiko and Priscilla Ahn. Doors open at 7, and tickets are $20.

If you're in the mood for some '90s alt-rock, Presidents of the United States of America bring their love of peaches to Bowery Ballroom. Pop punks Ludo open at 7. Tickets are $20.

Finally, check at Sigmund Droid at Mercury Lounge. Their lo-fi punk sound should make for an outrageous live show. Tickets are $8.

Ah, go outside and take a fresh breath of air. It's the first day of Spring! Celebrate the fertile season with some live rock tonight. First off, British punks The Cribs will be tearing up Music Hall of Williamsburg with their hook-laden edgy pop. Jeff Lewis (the guy behind this masterpiece) opens the show at 8. Tickets are $15.

Manhattan-bound? Head downtown, where power pop ladies Sahara Hotnights bring their blend of retro punk and alt-rock to the Knitting Factory. These guys have been around forever, so I'm excited to see them live finally. It's a late show (11:30), so I'm kind of glad tomorrows a holiday. Tickets are $15.

For a full helping of music, Highline Ballroom is the place to be tonight. A total of 16 talented artists will join together to play a benefit show for producer Scotty Harding, who was partially paralyzed during a recent car accident. Among the performers is folk singer Kevin Kendrick and jazz quartet Sex Mob. Doors open at 8, and tickets start at $35. Come support the cause and enjoy the music.

If you're out in Brooklyn, psychedelic rockers Witch fill Luna Lounge with their distorted guitars, alongside classic rock-inspired folk band Graveyard. Witch, graveyard -- sounds like Halloween. Doors open at 7:30 and tickets are $15.

The day after St. Patty's is usually a tough one. Last year, I woke up next to a leprechaun, and smelled of Guinness and soda bread. This year, I took the Irish holiday off, to rest up for tonight's killer lineup of live rock. Here are the options:

Over at Webster Hall, prolific songwriter John Darnielle brings his lo-fi folk sound to the stage with his recent project The Mountain Goats. Everyone has been raving about this show, so I'll likely be checking it out. Punk duo The Moaners open at 8:30. Tickets are $18.

Not too far away at Mercury Lounge, SXSW break out band The Ting Tings unleash their British synth pop. Seems like they're one of the bigger emerging bands right now. After their show (it's early, 7:30), songwriter Robert Francis performs. Tickets are $10.

I was planning on getting some sleep tonight (early flight to TX tomorrow), but I may just hit a show or two instead. Here are the options:

Over in Brooklyn, Daft Punk tribute Faux Punk spins at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Although their live show could never reach the greatness of the original duo, they should be able to start a sweaty hipster dance party. Synth-hop group Low B opens, along with club rocker Oxytail Cotton. Doors open at 9, and tickets are $15.

The dance party continues at Studio B, where masked, vowel-less DJs MSTRKRFT spin their addictive house all night. I've been looking forward to seeing them for a while. Remix artists LA Riots opens. Doors open at 10, and tix are $15. Even with hight ticket prices, this one's gonna be packed.

For some traditional indie rock, head over to Bowery Ballroom, where Ra Ra Riot will be headlining, with support from experimental rockers Bear Hands. Doors open at 9, and tickets are $13.

With all the indie rockers on their way to Texas for SXSW, NYC is left with some more recognizable names. Tonight, follow the haze of smoke to Gramercy as stoner band Slightly Stoopid bring their laid-back reggae to Blender Theatre. Joining them will be dub rockers The Expendables. Doors open at 7 PM, and tickets are $25.

Downtown, metalheads The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza bring their heavy sound to the Knitting Factory Tap Room. These guys are too intense for me, but that's got to be the best band name I've heard since this morning. Laid-back Cleveland synth-pop DJ White Williams headlines upstairs.

And for all you couch potatoes, American Idol is on at 8.

Although tonight's episode of American Idol is bound to be entertaining (David Hernandez' checkered past made news today), there's too much going on to spend the evening in front of a TV. Fire up those TIVOs, and check out one of the following concerts.

Webster Hall is replacing their signature bridge and tunnel scene with some indie rock tonight, as they host rat-hatin' rockers The Walkmen. Joining them will be White Rabbits, whose single "The Plot" has quickly climbed up my iTunes "most played" list. Doors open at 8, and tickets are $20.

Not too far away, goth rockers Wednesday 13 bring their hard sound to Gramercy Theatre. Curious/scared to see what that crowd looks like. The AKAs, an old punk fave of mine, open the show at 8. Tickets are $18.

If you're in a charitable mood, head over to Terminal 5, where legendary hip hop trio The Beastie Boys perform to raise money and awareness for The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. Moby will be hosting the event. Doors open at 7PM, and tickets will run you $75.

