You can pretty much guarantee a fun night when giant hip-hop superstars headline a stadium. They'll be theatrics, hit-after-hit, lots of hand wavin' and crowd sing-alongs (and lots of police). If you check out the Eminem, 50 Cent, Lil Jon, D12, and G-Unit show at Madison Square Garden Monday or Tuesday night, you'll also be on TV. It's being taped for Showtime. If that's too mainstream for you, the place to be is Knitting......

I'm back with this week's show rundown. We realize it's frustrating to find out about a show and then find out it's sold out. This week we start the post with FIVE (actually SIX) recommended shows that are not yet sold out (some even free). Caribou (formerly Dan Snaith's Manitoba) plus Four Tet with the Junior Boys and Russian Futurists are playing Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, and Northsix in Brooklyn on Thursday. The Junior Boys......

Before twentysomething Glaswegian art rock quartets were bestowed all the credit for generating the highest level of audience excitement and participation since the mosh pit craze of the early nineties, Ted Leo taught the indie kids how to dance. Churning out high energy punk-pop, the ever-enthusiastic and hardworking Leo tours relentlessly (even during massive blackouts and severe thunderstorms), and has been described as the Chevy trucks of indie rock. He lives and breathes rock......