David Bowie built a musical career on outsider personas like Ziggy Stardust & Aladdin Sane. In The Man Who Fell to Earth, his first starring role, he's literally from another planet. Rialto Pictures celebrates the film's 35th anniversary with a director's cut opening exclusively at the Nuart. more ›

If you've ever given or sought consolation for receiving an A- instead of an A, you'll feel right at home in Whiz Kids. The documentary, which opens this weekend at Laemmle's Music Hall, charts three teen scientists as they prepare for the Intel Science Talent Search, high school's equivalent of the Nobel Prize. There's a lot of hard work and a little heart break along the way, but this trio is hell-bent on forging their destinies and a new world. Harmain, raised on food stamps by a Pakistani single mother, plots human evolution by carbon-dating crocodile fossils (human fossils from the same sites are too fragile to be examined). Ana, the first in her family looking to attend college, analyzes plant root systems to increase crop yields. more ›

Earlier this month, local record label Manimal Vinyl (see our interview last year with its founder) held its 2nd Annual Manimal Festival at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace. "In its second year, the two-day event showcases bands on Paul Beahan's record label... alongside musically bohemian peers," described Daiana Feuer from Papermag. "Manimal's experimental pop catalog -- which began most notably by releasing Bat For Lashes' record two years ago -- lends a unified voice to freak folk and its close cousins, many which are collected on yearly tribute albums to Madonna, The Cure, and in 2010, David Bowie. Manimal's focus mainly follows two streams: The ethereal, spooky soloist tradition [and] the dance beat, taking pop to strange outer space." more ›

Breadbar and Chef Nori of Ironori Concepts launched the “the hatchi series”; in June, with a guest chef event showcasing culinary treats the last Thursday of the month. Each series’ menu features eight small plate courses (six savory items and two desserts) priced at $8 per dish. Each guest must order a minimum of three dishes. Reservations are available from 6-10 pm tonight. Guest chef is Remi Lauvand with plates like Barramundi, Lady Peas, Watercress, Prosciutto, Basil Jus; Mini Tropézienne, Santa Barbara Pistachios and Chocolate Cracker; Slow Cooked Veal Breast, Carrottes Rissolées, Arugula; Penryn Orchard Pear, Crepe, Sofia Goat Cheese, Young Walnuts and more. more ›

If you're still waiting for the festival's announcement, take a number. "We'll have more info on the Coachella lineup as soon as we get it," the festival's sponsor, KROQ, announced around 7:45 a.m. Meanwhile, rumors that David Bowie would be reviving Ziggy Stardust flared up on Twitter yesterday. To that, Bowie apparently released a statement calling the rumor "poppycock... while we're about it, David Bowie does not have a Twitter account." UPDATE: LAist reader and twitter user rosyblue just informed us of something we didn't catch on KROQ: "No line up will be announced today. Apparently, they don't have it. Bean said probably tomorrow." more ›

December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

If you liked the Jim Hensen directed, David Bowie/Jennifer Connelly classic 80s movie, Labyrinth, then you're in the same boat as local band, The Happy Hollows, who just released their new music video, appropriately named after the flick. "There is a scene where Connelly comes to two doors guarded by two guards," the band explains in an e-mail to LAist. "The guards tell her a riddle (one guard always lies, ones guard tells the truth, and she can ask them one question). That riddle essentially makes up the lyrics of the song." more ›

The Kooks and The Morning Benders showcase a plateful of indie pop rock goodness at The Echo on February 8, 2008. more ›

Sure, you could always stay in and watch reruns of [insert name of your favorite show here], but why bother when you have these things happening tonight to get you through hump day. more ›

I am thankful for… Thanksgiving - even though I think it’s a stupid holiday, and I pretty much hate all the food associated with it - for giving me the opportunity to spend the day with family that I love and actually enjoy being around. I am thankful every day that I am able to make a living being creative and doing something I love. (Except for when I’m on strike) I am thankful... more ›

For many of you, this week is all about Turkey Day. For others, it's still all about The Strike. For me? This week will go down in history not because of the strike or Thanksgiving, but because the most awesome video game of all time, Rock Band, was released yesterday. I got my kit set up and ready to go within minutes, and began rocking out almost immediately. First impressions? The drumming element is... more ›

