COMEDY “Groundlings Swimsuit Edition” is the comedy troupe’s latest offering, with plenty of sketch and improv. Keep your fingers crossed that we won’t see them in Speedos. (But then again, Speedos are funny…) 8 pm // Groundling Theatre // 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles // $21.50. FILM Crenshaw Boulevard comes to life in the hands of director Dan Wozniak and producer Christopher Molony. The documentary features 12 vignettes of people along the street’s 24......

Will it be pouring buckets tonight? If you aren't already planning on holing up with some popcorn and Netflix picks, you may want to get out and get your art & culture on. Let us help! ART ART LA 2008 is billed as "the only art fair in Los Angeles exclusively dedicated to contemporary art" and runs through tomorrow at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. This year's event "features 64 prominent international and Los Angeles-based......

The Airborne Toxic Event is Spaceland's January Thursday night resident. | Promo photo The Short List Cornelius & Plaid @ Walt Disney Concert Hall (see yesterday's article) Sole @ The Glass House (see yesterday's article, they'll be at Knitting Factory tomorrow) Lenny Kravitz @ Santa Monica Civic Auditorium The Airborne Toxic Event, The Adored, Bloodcat Love, Sunday Drivers @ Spaceland Tower of Power @ Vault 350 (Long Beach) Minibar @ Temple Bar......

Not sure what to buy your environmentally conscious friend or family member for the holidays? Opting to make this holiday season's giving more earth-friendly? You may want to check out this weekend's Eco Gift Expo, which:will provide everything you would hope to find including beauty products, fashion, yoga products, sports, bags, shoes, candles, home decor, toys and much more... and everything at the expo is good for the planet, mind, body and spirit. You......

On Monday night, and after being on tour for two months, Rilo Kiley (MySpace) made their triumphant return to Los Angeles with a performance at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Grand Ole Party (MySpace) and The Bird And The Bee (MySpace) were the openers. More photos after the jump.......

PJ Harvey - "White Chalk" PJ Harvey @ Orpheum Rilo Kiley @ Santa Monica Civic Sarah Silverman @ Largo Black Francis, Eastern Conference Champions @ Safari Sam's Castledoor, Hearts of Palm UK, Princeton @ The Echo Limbeck, Travis Shettel, Andrew Deerin, Chris Koza @ The Hotel Cafe Metal Skool, Born as Ghosts, Immune, Glacier Hiking @ Key Club Suburban Legends, Taxi Doll, Skrotum Kiss @ The Knitting Factory Abe Lincoln Story, Doug Stewart &......

Did you know you can still get tickets for Monday night's Rilo Kiley show at the Santa Monica Civic? Do you know why you can still get tickets for the show? Because it's in Santa Monica. And when the people of Santa Monica aren't trying to destroy old trees and houses, they're looking for things to do Other than see great rock shows. Let's think of things they do on the Westside other than......

Don't let their 1990's looking website fool you, their season opener next Sunday night has a program of promising music. It may seem weird that the Santa Monica Symphony is playing Edward Elgar's "Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1", usually heard at graduations, but the light piece is actually enjoyable when it's not played for a hour straight while large graduating classes walk down the aisle (that's how long the orchestra had to play......

The Donnas, The Randies, Girl in a Coma @ The Viper Room Justin Timberlake @ Staples Center Peter Bjorn & John @ Wiltern The Sounds @ Santa Monica Civic Matt & Kim @ The Troubadour New Model Army, Vale, Anon @ Knitting Factory The Happy Hollows, Le Switch, Rademacher @ The Echo Gram Rabbit, Abby Travis, Gwendolyn @ Spaceland Dr. Know, Bad Samaritans, Agression, Killroy, The Homewreckers @ Safari Sam's......

With three full length albums under their belt, and lyrics that often run the emotional gamut of life in Los AngelesRilo Kiley is as much a fixture on the L.A. music scene as anyone. While their newest album, Under the Blacklight, won't debut until August 21, they are getting ready to kick things off at All Star Lanes for a "secret" show in Eagle Rock in a few hours. After, Rilo Kiley will leave the country and return to Los Angeles, playing the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium October 15. Blake Sennett took some time to sit down with LAist...

