Friday, August 31, 2012

End o' week musings


Read this and savor it.... OK, that sounds pretentious, but I have tons o' vacation time so I'm going to celebrate my birthday big with a few days out of the office and off the grid. But first, let me share my adventures and news.


Last Friday afternoon I had the joy of going to the DMV to renew my driver's license. After years of my '80s big hair photo, they had finally decided to allow me to take a new one... yes, I still have kinda big hair, but that's what you get with all this curl and volume (don't hate me).


I made an appointment for my sortie, so I spent an entire 15 minutes in the DMV office. However, it was 14 minutes and 30 seconds too long... It's loud and stinky and icky in there and that's just the dregs of humanity waiting to do whatever they need to do. But the staff was nice and things went smoothly for me. I suggest making an appointment-- it's sooo worth it!


Saturday I went to Laguna for the arts festivals with my friends Linda and Hara. We parked and took the free trolley to all three shows - Sawdust Festival, Art-a-Fair and Pageant of the Masters and wandered around trying to take everything in. There was so much to see! Paintings, sculpture, jewelry, garden decor and more in a wide range of styles and media.


When we had our fill we took the trolley downtown and checked out the shops, finally ending up at C'est La Vie restaurant for lunch. We sat outside overlooking the beach and nibbled on sandwiches, fruit & cheese plates and crepes and shared a fruit tart with ice cream for dessert. It was luxurious, taking our time, enjoying the scenery, the cool air and a good chat.


Instead of heading straight to the freeway, I put the top down on my car and we cruised up the coast a bit. Kinda like Tina and Louise without the guns, cops and suicide at the end. It was a great day and I slept very well that night.


Monday I interviewed Hal Linden about his role in the comedy, "Under My Skin," opening in September at Pasadena Playhouse (www.pasadenaplayhouse.org). He was very nice and had a casual sense of humor. His voice is still rich and warm-- I'd like to catch one of his music concerts where he sings and plays clarinet.


Tuesday was a crazy day. It began at Creative Arts Group (www.creativeartsgroup.org) for an interview with artist Cathy Manzo who will be teaching a free scarecrow making class. Then I was off to JPL to sit in on the broadcast of Will.i.am's song, "Reach for the Stars," from the Curiosity rover on Mars to Earth. Will.i.am talked to students visiting from his old neighborhood, Boyle Heights, and other people spoke as well, including former astronaut Leland Melvin. You can find my story in the Pasadena Star-News at www.sgvn.com, as well as a photo gallery and video by Walt Mancini.


After returning to the office and filing my story on Will.i.am for the morning's papers, I was off again to the Los Angeles County Fair for a preview of some of the food you will find there. My favorite dish was shrimp, rice and pineapple chunks served in half of a cored out pineapple from Pineapple Express/Chicken Charlie's. It was refreshing and satisfying without being too much on a hot day.


Speaking of the Fair, I'll be dancing there with my drummer Ric Sarabia 12:15-12:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 in building 4 on the Community Stage. Come for the chairs and air conditioning~ stay for the entertainment!


Tonight I'm dancing with my friend Joanne drumming at a big soiree in Hollywood. It's a huge party with artists, actors, musicians and all kinds of interesting people. I can hardly wait! Then Saturday night I'll be back at one of my new favorite spots with Nocturra & Friends - the friends are Joanne, Joyce and Fred, musicians from my Ad Hoc Consort/Danse Macabre group.


Nocturra & Friends at the opening of "Ports O' Call" exhibit
5:30-8:30 p.m., performance 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1
Colonnade Art Gallery & Studio, 2421 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
Free
626-239-3153
www.colartgallery.com


This afternoon I'm interviewing one of my favorite artists, Owl City. I have to admit I'm excited and hope I don't babble like a fan. Once we talk music, I should be good.


My birthday is on Wednesday, so I'll be out of the office celebrating through Wednesday. Thursday I hope to get you caught up on events and Friday (late in the day because I have an outside assignment) I'll share my adventures.


In rotation this week: Owl City, Terrible Things, Saint Diablo and Prodigy.


Photos we got 'em: Another photo of me and my friend Dean "on safari" during the Doo Dah exhibit opening at the Pasadena Museum of History (www.pasadenahistory.org) taken by Terry Miller, a couple of shots from JPL by Walt Mancini and a cute pet pic.


Thought o' the week: Reflect, forgive and thrive. Yes it's an odd mix, but it works.


Reflect: As with any milestone in your life, such as a birthday, you should take some time to look back and where you've been and think about what you would change, what was wonderful and what you learned. I've been thinking over the years and, although I'm not totally happy with how everything is in my life, I am pretty satisfied. I've done more than many other people and -thank goodness- was smart enough to appreciate everything at the time. I have some goals still pending and we'll see what I can do about that.


Forgive: I had an opportunity to have a much-needed heart-to-heart with one of my friends who has been absent from my life for a while. We caught up and made up and have figured out a way to keep the friendship going. It's not optimal, but I'm at peace with it. Sometimes it's worth the compromise to keep someone special in your life.


