Week In Rock: John Fogerty, Death Cab For Cutie, Bill Callahan, Fitz and the Tantrums

The week Berkeley-bred rock singer-songwriter John Fogerty, best known for his time with Creedence Clearwater Revival, will be taking on a three-night stint at the Hollywood Bowl. Maryland-based singer-songwriter Bill Callahan will be headlining the Troubadour with Bachelorette in tow. Bellingham-based indie rockers Death Cab For Cutie are poised to perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. And, lastly, local retro 60s soul act Fitz and the Tantrums will be gracing Spaceland for this week's edition of Club NME.

TV Junkie: Kattan Gets Series

We're in the midst of a pretty dead week TV-wise and we're about to start a pretty dead month TV-wise. There is virtually no new programming this week and late night is in rerun mode. We guess this is why warm weather was invented. If you have some suggestions for programs to watch this week, please let us know. | SNL alum, Chris Kattan is getting his first series as a regular: the WB's "The Middle" which will air this Fall.

Chris Hardwick: Nerdism For Fun and Profit

Chris Hardwick is a nerd. He humbly embraces this now, and he’s happier for it. The trick was to align his career with his passions -- even if they’re frowned upon by jocks. The comic/writer/TV personality has a deep affection for science, technology, and his love affair with “Dungeons and Dragons” is in its third decade. While Hardwick isn’t the type of nerd whose busted eyeglasses are fastened with Scotch tape, when meeting with LAist he sported mismatched shoes -- one sneaker, and a blue soft cast.

       

Wow! How bad of a release day is it when 12 Rounds and Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience are the two high-profile releases? Ugh. For the first time in I don't know how long, I couldn't find 20 DVDs worthy of inclusion in this space. Two Lovers is probably the best pick, but it suffers from a surfeit of Gwyneth Paltrow. Maybe the most intriguing DVD out today is Transmorphers: Fall of Man. I'm sure it sucks, but any film that piggy-backs on the marketing largess of the rancid Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is aces in my book!

Pencil This In: Tiny Vaudeville @ the Echoplex, NewFilmmakers LA Screenings

NewFilmmakers LA screens “Youth Knows No Pain + 5 Short Films” tonight at 6:30 pm at Sunset Gower Studios. At 7 pm, there’s a screening of Mitch McCabe’s documentary Youth Knows No Pain, followed at 8:45 pm by the short films: Old Dogs (Dir. Jonathan Fahn) Propel (Dir. Jay Gammill) The Dying Western (Dir. Michael Kortlander) A Kolor to Kill for (Dir. Tim Hall). Guest will have the opportunity to mingle with the directors and participate in an audience Q&A session. Tickets are a bargain at $6 which includes screening ticket and free open bar and appetizers all evening.

Silver Lake Walking Man Mural Spotted

walkingmanmural.jpg A mural depicting Dr. Marc Abrams, otherwise known as the Silver Lake Walking Man, has been spotted by Mark Lisanti. The mural, found on Sunset Blvd. abut Local, a restaurant, is by Nicky Gagliarducci and focuses on the local scene. Back in 2004, Abrams told a local reporter about his route (.pdf): "I usually loop around the lake, and then go down West Silverlake to Rowena, and then Hyperion, and then Griffith Park Blvd. down Sunset, back down Silverlake to the reservoir, and then back and loop around the lake again. So it’s about 15 miles altogether." Back in 2007, LAist interviewed the Silver Lake Five Dollar Guy. (via Curbed LA)

Tonight In Rock: Eric Clapton, Amazing Baby, Leslie and the Badgers, Best Coast

Tonight legendary English blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton will be performing at Hollywood Bowl with Steve Winwood. Brooklyn-based buzz band Amazing Baby are poised to stop by Origami Vinyl early on in the evening. And, lastly, local country troubadours Leslie and the Badgers will be headlining Spaceland with none other than the Chapin Sisters and Olin and the Moon (LAist Interview) in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to Echo Curio, which we rarely do, to catch Best Coast, an LA-based pop project of Bethany Consentino of Pocahaunted along with Bobb Bruno. NY-based folk rockers Soft Black are slated to kick things off.

LAst Laugh: This Week in Comedy

It's a pretty quiet week, as Cinefamily wrapped up their monthlong association with Comedy Death Ray, and lots and lots of folks are going out of town for the weekend. Still some great improv, stand up, and sketch out there so get involved folks. If you want to hear from me, want links to the best cat-related blog sites, or want me to hype anything hype-able, send all related correspondence to my robotic butler: J. Timms O'Mail-again.

TV Junkie: Comic-Con to be TV-Con; 'Project L.E.N.O.'

CBS is counter-attacking NBC with "Project L.E.N.O.", an acronym that stands for Late Prime Enhanced News Opportunity, an aggressive multi-tiered local campaign to pump up their 10pm programming.

                

Through a nearly two-hour Wiltern set last week, in which they played two dozen songs from almost every album they've made, Wilco exemplified why their place in musical history is secure. Their set list showcased the strengths of every band member and featured plenty from their early days, the middle ages and a recent run of folk/rock experimentation. In short, there was something for everyone, which was quite necessary given the eclectic crowd of teenage listeners, twenty-something fans and older lovers of Wilco who might have been around since the Summerteeth days.

Pencil This In: Pete Wilson Discusses California's Problems; Japanese Street Fare @ Royal/T

Joe Mathews, Irvine Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, moderates a Zócalo forum tonight with former Gov. Pete Wilson at 7 pm at the RAND Corporation. When Wilson was governor, California’s education system was in shambles, interest groups had a tight grip on Sacramento, health care costs soared, and the economy just sucked. Sound familiar? "While Wilson may be best remembered for his more controversial stances—like supporting Proposition 187, which sought to refuse services to illegal immigrants; he also managed to pass budgets and break partisan stalemates, ultimately leaving his successor a budget surplus." In this program bluntly titled, "Was Pete Wilson Right?" Wilson himself will talk about the issues facing California today. Admission to the event is free, but reservations are recommended. There will be a hosted wine reception after the program.

Tonight In Rock: Ed Harcourt, Castledoor, Mika Miko, White Hinterland

Tonight East Sussex-bred singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt (LAist Interview) will be performing at Bordello with none other than Nicole Simone. Local indie pop outfit Castledoor (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6) will be closing out a month-long residency at Spaceland. And, lastly, Portland's own indie pop songstress Casey Dienel, or rather White Hinterland, is poised to grace Echo Curio. LA-based noise/punk outfit Mika Miko (LAist Review) are poised to headline the Smell. LAist favorites the Strange Boys (LAist Review, #2) are slated to kick things off.

       

Some ideas are so simple they are brilliant. People love to give a shout out to their hometown. People love cool t-shirts. MikeJames Clothing offers the chance to bring it all together with their Area Code t-shirts. Each shirt features an area code and a graphic outline of that state. In addition to several California area codes, the company has made shirts for Las Vegas, Austin, Seattle, New Orleans, Atlanta, Madison, Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York. MikeJames Clothing company is co-owned by childhood friends Mike Kirschenbaum and James Starr.

Box Office Review: Triple Sub-mediocrity Reigns!

To no one's surprise -- and to the great embarrassment of all Americans with a still-attached brain stem -- Transformers: Revenge of the Racist Robots That Suck Beyond Belief clobbered more deserving films at the box-office this weekend to the tune of $112M ($201.2M). Last week's champ -- the, in retrospect, ceaselessly brilliant -- The Proposal raked in an additional $18.4M ($69M) to top powerhouse The Hangover ($17.2M/$183.2M). After that it was the reliable Up ($13M/$250.2M) and newcomer My Sister's Keeper ($12M).

Tonight In Rock: Adele, Phoenix, Cursive, Local Natives

Tonight London-based neo-soul singer Adele will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl with LAist favorite Janelle Monae. Omaha-based indie rockers Cursive are poised to grace the Henry Fonda Music Box with Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band in tow. And, lastly, early on in the day Silver Lake-based indie rock outfit Local Natives (LAist Interview) will be playing at the Echo with Saint Motel (LAist Interview) for this month's edition of Kidrockers. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to get into the Wiltern to catch French alternative rockers Phoenix. LAist favorites Amazing Baby are slated to kick things off.

