The Airborne Toxic Event plans a big finish to residency

The past three Airborne Toxic Event shows at Spaceland have been quite the rousing affairs -- great performances by the resident band and strong efforts by the supporting bands too. It was a little bit more intoxicating last week with the news that KROQ-FM had added TATE's "Sometime Around Midnight" (now up on the band's MySpace page) into regular rotation.

Quite a feat for an unsigned band, though not unprecedented. KROQ's music director Lisa Worden says it's happened a handful of times over the years -- most recently with the Sick Puppies. Among the most memorable was back in the '90s when KROQ helped Weezer explode onto the scene.

Last October, when I wrote my annual local-music cover piece for The Times' Thursday section, The Guide, the main story focused on the Airborne Toxic Event and two other bands -- Castledoor and the Deadly Syndrome -- whose music seemed undeniable and whose passion for what they are doing seemed emblematic of what is going on in the vibrant Los Angeles scene.

Turns out Castledoor and the Deadly Syndrome are the other two bands playing Thursday at Spaceland, and both are well-deserved big local draws.

Suffice to say early arrival is encouraged.

Photo of Airborne bassist Noah Harmon by Kevin Bronson / LAT

Other highlights for Thursday, Jan. 31

Dengue Fever's album-release show for its lovely "Venus on Earth" goes off at the Echoplex. ... Upstairs at the Echo, it figures to be a crazy dance party --  with Pittsburgh Slim, Shwayze and Lisa D'Amato performing along with rockers Hazelden. ... The sublime Mary Gauthier joins Mark Olson (Jayhawks) at the Troubadour. ... And Love Lies Sleeping shows off its new video at the Silverlake Lounge.