Do It. Mondrian Sessions at Skybar.

The Mondrian Sessions are back! This past fall, local record label IAMSOUND Records sponsored the bi-weekly event at the hip and swanky Skybar at the Mondrian Hotel, and now it's back for another round.

The sessions feature intimate performances by up and coming bands -- Men, Glasser and Warpaint are already among the alums. This time, they've got great must-see performers like Fool's Gold, Dum Dum Girls, Ted Leo and Zola Jesus coming up. And did we mention this was all free? Just gotta RSVP at mondrianlasessions@morganshotelgroup.com (21+ only). Check out the Mondrian Hotel's Facebook page for more info -- the first performance is this Friday!

I happened to catch the always entertaining Jens Lekman in December, and totally loved it -- although you're separated from the performers by a classy pool, and you're surrounded by typical Hollywood and hipster types, you're still able to enjoy a pretty intimate performance. And considering Skybar's amazing view of the city, it's about as "L.A." as you can get -- but that's not a bad thing. Plus, it's free! You really can't pass this up.

Mondrian Sessions will be taking place Jan. 14-Apr. 8 at Skybar at the Mondrian Hotel, located at 8440 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Check here for more info.

-- Chau Tu

Check It. Local Natives [The Monday Download].

I was pretty bummed about missing SXSW yet again this year, but thanks to a little live streaming via NPR and KCRW, I still got to enjoy listening to some great tunes. One particularly awesome set was played by one of my new favorite bands, Local Natives, for NPR Music's Day Party at the Parish, which you can listen to here.

But if that doesn't already endear you to the (yep!) locally based band (Silver Lake, to be exact), then the following videos should. Probably inspired by the amazing Take-Away Shows from La Blogotheque (more praise about that to come another time), these creative and beautifully plotted videos take the indie rock band away from the usual stage to perform acoustic versions of songs from their intricate, soaring debut Gorilla Manor. From an alleyway to a barnhouse to an abandoned room in a high-rise, the videos do a great job of not only capturing music in a different atmosphere but also highlighting the innate talent of the band who can adapt to surroundings and still sound so darn good even in these situations.

In short, these videos are wonderful pieces in and of themselves, but also give a talented band its justice.

-- Chau Tu