Do It. St. Vincent at Space 15 Twenty.

All right, start planning now. You officially have an hour and a half -- or less -- until 10:30am, when you can officially buy St. Vincent's new album, Strange Mercy, at Amoeba in Hollywood, and in turn, receive a free ticket to see her perform live tonight at Space 15 Twenty.

Whew. Kind of a handful, but totally worth it. The woman is something to be seen live -- with her doe-like but always-in-a-daze eyes combined with her mad guitar skills. And Strange Mercy is already probably my favorite album of hers yet, getting more intellectually complex in her tunes and lyrics than ever before. Plus, who can beat a (sort of, considering you do have to buy the album) free concert?

St. Vincent's Strange Mercy will be available for purchase at 10:30am at Amoeba Music, located at 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. It's one ticket per album, limit 2 to a person. The free concert will take place at 6pm tonight at Space 15 Twenty, located at 1520 Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood (basically across the street from Amoeba).

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Gainsbourg And His Girls at the Silent Movie Theatre.

A couple years ago, I read what a fan Beck is of Serge Gainsbourg's Historie de Melody Nelson, and high-tailed it to Amoeba to get a copy.

This past weekend, there was a Serge Gainsbourg Tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Performers included Beck, Zola Jesus, Victoria Legrand of Beach House, Sean Lennon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, among others.

These days, it seems more Americans may know who Charlotte Gainsbourg (21 Grams, I'm Not There., Antichrist) is than her late famous French father, but a new documentary is in town to change that. Many of his numerous muses are featured in the film--Jane Birkin, Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Hardy, and Vanessa Paradis.

The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theatre is screening Gainsbourg And His Girls tonight through Friday.

611 North Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Tickets $10. Info: cinefamily.org, (323) 655-2510

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: France 3 + Morgane Productions

Do It. Amoeba's Monday Movies at Space15Twenty.

Free movies every Monday at 8pm, all month at Space15Twenty. Grab a burger at Umami and sit back and enjoy the show, or stop by early and check out the racks at Urban Outfitters, What Comes Around Goes Around or Hennessey + Ingalls. Since Amoeba is sponsoring the screenings, be prepared for music-themed movies: this week it's an advance screening of Magic Trip : Ken Kesey's Search For A Kool Place, featuring never-before-seen-footage; next week it's a fun mix of Beastie Boys films and music videos.

Check out the rest of the lineup here.

Amoeba's Mondays Movies are screening at Space15Twenty, located at 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Space15Twenty Record Fair.

With the news of Fat Beats, the hip-hip record store on Melrose, closing its doors just last weekend, the light known as the physical album grows ever dimmer. But alas, there is thankfully still Amoeba.

And interestingly enough, just down the street this weekend will be another little glimmer of hope, as Space15Twenty holds its first ever Record Fair. Expect "carefully curated collections" from DJs, musicians, music bloggers and more among the mostly vinyl pop-up event. Amoeba itself will be showing off some favorites, as well as main sponsors B-Music/Finders Keepers Records, Killing Spree DJs, Origami Vinyl and more. It'll probably be on the pretentious side, but isn't that the best thing about vinyl? May it live on!

The Space15Twenty Record Fair happens this Sun., Sat. 26 from 10am-2pm, at 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood. It's free and open to the public.

**Also this weekend:
-WeHo Book Fair
-The Pixies in La Jolla
-LA Craft Beer Crawl
-Warholian exhibit at Royal/T
-Abbot Kinney Fest

-- Chau Tu

Advance Notice. Free Interpol show at Space 15 Twenty.

It's a pretty defining moment for the NYC band Interpol right now. Not only are they getting ready to release their fourth album, a self-titled one that's highly anticipated for having promised a return to the basics, but they're doing it after a major line-up change--bassist Carlos D left the band in May.

All this makes for a good case to go see Interpol live, immediately, and Space 15 Twenty is giving you that chance. The (new) band is performing next Tuesday for one hour only in the parking lot of the Hollywood spot, for FREE. All you have to do if preorder the album now, at any of the participating retailers (including Amoeba, Origami Vinyl and Fingerprints), to get a wristband into the show. You can also order the album online at Matador Records, but you have to remember to put "LA OUTSTORE" in the comments section.

What's the outlook for Interpol's future? Here's your chance to find out.

Interpol will be performing from 7-8pm next Tuesday at Space 15 Twenty, located at 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Jenny and Johnny at Amoeba.

Whether she's with Rilo Kiley or on her own, Jenny Lewis always puts on a good show. I've seen Johnathan Rice (Lewis' boyfriend) join her on stage before, and it's a really impressive combination of talent. They obviously realize this too, and decided to collaborate with a band called Jenny and Johnny.

Their North American tour kicks off on Tuesday with a free show at Hollywood's Amoeba Music. I'd say this is definitely one of the better in-stores. Their album, I'm Having Fun Now, is also released Tuesday.

It doesn't sound like they'll be doing a signing after the show, but "special fan-pack buttons and pre-signed CD covers with purchase" will be available day-of in-store, while they last.

