Results tagged “benefit”

                                   

Last Sunday the backlot of CBS Radford Studios in Studio City was filled with some of the biggest names...in food. The 23rd Annual Great Chefs of LA was indeed the promised food and drink filled afternoon of music, swag bags, and auctions, all to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California. Hosted by comedian and TV star George Lopez, the event drew some celebs (so we hear!) from entertainment and lots of food talent (so we ate!).

Believe it or not, Shepard Fairey’s work isn’t in this art exhibit. M+B gallery presents the first exhibit of never-before-seen photographs of President Barack Obama from his freshman year Occidental College. (Eagle Rock in the house!) Lisa Jack, then a photo student at Oxy, sought a striking subject for a portrait project and was tipped off about a charismatic student named “Barry” Obama. Little did anyone know that 28 years later, the subject would become the 44th President of the United States. The opening reception (with eco-friendly cocktails provided by Veev) will be held tonight from 6-9 pm. “Barack Obama: The Freshman” runs until July 18.

You will be doing yourself a very large disservice if you don't get your ass over to Largo tonight to check out the Reno 911! Benefit Show, to raise money for Planting Peace, a charity that works to help children in impoverished nations. Every member of the show, including Tom Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio and Ian Roberts, will be sharing stage time with a roll call list of the greatest class clowns you'd kill to have in homeroom. Rob Heubel and Paul Scheer from MTV's Human Giant, Andy Daly (the principal on Eastbound and Down), Nick Kroll, Matt Besser and Matt Walsh (founders of Upright Citizens Brigade theatre) Nick Swardson, and even Rainn Wilson, to NAME JUST A FEW.

                                    

Earlier this month, the 2nd Annual Christmas Sweater Festival took place at The Echoplex (MySpace). The fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders, featured a stellar lineup of rising stars from the local indie scene, including Amnion (MySpace), Castledoor (MySpace), The Pity Party (MySpace), The Deadly Syndrome (MySpace), The Happy Hollows (MySpace), and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (MySpace).

                                    

Earlier this month was "Ho-Ho-Tel 2008" at the Hotel Cafe (MySpace) in Hollywood. The three night fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting the LAFD's "Spark of Love" Toy Drive, featured a "very good" all-star lineup of singer-songwriters and bands that included The Abdomen (MySpace), Sweet Talk Radio (MySpace), Alvin Stewart (MySpace), Holly Conlan (MySpace), Laura Jansen (MySpace), AM (MySpace), The Paper Raincoat (MySpace), Meiko (MySpace), Buddy (MySpace), Gary Jules (MySpace), Brian Wright (MySpace), Joe Firstman (MySpace), Greg Laswell (MySpace), Cary Brothers (MySpace), and Butch Walker (MySpace) for Friday, while Sunday included Jenni Alpert (MySpace), Rob Giles (MySpace), Shane Alexander (MySpace), Charley Turner (MySpace), Lissie (MySpace), Austin Hartley-Leonard (MySpace), Jay Nash (MySpace), Brother Sal (MySpace), Chris Pierce (MySpace), Jim Bianco (MySpace), Pedestrian (MySpace), Andy Clockwise (MySpace), Foster Timms, Tim Jones (MySpace), and Truth and Salvage Co. (MySpace).

                                   

Last Sunday the 22nd Annual Great Chefs of Los Angeles took place on the lot at CBS Studios to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California. Some of the city's best chefs were in attendance, serving up their finest fare. Vintners, liquor companies and non-alcoholic beverage companies also donated drinks to the event.

                      

Last Friday, local indie favorites The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra (MySpace), Xu Xu Fang (MySpace), and Castledoor (MySpace) -- all three of whom have been previously featured here, here, and here -- performed in the courtyard of USC's Fisher Museum of Art.

This Sunday, October 26th, from 3:30pm until evening, the Los Angeles chapter of INCITE!, hosts SISTERFIRE LA, a Women of Color and Trans People of Color multimedia art performance showcase against violence, featuring local artists, musicians, and other creative souls.

Say Aloha to the the 50th state with a taste of the food and fun of Hawaii. Lots of Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts, vendors with all sorts of goods, fresh floral leis, loads of food (shaved ice!!!!), and beer. Luckily it won't be a grillion degrees out in Northridge, but put on your Hawaiian Tropic just in case--that California sun still burns through the fog.

There are two upcoming music fundraising events of interest. At King King on Sunday, Ben Lee, Crash Kings and DJ David Roberti will all play a benefit concert to raise funds for a school that will serve the children of the Tashirat Orphanage and the impoverished children in the surrounding community of Tepoztlan, Mexico. Enough funds need to be raised by June 2nd in order for the school to open. The school will provide a safe haven where children receive basic necessities as well as the tools they need to flourish as individuals and achieve their dreams and highest potential, says organizer Marisa Godoy. It goes from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., but the open wine bar will only serve from 7-9 p.m. ($25)

This week's Sepulveda Blvd explosion took the life of firefighter Brent A. Lovrien, and as the LAFD mourns the loss along with Lovrien's friends and family and the city at large, the sacrifice so often made by our firefighters is on many minds.

