Drawing an ample crowd -- looking younger than the Rolling Stones "Voodoo Lounge"-era pinball machine against the Firebird's wall -- the Front Bottoms, Cheap Girls and We Should Leave This Tree all blurred the imaginary lines between maturity, talent and fresh faces.

Braced against the chilly night, standing under the glow of neon lights, we waited for the doors at the Gramophone to open. In front of me stood a devoted fan with a "Ghost" -- as in the newest album from headliner Yellow Ostrich -- held nonchalantly in his hands.

Despite technical difficulties, Sharon Van Etten and her band were in good spirits at the Firebird last night, bantering with the crowd and poking fun at the strange feedback Van Etten was hearing in her on-stage monitor.

Under dim yellow lights an expectant yet sedate crowd stood waiting. Cans of cold beer and cups of hot tea were set carefully aside as the quartet quietly took the stage and the audience came closer. After a quick and humble hello, the Sea and Cake began to play.

I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can see the Sleigh Bells stage without risking blindness. What more would you expect from a band with amplifiers stacked to the ceiling than a strobe-lit show jarring enough to induce epileptic seizure?

Young people packed the Firebird to hear two much-hyped indie bands: Geographer and Freelance Whales.

Minus the Bear performed on Friday night at Plush for a crowd that was mostly human.

The CMJ Music Marathon emerged in New York City over thirty years ago to showcase little-known college rock bands seeking a wider audience from music fans and industry professionals.

When I think of fall, one thing that comes to mind is the start of days so chilly or stormy that you just want to stay inside wrapped in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate.

Season six -- it all started in 2007 -- of KDHX's Harvest Sessions closed with performances by Auset, the Lulus and Pretty Little Empire.