Thrive: Again with the opportunity... The Hollywood dance gig was super last minute, but how could I say no? It's healthy to be a little spontaneous and grab as much life as you can. 'Sides if I passed, I would look back with regret and who wants that?! Getting out and living life to the fullest helps you grow and be all you can be.


Have a good week and I'll see you on the flipside. Until then, find some adventure and reflect, forgive and thrive.... oh, and

Keep on rockin'
Mickie





Art benefit for Pasadena Museum of California Art Sept. 15

The Board of Directors of the Pasadena Museum of California Art invites you to celebrate our 10th Anniversary with 10 x 10 Benefit Art Auction!

Join us in celebrating TEN years of the PMCA with an art auction featuring past, present and future PMCA artists with an evening of specialty cocktails created by Magixology, hors d’oeuvres by Akasha Restaurant, music by KCRW's Mario Cotto, a performance by Killsonic, and the installation Three Muses by Anne Bray and Molly Cleator.

Saturday, September 15, 2012
7:00-10:00pm

$150 one ticket
$250 two tickets

Purchase tickets online or by phone: 626.568.3665 x18

Event Sponsors:


Participating artists in 10 x 10:

Deborah Aschheim
Bob Aufuldish
Judy Baca
John Baldessari
Guillermo Bert
Tim Biskup
Chris Brand
Stefan Bucher/344 Design
Conrad Buff
Richard Bunkall
Nancy Baker Cahill
Ingrid Calame
Timothy Clark
The Clayton Brothers
Eyeone
Johnson Favaro
Ed Fella
Megan Geckler
Dan Goods
Iva Gueorguieva
Christina Kim/DOSA
Soo Kim
Jeff Koegel
Emil Kosa Jr.
Alex Kritselis
Annie Lapin
LAYER
Kim McCarty
Jerry McMillan
Rebeca Méndez

Yunhee Min
Charles Muench
Juan Carlos Munoz Hernandez
Kenton Nelson
Kori Newkirk
Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects
Stas Orlovski
Sabina Ott
Gregory Parkinson
Edgar Payne
Jennifer Poon
Jessica Rath
Roland Reiss
REVOK
Adam Ross
Ed Ruscha
Mark Ryden
Betye Saar
Kenny Scharf
Michael Schmidt
Susan Silton
Adam Silverman
Jason Situ
Evan Skrederstu
Linda Stark
William Stranger
Wayne Thiebaud
Peter Tolkin
Ray Turner
Tam Van Tran
Milford Zornes


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Pasadena Museum of California Art
490 East Union Street
Pasadena, CA 91101
626.568.3665
www.pmcaonline.org
info@pmcaonline.org

Hours | Wednesday - Sunday, 12-5pm
Admission | $7 adults, $5 students & seniors
Free first Friday of the month

Frank Cano Latin Jazz Band in Fullerton Sept. 1

This Saturday - Sept 1 at Steamers Jazz Club in Fullerton.
8:30 pm - 12:30 am $8.00 please reply to this email to confirm for preferred seating.
THE FRANK CANO LATIN JAZZ BAND

Frank Cano - Trumpet, Benn Clatworthy - Tenor Sax Flute Joey Sellers - Trombone, Larry Vazquez - Bass, Jeff Goodkind - Piano, Jorge Carbonell - Drums, Sal Vazquez- Congas, Victor Baez - Bongos.
Trumpeter, composer, and arranger Frank Cano a native of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico received his music studies at California State University Long Beach and has gone on to perform with many diverse artist in The United Stated, Canada, Mexico and Asia.

Frank performed for 3 years with legendary conguero Francisco Aguabella with Roberto Torres, Ralfi Pagan, Tony Orlando, Jose Feliciano, Marisela.

For three years Frank was the musical director for the Nosotros/Golden Eagle Awards Show. Frank's debut CD "A Beautiful Day/Un Lindo Dia" has been very well received in the U.S., Latin America and Europe.

He Is We hires Stevie Scott as touring vocalist

Like every band, one of the indiepop world’s recent breakout stars, HE IS WE, has gone through its share of ups and downs. From its early beginnings writing songs to post on YouTube to signing their record deal with Universal to releasing their debut My Forever, He Is We has had a lionshare of great things happening. Over the last few months, the band has gone through some rough patches due to ongoing health issues of vocalist Rachel Taylor, which made it impossible for her to tour. It was mutually agreed that He Is We should continue on their touring commitments, so in an unconventional move, the band decided to hire a touring vocalist. Together with their touring band Jake Randle (bass), Carman Kubanda (guitar) and Harrison Allen (drums), the chosen vocalist was Stevie Scott. Almost immediately, Stevie’s impact resonated with fans who welcomed her with open arms.

“Rachel is hands down one of the most talented individuals I know and have ever had the pleasure to work with,” explained acoustic guitarist/songwriter Trevor Kelly. “He Is We has been our baby since we were 18 and it's incredible to see how it has grown and affected people just as it has affected us.” With Rachel’s health making it impossible to continue, she has made the decision to leave the band. “Rachel has voiced that this is the right time to for her to step down for she has become unhealthy and restricted to what she can and cannot do with He Is We,” says Trevor. “I hope everyone supports her in this decision and continues to support her in any future endeavors she finds herself in.”

