Mary Ossovskaya

Stopping by the Independent last night on his 10,000LB Hamburger Tour wunderkind A-Trak made it clear that the 90’s are making a come back. The Montreal native, clad in his signature ensemble of a leather jacket and shades rocked the crowd of 20-somethings with a sample-filled electro set. Remixes of cult favorites like Daft Punk and Justice were interlaced with hip-hop throwbacks that had us feeling nostalgic for our youth.

t‗w at Flickr

These days, we're all about anything that's free. And when what's free happens to be an annual, venerable SF event - an institution in many ways - we're all about it. Yep, it's Stern Grove Festival time again, and it's kicking off this weekend beneath the eucalyptus trees in the Grove on 19th Avenue and Sloat (which, for festival newbies, is not to be mistaken for Golden Gate Park). This season's performers run the gamut - there's folk, opera, ballet and rap in the mix.

courtesy of Cary Lane

Because paying full retail price is oh-so-passé...

courtesy of slamxhype.com

If you’re anything like us, simply hearing the words “Limited Edition” is enough to elevate your heart rate. Imagine our excitement when we heard that on June 15th the boys of Nice Collective are launching The StoreRoom, an online “community” shop that will carry custom, rare pieces for their loyal devotees. The exclusive hand-made products ranging from clothing to home décor will be produced in extremely limited quantities and sold online only for a short time.

Passion Pit

Courtesy of Passion Pit via MySpace

There is no better way to describe the sound of Passion Pit than feel-good. Their full-length album "Manners" dropped barely a week ago but last night they managed to get the crowd at Bimbo's 365 Club singing along to every hit (of which there are many). With an onstage orgy of keyboards and falsetto vocals that would make even Mariah Carey jealous it's no surprise that Boston's hottest electro-pop group has been selling out shows across the country.

The Virgins

Courtesy of The Virgins

When you take three born and bred New Yorkers with a penchant for slightly scandalous song lyrics, a style that blends pop-rock with a dash of disco and a loyal following of fashionistas and hipsters alike what you get is the Virgins.

Felix Broede

Take one look at Yuja Wang’s YouTube videos and you’ll quickly learn why the 22-year old pianist has been dubbed a prodigy. With an impressive resume that boasts performances with major orchestras from the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the London Symphony Orchestra and her astounding ability to command the ivories, it’s no wonder she’s acclaimed as the future of classical music.

Buraka Som Sistema may just provide the party soundtrack for the summer.  Fresh from Coachella, these Portuguese up-and-comers brought the early week heat wave to new heights at the Rickshaw Stop on Tuesday.