Arts & Events: July 2009 Archives

Jared Meisler of Bar Lubitsch will be hosting a vodka tasting at his West Hollywood bar tomorrow night from 6 to 8pm. For $20, guests will enjoy chilled shots of premium vodkas like Hawaii's own Ocean Vodka, made with organic sugar cane, as well as Crystal Head, Hanger One, Krol, Modern Spirits, Pinky, Russian Standard, Siku, Three Olives, Tru and Ultimat. Since each brand has different flavors and levels it’ll be almost 20 vodkas to savor! Don’t forget your designated driver! No reservations required, cash/credit at the door.

Weekend Edition HBO will be renewing "True Blood", "Hung", and "Entourage" - speaking of which, sneak previews have shown that this Sunday's "True Blood" will be epic! And speaking of speaking of which, you can now order bottles of True Blood online. --- At the TCA press tour in Pasadena, Larry David revealed details about the "Seinfeld" reunion that will be happening in the upcoming season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm".

Reform School, an art, craft and design shop, is holding an an opening reception for Savanna Snow’s new show “Charming Cobras.” It’s an Indian-inspired theme with Indian snacks from Jaredfood and live sitar music. The reception starts at 7 pm. Preview the show here.

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. Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt are poised to headline the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater twice with Grammy-nominated pop punk outfit Paramore and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. And, lastly, local rapper Busdriver (LAist Review, #2) will be performing at the Echoplex with Deerhoof (LAist Review). But we strongly suggest heading over to the Troubadour to catch NY-based indie rockers Stellastarr. LAist favorites, Michigan's own Mason Proper and New Hampshire's own Wild Light (LAist Review) are slated to kick things off.

              

A few months ago the very cute sign for Loyal Army went up next to Kidrobot on Melrose. The white clouds with smiley faces promised some fun shopping. LAist went to check it out and found the adorableness inside.

After nearly a year of grueling and dramatic meetings between Sunset Junction Festival organizers, the city and local neighbors and businesses, the festival will be likely be permitted for August 22nd and 23rd after addressing concerns, according to City Council President Eric Garcetti's office.

       

Chan-wook Park cemented an already burgeoning reputation among passionate cinephiles with his 2003 film Oldboy. While his latest effort, Thirst, doesn't rise nearly to that level, it is an alternately fascinating, rigorous and maddening piece of cinema. Loosely based on Emile Zola's novel Thérèse Raquin, the film follows Sang-hyeon, a Catholic priest who is accidentally transformed into a sort of vampire by a failed medical experiment (note: Zola's novel does not have Christian vampires). Sang-hyeon is naturally conflicted by his brutal new nature and tries to find ways in which he can live as a vampire while preserving his humanity.

Last weekend, the noted Bruce Norris play, "The Pain and the Itch" opened at the Boston Court in Pasadena, earning the Critic's Pick nod from Back Stage. "This astutely designed and intelligently rendered production is a shared feather in the cap for two of L.A.'s most adventurous theater companies," wrote Les Spindle of the Furious Theatre Company's production.

Research firm NewMediaMetrics is predicting that Jay Leno's 10pm show will take off. Confirmation that there really are that many old people in America. --- "Burn Notice" and "Royal Pains" are on tonight and they'll be on for a while as USA has ordered 16 more episodes of each.--- Anyone catch the Jordan Schlansky segment on Conan last night? He's always a treat - catch it on Conan's Hulu channel.

X Games 15 started today and runs through Sunday at Staples Center and the Home Depot Center. Watch live 250 of the world’s best athletes competing in BMX freestyle, moto X, skateboard and rally car racing. Still on the bill this afternoon: Skateboard Vert Women's Final, Skateboard Street Women's Final, BMX Freestyle Park Elimination, Skateboard Big Air Final and Moto X Step Up Final. X Games events at the Staples Center require tickets ($20) for entry at 4 p.m. Home Depot tickets range from $10-$20 for all-day entry (starting at 10 a.m. daily). http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=4212508

Five years ago, Magic Garage was born in an Eagle Rock house when a group of artists and musicians decided to come together to throw a party and show off their work. This weekend, the group will convene once again, but thanks to the growing success of the event, the organizer's mom's house won't cut it anymore, so instead they will take over the Annex Seven loft downtown.

Tonight the famed Watkins Family Hour (LAist Review) will be taking place at Largo at the Coronet. Local psych rockers Xu Xu Fang are poised to grace Swinghouse Studios. And, lastly, ARIA Award-winning Australian five-piece blues/roots band the Audreys will be performing at the Hotel Café with Miami Beach-based singer-songwriter Rachel Goodrich and psych pop outfit Nightfur. But we strongly suggest heading out to the Santa Monica Pier to catch legendary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo.

Now that the Los Angeles Marathon is back on a Sunday in March--the 21st to be exact--the new "Stadium to Sea" route is being hashed out. Under current Santa Monica law, only 5K and 10Ks are permitted, but on Tuesday the City Council instructed staff "to return with an ordinance or policy change that would allow marathons to be held in the city," according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.

