Ukulady curates Esotouric's Hippodrome

April 9: The Ukulady curates THE HIPPODROME Esotouric's Downtown LA Art Walk Shuttle

WHAT: Esotouric's Hippodrome, a rolling curated salon on a customized party bus, with performers selected by The Ukulady (aka Thessaly Lerner)

WHEN: 6-10pm on April 9, and every second Thursday during downtown LA Art Walk

WHERE: The Hippodrome shuttle route circles Gallery Row (Main and Spring Streets between 9th and 2nd Streets)

ROUTE MAP: Online at
http://www.downtownartwalk.com/map/DAW_map.html

COST: Free shuttle and entertainment

INFO: http://www.esotouric.com/hippodrome, 323-223-2767

The Downtown L.A. Art Walk, held on the second Thursday of the month year round, is one of the great success stories of the neighborhood's revival. Launched in 2004 by a small group of independent gallery owners in what was then the western edge of Skid Row, the event now draws upwards of 4000 people, and includes live music, a thriving bar and restaurant scene, book signings, and of course art exhibits.

April 9 sees the 11th month when Kim Cooper and Richard Schave of Esotouric -- the eclectic bus adventure company whose tours reveal L.A.'s secret history -- provide free downtown transportation and curated entertainment during Art Walk. Every month the Hippodrome features interesting performers channeling the spirit of the neighborhood's storied past, and since March, the show has been curated and hosted by The Ukulady.

Appearing on the Hippodrome during the April 9 Art Walk:

(6:00pm-6:30pm) Be seduced by the comic magic of ERIK TAIT, as he uses the ancient arts of conjuring to relieve grown women of their telephone numbers and grown men of their dates. Assisting him this evening, THE BALLOON LADY

.(6:30pm-7:00pm) Trashpicking the early American song book, with an eye for the oddities, we welcome guitarist LUCAS GONZE.

(7:00pm-7:30pm) Enduring gem of '60s folk music, "Windy" composer RUTHANN FRIEDMAN.

(7:30pm-8:00pm) From Seattle, THE BICYCATS.

(8:00pm-8:15pm) During the day RAUL is the Prince and pal of Mark Twain Middle School but tonight he is here to amaze, baffle and confuse you with his magical routines.

(8:15pm-8:45pm) DICK 'N' JANE.

(8:45pm-9:30pm) Welcome our hostess and music curator THE UKULADY, aka Thessaly Lerner, the human muppet.

(9:30pm-10pm) Sweet and mournful acoustic picking from the captivating FORT KING.

Art Walk visitors can hail the Hippodrome to get to Bert Green Fine Arts, The Hive, Deborah Martin Gallery or the Museum of Neon Art -- but with so many interesting things happening on the bus, they may find they don't want to disembark when they arrive.

The Hippodrome shuttle is named in honor of promoter Adolph Ramish's legendary Hippodrome Theater, formerly located at 4th and Main. The Hippodrome is a customized former school bus brightly painted on the outside with lively graffiti-style scenes of beautiful women. Inside, passengers and performers sit face-to-face in a comfortable nightclub-style setting, with checkerboard flooring, cocktail tables and softly blinking lights. The Hippodrome Art Walk shuttle bus is sponsored by DLANC and the tour guides by the Historic Downtown BID.

LINKS FOR HIPPODROME PERFORMERS available at http://esotouric.com/hippodrome