Joining the ranks of Madonna, Beyonce and Jesus, Lindsay Lohan is planning to drop "Lohan" from her name and just go by Lindsay, reports Popeater. Apparently, the actress had been planning to shorten her name for some time, but wasn't sure people would still know who she was, what with Lindsay not being quite as recognizable as, say, Prince. more ›

This is not what you expect to see on Halloween night, but so be it. Hollywood Boulevard last night was packed--so much so that, at one point, pedestrians were not allowed to cross Hollywood and Highland--that if expressing your free speech was impeding the flow of foot traffic, the police asked you to move on. In this case, it appeared, a group preaching the Lord's word would not move on. After a few minutes of arguing with the police, the group's apparent leader was put in cuffs and either detained or booked. more ›

There are plenty of Jesus sighting around town, but what's with those two neon "Jesus Saves" signs in downtown Los Angeles? They sit atop the United Artists Theatre, but that's not their original spot, says blogdowntown's Eric Richardson, who details their history, which includes moving it from downtown to La Mirada, a scrapeyard and back. more ›

One of the best approaches to blogging is obsessively sticking to one sole and unique subject. Some take on a city neighborhoods or regions like blogdowntown or The Eastsider LA. Some track issues such as city billboard and signage laws. Others take on more quirky roles. LAist contributor Jeremy Oberstein documents alleys in Los Angeles. Another contributor, Peggy Archer, photographs abandoned couches found throughout the city. And on Sunday, a new entered the blogLAsphere: I Saw Jesus in L.A. more ›

It's not that the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California wants Lancaster officials to stop praying all together at the beginning of meetings, but to stop singling out that Jesus guy. “The City Council is clearly showing bias toward one religion by leading council and planning meetings with Christian prayers,” said Peter Eliasberg, Manheim Family Attorney for First Amendment Rights at the ACLU/SC in a statement... more ›

Stephanie Rosenthal, exhibition curator and chief curator at the Hayward Gallery, London, discusses Allan Kaprow—Art as Life, a new show at the MOCA. The exhibit is opening today and runs until the end of June. more ›

Saturday night La Luz de Jesus hosted the the book signing for The Velvet Hammer Burlesque Book, in conjunction with opening reception for the group exhibition of photographs from the book. The beautifully bound and printed coffee table book was worth every penny of the 60 dollar price tag, as you will see in some of the featured artwork after the jump. Beautiful women and elegant men turned out in droves to appreciate the majesty of feminine form, in its various shapes and sizes. more ›

This weekend's new movie offererings are so spectacularly awful that I felt compelled to lead with the dreamy 1961 French classic, Last Year At Mariendbad, which opens this weekend at the Nuart. You'll probably walk out of the theater wondering what in the hell you just saw (it's trippy and plotless), but at least you'll be challenged a little bit. That certainly won't be the case with Jessica Alba's latest snoozer, The Eye. This "horror" movie is, of course, a re-make of a better Japanese film. Please Jesus, make this trend and this actress go away. more ›

If you're looking for something free and chill, then catch old school acoustic jazz at Crane's Hollywood Tavern or ride the tram uphill for reggae at The Getty. For jazz of a crazier brand (yet still classic), try the Art Ensemble of Chicago at REDCAT. Speaking of Chitown, three hip-hop artist from there will be at Echoplex. Hip-hop of a different brand can be found at the weirdest space in LA, pehrspace. And for some rock that's just good, check Spaceland and Safari Sam's. more ›

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Yes, I know. Saturday's a busy night. So many places to go. So many people to do. But there's always time to fit in a signing of a really cool book at a really cool gallery space and store, especially if there's gonna be live music. So, why not roll into La Luz De Jesus/Wacko tomorrow night between 6 and 9pm to celebrate the publication of what all us musical nerds have long awaited: Bomp! : Saving The World One Record At A Time. more ›

Two highly recommended Hip-Hop shows take place tonight. Experience the powerful Gospel of Hip-Hop with KRS ONE at The Roxy or explore some electronic Hip-Hop with Sole and the Skyrider Band. And we mean no disrespect to Peanut Butter Wolf who is playing at El Rey with Chromeo, but we know for sure that show is sold out (scalp away!). The Troubadour has some jazz fusion rock going on (MP3s after the jump) and you can find straight ahead jazz at UCLA. more ›