The second program in REDCAT’s sixth annual New Original Works Festival is brimming with things rarely seen before. This week (only), two interdisciplinary artist collaborations inhabit the basement of Disney Hall and, as the theater’s executive director, Mark Murphy says, “I can’t wait to see the results!” Innovative media artist Carole Kim collaborates with award winning choreographer/dancer Oguri, percussionist/composer Alex Cline and

I don't know if I've gotten even nerdier, or if documentaries have gotten even better, but half the films I've seen or wanted to see this year are non-fictional in nature. Which is why I'm stoked for DocuWeeks 2009, playing through the end of August at the Arclight. Sponsored by the International Documentary Association, the festival features compelling characters & stranger-than-fiction stories in first-look Academy-qualifying runs. Each week is a different program; this week features a look at ecology from the ground up, Up With People, the uphill struggle of Congolese & Nepalese refugees, and the uppest of the up, His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Pioneering dance innovator Merce Cunningham died of natural causes this past Sunday at his home in New York City. At the age of ninety and having already influenced thousands of dancers and choreographers across the globe, the impact of his artistry will continue to be felt in his absence. The recipient of countless awards and international honors, the always forward-thinking creator only recently announced plans for his legacy to remain true to its origins. His iconoclastic dance technique, related to ballet but tilted, extended and re-imagined beyond ballet’s range, has been documented, codified and disseminated in the teachings of many of his previous company members and the many who trained at his studio in the West Village.

e're looking forward to the premiere of IFC's miniseries "Bollywood Hero" which premieres a week from tomorrow. The series stars SNL alum Chris Kattan who we always want to see more of, as well as costars Maya Rudolph, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Coolidge, David Alan Grier, and a host of Indian superstars. IFC has been warming it's audience up to the event by screening Hindi cinema every Sunday this month. Shot on location in India, the show is crewed by the team that brought Slumdog Millionaire to the world.

The thriving lolita community in Los Angeles loves to dress up and gathers at themed parties. This weekend you find them satisfying their sugar cravings at the Candy Land Lolita Tea Party at Royal/T. On Saturday, August 1, Royal/T in Culver City will be a gathering place for sweet things. From 3 to 9 p.m. the contemporary gallery space will be transformed into a candy filled oasis. The free event features a lolita fashion show by Miss Carlyfornia and Kawaii Kidz. MC Diva Danielle from the Diva Craft Show, jewelry by Miss Vichy, a doll pop-up shop from The Valley of the Dolls, raffles, a cupcake and cotton candy stand, a life size Candy Land game board

Comic book fans get a special treat tonight in Santa Monica. Every Picture Tells A Story Gallery presents Marvel Artworks and The Legends Behind The Comics tonight, starting at 5:30 PM. True stories relating to the creators of such classics as Batman, Spiderman and Captain America will be shared throughout the evening and complemented by a variety of art, books and films, including limited edition Marvel Artworks fine art prints which are being put on display for the first time ever. Later in the evening, the movie The Legends Behind The Comics, a documentary examining the origins of some popular heroes will be screened.

Tonight Oakland-based experimental hip hop duo Themselves will be headlining Spaceland. LA-based indie rock outfit Firs will be performing at the Bootleg Theatre. And, lastly, LAist favorites, local fringe rock outfit the Movies (LAist Review, #2) will be taking on Bordello in Downtown. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Airliner in Lincoln Heights to catch Los Angeles' own "Ambassador of Boogie Funk," Culver City-based DJ/selector DâM-FunK, who will be ringing in his debut LP—Toeachizown Vol. 1: LAtrik—with none other than local electronic musician/producer/MC Thavius Beck.

                     

The lazy response to Judd Apatow's Funny People will be that it isn't as, well, funny as his two previous films, The 40 Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up. The subtext of that observation, of course, is that it isn't as good as those other films, and that is a howlingly wrong presumption. True, Funny People is not Apatow's funniest film, but -- true also -- it is his best. While not a straight comedy, it has plenty of laughs and inspired lunatic performances (Eric Bana, in particular, is a revelation). What it also has, though, is an interest in exploring the intersection of mortality and human failing, and it does so with great clarity and a requisite lack of pity.

       

Football season is upon us, which means that Madden season is also right around the corner. To celebrate the latest edition of the game, Madden NFL 10, the good people at EA Sports and XBOX 360 gathered an impressive cast of NFL legends and celebrities in Malibu to play a game of flag football.

      

“This reads like the list of horses at the Hollywood Park Racetrack,” my friend said, flipping though my copy of the LA Shorts Fest program. He had a point -- Free Lunch, Hove (The Wind), Schrodinger's Cat -- these film short titles could easily inspire the naming of a racehorse. And after sitting in on the screenings of at least 100 of the shorts so far, I can say attending is as much fun as a day at the races and just as unpredictable.

"Galactica" fans, did you see Edward James Olmos on G4's "Attack of the Show"? --- Heads-up, this week the Independent TV Festival begins on July 31st at at Laemmle's Sunset 5. Full program is available at ITVFest.org --- TNT is establishing its cast for an as-yet untitled Steven Spielberg series about an alien invasion.

