Cold War Kids

The White Stripes have canceled their tour, including two stops in Southern California: the Sept. 19 show at the Forum in Inglewood with Cold War Kids and a Sept. 18 performance at Coors Amphitheater in San Diego. The enigmatic Detroit duo of singer and guitarist Jack White and drummer Meg White posted a message Tuesday on their official website citing health issues. "Meg White is suffering from acute anxiety and is unable to travel at this time," the short dispatch stated.

KCRW-FM (89.9) doesn't own the trademark on the term "eclectic," but it might as well, given how closely bound the concept has become to the radio station's musical identity, from the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" daily program to the Sounds Eclectic Evening benefit concert.

Pop & Hiss' team of intrepid reporters is, as we speak, preparing to crack their first Shiner Bocks in Austin, Texas -- and maybe getting around to seeing some music too. But for all you unfortunate souls who have to spend the week in relaxing, temperate California as opposed to the scorching middle of Texas under a deluge of smoky meat trimmings and promo CDs, SXSW will be live-streaming events and panels at its site . What new details about...

With the slogan "It's not what you'd expect," the Orange County Performing Arts Center's new Off Center indie-rock series kicked off Thursday with performances by Sweden's Peter, Bjorn and John and L.A.'s Sea Wolf. The series is meant to add a hipper element to the center's usual classical, jazz and cabaret fare. That is, to attract younger audiences, the kind that whistle along to the most ubiquitous foot-tapper of 2007, PB&J's appropriately titled "Young Folks."

Today Tom Brokaw; Carrie Fisher; Giada De Laurentiis. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA Good Morning America Condoleezza Rice; Drew Manning. (N) 7 a.m. KABC Live With Regis and Kelly Brian Williams; Char Margolis. (N) 9 a.m. KABC The View Gabourey Sidibe; Tom Brokaw. (N) 10 a.m. KABC The Talk Dr. Phil McGraw; Kim Raver. (N) 1 p.m. KCBS The Doctors Louis van Amstel. (N) 2 p.m. KCBS Dr. Phil Woman hates her son-in-law. (N) 3 p.m. KCBS The Dr. Oz Show Montel Williams.

The U.S. Open of Surfing, the world's largest professional surfing competition, begins its nine-day run Saturday in Huntington Beach, where top surfers will compete for a piece of the $350,000 purse, including the $100,000 first prize in the men's division. Huntington Beach native Brett Simpson, who last year became the first Surf City USA native to win the Open, is back. He faces heavyweights Mick Fanning ( Australia), Taj Burrow (Australia), Andy Irons ( Hawaii), C.J. Hobgood ( Florida)

It's getting hot. Must be time to talk about: Sunset Junction 2008. On this year's bill: Broken Social Scene, the Black Keys, Cold War Kids and Kinky. Yessir, I'm bringing lots of sunblock this year. (Saturday) One can never talk enough about: "Gossip Girl." The second season is almost here -- Sept. 1, write it down -- but until then, I'll indulge in some Season 1 marathons on DVD. The new ad campaign of choice criticisms -- "Every parent's worst nightmare," says the Boston Herald; "A nasty piece of work," says the New York Post -- is simply inspired.