Sunday's Grammy Awards weren't just about honoring the best in music, they were also about supporting environmental awareness and conservancy. And the The Recording Academy® hoped to set the precedent with getting the Grammys to go green.

Photo by Ned Raggert via Flickr

The week in Los Angeles bookish events from Monday, January 7th - Sunday, January 13th. Readings, signings and bookish events this week include Andy Summers, Jami Attenberg, Judith Freeman, Alice Fulton, J.A. Jance and Robert Gottlieb.

After playing Signor Adolfo Pirelli in the recent movie release of "Sweeney Todd", it looks as Sacha Baron Cohen (of Borat fame) might be becoming a choice pick for directors, or maybe just the soup du jour.

Last night Spoon played alongside Kool Keith at the Henry Fonda Theatre. Need I say more? Oh and it was for a great cause! Both artists rocked out to raise money for the non-profit organization Creative Commons. This was the third time they've held a CC Benefit. Prior CC Benefits featured David Byrne, Gilberto Gil, Girl Talk, Diplo, and Peeping Tom. I had no idea who was opening this special event until I arrived...

Up for a little do gooding and want to meet some good people along the way? Check out Philanthro Productions event at the Cabana Club tonight. Called "STRUT: A PARTY AND FASHION SHOW BENEFIT FOR CAMP HEARTLAND," it's $15 donation at the door.

We were all emotionally affected by Hurricane Katrina. And I'm sure we are all frustrated by the lack of progress in rebuilding New Orleans. But like me, you are probably wondering, "What can I do about it?" Well, right now, you can buy a CD or a download. Enjoy some rightous music while doing what's right.

Quotes of the week: “There are two kinds of people in this world, the givers and the takers. The takers eat better, but the givers sleep better.” – Danny Thomas "A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle." - Benjamin Franklin “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Good Art California Design Biennial 2007 August 19 – September 30, 2007 Pasadena Museum of...

The biggest international benefit concert since Live8 Live Aid of all time is ON. The 24-hour affair began around 10 p.m. PDT Friday and concludes late Saturday in Jersey. And we must rock because... why? Whelp... Al Gore said so. Yes, the former Veep who let some derelicts pickpocket his presidency before performing an Academy Award-winning PowerPoint presentation in An Inconvenient Truth is taking green global. Why not turn "can rock 'n' roll save...

I’m a pepper, you’re a pepper, he’s a pepper, she’s a pepper, wouldn’t you like to be a pepper too... Happy, Happy Birthday Dr. Sgt. Pepper, you psychedelic, rock and roll, definitive sonic buffet, you. Download: The Beatles - Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! [MP3]...

Richie Hass Benefit featuring: Potion Box, Present Tense, The Freda Rente Band, The Adz, Backbiter, The Amadans, The Richie Hass Band, Vinnie Golia, The BellRays, Mike Watt & the Missingmen, The Marc Mylar Mob, Joe Baiza's Congress, Saccharine Trust, Carey Fosse, The Atomic Sherpas, Fatso Jetson @ Safari Sams 4pm-midnight

O.J. to Auction Book Rights After a long string of controversies and cancellations, rights to O.J. Simpson’s If I Did It will be auctioned off on April 17, according to Los Angeles authorities. Freeing the slaves - in Los Angeles Tales of modern day slavery, in LA. And none of these people work for Disney. Benefit Concert For the Midnight Mission The Malibu Performing Arts Center (MPAC) was the place to be on March...

About once a month here in LA there will be a night of rock that is perfect. A night where you really should do yourself a favor and take advantage of the overflowing monkey cup of killer tunes happening in our own backyard. A night so filled with great music that if you don't go outside and listen to the music you should really ask yourself why you a) read this blog b) have...

What happens when you're skateboarding, hit by a car, severely injured and undergo four brain surgeries? In the case of dancer Kim Hagen, tonight a bunch of artists and musicians throw a benefit to help pay off nearly a million dollars in medical bills. If your you, ten bucks gets eight hours of live music, DJ's, and registered for some nice door prizes (like wine tastings, gift certificates and a good bottle of tequila.)...

Anavan, Flaspar, A++, Smooth Grooves, Fortress of Amplitude, Laco$te @ Il Corral

In honor of the the 16th International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition (aka Photo L.A.) being this weekend I thought I would make sure every photographer, novice to pro, knows about the event. So, here are some details:

Gay Santiago High student sues principal for outting her - CBS2 Another Denver pastor, buddy of Ted Haggard, resigns for being gay - Seattle PI Orange Line is ruining the Streets of San Fernando - Daily News Bob Barker will fork over $300k (and that ain't peanuts) to move an LA Zoo elephant to a sanctuary - NBC4 Farrah Fawcett has completed treatment for her anal cancer and will now bring aid and tips...