HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
“A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE ” – OK folks, if you haven’t caught this yet, you are really pushing your luck. It opened in mid-August, was extended through the first week of November, and now to Nov. 19. And they are still selling out shows; this weekend only the Sunday matinee is available (as I write this). It should have ended by now. And where would you be, if you missed it? Filled with lifelong regret. Cringing every time one of your friends started waxing nostalgic over it, and everyone else chimed in…oh yeah. Remember that scene…? Memorable theater is not easy to find, even in LA, but you don’t have to go further than the Ruskin Group Theatre at our SM airport for this. Your memory of emotionally powerful yet nuanced lead Ray Abruzzo may even erase your association of him with “The Sopranos.” And whose words are all delivering? The great Arthur Miller. Sun 2 p.m., Ruskin Group Theatre, SMO, $20-35.
Tonight! – ROSSINI’S “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE,” LA OPERA – There is a lot less haircutting in this than you might suspect, and a lot more laughs. But don’t let the comedy on stage make you forget to listen to the lively and sometimes lovely score by Rossini. LA Opera’s last production, “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. More fun than you might suspect. Lots of inspired physical comedy, too. Rossini was the master of the genre and it made him incredibly wealthy. He kept cranking out winners until the pace and pressure became too much and he never wrote another one after the age of 34. Many consider “Barber” to be a gateway opera, the first one you should see, that gets you hooked on the art form. If you hurry, you can get Barbered for only $24. Why would you pass that up? Sun 2 p.m., Thurs, 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:
Tonight! – “THE CONNIE CONVERSE UNIVERSE’’ starring HOPE LEVY – I’ll bet a nickel you’ve never heard of Connie Converse, even though the obscure 1950s singer-songwriter had a profound influence on all to follow, especially women, and on the whole folk movement of the ‘60s. I just learned of her, through Levy’s one woman cabaret show, and in fact Levy became aware of Converse only a little more than a year ago, through long-lost demo recordings (that went viral), released decades after her mysterious disappearance. Levy was so stunned, and moved, that she created this tribute. Converse never performed an actual concert, just informal house shows. Her songwriting was… different, distinctive, and good, but this show also mixes in parts of her life story, which I found equally fascinating. I won’t reveal any more, just add this weird true-life footnote: Levy had known my wife for years, and Levy told us yes, she does know Lauri Johnson, my wife’s former singing partner. Levy also knew of Annette Warren, now in her 90s, who mixed some of Converse’s songs into her popular cabaret act in New York. What Levy didn’t know was that Warren is still alive, and is Lauri Johnson’s mother. So Levy, after recovering her breath, sought Annette Warren out, and even though Warren is not remembering everything as perfectly these days, she remembered perfectly the words to Connie Converse’s songs that she hadn’t performed in 80 years – she and Levy sang together. Thurs 9 p.m., Santa Monica Playhouse, free but ticket required.
Tonight! – GUNS N’ ROSES, BLACK KEYS – I’m going to go with the listing at the Bowl calendar: there is always a description of the program, but for this, nothing. GN’R + Black Keys, what more is there to say? You could argue that both bands are past their prime… or are they? Do you want to take a chance on missing a concert you could be talking about the rest of your life? Thurs 6 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, $44-500.
DUDAMEL LEADS KHACHATURIAN – You know me and the Russians. Not the biggest fan. And Khachaturian was pretty by the book Communist, even setting one of these pieces on a collective farm. He was actually a Georgian Armenian, with no problem towing the compositional line set forth by the Kremlin. But that’s only peripheral to the music, right? And since I’ve never heard his music performed live by a great orchestra, this would be a good opportunity to get an overview and make a consideration. And I will be rewarded at concert’s end by the Janáček “Sinfonetta,” which always sounds to me like the soundtrack to a movie I’d love to see, I do love the Czechs and Hungarians. And… it’s Dudamel, and the LA Phil. Can you really go wrong? Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p,m,. Walt Disney Concert Hall, $153-274.
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.
LILA DOWNS, CATALINA GARCIA, ELY GIERRA, ANA TIJOUX, GOYO – I’m not familiar with the other vocalists but any opportunity to hear international treasure Lila Downs should be taken, and the theme of “Canto en Resistencia” sounds darn interesting. Next Thurs 8 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA, $52-137.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: “A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE,” Ruskin Group Theatre, 11/10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19; LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin Group Theatre, 11/12; Rossini’s “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE,” LA OPERA, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 11/12; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 11/12, 19, 26; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 11/13, 20, 27;JAMES MCVINNIE, organ/piano, Disney Hall, 11/12; SOUL ASYLUM acoustic, McCabe’s, 11/12; NATHANIEL RATELIFF, Orpheum Theater, 11/14; THE HIVES, Belasco, 11/14, 15; DEVO, YouTube Theater, 11/16; PETER ERSKINE TRIO with ALAN PASQUA, DAREK OLES, Sam First, 11/17, 18; STEVE HACKETT, Orpheum Theater, 11/18; NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALL STARS, The Regent, 11/19, 20; 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…)