Get Out: Fruit Harvet for a Cause, SqueezeFestLA, Free Burgers in Malibu, Special Screening, Motorcycle Club Swap Meet, Afternoon Party

They're just getting underway right now, but Food Forward, in partnership with SOVA & CSUN Hillel, will be out picking fruit at CSUN's Orange Orchard (Nordhoff/Lindley) until 4 this afternoon, and chances are they can still use a hand--well, your hands, actually. Get involved in this "Big Pick" event--the largest to date and open to volunteers of all ages--the harvested fruit is all donated to help feed the hungry. Get to CSUN to help out, or get in touch with them for future Pick events. [CSUN Map]

Tonight In Rock: ABBA, The Zombies, Electric Daisy Carnival, Explosions in the Sky

Tonight there will be a tribute to the legendary Swedish pop group ABBA at the Hollywood Bowl. St. Albans-based English rockers the Zombies are poised to grace the Wiltern with none other than the Yardbirds, who are, of course, noted for starting the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Terry Lynn & John Hugo will be celebrating Jamaican music, performing songs from 2009's It Was Written at Loft Seven in Downtown. And, lastly, Austin-based instrumental rock outfit Explosions in the Sky (LAist Review, #2) will be performing at the Hollywood Palladium with local noise rockers No Age in tow. But we strongly suggest heading out to the Coliseum in Downtown to catch the final night of the 19th annual Electric Daisy Festival—the largest dance festival in North America, which could feature up to "200,000 dancing feet". LAist favorites Simian Mobile Disco are slated to headline.

Weekend Festival Quick Picks:  Venice Eco-Fest and Long Beach Bayou & Mardi Gras Festival

There's plenty to do this weekend, like keeping cool inside the movie theatre or getting out and about around town. But with summer comes warm temps, long days, and festivals galore. There are a couple of such goings-on happening this weekend that you might want to check out.

Get Out: Celebrate Chinatown, Poketo Pop Up Shop, Create:Fixate's 'Build,' Art Opening, Fundraiser Sale

Tonight from 7-11 p.m. head down to Chinatown to enjoy a free festival commemorating the anniversary of the establishment of “New Chinatown,” built when the original Chinatown enclave was taken over for the construction of Union Station. Actress April Hong and Comedian Ewan Chung will emcee the event featuring 40’s and 50’s era music and dancing to the music of the Pat Longo Big Band with vocalists Nancy Osborne and John-Eric Booth. There will also be casino games benefiting the Chinatown Service Center Youth Center, Chinese acrobats and martial artists, and a video presentation of historic photos. The event will also feature a salute to WWII Chinese American war veterans. It's free to check out, and a fun way to get out and see an important LA community and honor its history.

TV Junkie: Michael Jackson TV Spectacle; Letterman Leads Conan; Doctor Who Returns

We have some great science fiction hitting us this weekend: tonight features "Virtuality" on FOX (by the creators of "Battlestar Galactica"), and tomorrow we have a new "Doctor Who" at 9pm on BBC America - Cybermen in Victorian England!!

LAist Interview: Justin Rice, actor, <em>Harmony & Me</em>

If you know who Justin Rice is, you probably know him as the lead singer of Bishop Allen or his appearance in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Very quietly, though -- working mostly with friends -- he's put together an interesting film career. I had the great pleasure of not only seeing Harmony & Me a few days ago at the LA Film Festival (review here), but also had a chance to speak with Justin about the film, his other films and his music. Have a listen and make plans to see Harmony & Me when it screens again later this week. If nothing else, there's a Q&A afterward with the radiantly smart (and hot) Kristen Tucker (and director Bob Byington).

       

More than perhaps any weekend in recent memory, Americans are going to spend their money on the wrong movies starting today. The Hurt Locker is a vibrant, thrilling film about a bomb squad unit in Iraq. It ratchets tension so tightly you'll feel like you can barely breathe and features a star-making performance by Jeremy Renner. And yet it will likely be ignored by audiences. Similarly -- especially now given recent events in Iran -- The Stoning of Soraya M. is a film that everyone should see. Based on the actual murder of an Iranian woman falsely accused of adultery, it's a potent reminder of how little freedom still exists in the Islamic Republic.

Saturday: Ex-War Members Lowride Back To San Pedro

All your friends know the Lowriders, but they may not know exactly where to find them nowadays. While there is a band, nominally called War, that performs “Spill The Wine”, "Why Can't We Be Friends" and “The Cisco Kid” around the world, its current incarantion is reduced to one original member, keyboardist Lonnie Jordan, who apparently leases the rights to use the name from the band’s old manager and producer, filling out the ranks with young players-for-hire.

Pencil This In: Special Michael Jackson Exhibit Returns to Grammy Museum, Two Major Design Events, Sample Sale, Jazz at LACMA

LAist is stoked about the three-day style and design event Dwell on Design, taking place today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Exhibits, panels, and special events are taking place all over town, and while we're most excited about some of the on stage speakers and panels this weekend and tomorrow night's movie & mobile food event, things get underway today at the Convention Center for the Dwell on Design Exhibition, open to Trade and Dwell Conference Plus ticket holders only until 8 p.m.

Tonight In Rock: Aretha Franklin, Electric Daisy Carnival, Jon Brion, Papercuts

Tonight Detroit-based soul singer Aretha Franklin, otherwise known as the "Queen of Soul," will be headlining the Hollywood Bowl. As always, local multi-instrumentalist/producer extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) is poised to jam with friends at the Largo at the Coronet. If you're into classic guitars used by legendary musicians (Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, among others), then head on out to Guitar Center in Hollywood to catch the Guitar Center Legends Collection & Vintage Road Show—open to the public for a mere two days. And, lastly, San Franciscan indie rockers Papercuts will be performing at the Echo with none other than Port O'Brien and Sam Champion guitarist Sean Bones (LAist Interview) in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Coliseum in Downtown to catch the 19th annual Electric Daisy Festival—the largest dance festival in North America, which could feature up to "200,000 dancing feet". LAist favorites Thievery Corporation are slated to headline day one.

Interview: British Songwriter Ed Harcourt to Play 'Russian Roulette' at Bordello Bar This Monday

Although London-based multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt is hard at work recording his next album, he'll be playing a special one-night-only US gig at Bordello Bar on Monday night. Ever since his Mercury Prize-nominated album debuted eight years ago, Harcourt's music has consistently balanced the dark with the light--rock and pop with instantly hummable depth. His most recent release, an EP called "Russian Roulette," covers the emotional and musical gamut.

Dwell on Design: 'On Stage' Speaker Preview

This weekend's Dwell on Design at the Convention Center features an extensive amount of activities, offering something for everyone, from mobile food to pre-fab homes, all in the name of sustainable design.

EA Sports' Fight Night Round 4 Launch Party Starring Mike Tyson and Snoop Dogg @ HOB, 6/22/09

Mike Tyson is back. His documentary, Tyson, released in April won over critics and fans alike for it's brutal honesty. Earlier this month, the "Baddest Man on the Planet" was once again on the big screen in the surprise hit of the summer movie season, The Hangover, singing a Phil Collins tune and punching Zach Galifinakis. Today, gamers will find Mike on the shelves at their local retail stores as he graces the cover of EA Sports' Fight Night Round 4 alongside the "Greatest of All Time" Muhammad Ali.

              

Before diving into a review of the wonderful Paper Heart, allow me to relate an episode from last night's screening. I think it provides a key insight into the whimsical mind of Charlyne Yi. Following the screening, Charlyne and director Nicholas Jasenovec sat down for a Q&A. Ten minutes in, Charlyne excused herself to the restroom. Moments later, she returned. Except she didn't. A man dressed exactly like her entered the theater and continued the Q&A as her. It's just that sort of innocent guile that makes Paper Heart so winning.

TV Junkie: RIP Farrah Fawcett; 'Bruno' on Conan Tonight; Teens Still Watch TV

Farrah Fawcett passed away today in Los Angeles at age 62. Although she gained a lot of notoriety from her role on "Charlie's Angels", a hugely popular swimsuit poster, and a disoriented appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman" in 1997, Fawcett was a truly gifted actress (rent Extremeties or The Apostle) - rest in peace Farrah.

Elvis Costello @ Amoeba Music 6/22/09

It’s not exactly shocking to hear that Elvis Costello’s latest album, Secret, Profane and Sugarcane, is a collaboration with bluegrass musicians. Costello’s taken so many leaps into alternate musical universes, it wouldn’t be shocking to hear he was working with anybody. Li’l Wayne, Herb Alpert, Placido Domingo, Michael Jackson, Ornette Coleman, the Broadway company of Rent - you name it, you can imagine it happening. But this particular diversion, as witnessed at Amoeba on Monday night, looks like one that could leave a lasting impression.

Pencil This In: Rite of Spring Remixed, X-Games Tickets, Cirque Extended

Ghettogloss' Last Event in Silver Lake Via an e-mail blast today, the art gallery Ghettogloss is moving to a new and improved location on Melrose. That means tonight is the last night to enjoy their Silver Lake location. They want fans to come by and have cocktail to toast their final days in the neighborhood. It goes from 8 p.m. to midnight. Also, their weekly Silverlake Art*Craft & Vintage fairs on Saturday will continue at its new location on Sunset and Micheltorena. More info on their events page.

Tonight In Rock: Wilco, Third Eye Blind, Daedelus, Deastro

Tonight Wilco (LAist Interview) will be concluding a three-date stint at the Wiltern with Okkervil River (LAist Review) in tow. San Franciscan alternative rockers Third Eye Blind are poised to perform at the Hollywood Palladium with locals Low vs Diamond. And, lastly, Detroit-bred electro-pop one-man band Deastro will be gracing Spaceland with Healamonster and Tarsier. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echoplex to catch local electronic mastermind Daedelus, who will be performing in celebration of the Friends of Friends label launch. Not only will local experimental electronic act Jogger be kicking things off, but LA-based DJ, hip-hop producer and the founder of hip-hop label Stones Throw Records Peanut Butter Wolf will be putting together an A/V set.

