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Non-Comm kicks off tonight: Best Coast, Brian Wilson, Leon Bridges and more play West Philly radio convention

Three nights of music, upstairs and down at the World Cafe.

Tonight, the annual Non-Comm radio convention, which brings in programmers from mostly non-commercial stations that hew to the adult-alternative music format, kicks off both upstairs and down at the World Cafe Live.

It's not the muckety mucks who are in town that are of interest to music fans, however - it's the bands they come to see. Starting with comedian Rob Schneider's songwriter daughter Elle King, who plays at 7 tonight upstairs at the WCL and ending with Neil Young-ish rocker Israel Nash downstairs on Friday at 11, a total of 30 acts will play at the 15th annual Non-Comm.

The biggest names would be Beach Boys music genius Brian Wilson, playing a Free at Noon on Friday, with Calexico, and country star Wynonna, who does a Thursday afternoon at three taping of the World Cafe with David Dye. But there's all sorts of other compelling upstart and veteran acts, from country torch singer Shelby Lynne to 12 string guitar whiz Riley Walker to rising pop songsmith Borns to Sharon Jones back-up singers Saun & Starr to Philly's own Dr. Dog and Son Little.to California dreamers Best Coast, whose singer Bethany Cosentino showed up at Sara Sherr's karaoke night at 12 Steps Down in South Philly on Tuesday. (She sang Oasis' "Wonderwall.")

My pick to be much more famous this time next year than he is this year - as is the case with "Take Me To Church" Irishman Hozier, who played Non-Comm last year - is throwback Texas R&B singer Leon Bridges, whose completely captivating live soul revue show I caught in March at SXSW. He plays Friday night.

Non-Comm is sold-out, but will be braodcast live on WXPN (88.5-FM) and video will be streamed live via NPR's VuHaus. You can get details about watching here, and view the entire Non-Comm schedule here.

Previously: Welcome Back, Mats: The Replacements at Festival Pier Follow In The Mix on Twitter