Today's subjects are Gabriel Landau and Ron Eigen, partners in LA based production company - Diligent. Ron and Gabe run Diligent, a new kind of production company that creates branded entertainment, original programming, and online experiences. They work with brands, agencies, and distributors to create engaging work that gets audiences talking, laughing and sharing with their friends.

              

It may seem like a thankless struggle at times, but I will not rest until everyone who needs to see Battlestar Galactica has seen Battlestar Galactica. I don't think there has ever been a show so great that has been viewed by so few. Remedy that today! I sort of like the graininess of my current Spinal Tap DVD, but if you'd rather see Nigel, David, Derek and, uh, Liam in delicious 1080P than today is your day. I was excited about the prospect of a live-action Green Lantern movie right up to the point where Ryan Reynolds became involved. I like Ryan in light comedies, but he is all wrong for the Lantern Corps. I mean, Sinestro would just completely kick his ass! Finally, I urge everyone to do their patriotic duty by clicking on the Sarah Palin link and donating today!

Now this is a recession buster: The Glendale Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is holding a one-day "penny carnival" today until 5 pm at Montrose Park (3529 Clifton Place). The carnival includes games, face painting, balloons, popcorn and snow cones for 5 to 25 cents.

As new media consumption goes mainstream, so goes the geekfest; this week's Twiistup includes panels featuring the likes of Brooke Burke (of Wild on E! and Dancing with the Stars fame) discussing her new-found success as an online entrepreneur and Chamillionaire (he of the many mixtapes and much Patron) talking digital music. Since 2007, Twiistup, has served as both a memorable party for the entrepreneurs and media savants and a matchmaking event for select SoCal startups and wide-eyed venture capitalists. But this week Twiistup, now in it's sixth version, is expanding to add a day-and-a-half conference with top speakers to complement a night of open bar mingling.

Tonight Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt will be headlining the Gibson Amphitheatre with Grammy-nominated pop punk outfit Paramore and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. Soviet-born pop folk singer-songwriter and pianist Regina Spektor is poised to perform to a sold-out crowd at the El Rey Theatre with local indie pop outfit Little Joy (LAist Review). And, lastly, local "fancy pop" songstress Obi Best (LAist Interview, Review, #2) will be gracing the Bootleg Theatre with none other than local singer-songwriter Willoughby. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland to catch English rockers Band of Skulls, who will be ringing in their debut LP—2009's Baby Darling Doll Face Honey. LAist favorites the Useless Keys are slated to kick things off.

Stand up is the biggest draw this week, but as always improv is making a strong stand out at Westside and of course at UCB and iO West. In fact, Sentimental Lady and Flap Jackson are going to be breaking out of the Harold and into some new forms on Sunday evening at UCB, so that's worth a look too. Either way, there's always plenty of comedy, and if you know of more, let a guy know.

Anyone see the "Doctor Who" presentation at Comic-Con? Yesterday the series got an award from the Guinness Book of World Records as "the most successful sci-fi series". Did anyone watch the "Doctor Who" premiere last night? Also at Comic-Con, a bunch of details of the "Lost" season finale, including the fact that there will essentially be a reunion of all the characters.

We're a city of many languages, but so often our icons of art and culture communicate in English-only. Now the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is reaching out to their Spanish-speaking (and reading) visitors and members by providing Twitter posts en Español, making them--as far as they or we know--the first museum to do so, according to their blog, Unframed.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continues its series “Hollywood’s Greatest Year: The Best Picture Nominees of 1939.” On the big screen is the John Steinbeck classic Of Mice and Men with Lon Chaney Jr. as Lennie and Burgess Meredith as George. The tickets are $5 and there’s a “Buck Rogers” serial chapter at 7 p.m. and the feature presentation at 7:30 p.m. All screenings will be held at Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Tonight Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt will be headlining the Gibson Amphitheatre with Grammy-nominated pop punk outfit Paramore and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. Oklahoma-based indie pop act Starlight Mints are poised to grace the Troubadour with none other than Castledoor. And, lastly, LA-based orchestral pop duo the Long Lost, a collaboration between Alfred Darlington (otherwise known as electronic mastermind Daedelus) and his wife Laura, will be performing at the Bootleg Theatre. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Wiltern to catch English musician Jarvis Cocker, best known as the front man of legendary Sheffield-based alternative rockers Pulp. LA-based indie pop outfit Little Joy (LAist Review) are slated to kick things off.

This week Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt will be headlining the Gibson Amphitheatre twice and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater twice with Grammy-nominated pop punk outfit Paramore and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. Virginia Beach-based funk/hip hop group N*E*R*D are poised to take on the Avalon. English musician Jarvis Cocker, best known as the front man of legendary Sheffield-based alternative rockers Pulp, will be gracing the Wiltern with local indie pop outfit Little Joy.

Tonight local rock and roll outfit Slang Chickens will be performing Studio 1444 with Avi Buffalo (LAist Interview, Review), Swim Party and the Black Apples, among many others. New Mexican country/bluegrass outfit the Handsome Family will be performing early on at McCabe's Guitar Shop. And, lastly, the Bay Area's own garage rockers the Blank Tapes will be taking on Echo Curio. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to get into the Hollywood Bowl to catch Athens-based avant-gardists Of Montreal (LAist Review). LAist favorites, local Cambodian rock outfit Dengue Fever (LAist Interview) are slated to kick things off.

