YOU DON’T LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE?
For the music. It is an amazing place for other reasons, great natural beauty. But this week’s rather sparse “recommended” list would make a good year there. And … that’s why I left.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! -- GERALD CLAYTON, Marcel Camargo (you can bask in the exquisite piano stylings of Gerald Clayton, playing as a duo with guitarist Camargo, in the cozy hip confines of Bluewhale in Little Tokyo, for 20 bucks, or you can wait until Thursday and hassle your way to Hollywood Bowl and if you want to sit anywhere near that close you’ll pay $129, to hear his trio, as part of a large program, this sounds better to me), 9 p.m., Bluewhale, Little Tokyo, $20.
RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! -- ANITA BAKER (what?! Farewell Tour? I couldn’t find any explanation, she’s only 60, a mere child among veteran performers, Mavis Staples is still pounding the boards at almost 80 but then -- Mavis’ net worth is only $6M and Baker is reported at $80M so that could be it -- Mavis you are a wonder, keep going, girl, I love you! -- if you don’t relish touring, which is a grind, and you don’t need that adrenaline of adoring crowds, why not go fishing at 60? but that gorgeous voice and elegant presence will be missed), also Fri, 8 p.m., the Greek Theatre, Los Feliz, $60-$150.
Vintage Vibe Festival with THE DUSTBOWL REVIVAL, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Las Cafeteras, the Shelters, the Junglecats, Phat Cat, Swinger (OK so I admit I don’t know anything about all those other bands but I have a hunch they’re worthwhile, you can look them up and hear their music on youtube, Arcadia is a fur piece to go and 95 bucks is, well, that’s lunch, for pete’s sakes, but this recommendation is here because of the Dustbowl Revival, a band you should catch any time you can, mandolins string bass honkin’ horns harmonicas great vocals a stand-up fiddler, mashing Americana in a most delightful and foot-stompin’ way, I first saw them by chance in the basement of a Windward Avenue saloon that usually doesn’t even have music, no stage, eight of them squeezed together and just knocking people out and now they’re stars, the jumpin’ lead cut of last year’s eponymous album featured fan Dick van Dyke in the video, 89 then and dancing up a storm, and was an Internet smash, and… did I mention their fiddler is really good? and some of them even live in Ocean Park), Sat 12 noon, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, $95.
McCabe's 60th Anniversary Show featuring INARA GEORGE with VAN DYKE PARKS (shall we say, yet another 60th Anniversary Show? but that’s just fine for two reasons, a venue like McCabe’s with its unique, sterling 60-year musical performance history deserves as much commemorating as it can squeeze into a year, and the acts they’ve been booking have been remarkable, most in line with their history and some, like tonight perhaps, a bit out of the norm, I have to say I’ve never become an Inara George fan, just not my cup o’tea, points for her pedigree as the daughter of the great Little Feat slide man Lowell George but, she’s an acquired taste I think, and certainly Parks is an acquired, odder taste but I acquired it about 50 years ago and was instantly hooked, if you go for the Inara do some research on Van Dyke because he is considered a longstanding off-kilter genius who co-created the great lost Beach Boys “Smile” album with Brian, and how can you ever forget “The All Golden”?), Sat 8 p.m., McCabe’s, Santa Monica, $60, $100 VIP includes preferred seating and meet & greet with the artists.
CHEAP TRICK, JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS (musically, this is rock and roll royalty, Runaways co-founder Jett will be 60 in a week and this is NOT her farewell tour, and it’s hard to believe Cheap Trick, underrated by the general public but one of the best American rock bands ever, are just 6 years short of half a century but they’re still touring, recording, hittin’ it hard, only one personnel change in all that time, great drummer Bun E. Carlos departed but has been replaced superbly by guitarist Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx, 38, who of course grew up with the band, and yes, the elder Nielsen can still just blow your mind with his playing), Sat 7:30 p.m., Pomona Fairplex, $44-$165.
L.A. CAFE PLAYS (what a cool, and scary thing happens once a month at the Ruskin Group Theatre: five brave writers come in at 9 in the morning armed only with a prompt and their imaginations, they are shown headshots of their two actors and four hours later they have finished a one-act play, which then goes to the actors and a director to rehearse and costume and prop and polish and that evening the plays are presented, twice -- this is LA, we don't mess around!), Sun 7:30 p.m. $15 & 9 p.m. $10, Ruskin Group Theatre, Santa Monica Airport,
Pathway to Paris featuring LUCINDA WILLIAMS, ERIC BURDON, PATTI SMITH, FLEA, KAREN O, Dhani Harrison, Talib Kweli, Tony Hawk, Jim James, more (wow, what a lineup, like a one-night festival, I suppose I can go to the restroom during Jim James’ set -- oh! here comes the hate emails! -- Burdon is still such a great blues shouter, George’s “kid” Dhani may delightfully surprise you, and it’s for a very good cause: “Pathway to Paris is a non profit dedicated to turning the Paris Agreement into reality, bringing together leading musicians, thinkers, artists and policymakers, this concert will serve as a call to action, urging the international community to ramp up towards a climate safe future for all, the Global Climate Action Summit will meet in California to 'Take Ambition to the Next Level.'”), Sun 7 p.m., the Theatre at Ace Hotel, downtown LA, $40-$100.
Twilight on the Pier featuring JUDY MOWATT, Danny Holloway, Bokante (sorry but I missed the first of our new Pier series, new name, new evening, new time, “new vision” -- for what good reasons, again? and yes I’m well aware of the problems but some of this is hard to figure -- heard it was pretty good last week but I will definitely make this one to hear one of the queens of reggae, longtime Wailers/I-Threes Mowatt, who is bound to have a great band with her, she’s a legend, folks, don’t miss), Wed 6:30 p.m., Santa Monica Pier, free.
LAKE STREET DIVE, ROBERT FINLEY (this should be a really good show, Finley is an outstanding blues voice and guitar player and Lake Street Dive, well, I’m tellin’ ya, Rachael is a damn good kisser), next Thurs 7 p.m., the Wiltern, LA, $30-$50.
THE ZOMBIES, Arcade Fire (if you didn’t catch the ‘60s legends on the Pier a few years ago or in some small club in Hollywood, they’re worth it, fortunately Arcade Fire will give me restroom opportunities this night -- keep those cards and curses coming, fans! -- this show is definitely overpriced, though), next Thurs 7 p.m., the Greek Theatre, Los Feliz, $90-$154.
BAND NAMES OF THE WEEK: Send Medicine, Asteroid Shop, Jimmy Eat World, the Bloody Brains, Greg & the Gallows, the Story So Far.
Charles Andrews has listened to a lot of music of all kinds, including more than 2,000 live shows. He has lived in Santa Monica for 32 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com
