HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! - NEIL YOUNG – Remember how I went out on a limb last week and foamed at the keyboard about the opportunity to see Neil Young in concert? Look it up.My daughter, a very tough critic, went last week, and raved. That’s good enough for me, and you too, I hope. Mon 7 p.m., Greek Theatre, LA, $99-525.
THE HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – from their website: "Hot Club’s brand of virtuoso, Django-style 1930s gypsy swing jazz is found nowhere else and even if it were, it couldn’t possibly be this good. These guys are masters, individually and collectively. You will find it hard to stop smiling all night. - Santa Monica Daily Press" And may I add, they manage to record and play high-profile gigs and still show up every Monday night here, for years. Aren’t we lucky? Mon 9 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, no cover.
Next Thurs - CELSO SALIM & DARRYL CARRIERE - I’ve written about this hard core blues duo so many times, two great voices, one monster blues harp, one authentic blues guitar, they are the Real Deal and we are lucky every time they swoop back to Santa Monis every few months, go hear them and tell me I’m lyin’. Next Thurs 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, $10.
RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! - DUDAMEL Conducts LA PHIL, ELLINGTON, GERSHWIN – Ellington, and "An American in Paris"? God bless our incredible open-minded world music every genre and era Music Director Gustavo. Can’t wait. (Note: his Verdi "Requiem" at the Bowl Tuesday night was absolutely transcendent. We are going to miss him,) Next Thurs 8 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, $6-129.
TONIGHT~ - RICK SHEA – Rick’s been landing in Santa Monica-adjacent more frequently lately, and ain’t that great. One of my favorite SoCal country folk Americana crooners, and he plays a good gee-tar too. Next Thurs 9 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, free,
KOOL & THE GANG, VILLAGE PEOPLE - Some who know me may see this recommendation and think I’ve lost my mind, and that’s probably the case, I mean, sit through an entire set just to hear "YMCA"? (But you know the entire Bowl audience will leap to their feet to gleefully form the letters…) I figure VP and Kool are not touring venues like the Hollywood Bowl without a show to show us, so I’m ready to check my brain and let my feet take over, ‘cause sometimes, we all just wanna have fun. Fri, Sat 8 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, $29-229.
"QUEEN MARGARET’S VERSION OF SHAKESPEARE’S WAR OF THE ROSES" – Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, I just hate to say anything at all negative about any of the consistently superb productions done in beautiful Topanga Canyon for lo this past half century, but… this Theatricum production encompassing Henry VI Part I, II, III, and Richard III, is stitched together in a way that becomes a bit confusing for all but medieval English royal history buffs, and as far as it "centers on Queen Margaret and the women and children of Shakespeare’s civil war saga," well, a whole lot of them wound up dead, and it became commonplace to hear, Oh so you killed my husband and two children and now you want to wed me? … where exactly is your castle, sir? The acting is, as always, top notch, with barely a word or two stumbled over in nearly three fast paced hours, but, nearly three hours is just a bit long despite the fantastic sword fights. Sun 7:30 p.m., Theatricum Botanicum, Topanga Canyon, $15-60.
"MACBETH"' – In this bloody, depraved corner, M’Lord and M’Lady, reigning still as the unchallenged monstrous couple of political pushiness, gruesome greed, absolute ambition and murderous mayhem. Some things never change. No wonder this one by Will (Shakespeare, not Geer) remains perhaps his best-known work (but hardly beloved). Sun 3:30 p.m., Theatricum Botanicum, Topanga Canyon, $15-60.
TOLEDO DIAMOND – Unique, riveting, first class act. There’s nothing like it, it is high performance art and great fun. Degeneracy is rarely so well disciplined. Could be the most memorable 12 bucks you ever spent. Sun 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, $12.
DIANA KRALL - One of the very finest jazz pianist - vocalist of any age or gender, Elvis doesn’t deserve her, or to be more famous than her. Wed 8 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, $10-109.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: CELSO SALIM & DARRYL CARRIERE, Harvelle’s, 7/20; "MACBETH," Theatricum Botanicum, 7/21, 30; LA SANTA CECILIA, Levitt Pavillion, 7/22; "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM," Theatricum Botanicum, 7/23, 28; "QUEEN MARGARET’S VERSION OF SHAKESPEARE’S WAR OF THE ROSES," Theatricum Botanicum, 7/23, 30; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 7/23, 30; REGGAE NIGHT XXI with BERES HAMMOND, STEEL PULSE, Hollywood Bowl, 7/23 HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 7/24, 31; GERSHWIN, DVORAK, LA PHIL, Hollywood Bowl, 7/25; STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES, Troubadour, 7/30; DAKHABRAKHA, Ford Theater, 8/4; "HANSEL & GRETEL," Pacific Opera Project, 8/4, 5, 6; YNGWIE MALMSTEEN GLENN HUGHES, Saban Theare, 8/8; LUCINDA WILLIAMS, Ford Theatre, 8/10; ROY ZIMMERMAN, McCabe’s, 8/11.
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 37 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com (the real mr music…)