“As for the future of He Is We, I personally feel there is so much more work to be done,” he explains. “If there is one thing I'm certain of, it is the fact that I'm called to play music and share the message of love and compassion to whomever I can. So the band will continue as a full band with the guys (Jake, Harry, and Carman) contributing to writing, playing and touring as they deserve and understand the circumstances and message of He Is We. As for a singer, there is no one as genuine and honest I could think of to step up and take lead than Stevie Scott.”

“I feel so incredibly privileged and honored being asked to be a part of the He Is We family,” said Stevie. “This has been a dream come true of mine for quite some time. I'm so blessed and excited to get to add my colors and sounds to this next chapter in the He Is We story.”

Currently writing music for their sophomore album due in 2013, the newly-cemented band are hard at work focused on the next chapter for He Is We. “I know all of this seems unconventional and may be hard to understand,” he explains, “but as a fan, I want each and every one of you to know I will never give up and neither will anyone else on the He Is We team.”

Their debut album My Forever debuted on Billboard's Heatseekers Album Chart at #6 and on iTunes' Pop Album Chart at #3. They have been winning accolades in media from Alternative Press (“big enough for live sing-alongs and sweet enough for to soundtrack next year’s prom”) to AbsolutePunk (“For just a debut record, My Forever has set He Is We up for greatness”) to About.com (“If you love sweet, straightforward, melodic pop music, you owe it to yourself to listen to He Is We”).

HE IS WE is Trevor Kelly (acoustic guitar), Jake Randle (bass), Carman Kubanda (guitar), Harrison Allen (drums) and Stevie Scott (vocals). Their debut album My Forever was released on November 23, 2010 via Universal Republic .Records.

Rick Springfield to release new album

For all his accomplishments as an actor, a best-selling author and the subject of a recent documentary, Rick Springfield’s first love has always been music, since the first time he picked up a guitar at the age of 12 in his native Australia.

That passion for writing and performing songs, as well as playing guitar, comes through loud and clear on his new Universal Music Enterprises album, Songs for the End of the World, which comes out in both physical and digital form on Oct. 9. It is his first album since 2008’s UMe release, Venus in Overdrive, which entered the Billboard sales chart at No. 28, his highest position in two decades.

Collaborating on songs like the three-chord rocker “I Hate Myself,” the anthemic “Our Ship’s Sinking,” “Love Screws Me Up” and “Depravity” with his bass player Matt Bissonette, Springfield sets his sights on the possibilities of escaping the current, apocalyptic world situation in our closest relationships. In doing so, he employs the kind of self-effacement and ability to poke fun at himself as he demonstrated when putting his dog Lethal Ron on the cover of Working Class Dog or spoofing his image by playing a sleazy, drug-and-sex-crazed version of himself on Showtime’s dark comedy Californication. John Waite and Mr. Mister’s Richard Page appear as backup vocalists, along with Rick’s original guitarist, Tim Pierce, who hasn’t played on record with him since 1999’s Karma.

“There’s real feeling in it, but you can’t write about that stuff too seriously,” he says of his sometimes tongue-in-cheek approach to serious subjects. “In the end, it’s about the world in flames, but from a personalized viewpoint. I take what’s happening to me and place it in a universal context. It’s what I’ve always tried to do with my songwriting.”

The album will also include special bonus, digital, cloud-based material that can be accessed by scanning a picture inside the album’s booklet via a special app developed by Aurasma, including videos, photos and additional bonus tracks. Befitting the performer’s special relationship with his audience, Springfield enlisted fans to submit videos of themselves singing along to a YouTube recording of “I Hate Myself.” Springfield then used these fan’s actual voices on the album as well as an extended bonus version of “I Hate Myself” and has included their names in the credits. A 30-minute audio collection of the individual entries will be part of the extra features offered for all physical versions of the album. There also will be four separate album covers containing unique bonus content available through various individual retailers.

With 25 million albums sold, 17 top-40 hits, including Don’t Talk to Strangers, An Affair of the Heart, I've Done Everything for You, Love Somebody, and Human Touch, as well as a 1981 Grammy® Best Male Rock Vocal win for his No. 1 single hit Jessie’s Girl behind him, Springfield has more to say with his latest Universal Music Enterprises release, Songs for the End of the World.

Still playing nearly 100 live shows a year, Springfield’s bond with his audience is the subject of the recent documentary An Affair of the Heart, which came out earlier this year, winning special jury awards at both the Nashville and Florida Film Festivals. He also recently wrote and recorded a new song with Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters / Nirvana) as well as being a featured guest in Grohl’s new documentary about “Sound City,” the fabled San Fernando Valley recording studio.

His 2010 autobiography, Late, Late at Night…: A Memoir, for Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone imprint, entered The New York Times best-seller list at No. 13, hitting the Los Angeles Times and Publishers Weekly lists as well, with Rolling Stone recently naming it one of the Top 25 rock autobiographies of all time. In the book, Springfield revealed the life-long depression he’s battled throughout his career, a theme he returns to in such songs as “I Hate Myself” and “Love Screws Me Up.” “I’m not the shiny, happy guy people think I am from my role in General Hospital,” insists Springfield. “I tend to put that angst into my music.”