Great rock shows are sprawled all over the city tonight, so dust off those ear plugs and take your pick. Up in Chelsea, Apes and Androids bring their theatrical rock to the GBH party at Hiro Ballroom. The local avant-garde group just released their highly anticipated debut LP, Blood Moon, so expect some new material. Devlin and Darko, two of Spank Rock's DJs, spin the event. Doors are at 10, and tickets are free with RSVP.

In Greenwich Village, indie-rock-famous quintet The National take the stage at NYU's Kimmel Center. Experimental pop group Maps and Atlases open. Tickets are only $10, so expect this one to be packed.

Brooklyn-bound? One of my new favorites, Georgie James, perform their addicting pop at Union Hall. Looking forward to seeing these guys at SXSW. Latin acoustic troubadours Las Palabras open. Show starts at 10:30, tickets are $8.

St. Patrick's Day may be a month away, but you can flaunt your Irish pride tonight, when celtic punks Flogging Molly play Irving Plaza. Local songwriter Jesse Malin opens, along with folk-rock collective Dusty Rhodes and the River Band. Doors open at 7:30, and tickets are $28.

Green's not your color? Down at Mercury Lounge, '80s-inspired electronica kids AI play the late show. You may remember, we featured their mp3 a while back. Also playing is local glam-rock duo Unisex Salon. Doors, 9:30 / tickets, $10.

If you're out in Brooklyn, do yourself a favor, and head over to Music Hall of Williamsburg. Liam Finn, one of my new favorite songwriters, opens for local alt-rockers Pela. Tickets are $15, show starts at 8.

Hop the R-Train to the Union stop tonight, as local pop rockers Soft bring their lush, upbeat sound to Union Hall. Local surf-shoegaze rockers Frankpollis open at 8:30. Tickets are $8.

Feeling emotional? Emo-acoustic singer John Vesely performs under his myspace famous handle, Secondhand Serenade at the Knitting Factory. If you're a Dashboard Confessional fan, definitely take a listen to this guy. Synth pop bands The White Tie Affair and Automatic Love Letter open the show at 7 PM. Tickets are $15.

And of course, Punk Rock Metal Karaoke takes on its Tuesday residency at Club Midway, so head over and live out your rockstar fantasies. 10 PM, $5.

Music legend Johnny Cash would be celebrating his 76th birthday tomorrow if he were still around. To honor the occasion, Cash tribute band Ring of Fire will be playing live tonight at B.B. King's, hashing out tunes from Cash's long career. The Poor Man's Rose opens the show with a tribute to Patsy Cline. Doors open at 6, and tickets are $25.

A few blocks away at Madison Square Garden, legendary blues songwriters/aging rockers Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood kick off a three night residency. Doors at 8, ticket prices start at $65.

For something a bit more intimate, Pitchfork favorites Times New Viking bring their lo-fi scuzz-pop to Bowery Ballroom. This band will be the talk of SXSW -- I can feel it. Welsh alt-rockers Super Furry Animals headline the night.

Throw on a parka and some snow shoes, because getting out in tonight's snow is going to be a chore -- but well worth it. Studio B hosts hip-hop legend RZA (of Wu-Tang fame) tonight as he headlines their weekly FUN party. Synth rappers Team Facelift opens along with local alt-rockers, The Stationary Set. Tickets are free if you RSVP here.

Over at Bowery Ballroom, psychedelic jam quintet Black Mountain perform tunes from their addicting new album, In The Future. The band performed on Conan O'Brien last night, which should help fill out the room. Ambient folk songwriter Bon Iver opens at 8. Tickets are $15.

Finally, Jeremy Fisher takes over Canal Room tonight with his upbeat acoustic pop. You may remember me calling his album Goodbye Blue Monday one of the most overlooked releases of 2007. The show is at 8 PM, and tickets are $10.

There's a handful of great shows going on tonight. First off, LES synth-rockers The Bravery play Terminal 5. I first saw them in a half-full Mercury Lounge 3 years ago, so its nice to see how far they've come. Doors open at 7, and tickets are $27. Power pop kids Switches open the show -- they also play a free in-store this afternoon (3 pm) at the Brooklyn Industries store in Soho.

If you're looking for something mainstream/dash-heavy, Linkin Park take over Madison Square Garden tonight with their nu-metal/hip-hop fusion. Prog-rockers Coheed and Cambria open. I'll be taking pictures, so check back tomorrow. Doors for this one open at 7.

