BEYOND BAROQUE BROKE
Not exactly, but they just announced that Trump’s anti-arts brigade has decided to pull the NEA grant for our Venice neighbor, a decades-long beacon of literacy, which will be a severe blow to their operations. They were informed that their “support of writers no longer ‘effectuates’ priorities of the administration.”
So – where does it have to hit you before you resolve, in this most crucial focus point in our nation’s entire history, to do everything you can to resist, including writing your representatives, and adding your body to demonstrations? That pushback has had an effect, and forced backing off some terrible edicts. No time to waste. Very soon someone you know may die for lack of Medicaid or Social Security or Veterans’ benefits.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Tonight - T BONE BURNETT – Well, if this isn’t a big deal. The legitimately legendary musician producer empressario would have been enthusiastically welcomed at so many venues in LA on this his first tour in nearly 20 years (backing a new album), his only West Coast dates this year, but he chose li’l ol’ McCabe’s, capacity about 150, playing six shows in three nights. And he called them. Possibly because he had a good experience there a few years ago when he dropped in on the late Bob Neuwirth, resulting in a first time ever (40 years) reunion of Burnett’s first group, The Alpha Band. T Bone will have a band (McCabe’s is often solo and acoustic) that includes original Alpha David Mansfield, a fine player. So now that you’re all excited, I have to break the bad news: the McCabe’s website shows “sold out” on five of the six concerts. What do I keep saying about these great McCabe’s shows? Buy the moment you see it announced. Or weep in the cold darkness. Thurs, Fri, Sat, 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m., McCabe’s, Santa Monica, $90.
Tonight - CELSO SALIM & DARRYL CARRIERE – With Brazilian-influenced guitar and heavy harp, these guys are a completely authentic and satisfying blues duo. Thurs 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $11.
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.
Next Thurs - LA OPERA’S “AINADAMAR” – I loved it! Opera appeals to me because you get a lot to take in on one stage – music by the masters that you will probably never hear in a concert, amazing voices, dazzling costumes and sets, and sometimes a laugh or a tear. “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 civil war, and decades of suppression of free speech. 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 enthralling dancing. And it is only an hour and 20, not a Wagnerian three and 20. Next Thurs 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA, $33-296.
RECOMMENDED:
LIBRARY GIRL - “Portrait of the Artist's Mother” – Is your mother hard to buy gifts for? She says cheerfully that she’s already got everything she wants. But you’re anticipating guilt if you show up empty handed on Mothers’ Day. So, here’s your answer. Surprise her this Sunday evening by taking her to the monthly spoken word performance of LG, which is always a very good bet, and this may be the last one, after 16 years, held at the current space before they move down the road to roomier digs for the Ruskin (two theaters!). The surnames of this Sunday’s performers reads like a UN roll call, and that’s something I love about LA (though Santa Monica has been losing its diversity because of bad governance). Featuring Rick Bursky, Jane Cantillon, Melanie Chartoff, Melissa Greenwood, Stevie Kalinich, Shivani Mehta, Cynthia Adam Prochaska, Nathan Birnbaum, Tommy Swerdlow and Kelly Shire, music by Jason Luckett. As usual, Library Girl and the Ruskin pull in top talent, accomplished actors, and I am looking forward particularly to hearing Chartoff. Sun 7 p.m., Ruskin Group Theatre, SM Airport, $20 including free parking and dessert.
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): LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin, 5/11, 6/8, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, 10/12, 11/9, 12/14; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 5/11, 18, 25, 6/1, 8, 15, 22, 29; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 5/12, 19, 26, 6/3, 10, 17, 24; JACK WHITE, Hwd Palladium, 5/12, 13; LA OPERA’S “AINADAMAR,” Dorothy Chandler, 5/15, 18; WILLIE, DYLAN, others, Hwd Bowl, 5/16; RGT SAY GOODBYE PARTY NITE, Ruskin, 5/17; TOPANGA BANJO FIDDLE CONTEST & FOLK FESTIVAL, Gillette Ranch, Calabasas, 5/18; JON BATISTE, Disney, 5/19.
DOWN THE ROAD (also recommended): 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; LYLE LOVETT & HIS LARGE BAND, Orpheum, 6/20; 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, Hwd Bowl, 7/17; GERSHWIN, DVOŘÁK, LA PHIL, Hwd Bowl, 7/22; “THE PLANETS,”, LA PHIL, Hwd Bowl, 7/24; FATHER JOHN MISTY, LUCINDA WILLIAMS, Greek, 7/25; MEKONS, JILL SOBULE, Lodge Room, 7/26; FEMI KUTO, Fonda, 8/8; TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, Greek, 8/13; BEN HARPER & THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS, Orpheum, 8/24; FLAMING LIPS, MODEST MOUSE, Greek, 9/4; NEIL YOUNG, Hwd Bowl, 9/15; NINE INCH NAILS, Kia Forum, 9/18, 19; DWIGHT YOAKAM, Greek, 10/1..
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
