There's a week left until the holiday rush officially begins. So why not relax this weekend, get some cultcha and see some local theatre. Here are our five picks for the week: Grand Delusion This black comedy listens in on a secret meeting of world leaders just before WW I. The Lost Studio. 130 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 960-4441. Tickets are $20. Opens Saturday at 8 pm. Runs Fridays and Saturdays at......

LA’s theatre scene is packed with good stuff this week: Dolly Parton serves as muse; a Korean family’s road trip goes wrong; and a bunch of people sing about chess at the Ford. So without further ado, here are LAist’s five theater picks for this week: Journey to Dollywood Jolene is a small-town waitress who idolizes obsesses over Dolly Parton. When a stranger’s car breaks down in town, her life, a rival co-worker’s, and their......

AMERICAN MUSIC an acoustic punk documentary Part Time Punks @ The Echo Anavan, Team Robespierre, Eyes & Ears, Foot Village, Lacoste @ The Smell The Rock 'N Roll Adventure Kids @ Alex's Bar Malas Noches, Faculty, Off The Cross, Mournblade, Ascension @ The Airliner The Spazmatics @ Dragonfly Violent Femmes @ Pacific Amphitheatre High Recommendation John Anson Ford Amphitheater @ 6 p.m. | more info "with Eastside R&B group Tierra (featuring The Salas Brothers);......

There is just something about seeing old black and white films on the big screen that gets our motor ticking. Put them in old theaters and you have a winning combination. This year's series of the LA Conservancy's, Last Remaining Seats, has been a hit and selling out. There are two nights left. Tonight you can make your way over to the John Anson Ford Ampitheater to see La Balandra Isabel llegó esta tarde,......

Datarock - Computer Camp Love Roger Waters @ Hollywood Bowl Datarock, 8-Bit @ The Troubadour Hot Chip @ Henry Fonda Joan as Police Woman @ Hotel Cafe Peanut Butter Wolf @ The Echo Lindsey Buckingham @ Ventura Theatre Umphrey's McGee, Banyan @ John Anson Ford Scissors for Lefty, Lemon Sun @ The Knitting Factory Jana Hunter, Imaad Wasif & the Two Part Beast, Eric Player, Whitman @ The Smell......

The Ford Amphitheatre opened its 2007 season last weekend with local favorite Charles Phoenix and yet another one of his slide show presentations culled from thrift shops in and around Los Angeles. Locally famous for his "Disneyland Tour of Los Angeles," Charles Phoenix knows his way around a good number of the city's landmarks, past and present. Opening entertainment was provided by an original roller rink organist who was then followed by a world......

One Man: No War No War No War No War! A Crowd of Kids enters, watches the Man who goes from chanting to ranting Teacher (Crowd Leader): Look closely and listen up, kids. This is an antiwar protester. 1st Kid: Ancient History. 2nd Kid: Old School. 3rd Kid: Heavy. The Crowd watches the Protester as he works himself into a lather, repeating: "No War!" in as many different ways and with as much passion,......

Eddie Izzard, Drew Carey @ Largo Chuck E. Weiss @ Highland Grounds Corinne Bailey Rae @ John Anson Ford The Be Good Tanyas @ El Rey Airpushers @ El Cid Go Betty Go @ The Derby Merchants of Moonshine @ Alpine Village Hawthorne Heights @ Grove of Anaheim Say Hi to Your Mom, Metal Hearts @ Spaceland The Kooks, Chin Up Chin Up @ Safari Sam's Kennedy, Peachcake @ Key Club You Army, Attic......

Joseph Arthur @ El Rey Ladytron @ John Anson Ford The Pogues @ The Grove of Anaheim Method Man, Saigon @ House of Blues Bongo Fury @ Harvelle's Sono Luz @ King King Go Betty Go @ The Derby Head Like a Kite @ Cinespace Sean Hayes, Dave Palmer @ Largo The Ringers, Mulhollands @ Viper Room Daedelus, Thavius Beck, DJ Nobody @ The Echo Bettie Serveert, The Minor Canon @ Spaceland The Forecast,......

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Blood Brothers @ Hollywood Palladium Donna Summer @ Fairplex Pomona Carlos Guitarlos @ Liquid Kitty Mojave 3 @ McCabe's Taj Mahal @ Vault 350 Adamski @ John Anson Ford The Trashies, The Mormons, The Guilty Hearts @ The Scene Polus, Mezzanine Owls, Benny Strange @ Spaceland photo by godknows via Buzznet......

Giant Drag, The Thermals, Envy, Dios Malos, Tussle, Silversun Pickups, Darker My Love, Foreign Born, Toys that Kill, Brother Reade, Whiskey Biscuit, Rolling Blackouts, Strange Boys, The Minor Canon, Sleeping People, Subtitle & Friends, Graf Orlock, Chuck Ragan, Hit Me Back, Carry the Casket, Upsilon Acrux,Shapes and Sizes, Thee Make Out Party, Michael Runion, Life with an Astronaut @ Fuck Yeah Fest Ted Nugent @House of Blues Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker @ Key Club......

For some reason there are hella shows happening tonight so lets get right to it Taking Back Sunday, Angels & Airwaves, The Subways @ Long Beach Arena Steely Dan, Michael McDonald @ Verizon Wireless Pat Benatar @ Grove of Anaheim Sally Kellerman @ Genghis Cohen The Church @ Henry Fonda Johnette Napolitano @ Hotel Cafe Warlords of Rock & Roll Thunder & Lightning @ Mr. T's Bowl PM Dawn @ Malibu Inn Pop Levi......

Several rock options tonight, there's Beck at the Wiltern, Cat Power at the John Anson Ford, Pink at the Avalon, Mark Knofler and Emmylou Harris at the Gibson Amphitheater, Hawksley Workman at the Viper... or across the street at the Whisky they're throwing a benefit for Arthur Lee, the frontman of the classic 60s group Love. Lee had been touring the world as Love, with the more-than-capable local boys Baby Lemonade as his band.......

Tonight 6/26 Tsar, Hawksley Workman - Spaceland (free) T.I. - House of Blues Corinne Baily Rae - Troubador Metal Skool - Key Club Soccer Mom - Viper Tuesday 6/27 Mike Watt (dj set) - Amoeba (free) Be Your Own Pet - Troubador Beck, Jamie Lidell - Wiltern Les Claypool, The Coup - Avalon Slick Rick - House of Blues Flogging Molly - Molly Malone's Hawksley Workman - Temple Bar Il Divo - Greek Wednesday......

Every time LAist starts to think that things are settling down in this town, an avalanche of events come swooping down upon us. Tonight brings music and film to locations all across LA. Tonight at The Roxy, the Cowboy Junkies will be performing at 9:00 PM. Doors open at 8:00 PM and tickets are $30.00. Former Maniac Natalie Merchant will be performing solo at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater. The show starts at 8:30......

Normally LAist doesn't give our readers much warning in terms of upcoming events, because most day-to-day events don't require much advance notice to get in. But in fairness to all of you (and your schedules), an effort will be made from now on to give as much advance notice as possible for special events. That said, LA's own indie pop sensations Rilo Kiley will be giving a special acoustic in-store performance on Wednesday, August......