              

Today Comic-Con 2009 in San Diego wraps up a week of wacky costumes, events, panels, and general fandemonium. This year the toy section has grown into a collectors wonderland. In addition to the exclusives by STRANGEco, Super7, and Pullip, Michele Reverte checked out merchandise by Gama-Go, Tokidoki, Kidrobot, and found a place to play Nintendo DS.

Gold Cup Brunch New Cahuenga Pass pub Henry's Hat is putting on a brunch to go with their showing of the Gold Cup championship soccer (or futbol) game (on multiple flat screens and a 5-by-5 projection screen in The Den). You can order either a Mexico brunch or an American: For Mexico, spicy Chilaquiles are on the brunch menu ($8) and the Henry’s Mission Burger with Niman Ranch ground beef, bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, grilled onions, and avocado

You know Jim Breuer, if not by name then at least by his perpetually stoned-looking mug or his outlandish Saturday Night Live characters, most notably Goat Boy. This is the Jim Breuer you recognize, from Half-Baked and Chappelle’s Show and even Clerks. But a lot of people don’t know that Breuer also has a long love affair with stand up, dating back many years and several TV specials. And those specials, while rarely game-changing, have been good, sometimes great; the AC/DC hokey pokey bit is pretty magical. Unfortunately, Breuer’s new special Let’s Clear the Air lacks all of the magic and most of the funny that you could previously expect from the man you thought you knew.

Tonight legendary Portland-based Pavement front man Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks will be performing at the Echoplex. LA-by-way-of-Tulsa folk rock singer-songwriter AM is poised to grace the Hotel Café. And, lastly, local indie folk outfit Marvelous Toy will be performing with Highland Park's own experimental rockers Seasons at Echo Curio. But we strongly suggest heading over to Lot 613 in Downtown to catch LAist favorites, Portland-based Italo disco act Glass Candy.

Actor and musician Patrick Muldoon ("Starship Troopers," "Melrose Place," "Days of our Lives") hosts sketch comedy show “ACME Saturday Night” tonight at 8:00 at ACME Comedy Theatre. Muldoon will appear in several sketches with various “ACME Saturday Night” cast members, and perform some of his original music with fellow band member Neil Ives. The show is recorded in front of a studio audience and happens to stream live worldwide online, too. Studio audience tickets are available at the website for $10.00. Tickets are $15.00 at the door the night of the show.

The story is as old as baseball itself -- Dreadlocked Slugger moves to Hollywood... Dreadlocked Slugger earns suspension for female fertility drug use... Dreadlocked Slugger returns. And...

What does society really think when a fit, good-looking guy dates a heavy-set woman? Neil Labute certainly lets the audience know in his play Fat Pig, running tonight and tomorrow at 8 pm at the Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall.

While we are excited to geek out with a new "Doctor Who" on Sunday, we're also looking forward to Fallon tonight which has two guests that we've interviewed for LAist: Bob Saget and John Mulaney.

                     

Other than The Cove, I didn't see a better film this year at the Sundance Film Festival than Humpday (review here). It's inventive; it's challenging; it's odd but, most of all, it's funny. Very, very funny. The premise may scare some away -- two straight friends decide to have gay sex for a porn film festival -- but the treatment of the material is so perfect that I can't imagine anyone not loving it. While not quite as laugh-out-loud funny as Humpday, In the Loop is as smart a comedy as you will ever see (review here). A barely-veiled satire of the run-up to the 2003 Iraq War, In the Loop features at least a half-dozen brilliantly venal performances, especially Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker (nee the Prince of Fucking Darkness!) See these two movies!!

It’s classic rock night at the Zoo tonight from 6-9 pm. The "Music in the Zoo" program features cover bands: The Eagles Have Landed (Eagles music), The Rubber Souls (Beatles music), Highway 61 Revisited (Bob Dylan music), Cubensis (Grateful Dead music), The Heist (The Who, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin music) and Up Stream (popular Reggae music). Food and beverage offerings and 10 interactive animal education and conservation can be found throughout the Zoo. Picnics are also permitted. Tickets are $16.50 for adults and $10.50 for children ages 6 to 15. Children 5 and under are free. The animals will be up and out until 8 pm.

Tonight London-based electro-pop duo La Roux will be performing to a sold-out crowd at the Troubadour. Pennsylvanian mash-up king Girl Talk (LAist Review, #2) is poised to headline the Pomona Fox Theater with LAist favorites Brother Reade (LAist Interview, Review) and Walter Meego (LAist Review) in tow. And, lastly, Brooklyn-based electronic act the Golden Filter will be gracing the Avalon in Hollywood. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Roxy to catch local electronic mastermind Nosaj Thing. The Glitch Mob are slated to headline.

