We really enjoy giving away free stuff, and so apparently do your favorite local bands. That’s why we got together with Cedars to arrange for an EP and ticket giveaway to their show tonight with Scotland’s the Cinematics and Chicago’s the Changes at the Rock and Roll Hotel! Who loves ya? DCist loves ya. We’ve been big fans of the band since way back in the days when they had a different name and played…

MONDAY >> Start out this lovely spring week right by taking in local group Deleted Scenes (***) and their particular brand of you-name-it-they’ve-play-it-surf/rockabilly/garage/punk rock at the Red and the Black. Hero Cycle, Hot Lava and Paper Airplanes open. $8, 9 p.m. TUESDAY >> Quirky and fantastical sister-duo CocoRosie play the Rock and Roll Hotel. One half of the duo sings and plays guitar and flute, while the other sings and covers percussion (“rattles things, makes…

If you were at the Rock and Roll Hotel Tuesday night, you hit the blogged-out-of-obscurity jackpot. Two very talented, little-known bands from the Midwest, Chicago’s The Changes and Springfield, MO’s Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin gave indie music mavens some fresh material to talk about. It’s ironic that Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin have such an arty name, because they’re the most unaffected group of guys we’ve come across in a long time….

Monday >> Milwaukee-based indie pop quartet Maritime will be bringing their brand of sweet melodies to the Rock and Roll Hotel accompanied by the Swervedriver-inspired rock of Kansas City’s The Life and Times. We rarely get to make a Swervedriver reference, so enjoy it while you can. 8 p.m. >> Drive-By Truckers’ frontman Patterson Hood drops by the area for a show at the Birchmere in Alexandria. If you’re not familiar with the live stylings…

Hailing from Chicago, The Changes have been earning praise from bloggers and mainstream media alike for their smart, hyper, Voxtrotish new-pop tunes. Head over to their web site to stream some of their songs. I’m really digging “Water of the Gods.” Sister-site Chicagoist is also a fan. The band is playing DC9 tomorrow night and DCist has one pair of tickets to give away. To enter, all you have to do is leave us…