With Songs for the End of the World, Rick Springfield continues to do what he does best—applying his sardonic view to life as we live it today, offering a ray of hope in the midst of all the turmoil.

“The darker side of my nature creeps in and out, but so does a degree of optimism,” he says. “In the end, I believe that solace and healing can be found in the presence of someone who understands, loves and accepts you for who you are, even while these looming threats remain.”

Animalia album release party in Pasadena Sept. 8

New local band called ANIMALIA will hold an ALBUM RELEASE PARTY for their latest release called CATMANDEU on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 7:30 pm. The party and performance will take place at PORTICOS ART SPACE located on the campus of the St. James United Methodist Church at 2033 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91104. Tickets are $5.00. Doors open 30 minutes before show time.

ANIMALIA is an up and coming group local to the Pasadena area and their music can best be described as "SURFANOVA" with a unique fusion between surf music and Latin jazz. The album, CATMANDEU will be available via digital download only and the evening will consist of a performance by ANIMALIA showcasing songs from the new album plus performances by two other local bands BLUE THUNDER and HIDDEN HIPPO.

In 2010, ZACH MEJIA casually wrote songs for numerous friends and sent them out via facebook. One of these songs caught the attention of his best friend, ESTEVAN PALOMINO. It was then that Estevan proposed the idea of starting a band to Zach. The song, "BARBERSHOPS", would go on to be the bands first official collaboration. Between the two of them, the friends played seven instruments and further collaboration ensued. After a brief writing period, the duo released their first EP, NIMROD'S SON, in the summer of 2010. Further developing their sound, the group began incorporating elements of surf, jazz, pop, and rock music. Although beginning as an instrumental band, their upcoming debut album, CATMANDEU, is the bands first work to include vocals. Catmandeu further exemplifies the bands desire to showcase different genres while still maintaining their own sound. The album is due for release summer 2012.

ANIMALIA'S CATMANDEU ALBUM RELEASE PARTY will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 7:30 pm at PORTICOS ART SPACE located on the campus of the St. James United Methodist Church at 2033 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91104. Tickets are $5.00 and are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/269470. Doors open 30 minutes before show time. For more information go to www.porticosartspace.org or call (323) 333-2487.

Vin Fiz Flyer and Alumni in Chantry Flats Sept. 2

Wow, can you believe that it is Labor Day weekend already? Don’t miss your favorite hike, from Chantry Flat, on this unofficial end to summer.

On Sunday, after your hike, (or instead of your hike ;-o)), join us for another amazing line-up. These bands have played for us before and boy what a great time everyone had.

9/02/2012 12:00-1:30 Vin Fiz Flyer (Bluegrass) www.myspace.com/vinfizflyerband
1:30-3:30 The Alumni (Mix) www.Alumnirocks.com
3:30-5:30 Crown City Band (Blues)

Remember if you are coming up to enjoy the music let the gate monitor know. They will squeeze you in for parking.

Now, to top off your weekend, Mr. Eric Woodyard will be cooking his famous pulled-pork sandwiches on both Sunday AND Monday.

By the way, follow us on Facebook.


Have a Great Day!

Big Manny Band and Poncho Sanchez in Covina

FREE Show with The Big Manny Band! Friday, September 14th. 7pm - 10pm.

Poncho Sanchez LIVE @ Nicks Taste of Texas with special guest Rudy Moreno!! Saturday, September 29th. $30 pre sale/ $35door... $40 Limited VIP. Doors open @ 8pm Show time: 8:30pm. Get your tickets today. Call Taste of Texas for more info 626-331-2824.


www.tasteoftexas.com

Grant Langston & the Supermodels in Culver City Sept. 1


Grant Langston and The Supermodels
Saturday, September 1, 2012, 10pm
THE CINEMA BAR
3967 Sepulveda Boulevard - Culver City, CA 90230 -- (310) 390-1328.
appearing with LA legend David Serby
21+, Come early, it will be crowded. Smoke in the back. Shiner Bock beer in 12 ounce bottles, FREE!

iRig KEYS midi controller keyboard now available

IK Multimedia – the leader in mobile music creation accessories for iOS – is proud to announce iRig™ KEYS, the first ultra-slim and highly portable universal MIDI controller keyboard for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac/PC.


iRig KEYS connects directly to the dock connector of the iOS device or the USB port on Mac/PC. It features 37 velocity-sensitive mini-keys — 3 full octave range plus one note, which takes up minimal space when used on a desktop, and can easily fit in a backpack or a carry-on bag.

iRig KEYS is Core MIDI and USB class compliant for a true plug-and-play experience both with iOS devices or Mac/PC, with no additional apps, software or drivers needed. For total mobility, iRig KEYS also is an ultra-low power consumption unit. When hooked up to an iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, it can be powered by the device and for longer playing sessions it can be powered by the available USB port. When connected to a Mac/PC, the USB port powers it.



