February 22, 2012 – The Flaming Lips Bimbo’s 365 Club San Francisco, CA Tuesday, February 21, 2012 Yes to the confetti cannons; no to the dudes in bear suits. Yes to the overzealous smoke machine; no to the Wayne Coyne-sized hamster ball. Verily, the Flaming Lips attempted to go relatively minimal for this relatively small club gig, playing their 1999 cartoon-psych masterpiece The Soft Bulletin in full using only the bare essentials. Plus, y'know, a green-alien-skinned harp, a gong encrusted with epileptic neon lights, and a noisy interlude wherein Coyne brandished giant laser hands. Even after stripping down considerably, they had plenty of gaudy, exuberant layers left. Pity their roadies.

December 21, 2011 – For much of 2011, arguing about what is and isn't R&B appeared to be more fun than actually listening to R&B (however you personally defined it). But it turns out that was all just an illusion. Here are 20 terrific records that could start arguments, and end them. SPIN's Best of 2011: -- One Fucked Up Year: SPIN's Best of 2011 Issue -- SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2011 -- SPIN's 20 Best Songs of 2011 -- SPIN's 40 Best Rap Albums of 2011 -- SPIN's 10 Best Reissues of 2011 -- SPIN's 25 Best Live Photos of 2011 -- Endless Bummer: 30 Ways 2011 Was a Drag 20. Ledisi, Pieces of Me Like that cute, self-assured little girl from the movie Airplane, she takes her coffee hot and dark, like her men.

December 20, 2011 – Nashville insiders vs. Nashville "outsiders." Curtain calls for all-time legends vs. exhilarating breakthroughs from possible new ones. Alt-country louts seeking contentment vs. rehabilitated alt-country louts finding contentment. Vivid homages to everyone from Hank Williams to Loretta Lynn to Alabama to Steve Earle to Tom Petty. A bizarre year for whatever you think country is, or isn't. And a great one too. Here are some of the album-length highlights. SPIN's Best of 2011:• One Fucked Up Year: SPIN's Best of 2011 Issue• SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2011• SPIN's 20 Best Songs of 2011• SPIN's 40 Best Rap Albums of 2011• SPIN's 20 Best Metal Albums of 2011• SPIN's 10 Best Reissues of 2011• SPIN's 25 Best Live Photos of 2011• Endless Bummer: 30 Ways 2011 Was a Drag 20.

September 22, 2011 – R.E.M. announced Wednesday that after 31 years, 15 full-length albums (including this year's Collapse Into Now), and myriad all-time "alternative rock" classics, they were breaking up for good, or at least until their surprise reunion at Coachella in, oh, let's say 2016. People were sad. (Or derisive toward the people who were sad, but let's forget about those guys for a second.) The band's best years were behind them, it's true, but the pride of Athens, Georgia, has still left an indelible footprint on Modern Music As We Know It. Here are some of their career highlights, from the hits to the spoofs, the lucrative contracts to the embarrassing arrests. (Note: Michael Stipe's very recent dalliance with full-frontal nudity does not appear anywhere here.) 1. "RADIO FREE EUROPE" ON LETTERMAN If you're unclear on what the fuss is all about — if you only know R.E.M.

April 28, 2004 – WEDNESDAY6:41 p.m., Thee ParksideA jovial lass sings and strums a ukulele. Her stage name is Tippy Canoe. My journey has not yet begun, and already we're trapped in a deleted scene from Mulholland Dr. Noise Pop, meet wrong foot. We're off on it.9:45 p.m., Slim'sThe Locust's spazz-core metal recalls The Passion of the Christ,except they're nailing rock music to the cross. If I'd seen TV footageof them when I was nine, I'd have wet the bed every night for the nexttwo decades.11:23 p.m., Great American Music HallThe Unicorns are just wrapping up a showstopping cover of 50Cent's "P.I.M.P." One Unicorn is wearing a cape. Mildly entertaining,but the "whoa, dude" wackiness of it all kills the momentum andsubverts the tunes. More Magnetic Fields and less Frogs, please.12:31 a.m., Thee ParksideThe Elected's first show quickly devolves into an endearingbut unending feedback/ false-start debacle.