When Kenan Bell isn't in the classroom of a local Montessori school teaching youngsters language arts, he's on stage schooling crowds with his own unique brand of hip-hop that blends indie-rock with electronica, a style URB called "his very own genre of nu-gaze, emo-hip-hop." In March, the La Crescenta native put on full display his eclectic musical taste and range when he dropped the “Good News: The Mix-Tape,” which features remixes of songs by artists as wide-ranging as Pink Floyd, Lily Allen, Gang Gang Dance, Jose Gonzalez, Peter, Bjorn & John, Duran Duran, and Neil Diamond. Yes, you read that right, Neil Diamond.

                                          

It's that time of year again, when many LA residents (along with others from around the world) make the trek to Comic-Con in San Diego. Given that 125,000 people are attending the convention this year, navigating the Comic-Con exhibit hall is an event in itself. And although the main costume spectacle will take place during Saturday night's masquerade, today's crop didn't disappoint!

OK, so we've had the re-launch of "90210" and now the CW is about to pepper us with sultry, "Gossip Girl" style ads hyping the September 8th premiere of the new "Melrose Place". How do you, the residents of LA, feel about the "return" of this show? This Sunday, the Discovery Channel will air the series by the best TV newsman of the 20th century, Walter Cronkite's "Cronkite Remembers". The marathon will start at 8am Pacific and run until midnight.

LEARN Blankspaces is holding the “Unintentional Entrepreneur Event” tonight from 6:30-8 pm. The event will feature successful, local entrepreneurs sharing tips and advice with those starting out or struggling with their existing business. Free beer and pizza, too. SHORT FILM The LA Shorts Fest opens tonight and runs through July 31. There’s a lot of star power at this year’s fest, which features more than 280 short films, music videos and commercials.

Leave it to a Venice Beach resident to combine Cirque du Soleil with the sunshine. That's what Atlaz Branthoover does for exercise. In this Rue Cyr video he finds a use for Santa Monica's oversized chess board that would surely bestow motion sickness onto this writer.

Tonight San Diegan singer-songwriter Anya Marina (LAist Review, #2) will be opening for Eric Hutchinson at the El Rey Theatre. LA-based singer-songwriter Robert Francis is poised to grace the Roxy with local blues-rock duo Rumpsringa (LAist Review, #2) in tow. And, lastly, Spirit Animal, otherwise known as the Gray Kid's latest full-fledged band endeavor, will be performing at Spaceland with locals Tigers Can Bite You and Robotanists. But we strongly suggest doing whatever it takes to get into UCLA's Hammer Museum to catch LA-based indie rockers Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros (LAist Review). LAist favorites Eskimohunter are slated to kick things off.

Last weekend, it was over 100 hidden staircases between downtown and the Hollywood sign. This Sunday the Location Managers Guild of America will bring the second of a series of six walks along Route 66, says the blog Franklin Avenue.

If you're anything like me, your Fridays are packed with dead bodies. No? Make some time this week to rectify that situation. The Warner Grand's deadly double of The Giant Gila Monster & The Giant Spider Invasion features radiation, rock & roll, and most importantly, a raffle for a dead body at intermission. Once you've won, high-tail it to the Nuart, where the midnight premiere of controversial coming-of-age-zombie-rape-melodrama Deadgirl will teach you what to do and what not to do with your new friend. If you still have questions, leads Noah Segan, Shiloh Fernandez & writer Trent Haaga will be on hand and happy to help!

Yesterday we wrote about the demise of 20th Century Props and the auction of their collection - today we can notify you of another auction occurring in..... 2010! If you are going to ComicCon you should check out the Profiles in History display of "Lost" props that will be auctioned in 2010 and start saving up for that Dharma Initiative bag of potato chips that escaped the clutches of Hurley.

This year has been a busy one for Jewel. She recently released her first independent album, "Lullaby," which is an ethereal collection of three classic tracks and 10 originals. The self-penned material holds its own among the standards, and after listening to this disc, it's hard to imagine a voice better suited for lullabies than Jewel's. Last week, LAist spoke with her to learn why she hopes her new album appeals to adults and children alike, and what she has in store when she takes the stage at the Hollywood Bowl this Friday and Saturday.

For all those still reminiscing about their glory years in high school, a la Al Bundy, or perhaps just looking for an interesting take on the phenomena, head down to the The Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood. 40 is the New 15 opens tonight for a six week run ending on August 27th. The play follows the lives of a cross section of fortysomethings reflecting on their high school days and the goals they hoped to accomplish by the time they hit forty. Based on the life of writer Larry Todd Johnson, it follows the lives of an aspiring neurosurgeon, computer geek, gymnast, die hard baseball fan and musical aficionado. Shows on Wednesdays and Thursdays only, at 8:30 PM.

K-Town is getting its own food festival early next month and it looks like it could become a staple of LA's summer festival scene. How could grilled and smoked meats with magical flavors not be a hit? Details are slowly coming out for the event, set for August 8th, but here's what we know: Jonathan Gold and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are confirmed to be cook-off judges. Confirmed restaurants include Beverly Soon Tofu, Byul Dae Po (Star BBQ), Ham Ji Park, Mu Dae Po, Park's BBQ, Seoul Jung, So Hyang, Soowon Galbi. There will be a food eating contest

Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt will be headlining the Gibson Amphitheatre with Grammy-nominated pop punk outfit Paramore and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. English alternative rockers Elbow are poised to take on the Wiltern with local indie rockers Mellowdrone and Manchester-by-way-of-LA singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop (LAist Interview, Reviews). And, lastly, LA-based indie rock outfit Voxhaul Broadcast will be performing with the Union Line at Pershing Square. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Airliner in Lincoln Heights to catch local electronic mastermind Daedelus, who will be performing for this week's edition of Low End Theory. Eclectic Santa Ana-based producer Free The Robots will be kicking things off.