iRig KEYS is the ultimate player and producers’ companion that can be used any time and anywhere inspiration strikes. Players simply hook it up to an iOS device or a computer and start playing. iRig KEYS can be used for live performance, songwriting and composition with the included apps and software or with a multitude of other MIDI compatible instruments and recorders on any iOS, MacOS or Windows system

A small controller with great features
For maximum playing comfort and versatility, iRig KEYS includes regular modulation and pitch-bending wheels, plus an input for an optional standard sustain pedal that accommodates any playing style, all housed in a sleek ultra-compact durable package.
iRig KEYS features an “easy-to-use” programmable control panel with 5 backlit soft-touch buttons and one volume/data knob. Program and Octave up/down buttons are included plus a Set button that allows storage of up to 4 different customized set-ups for the two wheels and the data knob. Each set-up can be instantly recalled for specific instruments configurations. An Edit mode is also available to transpose the keyboard, send specific program change messages, change MIDI channel and reassign the data knob MIDI control changes in a flash.

Plug and play out of the box
iRig KEYS comes complete with two free professional quality virtual instrument apps and software that can be immediately downloaded and played, for a true plug-and-play experience right out of the box.
For iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, iRig KEYS comes with:

- SampleTank for iPhone or iPad FREE, the virtual sound module including a complete selection of acoustic, electric and electronic instruments and patterns, unlocking 48 bonus instruments in addition of the 20 included with the free version (to be downloaded from the App Store)

On Mac/PC iRig KEYS come with a downloadable version of:

- SampleTank 2 L the Mac/PC sample workstation, available both as a stand-alone and as a plug-in for most popular DAW (including GarageBand, Logic, ProTools, Cubase, Live, Sonar and more) with 2 GB of samples in every instruments category (to be downloaded from the IK Multimedia online User Area



Price and availability

iRig KEYS will be shipping in Fall 2012 for $99.99/€74.99 (excluding taxes) and will be available from musical instrument and consumer electronics retailers around the world. Pre-orders are now available from the IK Online store and other selected online stores.



For more information:

www.irigkeys.com

www.ikmultimedia.com



Check out/share the video of iRig Keys on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7vtBy7HLq8

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The Avett Brothers, David Byrne and more on NPR Music

This week and next, NPR Music offers fans free live streams of albums in their entirety as part of its “First Listen” series. A full preview of the new album from The Avett Brothers is available now, and on Monday, September 3, the advance streams continue with The xx, a David Bryne and St. Vincent collaboration, and Astro. All selected albums in the “First Listen” series are available for free on-demand listening online at www.npr.org/music and in NPR Music mobile apps.

The xx: The London trio won Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize for its self-titled debut album. Now, the minimalist pop band returns with a follow-up, Coexist. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson writes that The xx's songs "play like introductions to longer pieces that will eventually explode into bludgeoning catharsis – and yet instead merely whisper, shimmer and seethe some more."

The Avett Brothers: With a signature sound rooted in bluegrass and punk, the band attracted hundreds of thousands of new fans following the release of 2009's I and Love and You. The Avett Brothers' sixth studio album, The Carpenter, explores the delicate balance between life and death. Thompson writes that the new record "carries serious thematic weight," but adds that "there's still an appealing sense of lightness to it." Listen now: www.npr.org/2012/08/29/160188286/first-listen-the-avett-brothers-the-carpenter

David Byrne with St. Vincent: Two artists who stretch the limits of pop music come together on Love This Giant, which Thompson says "brings Byrne and [Annie] Clark together in provocative and frequently exciting ways, thanks in part to a prominent, slyly funky horn section and an overarching sense of brainy boldness."

Astro: The Chilean band is frequently compared to MGMT, probably because both bands make danceable indie-pop with the aid of electronics and a sense of mischief. Jasmine Garsd, host of NPR's Alt.Latino, calls the band's self-titled debut "one of my favorite records of the last few years – infectiously cheery, lighthearted and danceable."

Beginning Monday, September 3, find all of these full album previews at the homepage of NPR Music’s “First Listen” series: www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen

Complete track listings and album information are available at NPR Music, where there are also extensive archives of concerts, interviews and reviews of artists from all genres. NPR Music's "First Listen" series is one of the site’s most popular features, and is currently featuring Animal Collective’s Centipede Hz, as well as the long-awaited new release from Cat Power, Sun. The Emmy Award-winning free, multimedia website at www.npr.org/music offers new features daily and an extensive archive, in collaboration with NPR's newsmagazines, public radio Member stations and the passionate NPR community.

New art exhibit at Descanso Gardens Sept. 11

"ELEMENTAL | ArborEssence," a group show exploring the possibilities of wood through contemporary art, opens Sept. 11, 2012, at the Sturt Haaga Gallery at Descanso Gardens.

Hosting artwork that explores the materiality of wood, "ELEMENTAL | ArborEssence" connects the trees of the Descanso Gardens landscape with the raw material of the art. Curatorial Coordinator John David O'Brien stated, "We endeavored to concentrate, as much as was reasonable, on the qualities of tree-ness and on the branch-like." The show features artists who transform, reference and celebrate the beauty of wood. From handcrafted furniture to installation and sculpture, the work is a collection of all things wood.