'Electric Daisy Carnival' Set Times Announced

Taking place this Friday and Saturday is the Electric Daisy Carnival, a mega-rave on steroids, or "EDC" if you're in-the-know. USC's football team has been kind enough to take the day off and provide the Coliseum for the bash's main sage, the Kinetic Field. The rest of the stages will be spread around the Exposition Park grounds. A map of the grounds can be found on the EDC website. Remember kiddies, drink lots and lots of water and stay away from the brown acid.

Is This Thing On? The Best Karaoke Joint You've Never Heard Of

If The Cottage’s proximity to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles and Oki’s Dog is a deterrent rather than a boon, then I would caution you against setting foot in this unpolished gem of a dive bar. If, however, you are one of the elite few who crave trans fats and public humiliation in equal measure, then where the hell have you been, soul mate? Pull up a stool, plug that frown with a Miller High Life and prepare to be awed by the breadth of the bar’s song selection, the enthusiasm of the crowd and the lenience of the conspicuously posted “No dancing” policy.

First "Rap Chop," then "Jam Wow," and now "Press Hop." Thank you mad-mashup-genius Steve Porter.

Your Weekly LAist Film Calendar

Like many aspiring tranny space aliens, I worked Rocky Horror shows in college, and through many, many weeks of rehearsals have probably seen the show a dozen times. That being said, even though there are two shows every weekend down here, I've yet to see it in L.A. Now might be a good time to check out Midnight Insanity's show at the Warner Grand Theatre. Yes, it's all the way out in San Pedro, but it's cast-member Bill's 20th year with the show, which means lingerie night and the ghosts of Janets past (one of whom, Danielle, is tapped to be Fangoria's next Spooksmodel)! Once/if you wake up on Sunday, the party continues at Rockystock in Huntington Central Park, wedged between the public library & the bathrooms. Oh, Brad!

Interview: Ayiiia, MTV's 'Real World: Cancun'

The true story of seven eight strangers picked to live in a spacious Ikea furnished home for the price of free in exchange for having their every move, mistake and makeout session taped returns tonight at 10 pm. For its 22nd installment, MTV's Real World decided to bring its confessional, cameras and cast of beautiful young people to the booze drenched beaches of Cancun.

TV Junkie: 'The Philanthropist' Debuts; More Original Programming from AMC

We loved HBO's "Rome" and its Marc Anthony, James Purefoy, is playing the lead in NBC's "The Philanthropist" which premieres tonight. The series is getting major hype but we haven't received any screeners from NBC which makes us suspicious that the show isn't all its cracked up to be. Purefoy's involvement is enough to get us interested in the first episode - we know we can always switch over to "Gordon Ramsay's F Word" on BBC America if "The Philanthropist" falls short.

Review: The Cove

For the most part, eco-documentaries follow a pretty narrow pattern; either they’re well funded and a little boring or guerrilla style and probably a bit nauseating, but either way you’re supposed to be so outraged you get out of your seat and punch the richest asshole you can find. That’s the gist. But there’s often a disconnect between the images of the film and the actions of the audience because, ecologically, problems tend to be so big any given person feels powerless.

Pencil This In: Artistic Teens and Free Movies Outdoors

Drawings and paintings created by dozens of Ryman Arts program participants will be on display at the California African American Museum through July 12. Ryman Arts is a highly acclaimed, no cost, art program aimed at Los Angeles area teens and operating on the campus of USC. The program helps talented youth develop their artistic talents and evidenced in this exhibit. Free admission.

Tonight In Rock: Emmylou Harris, Pete Yorn, ISIS, Aushua

Tonight Nashville-based country singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris will be performing at the Greek Theatre with Patty Griffin in tow. New Jersey-bred singer-songwriter Pete Yorn will be ringing in his latest disc, performing to a sold-out crowd at the Roxy. And, lastly, Santa Ana-based indie rockers Aushua are poised to grace Spaceland for this week's edition of Club NME. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Henry Fonda Music Box to catch local heavy rock outfit ISIS (LAist Interview).

Now 10 Films will Compete for Oscars Best Picture Category

Big announcement from the academy today. No longer are days of five competing movies for Best Picture, but ten. “After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year,” said Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis. “The final outcome, of course, will be the same - one Best Picture winner - but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009.”

Dwell on Design's Movie Night & Mobile Restaurant Row

This weekend is the return of the Dwell on Design conference and expo and one of the most exciting events on the schedule is Saturday's "A Night at the Movies." The evening includes screenings of two building-themed documentary films, and, for your tasting pleasure, the Square Meal on Wheels mobile "restaurant row."

Living on Easy Street - Sean Bones Talks About His Debut Album, Rings

It was all an accident. All he originally wanted to do was start a swimwear line with his girlfriend for kicks. Sean Bones had no intention of forming a reggae-influenced pop band or acting in a film, let alone shouldering the responsibilities of holding down the lead role. In fact he's not entirely sure how it all happened. One minute he was happily playing with his indie rock band, Sam Champion, in Brooklyn, the next minute he's got a movie, Wah Do Dem, premiering at LAFF and a reggae album dropping in July. How did this side project spiral into a brand new band? We caught up with Sean this weekend to find out.

Meet James Zabiela: Not Your Average Superstar DJ

James Zabiela’s first visit to Los Angeles in 2002 was intense. Trotting the globe with one of its most in-demand DJs, his job was to make 2,000 Sasha fans loose their minds. Thanks to the 21 year-old Zabiela, that’s exactly what happened at the sold-out Mayan Theater.

TV Junkie: French TV Feels US Invasion

As we said a couple weeks ago, we went to France for a couple weeks where we didn't watch much French TV because, well, there really wasn't anything worth watching other than the French Open and Manchester United vs. Barcelona. Now our uneducated opinion has supporting proof: in 2008 only 13 of the top 100 scripted TV shows in France were actually French. American-produced TV programs took the biggest slice at 57. Who says we don't export anything?

Diaspora Dances in Santa Monica to be Webcasted Live

I think we all learned that the United States is a melting pot of people and cultures and that it began that way and continues in that direction, in spite of recent immigration hassles. Award winning choreographer/director Keith Glassman has taken off from that fact and created Far From Home, a multimedia, interdisciplinary evening length piece he will premiere this weekend at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica (June 26-27).

                     

If you didn't see Waltz with Bashir in the theater, you have the opportunity to correct that mistake today on DVD. It is rare that a film so perfectly combines a complex, powerful story with such dazzling visual technique. Concerned with lost memories surrounding the 1982 Lebanon War, this is a must-see film for any fan of cinema (or history for that matter). Confessions of a Shopaholic is not such a picture. Pink Panther 2 is not such a picture. Inkheart is not such a picture. Thankfully, both My Dinner with Andre and Last Year at Marienbad are.

              

The first Transformers was by every estimation a bad movie. Sure the effects were cool, even groundbreaking, but every other element of the movie was basically silly, if not frequently and insultingly stupid. Its sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is significantly, significantly worse. Absent the mildly diverting discovery arc of the first film, the second one is literally nothing but uninspired set piece after uninspired set piece after uninspired set piece after uninspired set piece. And if you think this review is repetitive, try watching the movie.

Pencil This In: Films, Jazz, Wine & Comedy

Our city's film festival continues today with a fourteen screenings with more than half of them happening at 7:30 p.m. or 9:45 p.m. LAist Film Editor Josh Tate recommended Bronson and Public Enemies in his preview of the whole festival.

Tonight In Rock: Sunset Rubdown, Foreign Born, Sneaky Sound System, The Parson Red Heads

Tonight Wilco and Dinosaur Jr. will be doing their "thing," respectively. Québécois indie rockers Sunset Rubdown, which began as a solo project for Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, will be headlining the Echoplex. LA's finest pop rockers the Parson Red Heads (LAist Review, #2, #3) are poised to grace On The Rox at the Roxy in Hollywood with the Boat People and the Picture. And, lastly, Sydney-based electro pop sensation Sneaky Sound System will be performing at Cinespace. But we strongly suggest heading over to your friendly vinyl vendor Vacation to catch local indie rock outfit Foreign Born, who will be ringing in their second full length to date—2009's Person to Person.

       

The Los Angeles region has many secrets and Channel Islands National Park is one of them. The group of islands off the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara are easily seen from the crowded beaches of Malibu, but most of those beach goers have never been on the other side. And while it is one of the closest National Parks to the millions who live here, it is also one of the less accessible ones. Boats don't run as consistent as the ferry's to Catalina Island and the sometimes the costs (around $50 roundtrip and up, depending on which island you visit) stop many.

