Karl Rove has said publicly that “gay marriage is the gift that keeps on giving.” The thought being that even couch potato homophobes would put down the Coors and waddle over to the voting booth to vote against gay marriage and while they’re at it, for George Bush.  And many thought why oh why couldn't Gavin have waited a few more months before “shoving America's face” in gay wedding photos.

From the moment Eoin Harrington took the stage, his audience showered him with cheers. Celebrating the release of his new album “Story,” The Independent was sold out last Friday with fans happy to see the San Franciscan, Irish singer. The album may be his first full length, but he’s already developed an adoring fan base. Eoin’s friendly charm and performance made for an upbeat singer-songwriter set that felt fun and welcoming. From playful songs or heartbreaking lyrics, Eoin’s warm voice was captivating throughout.

The Murder City Devils have reunited for a West Coast tour, playing two sold out shows at the Great American Music Hall on Sunday, Feb 15th. Diehards bearing tattoos of the band’s logo shouted along to favorites and stood in a line (which at the end of the show had to be cut off by security) to buy all the merch they could. The tour's a big deal for the band's committed following who were crushed by their 2001 break up. While they’ve had a few festival shows in between, these were their first Bay Area shows in years. Rock, garage, punk all the way, from Moody’s commanding vocals to the familiar, ominous keys, the show was the R.I.P. experience fans have been fervently waiting for.

Can you hear the indie drum beats?  Noise Pop 2009 is taking the city by storm.  And like most festivals, it's a breeding ground for scheduling heartbreaks. Like Stephen Malkmus and up-and-comers Maus Haus, for example. Here, we distill the 7 must-sees: