From the first day that students step foot on UCLA's campus, they become aware of the UCLA-USC rivalry. On Saturday, that rivalry will extend to a cappella. UCLA's a cappella group the ScatterTones will compete at USC in the 15th annual International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella quarterfinals. Read more...

Photo: UCLA’s ScatterTones will perform on the USC campus on Saturday as part of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. They will perform in the quarterfinals of this 15th annual event.

The Thermals, who turn out the kind of tight, high-energy songs you can jump around to, first met label mates and fellow indie pop-rockers Thao with the Get Down Stay Down in 2008. That's when, after six years at Sub Pop Records, they found a new label to call home at home in Portland, Oregon, with Kill Rock Stars. Read more...

Photo: KILL ROCK STARS From left to right, guitarist-vocalist Hutch Harris, drummer Westin Glass and bassist-vocalist Kathy Foster, of the band The Thermals, will be performing at the Troubadour on Thursday. The band, with a self-described “post-pop-punk” sound, will be joined by Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, a self-described “dirty pop band” with folk-rock flair. The two bands are spending the month doing a California tour.