Artists included in "ELEMENTAL | ArborEssence" are Charles Arnoldi (Rosamund Felsen Gallery), Deborah Butterfield (L.A. Louver Gallery), John Frame, Suvan Geer, Ke-Sook Lee (George Billis Gallery), Minoru Ohira, Ross Rudel (Angles Gallery) and William Stranger.

The collection of artwork holds true to the purpose of the Sturt Haaga Gallery and the overarching interests of Descanso Gardens. Descanso is an apt location to explore how artists work with wood today. The unique experience of walking under the grand oak canopies enhances the understanding of the material.

"ELEMENTAL | ArborEssence" opens to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit runs through Nov. 25, 2012. The Sturt Haaga Gallery is located at Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, 91011.

About Descanso Gardens:

Established as a public garden in 1953, Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, near the interchange of the 2 and 210 freeways. The Gardens are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, members welcome at 8 a.m. Closed Christmas Day. Admission is free for members and children 4 and younger. $8 for adults; $6 for seniors and students; $3 for children 5 to 12. Parking is free. Fees for classes and programs include Gardens admission. For information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org. Descanso Gardens is accredited by the American Association of Museums.


Thursday, August 30, 2012

Wicked Lit shows Oct. 12-31 in Altadena

Tickets to Wicked Lit 2012 on sale now!

Wicked Lit 2012 features vampires, a horrifying family curse
and a deadly secret housed inside the mausoleum.
~
Follow the actors in this immersive theatrical experience
as you move throughout the cemetery and grounds of
Mountain View Mausoleum in Altadena

The ALL-NEW line-up includes:

Count Magnus
by M.R. James
adapted by Jonathan Josephson
directed by Paul Millet

The Dead Smile
by F. Marion Crawford
adapted and directed by Jeff G. Rack

Wake Not the Dead
Johann Ludwig Tieck's vampire tale
adapted by Paul Millet
Directed by Douglas Clayton
~
~
Oct 12 - 31 (12 performances only!)
7:30pm every night

For tickets and information go to
WickedLit.org or call 818-242-7910
~
If you have a group of 15 or more, email Paul directly at paul@wickedlit.org
to find out about special incentives for groups!

Poet R,G. Cantalupo & more to read Sept. 16 in La Canada Flintridge

Moonday East will feature celebrated poet, R.G. Cantalupo, and Washington State poet, Connie Walle, at 2 pm, Sunday, Sept 16th at the beautiful Flintridge Bookstore in La Cañada, hosted this month by Lois P. Jones. The East Side reading occurs on the 3rd Sunday of every month from 2 to 4 pm. There will be a feature and open mic. Come early to sign up for the open reading. See future features at: www.moondaypoetry.com

R.G. Cantalupo’s work has been published in over a hundred literary journals throughout the United States, Canada, and England. His book of poetry “Say” was a runner-up for the John Ciardi award in poetry. His poetry collections include Walking Water On Earth, The Art of Naming, Involving Residence, Say, and No Thanks. Cantalupo was a two-time Regional Finalist for the American College Theater Festival, and his play “Heart” was presented at the Kennedy Center as a National Finalist. His award-winning memoir The Light Where Shadows End was serialized in the literary journal “War, Literature and the Arts” and was selected for the anthology, Best Non-fiction Essays of the Last 25 Years. Cantalupo is the Artistic Director and founder of The Little Theater in West Los Angeles where he continues to write and direct plays.

Connie Walle residing in Tacoma, Washington, is President and founder of Puget Sound Poetry Connection where she hosts the “Distinguished Writer Series” now in its 23rd year. Connie also founded Our Own Words, a teen writing contest. Her awards include: 1998 Margaret K Williams Award in support of the arts and Washington Poets Association Faith Beamer Cooks Award. A few of her publications include Floating Bridge Press, Raven Chronicle, Tahoma’s Shadow, and Cradle Song.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge CA 91011, at the intersection of Foothill Blvd. and the Angeles Crest Highway. Take the Angeles Crest exit off of the 210, and turn south toward Foothill Blvd. Parking is in the rear of the store. For more information, call (818) 790-0717.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band to release box set

Fifty years after a former art gallery on St. Peter Street became a haven and platform for the surviving musicians who made New Orleans the birthplace of jazz, The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection box set celebrates their contributions. This deluxe 4-CD, 58-track collection will be available September 25 through Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Today Preservation Hall Jazz Band is sharing “C.C. Rider” from the box set, which just premiered on Paste.

The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection includes five previously unissued tracks that were recorded at Allen Toussaint’s Sea-Saint Studios over the years: “In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down)” (1967); “Precious Lord” (1970); “C. C. Rider” (1981); and “I Get The Blues When It Rains” and “Nellie Grey” (both 1986). After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the state-of-the-art studios in 2005, Preservation Hall producer and musician Ben Jaffe (son of original producer, Preservation Hall Jazz Band member and founder Allan Jaffe) was able to recover many of the tapes and restore a portion of the music.

Also on September 25, Rounder Records will release a new album recorded by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in January at Carnegie Hall. St. Peter and 57th will feature a variety of special guests from many musical genres.

