Arts & Entertainment

Murder on the Bounding Main @ the Sierra Madre Playhouse. We had never been to Sierra Madre before, and this writer’s significant other can be enticed to see theatre once in a blue moon - especially if the production involves murders or mysteries, so we decided to make the drive up the 210 freeway to the sleepy little burg to catch Murder on the Bounding Main at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. It’s such a...

Photo by Emily Lerman/LAist Obama's national day of service last Monday hopefully inspired people to get out for more than just one day of service and truly get involved in their communities. PhiLAnthropist wants to help spread the word about the people and organizations in LA working to give back. Send us an email with volunteer opportunities or suggestions. 2009 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Tuesday night marks the beginning of Los Angeles Homeless...

Photo by sjg310 via LAist's flickr pool. Still haven’t made up your mind about what to do tonight? Here are a few of LAist’s suggestions: DANCE Start your weekend with a bounce at the Punky Reggae Party at downtown’s La Cita. DJs spin vinyl (only) rock, reggae, dub and ska cuts perfect for loosening up after another week at the office. This party gets going at 9 pm. ART* As you may have seen...

Earlier in the day, an independent confirmation of multiple Grammy Award- winning English singer-songwriter Sir Paul McCartney playing Coachella surfaced on music website Consequence of Sound. The aforementioned website recently provided a substantial glimpse (now totaling some 36 "rumored" artists) into what is shaping up to be the hottest festival this year. And although McCartney is expected to cycle through his usual bevy of hits, it's safe to say that his performance will focus primarily upon 2008's Electric Arguments, the third collaborative electronic effort with producer Youth under the moniker the Fireman. Expect an official line-up announcement straight from the horse's mouth in the coming days.

Fountains of Wayne live DVD. As you read last week, New York-based pop band Fountains of Wayne begins a two-night acoustic stand at Largo tonight. LAist recently got its hands on a review copy of the quartet’s first DVD No Better Place - Live in Chicago slated for release in March. The music by Chris Collingwood (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Adam Schlesinger (Bass, Vocals), Jody Porter (Guitar, Vocals) and Brian Young (Drums, Percussion) isn’t flashy,...

Charlie Haden/Photo from Verve Records.com The NYC-based "Duke Jazz Talk" program makes a West Coast stop tonight at the GRAMMY Museum. The discussion and intimate performance will feature the work of acoustic bass impresario and composer Charlie Haden, accompanied by pianist Alan Broadbent. They'll be interviewed by the museum's Executive Director Bob Santelli. Haden's played with jazz legends like Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes and Dexter Gordon and he's the namesake of Haden's Quartet West,...

A tipster e-mail tells us... "My friend just called me from Beverly Hills and said that Barney's, Saks Fifth Ave and a few other high end stores are giving away full size bottles of expensive products due to a lawsuit against the makers of the products for over-charging customers. They walked away with full size bottles of Chanel, Armani and Clinique products! You don't have to buy anything to get the free stuff." LA...

'Nature Break' photo by C-Monster via LAist’s flickr pool. Now if you want to get out there and revel in Obama’s day events, then check out our post from yesterday; but see the listings below for non-Obama events: COMEDY* Weird On Top’s improvisational comedy returns to the Eclectic Company Theatre tonight at 8 pm with players Danielle Cintron, Tiffany Cole, Jay Fremed, Mason Halberg, Kerr Seth Lordygan, Sarah McCann , Alex Sanborn and Mike...

Overnight, french documentary filmmaker turned street artist Mr. Brainwash, or MBW, took his wall and redid it for inauguration day. On the side it states: Rosa Parks sat, so Martin Luther King Jr. could walk. Martin Luther King Jr. walked, so that Barack Obama could run. Barack Obama ran, so we could fly.

Dismal "comedy" Paul Blart: Mall Cop tricked thousands of Americans into buying tickets as it easily topped the weekend box office chart ($33.8M). Last week's champ Gran Torino had another strong week ($22.2M/$73.2M) as it held off three new releases: the bloody My Bloody Valentine 3-D ($21.9M), the bloody Notorious ($21.5M) and the bloody Hotel for Dogs ($17.7M). The second half of the top 10 was led by the awful Bride Wars ($11.7M/$37.5M) which bested the amazing Odette Yustman's The Unborn ($9.8M/$33M).