MGMT Oracular Spectacular Columbia Records Release Date: October 2nd, 2007 (digitally) When Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser, the visionaries at the helm of MGMT, met at Wesleyan University back in 2002, neither of them could have expected a four record, six figure deal from Columbia Records. Let alone being hand picked by Steve Lillywhite. Yet somehow they managed to keep those monstrous figures from tingeing their ingenuity. MGMT's Oracular Spectacular is a wondrous, synth-laden extravaganza that... more ›

Various Artists Kurt Cobain About A Son Music From The Motion Picture Barsuk Records, released 9/11/07 The loud-quiet-LOUD bipolarity and creepy darkness of Kurt Cobain's music comes across loud-and-clear in this excellent collection of grunge, punk, and blues that make up the music of Kurt Cobain About A Son. The fact that no actual Cobain material is used in this makes it even weirder, and if you ask me, better. It makes you miss... more ›

Yesterday, September 20th, was the day that Mychal Bell was to be sentenced after being found guilty as an adult on the charge of aggravated battery. Prosecutors were asking for a sentence of 22 years at one point, then reduced it to 15 years. Last Friday the appeals court overturned his conviction. The court determined that Bell, who was 16 at the time, should not have have been tried as an adult. In spite... more ›

And you shall know Mr. Bowie by the size of his purple spandex package… The 35mm reissue of the 1986 Jim Henson/George Lucas magnum opus, LABYRINTH, is now playing at the Nuart Theatre. The new print will continue showing in all its goblin glory until Thursday August 2nd. Tonight, there is a post-show Q&A with the entire Froud brood -- Brian Froud, the conceptual fantasy designer, Wendy Froud, the puppet designer, and baby-actor extraordinaire,... more ›

You’ve heard it already, “Wow, they’re like 13 years old and in a band!” The Jack Bambis have gotten a lot of attention for their ages – guitarist Indio, bassist Jasper and singer Lia are all 13. Cash, the drummer, shies a few years behind. But the Jack Bambis sound better than a whole lotta crap on the radio being made by people 21 and up (i.e. old enough to know better). Cash graduated from Flea’s Silverlake Conservatory of Music, so they’ve gotten some nice attention from the RHCP crowd, such as a slot on the conservatory’s fundraising concert Hullabaloo and some kudos from Kiedis in the press. Check The Jack Bambis out for yourself at 9 p.m. Thursday night (tonight) at Pershing Square downtown as part of Spaceland’s Thursday Night series. It's free! more ›

While rightly lauded for originating The Office, I think Extras is Ricky Gervais' true masterpiece. I mean, how can you possibly top Harry Potter flicking a rubber into Dame Diana Rigg's hair? I'll tell you how--have David Bowie improvise this song for Gervais' hapless Andy Millman. Unfortunately (really unfortunately), Gervais decided against another season of the show, but Season 2 is now available on DVD. Buy it. Watch it. Live it. more ›

Believe it or not, but glampop rockers Poison have been on Capitol for 21 years now. And if that doesn't make you feel old, next year, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" will be 20. more ›

Oh when the saints, go over there... Oh when the saints go over there... Bonde do Role - With Lasers (Domino) The Afghan Whigs - Unbreakable: A Retrospective (Rhino) Disco Deutschland Disco: Disco, Funk & Philly Anthems From Germany 1975-1980 (Marina) Rjd2 - Third Hand [Instrumental] [LIMITED EDITION](XL Recordings) Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full [Bonus CD] (Hear Music) The Aggrolites - Reggae Hit L.A. (Hellcat) Elvis Presley - Elvis at the Movies [REMASTERED](RCA)... more ›

On June 5, Virgin/EMI will release The Best Of David Bowie 1980-1987: Sight & Sound. It's one of those CDs with a DVD snuck in there. 19 audio tracks of Bowie’s best '80s jamz like "Blue Jean" , “Let’s Dance,” “Modern Love,” and “China Girl”. Plus 15 videos from that era plus DVD release debut vids for “The Drowned Girl” and “When The Wind Blows.” Virgin/EMI will also re-release the Bowie classic Young Americans,... more ›

