USC Events’ birthday bash is always a prime spot for catching some of the biggest names in electronic music. And the Crystal Method is among the big deals coming to USC 12, which is set for Saturday (May 30) at Seattle’s WaMu Theatre.

Recently, I caught up with Scott Kirkland, half of the electronic duo, which is best known for ’90s hits “Keep Hope Alive” and “Name of the Game.” Click the links to hear what he had to say about …

… early tour experiences in Seattle …

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Just added a fresh batch of local cuts to the South Sound Mix Tape player in case you haven’t noticed. Check ‘em out and click the artists’ links. Recently added:

“Newton’s Third Law” by Leanne Trevalyan, from her new solo joint “Dandelion” … See her Saturday at Jazzbones.)

“The Eternal Battle” by John Walker and the Hitchhikers from their “Why Can’t I Have a Normal John Walker and the Hitchhikers Like Everyone Else?” disc

“Wanna Fall in Love” by Vicci Martinez, recorded live at the Swiss Pub

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Randy Oxford just texted me back. He’s moving the Wednesday night jam from Jazzbones to Chopstix. You know, way over on the other side of the street and a block away. I’m slightly taken aback since I was guessing Masa or Sax.

Trumpeter Randy Oxford has run the Wednesday night jam over at Jazzbones for 4 1/2 years, and tonight is the last one. He just sent out a text saying there will be an announcement about moving to another Sixth Avenue location. Hmmm. That narrows it down a bit.

One Reel announced another round of artists that have been added to Bumershoot 2009, which is scheduled for Sept. 5 to 7 at Seattle Center. The latest additions include Jason Mraz, Kasabian, Audrye Sessions, the Knux, Akron/Family, Vivian Girls, the Devil Makes Three, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Maximo Park, Wale with UCB, Mira, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, 3 Inches of Blood and U.S.E.

Find a full schedule and ticket information here.

OK, so I’m not live from Sasquatch any more. But I had to share a few more pics. Plus, this post is kind of a Critic’s iPod thing, too, since you can click on the links in the cut lines below to hear samples from all the CD’s I picked up at the Gorge.

Also, scroll down the Nine Inch Nails set list and click on the first couple of songs for something special (but well within "fair usage" standards. Too bad my recorder conked out before Reznor and company covered Gary Numan’s "Metal."

South African indie-rock outfit BLK JKS features (from top) singer-guitarist Lindani Buthelezi, guitarist Mpumelelo Mcata, Molefi Makananise and drummer Tshepang Ramoba on the Yeti Stage. I knew next to nothing about the band – which blends prog-rock and dub into its trippy, uplifting sound – but checked them out on the Yeti stage at the insistence of Seattle Weekly’s new music editor, Jonathan Cunningham. I like! Good pick, J.C. Listen: “Summertime, “Lakeside”.

ERNEST JASMIN

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Neko Case’s homecoming concert will take place in less than a week at the Pantages. And I stumbled onto this cool interview she did with Canada’s QTV. Been a while since she’s wanted to do interviews with her hometown paper, though. I’ll have to see if I can dig up the tape of the last one I did with her and convert it to MP3 for you all between now and the show.

I was planning to wait until I got back to Tacoma to post a Sasquatch photo gallery. But after witnessing Tel Aviv garage-rock madmen Israel’s Monotonix over at the Sasquatch Music Festival’s Wookie stage, I had to give you a little taste of what you may have missed. Check it out.

TV on the Radio’s set at Sasquatch earlier today? Fabulous, befitting a band that will, deservedly, be headlining arenas next couple of years. “Young Liars” was transcendent absolutely transcendent. And it was fun seeing comedian Aziz Ansaris (and a couple of other celebs I couldn’t identify from where I was standing) helping out with percussion on “A Method.”

“I wish I could go back in time and tell my teenage self that I would be playing music on the same stage as Jane’s Addiction,” shaggy bearded singer-guitarist Kyp Malone early in the set, after “Wolf Like Me.” “It’s pretty

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The early Saturday Sasquatch buzz was about super-group Street Sweeper Social Club. But this afternoon that was overshadowed by the over-the-top spectacle of Murder City Devils front man Spencer Moody, whose belligerent antics are sure to warrant a few mentions in Spin and the other nation media on site.

Said antics included staggering and rolling around the main stage; stuffing the microphone in his mouth and screaming when (I’m guessing) he forgot the words (and he did this often); pausing, appearing to unzip his pants, possibly to water the front row. [Update: A source tells me he was

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