For something low-key, head out to Union Hall in Brooklyn, where Favourite Sons (a personal fave) bring their epic folk rock. Lead singer Ken Griffin has a powerful, haunting voice that must be experienced live. Show is at 9, tickets are $10.

Anyone see the Gene Simmons sex tape? Yuck. Chase the images out of your head with some live rock tonight -- here are some options:

Ambulance LTD bring their addictive dream pop to Union Hall in Brooklyn. I've been waiting to see them in an intimate venue for quite some time. Pop rockers The End of the World open at 7:30. Tickets are $10.

Local lo-fi trio Blood on the Wall put on a free in-store performance at Other Music tonight, as they promote their new album, Liferz. It's good to hear '90's-esque alt-rock alive and well. Show starts at 8.

If you're in the mood for some mid-week dancing, DJs Stretch Armstrong and Eli Escobar take over the ground floor of The Annex for High Voltage, a new weekly party. Free Zygo vodka for all you lushes. The event starts at 11, and will cost you $8.

Tonight's options are loud, so start warming up those ear plugs. Uptown, 90's alt-rock staples Foo Fighters take over Madison Square Garden with nu-metal songwriter Serj Tankian (of System of a Down). Floridian punk four piece Against Me! open the show at 7. Tickets are $30.

Downtown, a local favorite of mine, The Kiss Off, bring their experimental glam rock to Pianos at 10 PM. Upbeat pop kids De Novo Dahl hit the stage after. Tickets are $8.

Looking to test out those pipes? Head down to Club Midway for Punk Metal Karaoke. Maybe I'll grace the club with my rendition of "Sheena is a Punk Rocker." Admission is $5.

 

Candlelight romance not in the cards for tonight? Join the club. Let some live rock swoon your lonely heart, as two emerging indie goliaths co-headline over at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Psychedelic soul rockers Yeasayer share the stage with electro-pop duo MGMT. 80's inspired locals Chairlift open the show. Tickets are $14.

Not too far away, Band of Horses bring their powerful rock to the Masonic Temple in Fort Greene. Pop four-piece Dirty on Purpose (a personal favorite) opens. The show is being co-sponsored by New York Magazine, so the $20 ticket price buys you a free subscription. 

Wow, so Nathan just ate 5 pounds of macaroni and cheese for lunch on a dare. He'll probably want to stay in tonight - - but you don't have that excuse. Here are a few options for this lovely Friday:

Power pop veterans Fountain of Wayne headline tonight at Highline Ballroom. Oh, don't scoff - - you used to sing that Stacy's mom song too. Folk pop group April Smith and the Pictureshow open. Tickets are $25, and doors open at 9.

Feel like a dance party? DJ trio The Ruff Kids return to their roots tonight when they spin Ruff Club at The Annex. British punk quintet The Paddingtons perform live beforehand. Should get pretty crazy. The event starts at 11, and will cost you $8.

If you couldn't land tickets for Nada Surf's sold out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, here are some other options. Cassettes Won't Listen, Jason Drake's relaxed electronica solo project, hits The Delancey at 10. Keep an eye out for his remix of "Everyone's Starting Over" (originally by The Diggs) -- it's one of my favorite tunes. Tickets are $7.

Want to get the weekend started early? GBH will be hosting another one of their Cheeky Bastard parties at Hiro Ballroom. Alt-rockers Mellowdrone will perform, followed by a set from That 70's Show stoner Danny Masterson (aka DJ MomJeans). RSVP here.

Tonight, British bombshells The Spice Girls, continue their reunion arena tour with a live show at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. Their tour was just cut short, so this may be one of the last opportunities to have the girls...spice up your life (sorry). Tickets are still available, but will cost you $125, and the show starts at 7:30. Can't find a ride to Jersey? It might be time to fire up that Zipcar* account.

Not worth the money/hassle? Over at Terminal 5, folk songwriter Cat Power performs her laid back fusion of soul and blues with her backing band, the Dirty Delta Blues. Piano pop duo Appaloosa opens at 7. Tickets are $33.

*Funny story about zipcar -- a buddy of mine was at the gym last week, and left his clothes and wallet in an unlocked locker. After his workout, he returned to find all of his stuff stolen. To make matters worse, the thief found a zipcar membership card in the wallet, and decided to take out a rental car on my friend's dime. Yesterday, the car was found, abandoned...in the middle of Texas.

You could spend tonight watching CNN speculators dissect the exit polls, but that sounds pretty boring. Lucky for you, there's plenty going on that'll spice up your Super Tuesday. Robyn makes her US debut this evening at Highline Ballroom, finally giving Americans their fill of Swedish pop. Drop The Lime, the self-proclaimed champions of heavy bass, open for the blonde bombshell with their thunderous dance beats. Doors open at 7, and tickets are $17.