       

On Thursday when the doors open to Comic-Con 2009 (SDCC), toy collectors are going to rush in to snap up all of the exclusive toys companies are offering during the show. Last week LAist visited the Super7 store in San Francisco and previewed some of their SDCC toys. The Super7 store, on Post Street in SF's Japantown, is the closest thing to an authentic Tokyo toy store that we have seen in California. From their original characters, amazing collection of Neo-Kaiju, art, and t-shirts, Super7 is a must-see on any toy enthusiasts visit to SF.

Even the occasional Adam Carolla listener -- whether during his decade on KROQ's Loveline, mornings via KLSX's The Adam Carolla Show, or digitally on his iTunes-topping The Adam Carolla Podcast -- knows the Ace Man has a great much to say about his formative years in North Hollywood. This 2007 rant (part of Zocalo's Public Square lecture series) is no different. (Zocalo hosts the full chat: How to be a Genius Without Even Trying: A Conversation with Adam Carolla.)

The 6th Annual New Original Works Festival opens this week and runs for three weekends at REDCAT, the theater at the basement of Disney Hall downtown. Programming an assortment of dance, theater, and music events to share a single performance, the festival’s history has been adventurous and the LA Weekly calls it "one of the city's more eclectic and vital performance festivals." The mission of the festival isn’t to get traditional and conventional work onto the LA stage, but to offer an opportunity for local artists to experiment and take some risks, using all the finery of this state of the art facility.

The economy is claiming the viability of Hollywood's 2nd largest prop house, 20th Century Props. The company will be auctioning off its 93,000 items starting on July 28th, including pieces from the movies Cleopatra and Titanic, as well as the TV series "The X-Files" among many others.

In case you don't have a good reason to drink beer this weekend, hop along, Cassidy, to the Gene Autrey Center in Griffith Park for all the hops and barley you can drink. The admission price of $50 includes food, beverages and live entertainment including the returning Host Bil Dwyer and and an encore live performance by Blackstone Heist. The 21 and over event runs from 3pm to 7pm Saturday, and cabs will be on site in case you have more than a taste and get overhydrated.

              

Rarely do major film studios finance films as ambitious as Watchmen and with the middling success the film enjoyed, it's likely to become rarer still. Which is a damn, damn shame. Zach Snyder's adaptation of Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel has its share of issues, but he did manage to get Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach and Nite Owl (II) just about perfect which is a huge triumph. Watchmen is a film that deserved greater financial support from the public. Let's hope it finds that support on DVD. I mean seriously, do we want more films like Watchmen or more shit like Transformers 2: Revenge of Shit. Vote with your dollars, people!

Matthew Sweet and Bangles vocalist Susanna Hoffs head to the GRAMMY Museum tonight to unveil their newest project “Under The Covers Vol. 2,” as part of the Museum’s program “The Drop.”; The duo will take part in an onstage interview, participate in an audience Q&A and perform selections from their new CD. The new release features 16 of their favorite tunes from the 1970s. The event begins at 8 pm, and tickets are $14.95.

Tonight local folk duo the Ditty Bops will be performing at the Steve Allen Theatre in Los Feliz. London-based experimental pop outfit Micachu & the Shapes are poised to headline the Echo with the tUnE-YaRdS in tow. And, lastly, classically-trained violinist-turned-singer-songwriter Christina Courtin (LAist Interview) will be gracing Largo at the Coronet. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland to catch lead singer of Delta Spirit, Matt Vasquez. LAist favorites the Parson Red Heads (LAist Review, #2, #3) are slated to kick things off.

On Sunday night Cambodian psych-pop group Dengue Fever will make their debut at the Hollywood Bowl and couldn't be more excited. They will open a bill that features another Hollywood Bowl debut, legendary new wave disco dominatrix Grace Jones. Sharing this one-of-a-kind bill is the wildly theatrical Of Montreal, and with Henry Rollins hosting, it is sure to be a memorable show.

Over 500 dancers showed up in El Segundo this weekend to try out for the 2009-2010 Laker Girls squad ... but no more than 22 of these talented young ladies will make the final cut.

There's a ton of great stuff this week and upcoming down in Irvine, which sort of sucks for anyone who doesn't love traffic. But not to worry, there's so many solid weekly shows around town that you might be neglecting, like Jay Leno or The Smokes or Local 132. Get out, or get AT me if you want to be considered for a hype session from yours truly.

"American Idol" fans listen up, your favorite judge, Paula Abdul, might not be returning according to her new manager. It would be a real tragedy for late night TV as about 50% of their material seems to be based on her during the "American Idol" season, and it would be a real tragedy for Paula Abdul as it seems unlikely that she has any other employment prospects other than to be the butt of late night TV jokes.