In presenting its comprehensive history, The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection draws from 19 albums (and one bonus CD) that were recorded and released between 1962 and 2010, on the Atlantic Records, CBS Records, Sony Music, and Preservation Hall Recordings labels. Tracks are sequenced in non-chronological order, so the listener can appreciate the seamless transitions of the music and the musicians’ lineups from decade to decade.

In many ways, The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection is a family’s story, and a tribute to Allan Jaffe (1935-1987). A trained musician from Pennsylvania, Jaffe frequently visited New Orleans when he served as a GI in the 1950s at Fort Polk, about four hours northwest of the Crescent City. He and his newlywed wife emigrated there in 1961, and fell into the second line of a parade that wound up at an art gallery. The owner actively promoted jam sessions at his gallery by the elder founding fathers of jazz. Most of them were born in the late 19th century, and had few outlets for their pure jazz (not Dixieland!) in the postwar era of the 1950s.

When Allan Jaffe died from melanoma in 1986, at age 51, Ben writes “It left a wide open hole in our immediate family and at Preservation Hall.” A trained bassist whose life was inextricably bound up with the band, Ben went off to Oberlin College in 1989. Upon his graduation four years later, “I returned to New Orleans to manage the Hall and tour and record with the band on string bass. I was 22.”

Under Ben’s guidance, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band flourished in the ’90s and the ’00s, continuing to release new albums, and becoming a worldwide touring attraction. They perform some 100 shows a year, bringing traditional New Orleans jazz to old and new audiences in the U.S. and on foreign soil. Ben lamented the passing of two childhood heroes, Percy Humphrey in 1994 (age 89) and his brother Willie Humphrey in 1995 (age 95). Banjo mentor Narvin Kimball passed away not long after Katrina; and the great John Brunious died in 2008 (age 67).

“I get great pleasure,” Ben writes, “out of a song that has been interpreted, reinterpreted and performed for years and is still as fresh and new as the day it was born… That's something music does… stretch time, overlap traditions, change history… New Orleans Music is meaningful... It is vital and full of life. It can be happy and joyous. It can be sad and mournful. It has no language barrier. It delivers a universal message we, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, carry with us everywhere we travel.”


Gallows to release new album

Gallows are ready to unleash the next phase of their punk rock attack on the world with the highly anticipated release to their successful Grey Britain album (2009); this self-titled LP is set for release on September 18, 2012 via Bridge Nine Records in the USA.

Gallows was recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by long-term friends on the band Thomas Mitchener and Steve Sears at Broadfields Studio in Watford in May this year. "We made this record self-titled as it musically defines the band known as Gallows as we exist today," explained the band. "This is our statement of intent, our laugh in the face of those who said Gallows were done when in reality, we're just warming up," they continue. "We couldn't feel more vindicated and proud."


Gallows track listing:
1. Victim Culture
2. Everybody Loves You (When You're Dead)
3. Last June
4. Outsider Art
5. Vapid Adolescent Blues
6. Austere
7. Depravers
8. Odessa
9. Nations - Never Enough
10. Cult of Mary
11. Cross of Lorraine

GALLOWS - ON TOUR W/ BARNBURNER



Friday
02-Nov-12
USA
Baltimore
The Ottobar
Saturday
03-Nov-12
USA
New York
The Studio at Webster Hall
Sunday
04-Nov-12
USA
Poughkeepsie
The Loft @ The Chance
Monday
05-Nov-12



Tuesday
06-Nov-12
Canada
Montreal
La Sala Rossa
Wednesday
07-Nov-12
Canada
Ottawa
Mavericks Bar
Thursday
08-Nov-12
Canada
Toronto
Lee's Palace
Friday
09-Nov-12
Canada
Hamilton
The Underground
Saturday
10-Nov-12
Canada
London
Call The Office
Sunday
11-Nov-12



Monday
12-Nov-12
USA
Hamtramk
Smalls
Tuesday
13-Nov-12
USA
Chicago
Subterranean
Wednesday
14-Nov-12



Thursday
15-Nov-12
USA
Minneapolis
7th Street Entry
Friday
16-Nov-12
Canada
Winnipeg
Pyramid Cabaret
Saturday
17-Nov-12
Canada
Regina
The Exchange
Sunday
18-Nov-12



Monday
19-Nov-12
Canada
Saskatoon
Louis'
Tuesday
20-Nov-12
Canada
Edmonton
The Pawn Shop
Wednesday
21-Nov-12



Thursday
22-Nov-12
Canada
Calgary
Republik
Friday
23-Nov-12



Saturday
24-Nov-12
Canada
Vancouver
The Rickshaw Theatre
Sunday
25-Nov-12
USA
Seattle
El Corazon
Monday
26-Nov-12
USA
Portland
Hawthorne Theatre

Session Americana to release album

Session Americana (Boston) is a rock band in a tea cup, or possibly a folk band in a whiskey bottle. This band/collective of talented musicians craft an musical experience unlike any other. On stage is a collapsible bar table wired with microphones, a vintage suitcase recast as a kick drum, an old Estey field organ, a pre-war parlor guitar, a mandocello and all of its smaller siblings, a harmonica case fire damaged when Jack's bar went up in flames and graffitied by Depeche Mode roadies, and an assortment of other instruments that get passed around in this freewheeling modern hootenanny.

