SO MANY FISH IN THE BARREL
To not shoot. But it’s important to hit the nastiest ones. Or they may grow strong enough to leap up and devour my BB gun. My mind reels with each new “breaking news.” Are we broken yet? Not at all. Incredible numbers are taking to the streets, enough! too much! hands off! and lawsuits are flying everywhere. It may seem like an impractical, idealistic connection but I really think immersing ourselves in the arts is important right now. Write, paint, dance, ceramics, photos! It is antithetical to autocracy, and builds individual insight and creativity, for action in other realms. For my part, I am feeling the need to throw another CURIOUS CITY column against the wall. By itself, not much. But collectively, it’s multiplying exponentially. Like never before in our lifetime. And yes, we can save our precious Santa Monica while saving our precious democracy. Not all the bad guys are in DC. Watch David Hogg. What he is doing is so important, and what happens to him will reveal much.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
LA OPERA’S “AINADAMAR” – I’ve been highly anticipating this new and unusual work, and it’s finally here. Opera appeals to me because you get a lot to take in on one stage – music by the masters (almost always classical) that you will probably only hear at that opera, amazing voices, dazzling costumes and sets, and sometimes a laugh or a tear. Often the story is just a vehicle, but “Ainadamar” tells the story of famed Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, who was on the verge of leading Spanish literature into a golden age until the harsh autocrat Francisco Franco tightened his grip and led the nation into war. Dictators and poets do not mix well. It is told through the reminiscences of Lorca’s dear friend and muse, actress Margarita Xirgu, who could not convince Lorca to flee, until it was too late. The music is classical but heavily influenced by flamenco, with lots of dancing. If you hurry, you can get a ticket for only $33 (see Albert Lee, below). And it is only an hour and 20, not a Wagnerian three and 20. Sat 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA, $33-296.
ALBERT LEE – I could sing Mr. Lee’s praises as one of the most accomplished and sought-after multi-instrumentalists to ever stretch and strum a string, for the last 60 years, a Brit rocker so enamored with Americana that Emmylou, the Everlys, Eric C. and so many others enlisted him, but, alas, like so many bookings at lil ol’McCabe’s, this show is sold out. You can show up at the line at the door with a sad face and hope someone has an extra ticket, but how about this better plan? Check this NOTEWORTHY column every Thursday for listings far in advance and as soon as you see something you love, grab that ticket, especially in a venue as small as McCabe’s. Big hint: even at 90 bucks, one of the six (rare appearance) shows in May by T Bone Burnett is already sold out. Sat 8 p.m., McCabe’s, Santa Monica, sold out.
LIGHT UP THE BLUES! NEIL YOUNG, STEPHEN STILLS, more – The “more” is Nathaniel Rateliff, Linda Perry, Billy Idol, Rufus Wainwright, Cat Power and Stephen’s son Chris Stills, and “very special guests” - it’s LA, it’s a good cause (“presented by Autism Speaks”), it’s the star power of Young and Stills, so those special guests could be the highlight. Or not. But you will have to sit through all those others and except for Rateliff and maybe Perry, that could be torture. Maybe you can time your arrival. Sat 7 p.m., Greek Theatre, LA, $77-587.
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): ALBERT LEE, McCabe’s, 4/26; LA OPERA’S “AINADAMAR,” Dorothy Chandler, 4/26; LIGHT UP THE BLUES! NEIL YOUNG, STEPHEN STILLS, more, Greek, 4/26; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 4/27, 5/3; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 4/28, 5/4, 12; PATRICE RUSHEN, Disney, 5/2; BEETHOVEN with ESA-PEKKA, Disney, 5/2, 3, 4; “PAINTED PONIES,” Ruskin Theatre, 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;T BONE BURNETT, McCabe’s, 5/8, 9, 10.
DOWN THE ROAD (also recommended): TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 5/11, 18, 25, 6/1, 5, 15, 22, 29; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 5/12, 19, 26; 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; RGT SAY GOODBYE PARTY NITE, Ruskin Thatre, 5/17; 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; TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, Greek, 6/8; 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; BRAHMS, GRIEG, LA PHIL, Hollywood Bowl, 7/17; GERSHWIN, DVOŘÁK, LA PHIL, Hollywood Bowl, 7/22; “THE PLANETS,”, LA PHIL, Hollywood Bowl, 7/24; FATHER JOHN MISTY, LUCINDA WILLIAMS, Greek, 7/25; MEKONS, JILL SOBULE, Lodge Room, 7/26; 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