The Ataris - Welcome the Night (Sanctuary) David Bowie - Station to Station [VCT] (Virgin) David Bromberg - Try Me One More Time (Appleseed) Bobby Conn - King for a Day (Thrill Jockey) Dean & Britta - Back Numbers (Rounder) Delorean - You Can't Win (Yep Roc) John Denver - Essential John Denver (RCA) Dr. Dog - We All Belong (Park the Van) Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue [30th Anniversary Edition]... more ›

I humbly present this week's offering of classic crooners, underground rappers, David Bowie, heavy metal, art rock, prog rock, and even a little yacht rock. 'Tis a pity we are built with only two ears. more ›

Leah (pronounced Lay-uh) is a great blogger. Born in Canada, she's been blogging since she was 14. We wont hold it against her that she lives in Austin. With her husband. Here's Leah top ten best movies of 2006: 10. Monster House Even though this is a kids movie, I'd be lying if I said it didn't give me the heebie jeebies. 9. Hard Candy I wouldn't watch it again but it was intense... more ›

So my first movie review for LAist turns out to be for a totally New York movie. That’s ironic, or something. Not that you know it’s set in New York, per se, because it’s mostly interior shots and they never really say where it is. But you’d kinda be able to guess after a while, because pretty much every character is like Woody Allen without the jokes: whiny, navel-gazing in a neurotic way (as opposed... more ›

Tonight on Rockstar: Supernova, rocker -- and we use the term very loosely here -- Zayra took the stage wearing a gold lamé (and lame) jumpsuit, platform shoes, a tophat and mascara. Her spooky look reminded LAist of Malcom McDowell in A Clockwork Orange. more ›

Rocket, pictured, is an all-female party-pop group from Hollywood who are as cute as they are adorable. How you can resist a dual-guitar attack? But then add to that mix the lead singer whaling on the key-tar and then tell me you've seen it all. more ›

Any apprehension about seeing the Raconteurs at the Fonda last night disappeared when they took the stage. On the album, each song sounds like a different band trying on a new style. But in person, they're tight, unified and rock nice and hard and loud (are your ears still ringing a little too?). On tour the band (Jack White, Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler) is supplemented with a fifth member who mostly played keyboards but added a third guitar on some tunes (wasn’t he in the Waxwings?). About four songs into the set they broke out Love's "A House Is Not a Motel." Anybody who’d just read about Arthur Lee's illness and his recent experimental stem cell surgery had to feel a little emotional. Love is one of the quintessential LA bands and New York’s benefit for Lee blows LA’s away. Anyway Jack White rolls into town and plays a very passionate version of the song (and songs off of Forever Changes aren't the easiest things to pull off). Respect. The band didn't say much during the set. At one point White said something about "all my Latino and Latina family out there” and then at the end of the two song encore, he introduced the band. Brendan Benson added a nice cover of "It Ain't Easy" which most people know from David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust. The other big highlight was "Broken Boy Soldier" which many critics have interpreted as White's kiss off of the White Stripes ("I'm through ripping myself off" / "The boy never gets older"). White’s guitar playing was skilled as ever and very engaging to watch. And Patrick Keeler’s got talent. Those rock drummers who hold their sticks like jazz drummers are always way cooler. Much of the crowd was obviously there to see White (he was front and center) but the rest of the band more than held their own. They played through the record, did the two covers and another two songs we didn't immediately recognize (any help?). If you're on the fence about going to the Wiltern show, pull the trigger (tickets still remain for the July 20th show). You’ll hear the record with new ears. more ›

Londonist prepares a Happy Birthday bath for Buddah this week and then things get all cliched. A madman goes on a rampage while axe-wiedling and London's mayor warns an American diplomat to avoid the kitchen if the heat bothers him so much. more ›

We hope everybody had a great time at Coachella. Really. Secret Machines is the pick of the week....... more ›

It's time to redeem '80s era David Bowie. Look at the adorable floppy yellow hair, the highwaisted yellow pants. He's always been a handsome devil, that Bowie, and his 1983 look is very 2006 fashion forward. LAist and the friendly folks at Filter are giving away 2 DVDs. Just fill in the form below. more ›