GAGA. WONDER, JONI, ,many more -courtesy photo
EILISH, STING, NICKS, JELLY ROLL, OLIVIA, FOGERTY
Alanis, Katy, Stills, Nash, RHCP, EW&F, many more. Two concerts on one night, tonight, cheap ticket @$99 and the promoters promise that every penny will go to aid fire victims. There will be several more of these across the country. So what if you might have to park a mile away, or pay 30 bucks? This is, in every way, the opportunity of a lifetime. Kudos to the musicians and smaller venues who have staged benefits already. Total seating here is 35,505 which could net $3.5M. The whole planet will be able to watch it streaming, and contribute. So much to do, so much loss and sadness. This will take a long time. Tonight, Thurs, 6 p.m., Kia Forum, 7:30 p.m. Intuit Dome, both Inglewood, both $99.
R.I.P. – Because of space considerations, I can’t properly send off three important musicians who passed the last two weeks, but I do want to at least mention and acknowledge them.
The Band is now completely gone. Keyboard wizard GARTH HUDSON always seemed like the granddaddy of the group from the get go, with his big bushy beard soon turning grey. But he was only a few years ahead of the others. I loved The Band and I loved Garth (I played accordion as a kid), even though he was the quiet, barely noticeable guy in the back. They were all great musicians but Garth was the soul, the rolling organ that made their music unique, deep and beautiful. SAM MOORE was the driving force of Sam & Dave, the Stax Records duo who had more hits than Stan Musial. An incredible catalog. Look it up. We will miss DAVID LYNCH as a visionary director, but also as the guy who put all that hypnotic otherworldly music in “Twinn Peaks.” I was addicted to it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
FIRE Aid concerts, Sunday, see above.
HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – You can go to the Cinema Bar any Monday night, 9-11:30, for more than a decade 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:
JOHN MCEUEN – is a superb multi-instrumentalist master of all things stringed, and a walking history of American music, who made his reputation from years with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, but this is another one of those outstanding shows at li’l ol’ McCabe’s where you waited too long and now it’s sold out. I keep tellin’ ya. Sat 8 p.m., McCabe’s, Santa Monica,
67th GRAMMY AWARDS 2025 – I know, I know, an awards show, a lot of rich, privileged, pampered artists telling each other how wonderful they are, and the GRAMMYs have had a history of being out of step (no GRAMMYs for Jimi, Janis, Ella, Diana Ross, Chuck Berry, Doors, Duke Ellington, Beach Boys, Bob Marley, Louis Armstrong, Queen, Patsy Cline, Dead, Snoop Dogg, Kinks, Everly Brothers, Who, Buddy Holly, Velvet Underground, Nat “King” Cole, Talking Heads, Run DMC, ZZ Top, CCR, Jackson Browne, Iggy Pop, Guns ‘n’ Roses, RAMONES!), and the lineup of performers pales next to the Fire Aid concerts, but the show also has a history of memorable moments (will Kanye be allowed in, or will he be watching from the Oval Office?), and Trevor Noah is again the entertaining host. So I will be watching. SUN 5 P.M., CBS ch2, streaming.
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): TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 2/2, 9, 16, 23, 3/2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 4/6, 13, 20, 27; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 2/3, 10, 17, 24, 3/3, 10, 17, 24, 31; JOHN MCEUEN, McCabe’s, 2/1; MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS, LA PHIL, Yuja Wang, Disney Hall, 2/1; TOM MORELLO, Fonda Theatre, 2/7; SAMARA JOY, Disney Hall, 2/8; PETER ERSKINE TRIO, BOB MINTZER, Sam First, 2/8.
DOWN THE ROAD (also recommended): LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin Theatre, 2/9, 3/9, 4/13, 5/11, 6/8, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, 10/12, 11/9, 12/14; PAAVO JÄRVI, LA PHIL, RAVEL & BRAHMS/SCHOENBERG, Disney Hall, 2/13, 14, 15, 16; KURT ELLING, PETER ERSKINE, The Soraya, 2/15; MAHLER Grooves Listening Party, Paramour Estate (sold out) 2/19; CHUCHO CHUCHO VALDES, ARTURO SANDOVAL, The Soraya, 2/20; DUDAMEL Conducts MAHLER’s Journey, LA PHIL, Disney Hall, 2/20, 21, 22, 23; DUDAMEL, LA PHIL, MAHLER Sumphony No. 7, Disney Hall, 2/27, 28, 3/1; MAHLERTHON I, Youth Orchestra LA, Inner City Youth Orchestra of LA, Santa Monica High School Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Disney Hall, 3/2; MAHLERTHON II, UCLA Philharmonia, USC Thornton Symphony, Colburn Orchestra, LA Master Chorale, Disney Hall, 3/2; DAMN WELL PLEASE ORGAN TRIO, Harvelle’s, 3.4; GUSTAV + ANNA with DUDAMEL, Disney Hall, 3/6, 7, 8, 9; LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin Theatre, 3/9; LA FOLK FESTIVAL/EMMYLOU HARRIS, Bellwether, 3/22; REVEREND SHAWN AMOS, Broad Plaza, 3/22; TONY GILKYSON & RICK SHEA, CINDY LEE BERRYHILL, McCabe’s, 4/6; LUCKY STARS, Broadstage, 4/26; PATRICE RUSHEN, Disney Hall, 5/2; BEETHOVEN with ESA-PEKKA, Disney Hall, 5/2, 3, 4; JACK WHITE, Hollywood Palladium, 5/12, 13; DIANA KRALL, The Soraya, 5/14; GERSHWIN, “Also Sprach Z,” LA PHIL, Disney Hall, 5/23, 24; ALISON KRAUS, UNION STATION, Greek Theatre, 7/13.
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