Downtown at The Annex, members of RX Bandits perform with their ska/reggae side project Satori. A saxophone playing frontman is a rare find in the indie scene, so this should be an interesting show. Folk-dub band The Hymns open, along with local rockers, The Exit. $10, 8:30.

It's that time of year in New York again. It gets dark early, it's always cold, and if you're lucky, you can even walk home from the subway during a "Wintry Mix" (srsly weather.com, I have yet to meet someone that knows what that means!)

Such is not a good climate to see live music. Tis the season to snuggle up with your Netflix queue rather than wait in line to see a band.

But there was one anomaly last December that made me want to brave whatever daunting weather conditions were threatening my extremities and trudge down to the Lower East Side to catch an amazing record release party. The band was The Depreciation Guild, the record is In Her Gentle Jaws, and their live show is one not to be missed.

Just a pair of dudes from Brooklyn, Kurt Feldman and Christoph Hochheim are the talented duo behind a large and intricate sound. Not so simply stated, The Depreciation Guild is an electronic induced, shoe-gaze inspired melodic concoction backed by a drum machine and an 8-bit 2A03 sound chip from your every day Nintendo Entertainment System.

They've drawn well-deserved and warranted comparisons to bands like My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins and are forward-thinking enough to make their first full-length album (the aforementioned In Her Gentle Jaws) available for * free download * at their website.

Recommended tracks are the sonically luscious "Butterfly Kisses" and the more euphoric "Sky Ghosts."

If that's not enough ear candy for you, go see them for yourself!

The Depreciation Guild play TONIGHT at the Mercury Lounge. If you don't go for the technically impressive live show, then do at least go for the eye candy (um have you looked at the above photo? Ladies, don't forget your anchors, these boys are dreamboats!)

Either way, this band will definitely make the trek out into the night's cold worth it.

What you need to know:

Depreciation Guild

Mercury Lounge

(Houston and Essex)

7pm $10

Get pumped for Super Tuesday with some rock tonight. GetUpAndVote.Com, an organization dedicated to landing Obama in office, hosts treadmill-bound rockers OK Go at Bowery Ballroom. The event, aptly titled Barack Rock, is an effort to remind the younger crowd to hit the polls tomorrow. Experimental songwriter Craig Wedren also performs, along with comedy trio, Stella. Doors open at 7, and tickets are $20.

Not registered and/or ambivalent? Brooklyn folk collective The Loom take over Mercury Lounge with their manic mix of upbeat and relaxed tunes tonight. Energetic rock trio Her Majesty, who just finished recording an album with producer Nic Hard, opens the show. Doors at 8, tix are $10.

Tonight, slip galoshes over your dance shoes, and head out to Studio B to see a handful of headliners rock the Brooklyn dance club. The event includes a live performance from Spank Rock, a DJ set from members of The Rapture, and a secret (shh!!) set from Wu-Tang's GZA. Tickets will cost ya $18, and doors open at 10.

If you're not in the mood for Studio B's circus, Music Hall of Williamsburg hosts three great bands not too far away. Delaware collective The Spinto Band bring their flower pop (go listen to "Oh Mandy" now, it'll make you happy) along with alt rockers The Whigs. Also playing is a rock trio we recently featured, Plants and Animals. Show starts at 8, and tickets are $12.

Ready for your rockstar moment? Tonight at Studio B, New York Magazine will be hosting Rock and Roll Karaoke with Portland punks The Thermals. The three-chord trio play backing band all night while amateurs hop on stage and sing Karaoke to classic punk songs of The Ramones, Buzzcocks and more. Comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know host the event. Tickets are $20, and include a year-long subscription to NY Magazine.

Over in Chelsea, The Teenagers continue to rock NY with their snarky French pop, this time at Hiro Ballroom. Here are some pictures from last night's show. Guest DJ Sluttt will be putting on a set as well. Doors open at 11, and the event is free if you RSVP.

Fans of XL Records will be happy to hear that two of the label's more popular artists play Manhattan tonight. For the third night in a row, frat-pop four piece Vampire Weekend ride the wave of their emerging popularity with another sold out show at Bowery Ballroom. Plastic Little opens the show at 8, which means a Spank Rock cameo is a definite possibility.

Not too far away, British label mates The Teenagers make their NYC debut at Mercury Lounge. For those of you unfamiliar with the trio, they subscribe to a dirtier spoken word style, and have a loyal following of myspace scenesters. Local rockers Bear Hands opens at 7. Tickets are $10.