Andy Sternberg

LAist was among a couple hundred lucky fans left with goose bumps after being treated to an intimate set of music by Brian Wilson. The former Beach Boy debuted material from his brand new, Van Dyke Parks-produced album, That Lucky Old Sun backed by his energetic 10-piece band. Classic Beach Boys faves "California Girls," "I Get Around," "Good Vibrations," and more. A couple audience members were chosen to ask Wilson questions mid-set and inquired...

The stage is set for Barack Obama to accept the Democratic Party nomination for president | Photo by Rocky Mountain News via flickr. Unless you've been living underground or roaming the state trying to start fires, you're well aware that tonight Barack Obama will finally accept the nomination as the Democratic candidate for President of the United States after 19 months of campaigning. He'll do so at the 50-yard-line of the elaborately decked-out Mile...

More than 40 paddleboat teams took to Echo Park Lake last weekend to raise money for 826LA. Teams were required to raise at least $100 for entry and some teams raised well above and beyond to generate an estimated $20,000 in funds for one-on-one writing tutorials and workshops for students age 6-18. 826LA's two locations (in Venice and Echo Park) are staffed entirely by volunteers dedicated to teaching and inspiring students to write creatively. The...

Ben Stiller's latest comedy is not being taken lightly by several groups that advocate for the disabled. Many of the nearly two dozen advocacy groups protesting Tropic Thunder are planning to protest tonight's premiere at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, according to reports. Tropic Thunder, written and directed by Stiller and starring Jack Black, Tom Cruise, and Robert Downey, Jr., features the 5'7"[-in-heels] Stiller in a send-up of big-budget Hollywood war movies. The...

If you are seeing what we're seeing when you log into your Google Mail account, you're not alone, and no, the "errors" aren't your fault. What to do? Well, you can go to the beach, take a nap, follow the grumbling session on Twitter and throughout the blogosphere, or take a chance on the GMail HTML interface, which is still functioning for some users. UPDATE: GMail is back up after a couple hours on the...

One person was killed and at least three others were wounded in a shooting at a Samoan Flag Day celebration at Victoria Park in Carson around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Ricardo Pedroza. The other three victims were a woman, a man, and a boy between 10 and 13 years old, according to reports. Police are still looking for the suspect....

American Airlines Flight 81 made an emergency landing at LAX around 9:30 this morning, temporarily shutting down the airport as passengers exited on the runway via the plane's emergency chutes. The pilot of the Honolulu-bound 757 reported smoke in the cockpit shortly after liftoff. The plane circled around the airport and landed soon after on runway 7-Left. LAFD assisted passengers down two emergency chutes. No injuries were reported. No fire was found and the cause...

The world's largest passenger jet, the double-decker, 489-seat Airbus A380, is scheduled to land at LAX at 9:15 a.m. After the plane arrives, 200 to 250 invited guests will get a two-hour "familiarization'' flight. The jumbo airliner was the first to be delivered to Emirates Airlines, which will begin a nonstop LAX-Dubai service this fall (on a Boeing 777). The We regret to report that LAist has yet to receive an invitation for said "familiarization,"...

A dead body found in the on-board restroom of Delta flight 950 shortly before landing Wednesday morning in Atlanta was identified as a 61-year-old woman from Ventura. Michaele O'Neil Carnahan succumbed to complications from a pre-existing heart condition, an autopsy found. She had been undergoing evaluation by her personal physician for suspected heart problems, according to medical examiners. Carnahan was on her way from her Ventura home to a wedding in Florida via the LAX-ATL...

A woman's body was found early this morning on a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta. "Upon final approach into Atlanta, our inflight crew was advised that a passenger passed away in the on-board restroom," a Delta spokesperson said. Delta flight 950 departed LAX after 10:30 p.m. PDT and was met by medical professionals and authorities upon arrival at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly before 6 a.m. EDT. The woman's identity has not...