It's Back! The Laserium Returns to New Hollywood Location

Remember the classic Griffith Observatory show when "the audience sat in dentist-like chairs so they could watch whirling laser beams dance on the domed ceiling to the classic rock tunes of Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon,' Led Zeppelin and the Beatles"? Well, it's back, reports the Daily News in a feature today. But there are some changes, most notably with new technology and its new pedestrian friendly location at the Historic Vine Theater at Hollywood and Vine. And apparently, the popcorn glows in the dark.

                     

The circus is in town!! Don't miss this sexy, beautiful, and mesmerizing circus in the heart of Los Angeles.

LAst Laugh: This Week in Comedy

There's so much great 'found' stuff going on this week, from the Found Footage competition courtesy of Cinefamily to the Found Magazine show at Largo. Add in some Kevin Nealon and some great sketch, and this week is really starting to look better than some of the decisions you made last weekend. Get AT ME if you want your ish hyped.

'Electric Daisy Carnival' Could Feature 200,000 Dancing Feet

Insomniac's events have made people dance through their bedtimes since 1993. Never have they made insomniacs out of 100,000. That’s the goal for this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival, their largest annual event. Seas of people will dance away their economic woes in what should be the largest electronic dance music festival this city has ever seen.

TV Junkie: TV Fandex; 'Jon & Kate' Reveal

Shows get their renewals due to their populaity right? Now there's a new tool for measuring the "online engagement" of TV viewers called the TV Fandex. The first week of Fandex measurement has shown that HBO's "True Blood" has the highest level of online engagement of any TV program, go figure. If the series stays as good as last night's episode, "True Blood" will rank very high for the rest of its season.

       

There was a belief a few years ago -- as cheap cameras and Final Cut Pro gained real traction within the filmmaking community -- that we were at the dawn of a cheap indie revolution. Affordability was going to allow new talent to finally be seen and recognized. In some cases that happened, but mostly this surge in access resulted in a colossal amount of dull movies. Thankfully, a micro-budget film still punches through occasionally and restores one's faith in the premise that you don't need a huge amount of money to make a good film.

Pencil This In: Bigfoot Turns 10, Blue Mondays, Spaghetti Western, Magic Lantern Theatre

DRINKING Bigfoot Lodge is celebrating their 10th Anniversary with a week-long party. They're rolling back the prices, so you can actually party like it's 1999. Help them celebrate by enjoying their "recession busting" special pricing. Heads up: if you really want to relive the glory of '99, check them out all week for other fun events like tomorrow's Knotty Pine Derby, and the return of music to the Bigfoot on Sunday, along with their Bloody Sunday crafty cocktail menu.

Tonight In Rock: Elvis Costello, Dinosaur Jr., Wilco, Castledoor

Tonight legendary English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello will be performing at Amoeba Music in Hollywood shortly after having performed an in-store at their San Francisco location. Amherst-based rockers Dinosaur Jr. will be taking on a two-night stint at the Troubadour. And, lastly, Chicago-bred alt-rockers Wilco (LAist Interview) will be kicking off a three-date stint at the Wiltern with Jonathan Wilson in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland to catch the penultimate night of LA-based indie pop act Castledoor's (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6) month-long residency. LAist favorites Local Natives (LAist Review) are slated to kick things off.

              

At a time when Hollywood has scaled back significantly on Web video productions, .

              

Just south of Melrose, and around the corner from Munky King, is Japan LA, a store filled with a tribute to all things cute.

      

The streets of Pasadena were brightened this weekend by artists wielding colorful chalk, creating temporary masterpieces to delight visitors to the Paseo Colorado. There was the Joker, the Beatles, renderings of museum masterpieces, dames, soldiers, giraffes, and tribute to Harvey Milk, all created at the hands of talented artists. Blogger Ben Wideman has a shot of the Best in Show awardee, Arlou Somo's "Mucha," and all the winners are up for viewing on the fest's official website. LAist Featured Photos pool contributor noobphotog along with Flickr shutterbug okarol bring us these shots of some of the artists at work on their colorful creations...which, as is the temporal nature of chalk on sidewalk, don't linger long in real life.

       

After mostly being given up for dead as a legitimate box-office attraction, Sandra Bullock roared back to prominence this weekend as she carried The Proposal to a surprising box-office triumph ($34.1M). Last week's champ The Hangover had yet another powerhouse weekend ($26.8M/$152.9M) as did Pixar's wonderful Up ($21.3M/$224.1M). Sony probably had high hopes for Year One several months ago, but the pic disappointed in its debut ($20.2M). Lack of "funny-ness" and an abundance of "shitty-ness" seemed to be the culprits there.

Week In Rock: Wilco, Dinosaur Jr., Third Eye Blind, Electric Daisy Carnival

This week Wilco (LAist Interview) will be taking on a three-date stint at the Wiltern with Jonathan Wilson and Okkervil River (LAist Review) in tow. Amherst-based rockers Dinosaur Jr. will be taking on a two-night stint at the Troubadour. San Franciscan alternative rockers Third Eye Blind will be performing at the Hollywood Palladium with locals Low vs Diamond. And, lastly, Friday and Saturday will mark the 13th annual Electric Daisy Carnival—the biggest dance festival in North America—which will take place at Los Angeles' own Memorial Coliseum. Thievery Corporation, Paul Oakenfold, STS9, The Crystal Method, Groove Armada, Paul Van Dyk, Infected Mushroom, Shiny Toy Guns, Boys Noize, Fake Blood and Shinichi Osawa, among many, many others, are all slated to grace this year's bill.

       

It would be almost impossible to imagine someone as improbable as Martin Strel. He is one of the rare man on this earth who is utterly unique. Allow me the indulgence of summarizing him in a few sentences. Martin is an overweight Slovenian man in his mid-fifties. Martin is essentially an alcoholic, typically drinking two bottles of wine a day. And -- here's the kicker -- Martin has swam the entirety of the Mississippi, the Danube and the Yangtze. At the beginning of Big River Man, Martin is preparing to become the first man to swim the Amazon.

Cymbeline @ The Thearicum Botanicum

But Cymbeline gets points for amalgamating all genres and Theatricum for putting on one of Shakespeare’s lesser known works. The cast, led by Willow Geer as Imogen and Mike Peebler as Posthumus, struck all the right notes with a golden touch of brevity and soul. Thad Geer, as King Cymbeline, overcame a stiff first couple of scenes to assume a commanding and royal presence while Aaron Hendry’s spot-on portrayal of the sly and duplicitous Iachimo was near perfect.

              

In the same way that Wag the Dog was about the Clinton sex scandals without ever explicitly being about the Clinton sex scandals, Armando Iannucci's In the Loop is a searing and hilarious shadow satire about the run-up to the West's collective misadventures in Iraq. Alternately howlingly mean and relentlessly authentic, it may be the funniest movie of the year, weaving a pastiche of profanity so inventive one can't help but marvel at it. Further, if there has been a better performance this year than that given by Peter Capaldi, I haven't seen it.

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Haydn. Here is a clip of recently deceased Rostropovich performing the Haydn D Major Cello Concerto. The LACMA hosts the last (for the 2008-2009 season) of its FREE Sundays Live concerts next Sunday with a program of Haydn and Mendelssohn, to cap off the year with one last celebration of their anniversaries. Expect duets and piano trios, at 6 PM this Sunday the 28th.

Tonight In Rock: Femi Kuti, Circle Jerks, Juana Molina, Starfucker

Tonight award-winning Nigerian musician Femi Kuti will be headlining the Hollywood Bowl with Santigold (LAist Review) and Raphael Saadiq (LAist Interview). Legendary punk rockers the Circle Jerks are poised to perform at the Key Club. And, lastly, Argentine folk songstress Juana Molina will be gracing the Make Music Pasadena Festival, which is set to take place at a variety of venues across Old Town Pasadena, with none other than Portland-based singer-songwriter Mirah. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Smell in Downtown to catch Portland-based electro-pop act Starfucker (LAist Review, #2). LAist favorites Captain Ahab, Atole and Halloween Swim Team are all slated to share the tiny stage.

              

The Thermals fit into this bizarre nebulous world that exists between rock and punk. They're a little too brash and uncut for rock and a little too soft for punk . I mean they've got a swan on their drum set for Pete's sake. (On their website their music is described as post-pop-punk, but God knows what that even means.) I would describe it as punk that people can get excited about without fear of a mosh pit or being clocked on the back of the head by a crowd surfer's shoe. Or alternatively, punk that parents would approve of. Sure their lyrics are dark and nihilistic , but hot dang those hooks are catchy.

Get Out: Pasadena Chalk Festival, Free Play Reading in Topanga, Hawaiian Music at Trader Vic's, Homo Hop

600 local artists using 25,000 sticks of pastel chalk are turning the sidewalks of Pasadena into works of colorful art. This is the second and final day of the Chalk Festival...and when it's all over tonight, they're going to turn on the hoses and wash the artwork away. See it while you can! Head over to Paseo Colorado between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Free.

