How to get really, really high

The temperatures outside may be plunging, but the Los Angeles music scene November 2007 is hotter than July.

Last night saw Kevin Barnes and his band Of Montreal (above) stun a packed Avalon with an amazing display of his sunshine disco circus fully realized. Running through his exhaustive catalog, songs from the brilliant 2007 release “Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?” really got the candy kids into a sweaty lather. Barnes’ Ziggy Stardust 2.0 show came complete with lions, sword fights, silver glitter footballs and a slew of costume changes. It was easily one of the best shows to grace our fair city this year. Lucky for those that missed it, Of Montreal crank up the party train once more tonight. Do yourself a favor and see something awesome for a change. Tickets are still available. You’ll thank me in the morning. Brunch at Nick’s will suffice...

Thinking about catching one of the big girl power gigs tonight by M.I.A. or Joanna Newsom? Yeah, both of those shows are “sold cold,” as in sold out. If you feel like playing the corner and throwing some money around, there will surely be some friendly resellers in front of the respective venues happy to sort you out (not that we advocate that sort of thing)…

Tomorrow night, good money is on the revved-up proto-rock of Chicago bright lights The Ponys. This muscular Chi-town crew never fails to bring the noise in the best way possible. Feel their heat at the Echoplex…

The NPR Nation will be well represented at the ultra-cool Alice Russell/Mocean Worker/Koop gig downtown at the Barker Block lofts. If you’re looking to get that one started early, check into the KCRW-sponsored pre-party. There’s craft beer and wine involved, which is always a good thing…

Then again, Saturday night is thick with sweet shows. Jens Lekman, The Swell Season, She Wants Revenge and Stars and are all somewhere in the Southland that evening. Crazy, right? Choose wisely…

Oh, you want to get high? Join me and my friends DJ Suprema and Take at club Elevate next Wednesday night for “BKS,” a new monthly party featuring lots of good music and a dramatic setting for your nightlife shenanigans. Elevate is like 21 stories above downtown Los Angeles, and you can't get much higher than that. It’s a penthouse, so there are lots of places to smoke, you nicotine fiends. It’s free, too. Just RSVP here and we’ll make sure to put you on the list. It’s the next best thing to the Moby gig at Elevate the night before!