Was that Hollywood fire just a brilliant marketing scheme for tonight's benefit? Bad Religion @ Santa Monica Civic (Heal the Bay benefit) Captured By Robots, Teddy Bear Orchestra, Yeh Dede @ The Mint Bone Thugs-n-Harmony @ Ventura Theatre John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae @ Gibson Richard Swift, David Vandervelde @ Spaceland Billy Talent, Cancer Bats, Drive By @ The Troubadour Talib Kweli @ House of Blues Veruca Salt, Charlotte Martin, Poets & Pornstars, Hello......

Concert tickets that go on sale Saturday morning: Wolfmother @ Grove of Anaheim, 5/9 Bad Religion / Tiger Army / the Briggs @ Santa Monica Civic, 4/6 Joshua Radin @ El Rey Theatre, 4/21 The National @ El Rey Theatre, 6/26 moe. @ House of Blues Hollywood, 4/15 Mutemath @ House of Blues Hollywood, 4/25 Pat Benatar @ House of Blues Anaheim, 7/12 And don't forget Monday morning Police tickets go on sale for......

LAist could have seen the Jesus & Mary Chain in 1986 but they played on Good Friday at the Santa Monica Civic and we were all, "if you see a band called the Jesus & Mary Chain on Good Friday you're gonna go to Hell." But we loved the band, and with each new album we loved them more and more. Quasi-gothic take on Brian Wilson is how it always felt to us. Beautiful......

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: LOCATION: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium 1855 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 HOURS: Opening Reception hosted by Graham Nash to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation Thursday, January 18th, 6 - 9pm Public Hours: Friday, January......

Do you fancy wool letterman's jackets from the '50s, slick yellow thigh high boots from the '70s, or delicate beaded flapper dresses from the '20s? Then you might be familiar with the Vintage Expo held three times a year at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. As a self proclaimed thrift junkie, this LAist staffer decided to check out the chichi event that attracts starlets, fashion designers, and magazine editors. Though the $10 entrance fee......

Sales of new homes dropped nationwide more than 10% last month, the biggest drop in nine years. And in the West, the numbers were even bigger: a drop of 29.4%. Yea, maybe the market is finally softening in LA! But not so fast, lusty real estate kittens. Southern California new home sales were up 9.5% from the month before; it's the biggest gain in 18 years. CaBoom! That's not the sound of the real......

It's been a while since LAist shared the dish on local food events, so we're doing our best to recoup and serve up a tasty mouthful of food tidbits today. Speaking of today, Planned Parenthood's Los Angeles Guild is hosting Food Fare 2006 today, and attendees will sample an assortment of local food and wines from 150 wineries, restaurants, and catering outfits to benefit PPLA’s Campaign for the Advancement of Reproductive Health. We're a......

We've been neglectful of the massive art undertaking of the week; thank goodness we stopped by ABLA to see what we're missing. Art Los Angeles kicked off Thursday night and continues through Sunday. This afternoon there is a lecture by Shepherd Fairey, the artist who went global with his Andre the Giant has a Posse pasteups back in the day. About a zillion galleries and their art are all gathered under the roof of......

As promised, LAist attended the Opening Reception event for this year's magnificent photo l.a.. This LAist, an ardent east-sider/Valley girl, was only a little bitter about making the rush hour trek to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, but since we know our south and west-bound streets well, made it there in record time. The place was brimming with all sorts of minglers, from young bohemians in scruffy denim, to older men and women in......

It's being touted as "the largest photographic art exhibition in the United States" and it's happening in Santa Monica at the end of this week. It's photo la 2006, where photography from the 19th Century to current contemporary photos and photo-based art will be showcased, and in some instances, be available for purchase. This is the 15th year of this large-scaled event, and 2006 brings representative works from over 70 of the world's premiere......

• The El Rey hosts Brit sensations Razorlight with The Like and Tender Trio at 7 PM. Tickets are $15.50. • Tonight at The Echo, The Section Quartet will be finishing up their residency, accompanied by the vocals of Greg Dulli, Sam Philips and Grant Lee Philips, performing originals and covers, as well as performances by The Ditty Bops and Astra Heights. Doors open at 8 PM and admission is $7. [18+] • At......

It's going to be a wild-and-crazy weekend in the city as festivals descend upon us. Both begin tomorrow and run through the weekend, so keep reading for a heads-up on all the details. "The second annual Don't Knock the Rock Film And Music Festival launches a three-day/four night film and music event celebrating the historic rock 'n' roll/cinematic roots of Hollywood. DKTR is a journey of classic and new rock 'n' roll films which......