Tonight! Fries On The Side Sketch Show

A lot of what is often missing from sketch shows, as opposed to improv, is that organic moment of discovery. With lines, there’s security and safety... which explains why half the hosts of Saturday Night Live manage to make it through without looking like COMPLETE douches. If you want the dangerous side of scripted live comedy, you’re really going to have to look towards UCB’s show Sketch Cram, where they write and perform the show in only 12 hours. But that’s once a month and is wholly comprised of veteran writers and improvisors. Try doing a live show where you get your lines two hours before the lights go up, your teleprompters are only 50% reliable, and you’ve got a host performer for the evening who may not have ever done a sketch show in their life. And it has to be good. Sweating bullets yet? Good. Welcome to Fries On The Side.

Five Local Pieces of Public Art Celebrated as Tops in the Nation

Last week during the 9th annual Americans for the Arts convention the Public Art Year in Review panel revealed their 40 picks for the best public art works in the United States from 2008, which includes projects from 32 cities in 15 states. Five of those works are right here in the Los Angeles area:

LAFF Review: <em>Passenger Side</em>

One of the reasons I expect that I will never tire of going to the movies is that even when you think you know what you are going to get, you can still be surprised. I remember being dragged to see Galaxy Quest at the Cinerama Dome. Honestly, the only reason I went was because it was at the Cinerama Dome -- one of the great movie theaters on the planet. As for the film, I expected nothing. I mean, after all, it starred Tim Allen! Tim Allen? Pass. Naturally, I ended up loving the film and have seen it at least twenty times since.

LAFF Review: <em>It Might Get Loud</em>

Tonight In Rock: Wilco, PJ Harvey & John Parish, Nouvelle Vague, Julie Doiron

Tonight Chicago-based alt-rockers Wilco (LAist Interview) will be headlining the newly-restored Fox Theatre in Pomona. Legendary English female rocker PJ Harvey will be performing to a sold-out crowd with John Parish at the Wiltern. Brooklyn-based indie pop act Chairlift (LAist Review), who gained popularity through those (goddamn) lurid Apple commercials, are poised to grace the Getty Center. And, lastly, French musical collective Nouvelle Vague, who are poised to release their third album of covers, appropriately entitled 3, will be performing at the Henry Fonda Music Box with Hawaiian singer-songwriter Sara Lov in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Hotel Café to catch Canadian indie folk singer-songwriter Julie Doiron.

Get Out: Fancy Yard Sale, Site Specific Dance Theatre, CalArts MFA Artists, Dorkbot SoCal, Kirtan,  Shakespeare By the Sea

Apartment 3 is putting on a "Fancy Yard Sale" where you'll find over 500 unique pieces of vintage all under $20. Shop among tons and tons of women's wear (vintage dresses, swimsuits,shirts, skirts, mini sweaters, and tops and men's wear, too...all for under $20 each. Groove to summer jams by Djs Rockwell, Tommy B & Bruce Leroy, and enjoy Hot Dogs by Frankenstand, free cocktails and delicious lemonade all day. 1-6 p.m. @Apartment 3 (4634 Hollywood Blvd 90027).

CD Review - Blaine Campbell's The Secret Snowstorm

Blaine Campbell is a man on a mission - most of the time. For the last few years, when he hasn't been entertaining friends with his home-taped Christmas records and intermittent LA area live shows, he's been involved in politics (including working with former Mayor Hahn, and having been a 2004 delegate to the Democratic National Convention!). For now, politics has taken a backseat to art and finally, seemingly years in the making, Blaine's made good on the promise of his holiday records with the release of his first album, The Secret Snowstorm.

              

Last night Cirque Berzerk opened their big top flaps to an enthusiastic crowd. Lucky for us, they invited LAist to check out what is happening behind the scenes when they are getting ready to perform in their huge new tent. Cirque Berzerk is running through July 5th downtown at Los Angeles State Historic Park.

Sunset Junction Festival Brings in Big Names

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Photo: Koga/LAist
Even with big name acts like Conor Oberst and Built to Spill announced by the Sunset Junction Festival organizers this week, it doesn't mean the festival is happening. "We've asked the organizers to come back with a written proposal that addresses the concerns raised by local residents and businesses," said Julie Wong of Councilman President Eric Garcetti's office. "If they don't, it's unlikely they will be permitted." But imagine they do get permitted, here's more of the line-up: Nico Vega, Nortec Collective, War Tapes, Arrested Development, Rumspringa, Warpaint, Miss Derringer, Gran Ronde, Fool's Gold, Local Natives, Nico Stai and Love Grenades. Add to that this rumour: "I’m also hearing that ’60s proto-punks the Sonics are on board to play the festival," says Kevin Bronson on his blog Buzz Bands. (thanks to torrmoz for the tip)

TV Junkie: Cronkite Ill; Conan vs. Letterman Gets Tight

Weekend Edition Our thoughts are with the family of veteran newsman, Walter Cronkite, who is reportedly gravely ill. If you were a kid in the '70s, chances are that Cronkite is still the voice and face of the news to you. | The late night battle between Letterman and Conan is getting tighter. Conan still has a slight lead but this is rapidly closing and the two should achieve parity in the next few weeks but we're heading into summer which usually means viewers will spend a few less hours in front of the TV.

                     

Last Thursday, pornstar, entrepreneur, and radio host Belladonna was hostess to a foot fetish-themed party at her San Fernando Valley home. Filmed by her husband, business partner, and director Aiden for Evil Angel, the aptly-titled features an all-star cast of nine industry favorites and relative newcomers to the adult industry, including Kimberly Kane, Bobbi Starr, Adrianna Nicole, Lexi Belle, Alexis Texas, Alexa Jordan, Madison Ivy, Evie Delatosso, and Georgia Jones, with Andy San Dimas backing out at the last-minute as a precaution due to the HIV outbreak.

                     

I thought Sandra Bullock was done doing romantic comedies. Oh wait, The Proposal probably isn't very funny. Speaking of not funny, Year One is getting savaged. Is it really possible that the extraordinary Michael Cera has finally given us a true dud? Say it ain't so! Woody Allen has enjoyed a resurgence since the beyond awful Hollywood Ending (okay, Scoop sucked, too). Looks like that trend continues with Whatever Works. What a great hook Woody has for older, male actors -- make a movie with me and you'll kiss pretty, young actresses!

As Wilco prepares to unveil its seventh studio album, the soon to be released "Wilco, (The Album)," the band is barnstorming across the U.S. and world. Earlier this week, I spoke with Wilco's guitar wizard and Los Angeles native Nels Cline from the road, in Oklahoma City. Nels, one of the newest members of the group, splits his time between riffing with Wilco and his own avant-garde jazz band, the Nels Cline trio. We talked about his two musical worlds, his thoughts on Wilco before he joined the band and the bodily harm he does to himself on stage.

Pencil This In: Gypsy Music @ UCLA, Brazil Fest @ The Ford and Air Guitar Regionals

You know it's summer in LA when Highland in Hollywood becomes even more of a traffic nightmare than usual when the Hollywood Bowl "officially" opens. (We guess the annual Playboy Jazz Festival is the unofficial opening?) Tonight, there's a star-studded opening night gala with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Josh Groban, who'll be inducted during the 10th anniversary of the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame. The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra will be conducted by Thomas Wilkins, with guest performers Roger Daltrey, Angélique Kidjo, Frederica von Stade and Trisha Yearwood. Tickets are $17-$103.

LAist was at the 140 Character Conference in NYC Wednesday afternoon to learn about all things Twitter. Wyclef Jean was interviewed by Chris Sacca, formerly of Google, and we heard about how the recording artist uses Twitter and how it will shape the creation and distribution of his new album "Wyclef".

Tonight In Rock: Jon Brion, Grizzly Bear, Ben Kweller, Lovelikefire

Tonight, as always, local multi-instrumentalist/producer extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) will be jamming with friends at the Largo at the Coronet. San Francisco-based singer-songwriter Ben Kweller will be headlining the El Rey Theatre with LAist favorites Local Natives (LAist Review). English/German indie rockers Art Brut are poised to conclude a three night stint at Spaceland with the Blood Arm (LAist Interview) in tow. And, lastly, San Franciscan indie rockers Lovelikefire will be gracing the Bootleg Theatre. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to get into the Wiltern to catch Brooklyn-based indie rockers Grizzly Bear. Fellow Brooklynites Here We Go Magic are slated to kick things off.

                     

Cirque Berzerk's extended run at the Big Top in the park opened last night to ooh's and ahh's from the 1,750 circus-goers in attendance.

JUNKride Interview: Cyclists on 2,000-mile Ride Roll Into Santa Monica, Raising Awareness of Ocean's 'Plastic Soup'

On April 4th, two LA residents, Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins, set off an a 2,000-mile bike ride, the JUNKride, from Vancouver to Tijuana, to raise awareness and educate children and adults about the damage plastic is causing to our oceans.