Sole is a badass, a rapper, a visionary, and this Friday he will be the dopest show to check out in town. Sole is often best known for his solo work with Anticon, and did a killer interview with us back in July, but will be killing it with his new music-homies the Skyrider Band. So like they recorded this self-titled album, and its smokin-good. more ›

Rain rain has gone away...so Tuesday we'll go out to play. Here's what's going on around town tonight: more ›

Glendale, home to IHOP, Nestle and a population that is more than 50% foreign born is now home to Jesus. Photographer Philip R. Cloutier took this picture and through some divine punishment... well, we'll let him explain:

[This was the] last picture taken before I slipped off the back of the bus stop bench I was standing on to get the right angle for this picture. I busted my knee and my camera, shattering the Canon EF 50 lens into pieces. I'm okay, but walking with a cane for the time being and having to explain to co-workers that I injured myself in a photography accident (they assumed it was from skiing).

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Christmas Eve is here. And today is no time for cynicism, irony or nastiness of any sort. Time instead to make something nice to eat, clink your glass with a loved one, and count your blessings with total sincerity. more ›

I am a peanut butter freak. And my Mom knows it. No matter how old I get (and I’m waaaay past the age of consent), she makes my favorite cookies – Peanut Butter Kisses – when I come home for Christmas. Typically, I’ll be sleepwalking through the door straight from a redeye from LAX to the east coast with nothing but the sofa is calling my name. But there’s always a stack of PB Kisses on the counter that need a little loving before I can sleep. Who am I to disappoint my mother? (Don’t answer that.) more ›

You might hate me for this--I hate one of my roommates for beckoning me over to the television, rewinding the program she'd recorded, and insisting I see this video. It is a trailer clip by musical artist Nassiri, which is currently running as a commercial. We saw it during Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC, and apparently it's showing up on other news channels. Some may experience this earnest, enthusiastic tribute to their Savior's upcoming holy day, whereas others might find it to be a sort of psychedelic, assault-on-the-senses, bit of Christianity-meets-Bollywood weirdness. more ›

I love Gavin Edward's series of misheard lyrics, informally known as mondegreens. Especially since I am constantly singing the wrong lyrics to songs, including the commonly misheard "wrapped up like a douche" (Manfred Mann's "revved up like a deuce.") I am driven to hysterical laughter by Gavin Edward gems like: more ›

For this evening, a selection of gentle acoustic guitars to assist in warming your bones by the fire. Acoustic instruments made of wood just fit the theme - the yule log, the Christmas tree, toy horses, and now, the wood stove where Sufjan Stevens' presents end up - oops! more ›

There are two movies that are being scandalously left off the year-end best lists. The first, is pure, guilty goodness. more ›

One of the most recent additions to the panoply of nightspots in Los Feliz is Sgt Recruiter, located on the stretch of Hollywood Boulevard that I think of as Wacko-Adjacent. Split off from Cobras & Matadors (it was the private room on the left when you entered), also under Steven Arroyo’s management, and named in homage to a wine bar in Paris, Sgt Recruiter has room for patrons to sit at 14 comfortable stools lined up along the length of the place. more ›

COMEDY: Good for the Jews brings their rock/comedy show to the Knitting Factory tonight. Check out their MySpace page for their hits like “Jews for Jesus,” “JDate” and “They Tried to Kill Us.” more ›

A long time ago, but right around this time of year, I was sitting in a living room with a record collector pal, poring through the bins of seasonal vinyl from the likes of Jethro Tull, Merle Haggard and Fear. My friend looked up from his fourth or so glass of nog and remarked, "What am I listening to all this Jesus stuff for? I should put on the Blue Oyster Cult Hanukkah album."... more ›

Days after making up with rapper Kanye West, legendary daredevil Evel Knievel has landed himself in the news once again, not for making an improbable stunt landing, but for doing something one day all of us regular folks are going to do. He died today in his home state of Florida at the age of 69. The AP is reporting:Knievel's death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for... more ›

It's sexy, it's sacrilegious, it's scandalous, and it's just in time for Christmas. LA's hottest art curator Lenora Claire has done it again with a new collection of saucy art pieces guaranteed to get folks hot and bothered. Mixing Christmas themes with ample female breasts and featuring the work of Austin Young, Kitten Natividad, Buff Monster, and our fave the Gay Bigfoot, among others, Claire chose not to rest on her laurels of the... more ›