LOCAL TREASURES I keep recommending. Are you missing out on so much, in your own backyard?
LIBRARY GIRL, the monthly spoken word performance in its 16th year at the RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE at the airport, is always worth it, and sometimes spectacular, as it was last Sunday in their showcasing of the words, life and influence of legendary LA writer John Fante. Some readings got thunderous, cheering ovations, and founder Susan Hayden did another stellar job assembling talent, in this case even landing Fante’s daughter, and his best-selling biographer. Invaluable, inspiring insights available nowhere else. Gamble 20 bucks, go every second Sunday of the month.
The day before I saw the knockout doc “SLY LIVES (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” at our historic, big screen, great sound AERO THEATRE on Montana, and it was exceptional filmmaking in every way. Director Questlove was there for a Q&A after. Check their schedule for some unusual, memorable screenings, and join American Cinemateque to take full advantage, and support creative cinema.
BERNIE, AOC & FRIENDS (Neil Young, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers) last Saturday in LA drew the biggest crowd they’ve seen in their Western states “FIGHTING OLIGARCHY” tour – 36,000, and 34,000 in Denver, 20,000 in both Tucson and Salt Lake City, 15,000 in Tempe, AZ. What is this doing in my NOTEWORTHY arts column? Ask Russian rockers Pussy Riot, who did time in Siberia (playing at the Lodge Room in Highland Park, Sunday), ask Afghanis, Salvadorans, Hungarians, Iranians, Somalis, or anyone who lived through Soviet control of eastern Europe. When the Khmer Rouge took over in Cambodia, the music died, along with 2,000,000 (one quarter of the entire population), in just four years. Can’t happen here? Wake up, y’all. We are rushing towards that.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
DUDAMEL, LA PHIL, CHARLIE XCX, CLAIRO, TRAVIS SCOTT, ED SHEEHAN, JAPANESE BREAKFAST, MISFITS, GREEN DAY, others, Coachella – No, not a typo, wishful thinking or drugs kicking in, the LA Phil’s beloved, virtuoso, savvy but soon departing music director Gustavo Dudamel knows, like Bernie (who also showed up at the huge music festival, and got big cheers) that preaching to the choir does not increase numbers, so go where they probably haven’t heard you yet. It was the first time a large symphony orchestra played Coachella, and The Dude hit them with a mixed bag starting with Wagner’s “Flight of the Valkyries”, a little Strauss, and a line of guest performers including Zedd at the piano, Maren Morris and a gospel choir, ending grandly with LL Cool J classics. Great artists take chances (and often succeed big time). Sat. twilight, coachella Music and Arts Festival.
PUSSY RIOT – Don’t be surprised to see one main artist and not the full band. For some years it has been frontperson M argø performing “Riot Days,” I saw it a couple of years ago at the Broadstage and was thrilled. Go. Even more important today. Sun 8 p.m., The Lodge Room, Highland Park, $31.
HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – You can go to the Cinema Bar any Monday night, 9-11:30, for almost 14 years now, and hear these hot players run through Django Reinhart-style ‘30s jazz. This amazing ensemble is a treasure. Mon 9 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, free.
RECOMMENDED:
TOLEDO DIAMOND – His decades-long Sunday night residency at Santa Monica’s Harvelle’s, the oldest blues bar in LA (almost a century!), is a treasure that you shouldn’t assume will always be there. Toledo choreographs (literally) a truly unique show, a blend of ‘50s hipster jazz and his dancing dames and a most modern smokin’ hot band that gets better all the time. Every Sunday 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $12.
COMING ATTRACTIONS (also recommended): DUDAMEL, LA PHIL, GREEN DAY, CHARLI XCX, others, Coachella, 4/19; PUSSY RIOT, Lodge Room, 4/20; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 4/20, 27; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 4/21, 28; ALBERT LEE, McCabe’s, 4/26; LIGHT UP THE BLUES! NEIL YOUNG, STEPHEN STILLS, more, Greek, 4/26; LUCKY STARS, Broadstage, 4/26; LA OPERA’S “AINADAMAR,” Dorothy Chandler, 4/26; PATRICE RUSHEN, Disney, 5/2.
DOWN THE ROAD (also recommended): BEETHOVEN with ESA-PEKKA, Disney, 5/2, 3, 4; BEACHLIFE FESTIVAL, PRETENDERS, JACKSON BROWNE, ALANIS MORISSETTE, MARCUS KING, more, Redondo Beach, 5/2, 3, 4; LA OPERA’S “AINADAMAR,” Dorothy Chandler, 5/3, 4, 7, 15, 18.TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 5/4, 11, 18, 25, 6/1, 5, 15, 22, 29; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 5/5, 12, 19, 26; T BONE BURNETT, McCabe’s, 5/8, 9, 10; LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin, 5/11, 6/8, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, 10/12, 11/9, 12/14; JACK WHITE, Hwd Palladium, 5/12, 13; WILLIE, DYLAN, others, Hwd Bowl, 5/16; TOPANGA BANJO FIDDLE CONTEST & FOLK FESTIVAL, Gillette Ranch, Calabasas, 5/18; JON BATISTE, Disney, 5/19; GERSHWIN, “Also Sprach Z,” LA PHIL, Disney, 5/23, 24; DIEGO FIGUEIREDO/KEN PEPLOWSKI, Jazz Bakery, 5/24; LOVE, Echo, 5/31; RICKY GERVAIS, Hwd Bowl, 5/31; BLUE NOTE JAZZ FEST Day 2, GRACE JONES, STANLEY CLARKE N.4EVER, others, Hwd Bowl, 6/15; RHIANNON GIDDENS, STEVE MARTIN, others, Hwd Bowl, 6,18; DAN NAVARRO, McCabe’s, 6/28; JOHN FOGERTY, Hwd Bowl, 7/6; PAUL SIMON, Disney, 7/7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16; ALISON KRAUS, UNION STATION, Greek, 7/13; FATHER JOHN MISTY, LUCINDA WILLIAMS, Greek, 7/25; TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, Greek, 8/13; FLAMING LIPS, MODEST MOUSE, Greek, 9/4; NEIL YOUNG, Hwd Bowl, 9/15; NINE INCH NAILS, Kia Forum, 9/18, 19.
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 39 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Not even Kauai. Send love and/or hate mail to: therealmrmusic@gmail.com
