It's another red carpet at another prestigious celebrity happening for SPIN.com, this time under the flashing bulbs of Las Vegas’ main drag.

We're in the thick of the summer's dog days and you're either loathing or adoring 'em, depending on how well you’re air conditioner works.

San Francisco (live review!), New York, and even the riotous, pissed-off songstress' onetime hometown of Chicago have all had their taste, and now, to quell fervent fan demand, alt-rocker Liz Pha

Who? Like the four-piece's New York City stomping grounds, the Vanguard are a bubbling melting pot of sounds, influences, and ethnic backgrounds -- yet exude an air distinctly their own.

This past Wednesday, SPIN.com premiered its interview footage from the red carpet outside the VH1 Rock Honors tribute to the Who, featuring our man Ben Lashes unleashing shenanigans on everyone from Wayne Coyne to Pete Townshend.

As we travel around the country this summer from festival to festival, one of the topics at the forefront of everyone's mind from roadie to fan, journalist to musician is the upcoming presidential election. And with this new feature, SPIN.com chats with artists backstage, gathering their opinions on the most important issues in '08.

As the Pritzer Pavilion’s signature shards of steel swallowed the mid-summer eve’s sun last night (July 17), the budding Seattle five-piece howled an a cappella ode from their first EP Sun Giant, drawing all walks of the Central Park of Chicago denizens -- especially wild-haired, barefoot children and their hip mothers -- to a vortex of harmonizing energy.

Pardon the jaded adult inside us (especially because he's hungry and hasn't napped in a while), but generally, the paradox of pop stars reworking their adult-themed lyrics for Sesame Street's preternaturally peppy musical performances comes off a tad creepy to anyone over 13 months.

Who? With a globetrotting mindset and passport stamps spanning from eastern Europe to Brazil, Brit-born singer/songwriter Ed Laurie filters distinct cultural flavors through six nylon strings while heeding contemporary craft, pop fare, and British songwriting icons: Imagine psych-folk legend Donovan cutting a record with Jose Gonzalez atop Spain's Pyrenees mountain range.

What? Even at 50 years old, Brit rock'n' roll icon Paul Weller hasn't missed a stride and will release his ninth solo album, 22 Dreams, next week and offer 21 tracks of throaty melodies, Kinks-inspired retro riffs, and sunny brass and keys from the album's title track to its closer, "Night Lights." And for us wee mortals, Welle