August 31 at 6:00 p.m. Amoeba Music is located at 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. For more info: (323) 245-6400, amoeba.com.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Pitchfork

Do It. Amoeba's First-Ever Garage Sale.

If you missed out on the biggest single day for vinyl sales ever (aka Record Store Day on April 17), you still have a chance to grab some great music deals this weekend.

Everyone's favorite L.A. record store Amoeba will be hosting its first ever Garage Sale on May 2nd and 3rd. Vinyls will be going for as little as 25 cents, and you have the chance to grab some CDs and books for as low as $1.

Amoeba's promising boxes and boxes of bargains, and with the selection they've got, you're sure to find some great gems in there. For even more fun, Garth Trinidad from KCRW will be DJing, and the Green Truck and Gastrobus will be showing up to provide some grub.

And to prove they're worth your support, it just so happens Amoeba's going to have some really amazing in-stores in the coming weeks, including Broken Social Scene on May 4 (absolutely not-to-be-missed), Flying Lotus on May 6, and Fang Island on May 10.

It's time to show some appreciation for your convenient and amazing music mecca.

Amoeba's Garage Sale is happening Sunday, May 2 and Monday, May 3rd, 10am-6pm, and located at 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Record Store Day.

So you may not be in Coachella this weekend, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some great music. Tomorrow just happens to be Record Store Day, which sets you up for a ton of great limited-edition releases to get your hands on, plus a few special live appearances and performances. Here's the round-up of a couple key ones, and be sure to check recordstoreday.com for more.

-Rhino Records, 235 Yale Ave. in Claremont: fun indie popsters Yo La Tengo perform

-Amoeba Hollywood, 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood: pre-order the Smashing Pumpkins' new disc tomorrow in-store, and you'll receive a wristband for an intimate show at Space15Twenty with the band later that day; a meet-and-greet with Slash (for those who purchased the new album last week); T-shirt screening by Dangerbird Records and Family Industries; book singing with KCRW DJ Gary Calamar; and a DJ set with Spinderella (from Salt n Pepa!)

-Origami Vinyl, 1816 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park: free beer and free show with One AM Radio, Lou Barlow + The Missingmen, Dum Dum Girls, Male Bonding and Adam Harding at noon; plus a free Origami Vinyl/Altamont tote, a comic book and a 7", and the Coolhaus truck on the scene.

-Record Surplus, 11609 Pico Blvd. in West L.A.: 20% off all merchandise, and appearance by Captain Vinyl (!) and the Canter's Deli truck on hand from 11am-2pm

Support your local record store! There's nothing like finding that fantastic out-of-print release or seeing that intimate show, and it's really only your local record store who can give that to you.

-- Chau Tu

Advance Notice. Slash at Amoeba for Record Store Day.

Living in Los Angeles, it can be easy to take all our wonderful entertainment options for granted, from being able to see that limited-release film at the Arclight or Landmark, to having anything we could have ever wished for just sitting in an aisle at Amoeba. For that latter privilege, at least we have Record Store Day to celebrate.

Saturday, April 17 marks the third annual Record Store Day, which celebrates the culture surrounding independent music shops all over the U.S. and the U.K. with special limited-edition releases and fun events like free shows and meet-and-greets. And L.A. is, as always, spoiled, so there are more than enough options for you to honor your local record shop accordingly.

We'll keep you updated on those options as the day gets nearer (stay tuned!), but right now, we've got a special heads-up on a cool event: in honor of Record Store Day, the one and only Slash will be signing his new self-titled CD at Amoeba. However, the only way to get a pass is to be one of the first 300 people tomorrow to purchase the album at Amoeba when it's officially released. Once you purchase the album (limit 2 CDs per person), you'll get a laminate to bring back on the 17th, when you can come and meet the infamous guitarist and get any one item signed.

Amoeba opens at 10:30am tomorrow--set that alarm, and see you on Record Store Day!

Amoeba Music is located at 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Slashonline.com

Advance Notice. The Living Sisters at Amoeba.

If you missed them at Saturday Nights at the Getty, maybe you can catch 'em at Amoeba.

Super talented Los Angeles girl group The Living Sisters are having an Ameoeba Music in-store on Sunday April 11 at 5:00 p.m. Their album Love to Live was released Tuesday.

Like I wrote about before, Eleni Mandell of The Living Sisters tied for LA Weekly's 2003 best rock/pop songwriter/composer award with Elliott Smith. Had to give that another mention, right?

Amoeba Music is located at 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: The Living Sisters' MySpace

Do It. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Amoeba In-Store tonight.

Update: tonight's BRMC Amoeba in-store has been cancelled. Check back for rescheduling information, here and on our new Twitter page -- @BEATofyoungLA.

L.A. band Black Rebel Motorcyle Club will be performing live at Hollywood's Amoeba Music tonight, March 12, at 6:00 p.m. As always, the in-store is free! Their latest album, Beat the Devil's Tattoo, was released March 9.

They've just sold out three shows (March 11, 12 and 14) at Echoplex, so arrive early if you want to see and hear them at Amoeba. If you can't make it, or are too tired to face a big crowd tonight, the performance will be live online on amoeba.com.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: eqmag.com