       

Larry David plays Boris Yellnikoff, the “Woody Allen character” in the director’s latest film, Whatever Works. We’re not so much introduced to Boris as we are identified by him as he looks past the fourth wall to tell moviegoers in the opening scene that, “This is not the ‘Feel Good Movie of the Year.’ So, if you’re one of those idiots who needs to feel good… ehh… go get yourself a foot massage.” But don’t take his word for it.

In 1993, New Order performed "Regret" for BBC TV. Of course, that performance featured a cameo from Baywatcher David Hasselhoff, working hard, guarding his beloved Los Angeles County coast. Note that, in this video, no one drowned.

Meet Ann Yu: Lead Singer of LoveLikeFire

Ann Yu wins Weirdest Teenage Rebel Award hands down. When she was sixteen her parents banned her from the high school orchestra in Las Vegas because she was too dedicated to the violin. She would practice long into the night, making sure she always won first chair, and her parents had to fight with her to go to bed. By the time she was thirteen, Yu had acquired scabs on her chin due to her diligent playing. It got to be too much for them and they forbade her from playing the high school orchestra. Having acquired a driver's license, Yu joined a local rock band. "That's where the idea to be in a band sprung from. I realized you didn't need a whole orchestra to make music." All these years later, Yu is still just as passionate to her art. (Her parents have finally come around to the idea.) Her latest band, LoveLikeFire' s debut album will be out in August, but is already garnered some heavily positive praise from critics. Yu was kind enough to speak with us about her upcoming debut yesterday evening. Here is some of what was said.

                                          

The 15th annual Los Angeles Film Festival kicks off tonight at 7:30 pm with the premiere screening of Paper Man at the Mann Village Theater. The full festival begins in earnest the following morning as over 80 documentary and narrative features unspool in venues across the Westside. In addition to that, the festival features panels and seminars, coffee talks and poolside chats, short-film programs, music video showcases, live concerts and free screenings of such beloved films as Ghostbusters, Election and The Muppet Movie.

Interview: Pat McGuire, Editor-in-Chief of FILTER Magazine

In an age when music publications are folding left and right, FILTER magazine soldiers on with five full issues and five Good Music Guides per year. The content of the publication is driven by its tagline, "Good music will prevail," and recent features have included everything from a major interview and photo essay with Morrissey to a nine-page spread about the history of Slayer. LAist recently sat down with Editor-in-Chief Pat McGuire to chat about everything from Morrissey to the rapidly changing magazine market.

Pencil This In: Cirque Berzerk Opens Tonight, Penn & Teller Talk

The highly-anticipated two-week run for Cirque Berzerk returns to the old "Not a Cornfield" state park beginning tonight. It’s a mixture of burlesque, the bizarre and circus tricks that you’ve probably never seen before. The shows are filled with “sinewy, breathtaking acrobatics, sensual aerialists, gothic stilt walkers, fetishy burlesque dancers, voluptuous contortionists and a host of punk rock clowns, none of whom know how to make cute balloon animals for the kiddies.” Get your tickets NOW. They’re $25-$80.

CoCo's doing a nice job taking advantage of his new couch's proximity to our city's best and brighest. Dodgers skipper Joe Torre appeared early in the week, and last night he brought on the NBA Finals MVP for two segments. Part two appears after the jump...

Tonight In Rock: Art Brut, White Rabbits, Chairlift, Busdriver

Tonight English/German indie rockers Art Brut will be continuing a three night stint at Spaceland with Rumspringa (LAist Review, #2) and Voxhaul Broadcast in tow. Brooklyn-based indie pop act Chairlift (LAist Review), who gained popularity through those (goddamn) lurid Apple commercials, are poised to grace the Echo with Fool's Gold front man Luke Top. And, lastly, local rapper Busdriver (LAist Review, #2) will be headlining the Knitting Factory's Main Stage in celebration of his forthcoming disc, 2009's Jhelli Beam. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Troubadour to catch NYC-based indie rock sextet White Rabbits. LAist favorites the Subjects are slated to kick things off.

       

Boy, who knew something as simple as a banana was such a big thing? Politics, murder, pop culture, this fruit has it all and the boys from the locally based Fallen Fruit Collective journeyed down to South America to explore the subject and came back with an art exhibit that opened last Tuesday with an event called "Are You Happy to See Me?"

Dodgers Skipper Joe Torre, not yet done promoting his Yankee tell-almost-all, stopped by Universal City on Monday to visit another New York City transplant. As Conan mentions at the top of the video, the Dodgers have the best record in baseball right now. Hopefully we'll all get to say that in October.

            

Thursday night was the premiere of the two-week Secret Policeman's Ball Film Festival. Festivities at the Egyptian were rolicking fun, with a Q&A between Martin Lewis and "Seventh Python" Neil Innes, clips from the decades of fundraisers, and various musicians getting up to rock the house at the after-party.

Your Weekly LAist Film Calendar

Look to the skies! The flying saucers will always be there! Not even your local cinematheque is safe when evil extraterrestrials & suave spacemen invade Santa Monica. Should our valiant heroes survive these "Far Out" encounters, they must still contend with a Martian militia, led by none other than our governor himself! I heard it through my magick Tesla Coil!

TV Junkie: Tracey Will Be Back; Nielsen Flops

Last night late night rehash: Larry David on Conan was great - why don't we see more of him doing this?! Michelle Pfeiffer seemed a little uptight on Letterman - she should feel a little more secure about her undeniable beauty. Was Gavin Rossdale about to do the slip and slide on Conan lat night? He looked completely lost without a guitar, it was painful.

Pencil This In: Rock en Español @ Conga Room

Rick Ortiz Productions puts on a great night of Rock en Español at the Conga Room for your enjoyment. Noches Rockeras features five great music acts, including: La Mala Influencia, Soy Disco, Octavio Red, Ximbios and Astoria. Show starts at 8 PM and it is only $10 if you show up after 10:30 PM.

Tonight In Rock: The Dead Weather, Viva Voce, Busdriver, Slang Chickens

Tonight Nashville-based alternative rock supergroup the Dead Weather, which features Jack White of the White Stripes and Alison Mosshart of the Kills, will be headlining a sold-out show at the Roxy. Local rapper Busdriver (LAist Review, #2) is poised to flow in celebration of his forthcoming disc, 2009's Jhelli Beam, at Amoeba Records early on in the evening. And, lastly, San Franciscan psych rock sextet Sleepy Sun will be performing at the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock with Dios (Malos) and Slang Chickens. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo to catch Portland-based indie rock duo Viva Voce (LAist Review). LAist favorites Cut Off Your Hands (LAist Review) are slated to kick things off.

Win Tickets to Third Eye Blind at The Hollywood Palladium

So the Hollywood Palladium has been open since last year and things are rocking along. Next week Thursday, June 25th, Third Eye Blind is playing their big LA show with Low Vs. Diamond opening (if you need tickets stat, you can buy them here).

TV Junkie: 'Daily Show' Reports from Iran Next Week; 'Saving Grace' Returns Tonight

If you liked "The Colber(t) Repor(t)" reporting from Iraq last week, you will probably enjoy Jason Jones of "The Daily Show" reporting from Iran Monday through Thursday next week. Although not everyone thinks HBO's "True Blood" is the cat's pajamas, Sunday's premiere made the show the most watched program on HBO since the series finale of "The Sopranos".

       

I understand every criticism of Family Guy, but I still tune in regularly to watch Peter, Cleveland and Quagmire do the same jokes time after time after time. It just makes me laugh. While Friday the 13th may have sucked completely, at least it didn't wuss out and go for a PG-13. Here's to gore and nudity! With the next Transformers film looming, what better time to piggyback a cartoon compilation and get some free marketing buzz? Why can't Tyler Perry use his prodigious business talents for something other than making crappy movies? Why, Jesus? Why? Why? How have I never seen What's Up, Tiger Lily?? Soon to be corrected.

Pencil This In: Bananas, Bananas, Bananas and Stephen Berkman @ the Hammer

The Hammer Museum presents a lecture by artist and photographer Stephen Berkman tonight at 7 pm. He’ll discuss his work, which uses antiquated photographic and optical processes. “Berkman, currently a teacher at the Art Center of Design, will also discuss his quixotic art in the context of the early history of the photographic medium, including phenomenology, spirit photography, and the technical processes used to achieve them.” The lecture is a related program to “The Darker Side of Light” exhibition. The public program is free, but tickets are required. Parking is available under the museum for $3 after 6 pm.

Tonight In Rock: Matisyahu, Bat For Lashes, Miike Snow, LANDy

Tonight Hasidic Jewish reggae musician Matisyahu will be headlining the Wiltern. English/German indie rockers Art Brut are poised to kick off a three night stint at Spaceland with Swedish electro pop outfit Miike Snow in tow. And, lastly, actor/filmmaker Adam Goldberg's musical endeavor LANDy will be performing at the Echo with local indie rockers the French Semester. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to get into the El Rey Theatre to catch Bat For Lashes, the pseudonym of Brighton-based singer-songwriter Natasha Khan. Local experimental electronic act Hecuba are slated to kick things off.

