Long Beach Councilmember Suja Lowenthal and the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency celebrated today over the removal of this blight along one of the City's main corridors. more ›

If the name Chris Palko doesn't mean anything to you, follow these steps: Step 1) Get a fucking time capsule or something close to it --hell, go to the bank drive-thru teller if you have to and steal the bank drive-thru's tube-capsule. Step 2) Write down the name Chris Palko on some deposit slips you prolly stole as well in the process. Step 3) Rush home and prepare to bury this capsule --to be... more ›

Ten years ago Long Beach native Morgan J. Freeman was minding his own business in film school back east. Doing what everyone else in his class did, he submitted his thesis film "Hurricane Streets" to Sundance for competition. Not only was it accepted - alongside the "real" movies - but it won three awards at the festivall: Morgan won best director, the cinematographer won for best cinematography, and the film got the audience award... more ›

One of our deep-pocketed lawyer friends was in town this week, visiting from New York, where he actually manages to make payments on an apartment in the East Village - people are capable of that? How is that possible? Well, apparently it takes advanced degrees in mathematics and law, as well as a sixty-hour work week. We'll take our humble (but spacious!) apartment in North Hollywood anyday, thank you very much. Anyway, that was... more ›

I was lucky to catch a performance of of the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players almost exactly 3 years ago in a small museum's theater north of New York city. It was a winter performance, one that the family patriarch, Jason Trachtenburg, decided to bill as "The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: On Ice!" The "On Ice" part was performed by the family pretending to skate on and off stage and it's that kind of brazen... more ›

ADMISSION: general $7.00; students with ID $6.00; seniors & kids $4.00. more ›

Although it might be tempting to stay home tonight to watch the results come in, they won't all be in until early tomorrow morning. So do yourself a favor and look at that list. Look at it. That is probably the best lineup of shows we've seen in LA all year. If you don't see a show tonight, on a beautiful night, pretty much the last day of summer, then well... good. More beer... more ›

I've been seriously writing music since about 22 years old. I messed around with electric guitars since I was 12. But it wasn't until I was 19 and I really heard The Beatles White Album that I wanted to write my own songs. I wanted to know where that music came from which led me to Chuck Berry, 50s rock and roll, and then eventually Bob Dylan, Blues, and Traditional Folk. Then it became this american roots music thing that I was and currently am obsessed with.

Why did you leave Los Angeles for New York? Where else (if anywhere)
would you consider relocating to?

I left Los Angeles mostly cause I grew up there and was sick of the person everyone thought I was and expected me to be. Also LA doesn't really have a scene at all for roots music. I was reading some Bob Dylan biographies when I decided to move, so there was never a choice other than NYC. Sometimes I think of the Northwest, like Berkeley or Portland, maybe Seattle. I'd like to spend some time up there.

If someone in the subway tried to mug you, would you use your guitar
like a weapon, and bludgeon them with it?
more ›

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. more ›