Don't judge a pop band by it's cover. Yes okay, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, is a heartbreakingly silly name for a band (I mean I don't think they'll be tattooed on anybody's chest anytime soon) but man they've got a sparkly debut disk. Chock full of 80s inspired pop, the kind that would fit in the background of any John Hughes movie, the self-titled offering has already have generated some most impressive buzz. Lead singer, Kip Berman was kind enough to answer our questions while he was running around Pitchfork Festival this weekend. Here is some of what was said.

Buzzworks Theater Company presents “Angst! A Radical Night of 80s Oddities” tonight at 8 pm at the Renberg Theatre at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The company will reinvent favorite 80s classics for the stage. The local indie-pop band, Populuxe, will be covering the biggest hits of the decade with celebrity guest singers. Audience members will be invited to mix and mingle with the stars at a post-show cocktail reception. Tickets are $25 and will help benefit the company.

Tonight psych folk act Pocahaunted (LAist Review) will be headlining the Smell in Downtown. Costa Mesa-based garage rockers the Growlers will be supporting Japanese Motors on the third night of their month-long residency at Spaceland. And, lastly, local indie rock outfit Last American Buffalo are poised to grace the Silver Lake Lounge with Spirit Vine and the Steelwells in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo to catch NY's own indie rockers Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. San Franciscan lo-fi rock outfit Girls will be kicking things off.

Christina Courtin first captured attention as a Juilliard-trained violinist, playing everything from the classics to a piece that ends with a smashed violin. Yet all the while, she harbored a secret desire to sing, and as she branched out into this arena, she began building a fan base that started with fellow musicians and quickly grew. Courtin will be playing Largo at the Coronet on Tuesday night, and LAist spoke with her earlier this month to get the scoop on her new CD.

All things super cute will be well represented at this year's Comic-Con this week in San Diego. Several companies are offering exclusive toys including Tokidoki cactus friends from STRANGEco. The Platinum Editions of Carina & Bruttino and Skeletrino & Skeletrina are sure to bring out the Tokidoki collectors. Only 250 of each pup is available for $15 each.

              

While it didn't manage to top the records of the deplorable Transformers 2: Racist CGI Moron Porn, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince did enjoy a fantastic weekend as it set a record for the franchise and easily won the weekend ($79.5M | $159.6M). Ice Age 3: More Ice Age placed second ($17.7M | $152M) while the aforementioned Transformers 2: Revenge of the Stupid gathered in a richly undeserved $13.7M ($363.8M). As expected, last week's champ -- the evil, hysterical Bruno -- crashed in its second weekend ($8.3M | $49.5M).

This week Anaheim-based ska-infused pop outfit No Doubt will be headlining the Gibson Amphitheatre with Grammy-nominated pop punk outfit Paramore and Swedish new wave rockers the Sounds in tow. Athens-based avant-gardists Of Montreal will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl with none other than LA-based Cambodian rock outfit Dengue Fever. English alternative rockers Elbow are poised to take on the Wiltern with local indie rockers Mellowdrone and Manchester-by-way-of-LA singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop (LAist Interview, Reviews). And, lastly, London-based electro-pop duo La Roux will be performing to a sold-out crowd at the Troubadour.

"To the Stars" in Dragonheart is one of the oft-used pieces of music in trailers and film today. Jump to 2:20 to hear the theme. This week's classical pick highlights concerts in LA that focus on movie music.Although Porgy and Bess is typically remembered as one of the most famous American operas of all time, it was also made into a film featuring Sidney Poitier and sammy Davis Jr. You can hear Gershwin's music and see a performance of Porgy and Besstonight at the Hollywood Bowl. Concert starts at 7:30 PM.

Tonight eclectic English trio Kitty, Daisy & Lewis (LAist Interview) will be opening for Coldplay at Verizon Wireless Amphiteater. Local rockers the Yelling (LAist Interview) are poised to grace Spaceland for this week's edition of HellYa! And, lastly, LA-based singer-songwriter Holly Conlan will be performing at the Hotel Café with a slew of peers, including Brother Sal and Jim Bianco. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Echo late in the evening to catch Houston-based psych-infused noise anomaly Indian Jewelry. LAist favorites Pyschic Ills will be kicking things off.

Since the advent of the mp3 era, there’s been a lot of talk about the death of the “album” as a medium for music delivery. As the argument goes, bands have no incentive to write forty-five consecutive minutes’ worth of content, since consumers no longer have to sit through three decent-to-mediocre tracks to get to the one they like, buried in the middle of side two. Now that the listening experience is entirely customizable, those deep cuts that never passed muster for airplay or “best of” collections will be tossed away like so many pot seeds, completely unheard by the audience that only cares about their favorite songs.

The Protege Basketball Block Party stops at the Kmart in Torrance (19330 Hawthorne Blvd.) today from noon to 6 pm with free on- and off-court interactive activities (shooting contests, b-ball tips, etc.) for all ages. It’s an 18-wheel, 53-foot show truck that transforms into a 4,500-square-foot basketball playground. And best part of all? Former Laker-turned-commentator James Worthy stops by from 5-6 pm today.

