With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Abe Vigoda & Wild Nothings @ NHM First Fridays, 3/4/11
By James Thomer/Special to LAist
Earlier this week I had an urge to see live music while being stared at by a wild buffalo. Where in the world could I find an event such as this!? Perhaps... if a certain museum of Natural History served as a venue for up-and-coming indie bands... and perhaps this festivity would include an educational lecture... Hmm. It's a great idea! Suppose it was biweekly -- no, monthly! -- and of course it would have to fall on party Friday. Maybe the first of each month would be fitting. I will call it... First Frida--Damn it! Someone's already done that.
As a matter of fact, First Fridays at the Natural History Museum have been running 8 years strong, and the folks in charge continue to keep programming fresh and interesting every time, even for the regulars.
This month, Dr. Janet Kubler conducted a lecture on biomimicry and explained how it can give humans ideas for improvements of our daily life. For example, the inspiration for velcro came from burrs sticking to a man’s socks. Hopefully in the future we can harness the organizational skills of a swarm of locusts to clear up some traffic on the 405.
Support for LAist comes from
Musical acts Abe Vigoda and Wild Nothings ended their month-long tour together this week in the Diorama Hall, and their groove-inducing beats and 80‘s nostalgia sold out this month’s band passes.
Strangely, the two bands fit in a sort of natural progression of maturity with each other: Abe Vigoda seemed like the burnouts at your local community college, while Wild Nothings were the well-groomed, well-dressed, university types. Each of them even had matching rolled-up slacks. Nostalgia was the underlying theme of the night, with Abe Vigoda’s Juan Velazquez remarking he hadn’t been to the museum “since preschool”. Obviously he’s missed the memo as to what First Fridays are.
Next month in April, The Pinker Tones will be performing and Dr. Steven Finkel will conduct a lecture on microbiology. Be careful though, it’s April 1st, so it might be held at LACMA instead.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.
Best of LAist