HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: .
“A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE” – It opened in mid-August, and now has been extended through the first week of November. Does that mean there’s now no rush to catch it? No. That means you got lucky; don’t push it. What if, God forbid, “Sopranos” actor Ray Abruzzo should take sick? Or any of the other four important and excellent actors? It just wouldn’t be the same. And you’d be kicking yourself. Besides, this gives you enough time still, if you really love it, and you just might, to go back for a second dose. I mean, how fortunate are we to have acting and writing (Arthur Miller) at this level, in our own backyard? Fri, Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., Ruskin Group Theatre, SMO, $20-30.
ROSSINI’S “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE,” LA OPERA – There is a lot less haircutting in this than you might suspect, and a lot of Shakespearean mistaken identity shenanigans. But the score by Rossini will keep you thrilled, maybe even humming along, and there might be an awesome voice or two as well. “Don Giovanni” had its laughs, while tackling timeless social issues, but The Barber is a full-fledged comic opera, so prepare to have some fun. This is a production new to Los Angeles. I finally caught LA Opera’s “Don Giovanni” last Sunday and it was superb. Great sopranos and lead, very creative set design. If you hurry, you can get Barbered for only $24. Why would you pass that up? Sat 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA, $24-289.
THE HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – Looking for something different? But really good? And on a Monday? EVERY Monday? – “Hot Club’s brand of virtuoso, Django-style 1930s gypsy swing jazz is found nowhere else and even if it were, it couldn’t possibly be this good. These guys are masters, individually and collectively. You will find it hard to stop smiling all night.” Mon 9 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, no cover.
RECOMMENDED:
SIBELIUS, “SWAN LAKE,” LA PHIL – I can’t fall all over myself for this one because I am not Tchaikovsky’s biggest fan and have certainly had enough Swan Lakes for a lifetime, but I am very big on Jean Sibelius and his thrilling Violin Concerto. So there you go. Fri 11 a.m.,Sat, 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall LA, $79-299.
JACKSON BROWNE – Sometimes when I write these I look at a name and think, What can you say? An overnight star with his classic debut album, a stellar songwriter, distinctive expressive voice, so many hits, decades-long body of excellent work, a tireless social activist who just might be the king of benefit concerts (many of them at the Civic). And we in Santa Monica can kind of claim him as our own. Fri, Sat, Mon 8 p.m., Pantages Theatre, Hollywood , $66-1,000.
WILL FERRELL’S BEST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE 2 – I do not care for Will Ferrell’s so-called humor. I know, I’m in a minority apparently, and a dozen people just resolved to never read my column again. I just think it takes more than the willingness to say and do stupid things with an air of sincerity to make you a comedian. HOWEVER, I would endure his MC silliness to see this music and comedy lineup: Jon Stewart, Roy Wood Jr., Hasan Minhaj, Patti Harrison, John Mulaney, Lindsey Buckingham, Rory Scovel, Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Beck, St. Vincent, Cindy Blackman Santana, Dogstar (Bret Domrose, Robert Mailhouse & Keanu Reeves), Jack Black, many more. It’s a cancer benefit, so I give Ferrell points for that. Sat 7 p.m., Greek Theatre, LA, $1,005-1,200.
TOLEDO DIAMOND – Unique, riveting, first class act. There’s nothing like it, it is high performance art and great decadent fun. Degeneracy is rarely so well disciplined. Toledo may have his trademark ciggy, but it’s the band that really smokes! Sun 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $12.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: “A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE,” Ruskin Group Theatre, 10/27, 28, 29; Rossini’s “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE,” LA OPERA, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 10/29, 11/2, 4, 9, 12; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 10/29; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 10/30; TIM BURTON’S “THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS,” DANNY ELFMAN, Hollywood Bowl, 10/27, 28, 29; HALLOWEEN ORGAN, “PHANTOM OF THE OPERA” silent film, Disney Hall, 10/31; “THE CONNIE CONVERSE UNIVERSE” starring HOPE LEVY, Santa Monica Playhouse, 11/2; GUNS N’ ROSES, BLACK KEYS, Hollywood Bowl, 11/1, 2; LA SANTA CECILIA, Bellasco, 11/3; DUDAMEL LEADS KHACHATURIAN, Disney Hall, 11/4, 5; BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO, Disney Hall, 11/8; ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES, Bellwether, 11/9; LILA DOWNS, CATALINA GARCIA, ELY GIERRA, ANA TIJOUX, Disney Hall, 11/9; SOUL ASYLUM acoustic, McCabe’s, 11/12; THE HIVES, Belasco, 11/14, 15; DEVO, YouTube Theater, 11/16; PETER ERSKINE TRIO with ALAN PASQUA, DAREK OLES, Sam First, 11/17, 18; KASABIAN, Belasco, 11/22; RICK HOLSTROM BAND with STEVE BERLIN, McCabe’s, 11/26; KODÁLY, DVOŘÁK, Disney Hall, 11/28.
Charles Andrews has listened to a lot of music of all kinds, including more than 3,000 live shows. He has lived in Santa Monica for 37 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him attherealmrmusic@gmail.com(the real mr music…)