                     

This weekend marked the 39th year for L.A. Pride, which for many was one of the more positive years, considering the climate due to the current status of Prop 8. It may have been one of the largest with more than 100,000 people attending.

LAst Laugh: This Week in Comedy

There's lots of outside-the-mainstream greatness going on this week, with Patton Oswalt and Bobcat Goldthwait both doing Cinefamily stuff, Fries On The Side closing out their great season up in North Hollywood, and the not to be missed Celebrity Autobiography show at Largo. Get out, laugh it up, and let Farley know what else is on the horizon.

TV Junkie: Lakers; 'True Blood'

So how about those Lakers? Better yet, what is your opinion on the coverage of the NBA finals? Who provided the best/worst commentary? What do you want to see in future basketball TV coverage? How about what kind of post-championship street riot coverage you'd like to see? Also - how about the season premiere of "True Blood"? If the HBO series stays true to itself, this will be a great season as indicated by last night's episode. We particularly enjoyed the imaginative flashback scenes of the Sam Merlotte character. Did you watch "True Blood"? What did you think?

                     

There is something immensely comforting about residencies - month-long appearances by bands at a relatively small venue. By their very nature, they imply homeliness and a familiarity that is both welcoming and calm. The shows, for example, are almost always free and the headlining band, via their month stay, has a fantastic opportunity to endear themselves to fans and staff by their very repetitive nature.

Pencil This In: Celebrity Autobiography Readings @ Largo, Marshall Crenshaw @ Grammy Museum

The Grammy Museum welcomes veteran singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw for “The Drop” -- a program where musicians talk about their recently or upcoming releases. Crenshaw will discuss and perform selections from his newest album Jaggedland. He’ll be in conversation with Museum Executive Director Robert Santelli about the songwriting, collaboration, and production behind his first new studio recording in six years. He’ll also take a few questions from the audience. The event begins at 8 pm tonight, and tickets are $14.95 ($12 for members).

With so many skateboard competitions struggling for national attention, only one has no trouble at all... The Maloof Money Cup. Why is it so loved by skateboarders? Several reasons. First of all, skateboarders are not "extreme sports athletes" they are just skateboarders. Why does ESPN and Mountain Dew want to lump skaters together with motocross and like... hang gliding. The Maloof Money Cup is skateboarding, nothing else.

Tonight In Rock: A Camp, Castledoor, Oliver Future, Charlie Wadhams

Tonight Swedish alternative rock act A Camp, a solo side project of the Cardigans' vocalist Nina Persson, will be headlining the Troubadour. LA-based indie rockers Oliver Future are poised to take on the second night of their month-long residency at the Echo with experimental pop chanteuse Gliss in tow. And, lastly, local singer-songwriter Charlie Wadhams will be performing at the Silver Lake Lounge. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland, of course, to catch LAist favorites Castledoor (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6) continue their month-long residency. Long Beach's own pop songstress (and general lass) Jessica Dobson will be kicking things off under the pseudonym Deep Sea Diver (LAist Review).

Box Office Review: Still Got a <em>Hangover</em>

Raunchy bachelor-party comedy The Hangover topped the box office for a surprising second straight weekend as it dropped only 26% from its strong debut ($33.4M/$105.3M). Pixar's delightful Up presented a strong challenge in its third week to finish a close second ($30.5M/$187.1M) while superb newcomer The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 finished third with a slightly underwhelming $25M. After that, it was the dreadful Night of the Museum 2: Jesus, We Suck ($9.6M/$143.4M), the reasonably funny Land of the Lost ($9.1M/$34.9M) and Eddie Murphy's epic shitfest Imagine That ($5.7M). Someone, please stop Eddie Murphy.

LAist Interview: Rachel Fuller

In the middle of a busy year for British singer-composer Rachel Fuller, what with two original musicals being prepped for world premieres, one of her pet projects from years past is finally getting its wide-scale US release. In The Attic, a program of loose, informal collaborations between Fuller, her partner Pete Townshend, and a series of musical guests ranging from the world-renowned (Lou Reed, Flaming Lips, Raconteurs) to the near-totally unknown, has evolved from a webcast based in Fuller’s literal attic, to a live-on-location travel show, to a cabaret show in tiny American nightclubs. The performances captured on the CD/ DVD package released through Best Buy in April are from the last phase, and include a set of songs taped at LA’s Hotel Café in early 2007 with collaborators Amos Lee, Alexi Murdoch, Rachel Yamagata, Tenacious D and Ben Harper signing up for Fuller and Townshend's experiment in open-mic night.

Week In Rock: Grizzly Bear, Art Brut, Bat For Lashes, Chairlift

This week English/German indie rockers Art Brut will be taking on a three night stint at Spaceland with the Blood Arm (LAist Interview), Nico Stai and Miike Snow. English singer-songwriter Natasha Kahn, or rather Bat For Lashes, will be performing to a sold-out crowd at the El Rey Theatre. Brooklyn-based indie pop act Chairlift are poised to perform at the Echo and the Getty Center. And, lastly, Grizzly Bear will be gracing the Wiltern and the Troubadour with Here We Go Magic in tow.

Mahler's 5th symphony is one of the many pieces you can see and hear this summer at the Hollywood Bowl. This recording is performed by the Lucerne Festival Orchestra under Claudio Abbado.

Tonight In Rock: Mike Stinson, Alex & Sam, Julia Holter, Anavan

Tonight NY-based experimental rockers the Present will be headlining Spaceland with LA-based singer-songwriter Julia Holter in tow. Earlier in the day local Country troubadour Mike Stinson is poised to grace the Echo. And, lastly, local experimental electronic act Anavan will be helping Massachusetts' own Math the Band ring in their latest disc at the Smell. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Hotel Café to catch local jazz-infused pop duo Alex & Sam (LAist Interview, Review).

                     

Post by Greg Thompson/Special to LAist

Get Out: LA Pride Parade, Hollywoodland Flea Market, No Cookie Left Behind, School of Rock

The 39th annual LA PRIDE Parade is expected to gather over 400,000 people this year and will feature over 125 parade entries including floats, bands, performances, marching community advocacy groups, smiling seniors, proud parents, out teachers and convertibles with honored guests. The parade will run west along Santa Monica Blvd. from Crescent Heights to Robertson Blvds in WeHo, starting at 11 a.m.

                     

There were rumors circulating inside the Wiltern on Monday night that some people had shown up only to catch the sinister blues of Band of Skulls on their last night in Los Angeles before dashing across town to see another show. High praise, considering their album Baby Darling Dollface Honey only came out in March, tickets were $33 a pop, and the Band of Skulls went on at 8 (which meant getting there in rush hour traffic which is nothing to sneeze at). But man, oh man, was it worth it. The sparse outfit which included only a bass guitarist, guitarist and drums set the world on fire with their dark dirty London blues. In a traditional black leather jacket, lead guitarist Russel Marsden smoked and sizzled with hair raising riffs which complemented Emma Richardson's smoky voice exactly. With her husky timber reminiscent of Joan Jett or Chrissy Hynde, and his slightly high resonance, their harmonies had a slightly androgynous quality. As if their voice belonged not to them, but to some multigendered seducer who was going to swoop down and fuck you senseless, no matter what your gender, sexual preference, or moral code as Matt Hayward's heavy, monster drums kept time. What I’m saying is that it felt good.

Kid Art Exhibit Opens at Natural History Museum

If you're headed to the Natural History Museum this week, be sure to check out a special art exhibit by the kids from the Blueberry Atelier preschool in Santa Monica. The exhibit, “A Sense of Wonder, A Sense of Place: Viewing Nature Through the Images and Words of Our Children” showcases the writing, photography, drawings and paintings by the school’s budding environmentalists.

Tonight In Rock: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Datarock, War Tapes, Telepathe

Tonight Brooklyn-based soul/funk group Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl for the Playboy Jazz Festival. Norwegian electro-pop act Datarock are poised to headline the Key Club in Hollywood. And, lastly, local rockers War Tapes will be gracing the streets of Long Beach (Long Beach Blvd. & Broadway, to be exact) with Deep Sea Diver (LAist Review) among many other talented locals for 2009's Tour Des Artistes. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Smell in Downtown to catch synth-infused pop act Telepathe. LAist favorites Nite Jewel and Abe Vigoda slated to kick things off.

Get Out(doors):  National Get Outdoors Day, Beach Battle, The Swap, Munky King Twofer, Photo Opening

Okay, so we're in the midst of the foggy grayscale grip of some serious June Gloom, but beneath those misty, low-hanging patches our landscape still has some of the most kick-ass coolness to offer Angelenos. So get outdoors, dammit! Take a hike, take a walk, take a run. Explore a park, some mountains, or a body of water. Just dress for the occasion, wear the right shoes, and be safe. Enjoy our amazing outdoors on National Get Outdoors Day. It's your duty!