       

Nearly 75 people yesterday joined Dan Koeppel and friends on the first of two days in The Big Parade, a 40-mile walk from downtown to the Hollywood Sign up and down more one hundred neighborhood stair cases. They begin the last leg of their journey this morning after camping in a Silver Lake pocket park next to the Music Box Stairs.

Photo by Mick O Says So on flickr.

              

As part of the current exhibit "Your Bright Future" things are looking very colorful at LACMA these days. Two of the most striking parts of the show include the work of Korean artists Choi Jeong-Hwa, whose blue, red, and yellow swaths of fabric, "Welcome," drape the museum's exterior, and the bright and dangling "HappyHappy" delight the visitors. LACMA's site explains more about the artists and his work:

The only artist in the exhibition who has not studied or lived abroad, Choi Jeong-Hwa proudly proclaims that he was "made in Korea." Renowned as the father of Korean pop art, he has produced three temporary outdoor installations for Your Bright Future. In Welcome, swaths of brightly colored fabric stretch from roof to balustrade on the south and west facades of LACMA's Ahmanson Building. Two other works are both titled HappyHappy. One comprises long strings of colorful plastic containers that hang from ceiling to floor in the museum's BP Grand Entrance. The other, near Sixth Street, includes five sections of chain-link fence, on which visitors can hang their own sculptures made of plastic containers.

Ooh La La. She's so cute. In the midst of all of the comic books, celebrities appearances, and entertainment hoopla, Comic-con will feature a designer toy wonderland. From Kidrobot exclusives to new Tokidoki pups, collectors are going to be in toy heaven. Pullip and the Valley of the Dolls is offering the LaLa doll exclusively for Comic-con 2009. This beauty, a limited edition of 300, is offered at a special price ($70).

Tonight Levittown-bred rockers Brand New will be performing to a sold-out crowd at the Troubadour with none other than Dios (LAist Interview, Review, #2) in tow. NY-based rapper Cage is poised to headline the El Rey Theatre. LAist favorites, Chicagoist-approved electro rock trio Hey Champ will be gracing Bardot before they make the big trek home. And, lastly, Brooklyn-based dance band and art/performance collective Men will be taking on Spaceland with San Franciscan electro pop act Hey Willpower. But we strongly suggest heading over to Out of Asia to catch Beach Dazed, FMLY's twelve hour celebration of Los Angeles' music and arts community. LAist favorites Busdriver (LAist Review, #2), Best Coast, RJD2, Voxtrot and Haim will be performing, among many others.

Beach Dazed is FMLY's twelve hour celebration of Los Angeles' music and arts community with free ice cream from the Ice Cream Man, Korean BBQ by the Calbi truck, two stages, a slip 'n' slides, water balloon fights, a pool, slide, local artists, great food, and a ton more @Out of Asia (3249 S. La Cienega Blvd). There's two stages of music and endless day and nighttime activities with RJD2, Voxtrot, Busdriver, Best Coast, [Post-foetus], Alligators, DJDT, Haim, Pizza!, 'REALLY, very', Railcars, Evan Voytas, Your Majesty performing an all 8bit DJ set, Riplee, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and guest DJs! Tickets are $30 via InTicketing, and for every ticket bought a tree is planted; door price is $40. At the door discount: for all Los Angeles students with a valid ID, tickets will be sold for $20.

After tearing apart a sold out Wiltern, LAist faves from France, Phoenix popped into KCRW for a wonderful hour with Jason Bentley on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Addressing demand, the band returns to The City of Angels on September 16. They're playing The Greek.

If you're near the Coliseum on Saturday night and see the Cauldron lit up, fireworks in the sky, and Mary Lou Retton, Edwin Moses, and Rafer Johnson walking by, you're not in a time warp. But you can wear your aviator sunglasses -- just in case.

Weekend Edition When it comes to late night TV, Letterman is definitely pulling ahead in terms of sheer numbers, about 800k more viewers per night than Conan. But Conan is scoring much higher in the coveted 18-49 demographic, to which NBC is saying, "I meant to do that". We mentioned a few weeks ago that "Futurama" might be coming back, but now rumor has it that if it returns it will be without the original cast of voices, to which, we would say, what's the point then?

For the second time this summer, traveling troupe Cirque Berzerk has extended their run, this time through the end of August. This just confirms to us that Los Angeles is indeed ready for permanent high quality acts. Soon Cirque du Soleil will be arriving for a 10 year show at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, but what else? Can this city support a Blue Man Group theatre? Would it go on the revived Broadway? Can we give Vegas a little run for their money? Let's hope so, L.A.

              

LAist has already seen the excellent Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and this weekend the rest of Los Angeles will likely follow suit. One small quibble, though: how do you leave out the [ ] of [ ]? It would have been one of the most powerful scenes in the entire series. That said, the realization of the pathetic Horace Slughorn is fantastic; the scene in the cave is top-notch; and the Quidditch play (especially Ron's Keeper sequence) has never been better. Thank God, the Deathly Hallows is being split into two films. Lots to cover!