Crustcake Picks - LA Shows 1/17 - 1/23

Looks like metal has come out to play in 2008 finally! The NAMM convention is making its annual stop in So-Cal and with it comes all the bands and managers trying to get sponsers and free goods. It’s as if they say "we’re here, hey why not play a show right?"

Along with the jun juns of metal, hip hop pokes its head out this week. Jump on over to the Temple Bar in Santa Monica tomorrow and give Boston natives Audible Mainframe a round of applause for making waves in the California hip hop community. If you love The Roots, I highly suggest you check them out. Or brave the poop smell of the La Brea Tar Pits and check out Peanut Butter Wolf at the El Rey Theatre this freaky Friday.

Sunday brings the ruckus. Om will be giving kids an experience over at the The Echo or if you need things a bit heavier, come headbang with me at the Relax Bar with my pals The Funeral Pyre, Intronaut, Book of Black Earth, and Winterthrall (best metal show coming up).

If you didn’t get your fix on Sunday, not to worry as the mighty thrash masters Exodus will be exploding heads along with Goatwhore, Arsis, and future thrash masters Warbringer at the House of Blues, Sunset on Monday.

To cap it all off, get your gym shorts on and start stretching for the Cancer Bats, This Is Hell and Gallows at the Chain Reaction.

Or you could watch VH1 Classic and think about how cool concerts look on TV.

Friday 1/18 - Audible Mainframe @ The Temple Bar

Friday 1/18 - Peanut Butter Wolf @ The El Rey Theatre

Sunday 1/20 - Intronaut, The Funeral Pyre, Book of Black Earth, Winterthrall @ Relax Bar

Sunday 1/20 - Om @ The Echo

Monday 1/21 - Exodus, Goatwhore, Arsis, Warbringer @ House of Blues, Sunset Strip

Wednesday 1/23 - Gallows, Cancer Bats, This Is Hell @ Chain Reaction

[MP3] Peanut Butter Wolf - "Casio"
[MP3] Intronaut - "Gleamer"
[MP3] Arsis - "Oh, The Humanity"