Weekend Art Pick: Baade, Ulrich and Rives at Billy Shire Fine Arts

Mixing art into an evening's plans is not only elucidating and inspirational, but damned convenient. We locals are lucky that there is always something amazing to see in our own back yards or a mere freeway hop away. If you missed the myriad openings of Thursday's Downtown Art Walk, never fear, the weekend offers tons of eye candy. Consult your local gallery guide and plan to make a night of it. Here is my pick for your west side viewing pleasure.

TV Junkie: 'True Blood' Season Premiere on Sunday

Sure we have "The Soup" and a handful of choice regular programs this weekend, but what it's all about is the season premiere of "True Blood" at 9pm on Sunday on HBO. The buzz about this show has been building steadily since last season ended with most people catching up by either buying season one or renting it on Netflix. Here we are, the moment is about to happen - we've been invited to 2 viewing parties on Sunday, how about yourself? We're anticipating a lot of hungover viewers straggling into work on Sunday as there's something about vampires that makes people want to cut loose. Check out the HBO "True Blood" page, complete with a countdown counted in drops of blood.

       

I'm surprised that reviews haven't been better for the re-imagined version of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. It is, by all rights, a superior film to the original from the 70s. Moon may not be as funny as Solo, but it does cover similar territory. How can you not love Sam Rockwell? There will be no hot dogs served at the screening of Food, Inc.! Repeat -- no hotdogs! Has Eddie Murphy really come to this? Imagine That looks awful, awful, awful. Francis Ford Coppola is finally a true independent filmmaker. Tetro proves yet again, though, that he probably could use some pressure from above. Seriously, some people need studio interference to thrive.

The Great American Food & Music Fest Rocks Mountain View Tomorrow

Shoreline Ampitheater in Mountain View, just outside of San Jose, will be the site of the national Great American Food and Music Fest. The one-day event kicks off on Saturday at noon and runs until 10pm. All ages are welcome.

Pencil This In: Machine Project Says Buh Bye to Analog TV, but Hello LA Pride Weekend

Machine Project is hosting a “Farewell to Analog TV” lecture and mixer tonight at 10 pm. Jason Torchinsky will talk about mechanical televisions, which will be followed by a countdown to the demise of analog TV. At midnight, all the old analog television broadcasts will stop, replaced by digital signals so all the TVs without converter boxes won’t work anymore. Machine Project will be gathering a pyramid of old TVs together for a countdown as they go to static, all at once.

UCLA's end of term, near-nude right-of-passage, The Undie Run (mucho LAist coverage) went off this week. In this video, the stripped-down co-eds can be seen jogging in fleshy unison, like a Discovery Channel special on the salmon migration. LA Times reporter, and LAist contributor, Adam Rose, doing his best Melissa Rivers, wondered "who are you wearing?" An anonymous source told LAist that only one intoxicated person attended this event. However, that party-fouler does not appear in this video. No way.

Tonight In Rock: Neko Case, Jon Brion, Robert Francis, Love Is All

Tonight local multi-instrumentalist/producer extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) is poised to jam with friends at Largo at the Coronet. LA's other prominent and prepossessing singer-songwriter Robert Francis (LAist Interview, Review) will be playing at Spaceland with Kenan Bell to benefit local taco truck Taco Zone, which was recently set ablaze. Gothenburg's own indie rockers Love Is All will be performing at the Echoplex with Shark Toys in tow. But we strongly Virginia-bred alternative country songstress Neko Case will be performing at the Greek Theatre with Grandaddy front man Jason Lytle.

Grammy Museum Announces Woodstock Exhibit and Wants Your Help

This summer marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock and across the nation, museums will be opening exhibits about the famous event. The Grammy Museum downtown is taking a new twist and when their exhibit opens this August, it will be through the eyes of festival goers--the people's history of Woodstock, in a sense.

More Balls than You Can Shake a Stick At! Starting Tonight!

Tonight at 9:30pm The Egyptian Theater will be home for the world premiere of The Secret Policeman's Ball Film Festival, beginning a four-week run covering three decades of comedic and musical performances.

              

Monday nights aren’t normally supposed to be notable. You’re supposed to go to work and catch up on the paperwork that you slagged off Friday afternoon and do your best to wear your stoic face, knowing you’ve got four more days of it. Maybe that’s why Monday night’s show at the Anaheim House of Blues featuring Peter Murphy proved to be a paradox.

TV Junkie: 'Daily Show' Punks the NY Times; We Heart Kim Alexis

We're guiltily excited about the season premiere of TV Land's "She's Got the Look" as the TV Junkie got to interview show host Kim Alexis at the TV Land Awards in April. Also, check out Conan as he's got both Norm MacDonald and Jim Gaffigan on.

       

Movies open every week in Los Angeles, and LAist always tries to let you know about as many of them as possible. Some films, though -- at least I think so -- deserve a special mention because a) they don't have a huge marketing budget supporting them; b) they are the kinds of provocative films that more people should see and c) they are the kinds of films that the worst toadies in corporate America don't want you to see. Tomorrow night at the Nuart, Food, Inc. hits the screen. If you were intrigued by Fast Food Nation (the book, not the movie), then Food, Inc. is right in your wheelhouse. It pulls back the veil on the highly mechanized American food industry and may make you reconsider before eating your next Triple Whopper.

Meet Jon Hershfield: Founder of IsGoodMusic (Music Without Pretense)

Some would argue that trying to get a grip on the scope of the Los Angeles music scene is an impossible task. By the time you finished listening to every single band in Los Angeles county, half of them would be broken up and like a cacophonous hydra, a whole new generation of music would have sprouted while your back was turned. Few people attempt this daunting feat, and those who do seem to possess crazy, masochistic tendencies (myself included). Fortunately for you, we have one such editor who undertakes that insane quest daily (namely Mr. Joshua Pressman) but should Tonight in Rock not fulfill all your needs, and you want a radio station that plays all local Los Angeles bands all the time...Jon Hershfield has the the website for you. Founder of IsGoodMusic.com, Hershfield has set out to find the diamonds in the rough that are lying right under our noses. The website provides a social networking site for bands, a radio station with interviews, and a up-to-date calendar on all the local gigs that are worth catching. We caught up with Jon Hershfield recently and asked him how it was going.

Pencil This In: An Opera Mashup, Mandy Moore and Latina Drag Queens

The Wooster Group returns to REDCAT tonight with La Didone, a daring production of Francesco Cavalli's 1641 Baroque opera mashed up with elements of Italian director Mario Bava's 1965 sci-fi cult film Terrore nello spazio (Planet of the Vampires). This West Coast premiere of La Didone runs through June Tonight’s performance begins at 8:30 pm, and tickets are $40-55, with student discounts available.

Tonight in Rock: Afro Funke Celebrates 6 Years, The Tragically Hip, Balkan Beat Box

Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip perform their last show of the week at the Troubadour in West Hollywood and nearby at the Key Club, Brooklyn based Balkan Beat Box headlines featuring their amalgam of glorious Sephardic, dub and electronica sounds. But our pick of the night is Afro Funke, which is not a band, but rather a club night at Zanzibar in Santa Monica. It's the weekly world/salsa/Brazilian/positive music event's 6th anniversary and one LAist gives a high recommendation for, whether you go tonight or any other Thursday (read our write up of the event from last year).

Your Weekly LAist Film Calendar

Before Live Aid, Farm Aid & Chef Aid came The Secret Policemen's Ball - which made the mold for the benefit concert, broke it, taped it back together, and ran with it. With a wealth of British comedy (including The Pythons, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry & Rowan Atkinson) and musical virtuosos (Pete Townshend, Sting, Eric Clapton & Phil Collins in then-unheard-of "unplugged" performances) donating their talents for Amnesty International, the show & tie-in albums, films & tapes, became a phenomenon

TV Junkie: TCM Junkies Social Network; 'The Shield' Comedy Hour; Sonic Youth on Letterman

Hardcore classic film geeks (ourselves included) now have a place to go as Turner Classic Movies aka TCM has launched a fan site that includes social networking doo-dads, video clips, and rare photos. --- Fans of "The Shield" will be eagerly anticipating the next effort from series creator Shawn Ryan, an hour-long comedic private investigator series called "Terriers" co-penned by "Ocean's Eleven" writer Ted Griffin. The pilot has been green-lighted/lit? by FX but no word on air date.

Big Top Tent Pitched for Cirque Berzerk 20-Show Run

If you've been by Los Angeles State Historic Park in the past week, you've likely noticed a gigantic red-and-white-striped big top tent. Perhaps you wondered why a tent would be necessary in LA, the stationary circus town in which you live.

Pencil This In: Comedy to the Rescue and Inaugural Art Exhibits

Times are tough all around, but that doesn't mean one can't take a break every now and then to laugh it up a bit. If you are out of work, take your unemployment check stub (or other proof of unemployment) down to the Laugh Factory in Hollywood for free admission to the 10 PM show.