The anything-could-happen feel of a Session show depends on craft that's not accidental or easily-won; they bring a kind of ease and genuineness to this timeless music, sometimes presenting the latest batch of original songs, sometimes reaching back into depths of the American "song bag". Session Americana is an absolute must-see, must-hear.

Says David Greenberger of NPR: "I'd give them 100 miles. That is to say, if they're playing anywhere within 100 miles of your home, you drive there and are grandly rewarded for your effort."

Their newest album LOVE AND DIRT (September 4, 2012) is a cohesive and and well-composed batch of songs, a playfully irreverent take on roots music with an edgy experimental side. The record was tracked by Matt Malikowski and noted producer, engineer, and mixer Paul Q. Kolderie, known for his work with the Pixies, Radiohead, Hole, Dinosaur Jr., Throwing Muses, Morphine, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

An essential part of Session Americana is collaboration and spontaneity. Some of the regional and international artists who have "sat at their table" are: Patty Griffin, Kris Delmhorst, Jennifer Kimball, Peter Wolf (J.Geils Band), Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom), Billy Conway (Morphine), Bruno Green (FR), The Henry Girls (ROI), Cahelen Morrison (CAN), Rose Cousins (CAN), Anais Mitchell, David Wax Museum, The Watson Twins, Aoife O'Donavan, and many more.

www.sessionamericana.com

Music Center seeks SoCal students for Spotlight Program

The Music Center invites Southern California high school students in the performing and visual arts to apply to The Music Center’s Spotlight Program. For 25 years, Spotlight has played an integral role in shaping the future of Southern California’s bright young artists. The program is one of the nation’s premier arts education and scholarship programs for teens, providing arts training by professional artists and awarding over $100,000 in scholarships.

“As we begin our 25th year, we are proud to have served more than 25,000 students through the Spotlight program,” said Mark Slavkin, Music Center Vice President for Education. “We love to see how students learn and grow through the program, whether or not they end up pursuing a career in the arts.” The Music Center Spotlight Program has launched many professional careers, including pop music sensation Adam Lambert, American Ballet Theatre’s Misty Copeland, Broadway’s Erin Mackey and classical musician Liang Wang, principal oboist with the New York Philharmonic. Many alumni return to the program and participate as judges and class instructors, eager to give to Spotlight what they received when they were students.

The Music Center’s Spotlight Program is free and open to all students who attend high school in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Spotlight is a highly regarded yet accessible program that invites students of all talent levels to apply, and there are no fees to participate. Every student who applies to Spotlight will have the opportunity to learn through professional feedback and gain valuable knowledge to improve their art and audition skills.

Spotlight was developed to offer distinctive learning opportunities to Southern California students at every stage of artistic development. On September 30, The Music Center will host the Spotlight Academy, a free day of workshops inviting students to talk to professionals and university faculty about the program and audition processes in a casual atmosphere. High school students at all levels of prior training are welcome to attend, whether or not they plan to audition in the Spotlight program. According to Jeri Gale, Director of the The Music Center’s Spotlight Program, “Spotlight provides high school students an opportunity to stretch themselves by learning about audition skills, exploring artistry and developing self-confidence; all in a safe and nurturing environment. It’s free, it’s easy and most importantly, it’s fun!”

Applications for Spotlight and information about the Spotlight Academy are now available online at musiccenter.org/spotlight. Performing Arts applications must be received by October 17, 2012, and Visual Arts applications are due by December 1, 2012. Performing Arts categories are ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental, and jazz instrumental. Visual Arts categories are photography and two-dimensional art. Students who are selected by professional judges to advance as semifinalists participate in master classes, compete to perform at The Music Center or exhibit their artwork in a professional art gallery, and receive cash scholarships totaling $100,000. First Grand Prize Finalists in each category receive $5,000 scholarships and runners-up, $4,000. Honorable Mentions receive $250 scholarships and semifinalists receive $100 scholarships.

For more information about the Music Center Spotlight program, visitmusiccenter.org/spotlight or join the conversation onfacebook.com/spotlightawards.

Debbie Turner and more at Taste of Arcadia Sept. 24

Debbie Turner, former Arcadian and child star who played Marta in the 1965 Academy Award-winning “The Sound of Music,” along with three of her seven Sound of Music siblings (www.theSOM7.com) Angela Cartwright (Brigitta) and Kym Karath (Gretl), will greet attendees at the Taste of Arcadia from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday evening, Sept. 24, at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

The reunion of the cast of "The Sound of Music" was named this week as the best cast reunion ever on the "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and one of the top 25 "Oprah" shows of all time out of more than 4,500 episodes. The announcement and highlights of the program were introduced Tuesday night on the first of a new limited series on Oprah's OWN cable network called “TV Guide’s Top 25 Countdown,” featuring the episodes ranked as #21 - #25.

Actresses Patricia and Michele Turner, also formerly of Arcadia and older sisters of Debbie Turner, will also be guests at the back-to-back Sound of Music tables near the entry area in the first-ever Business Showcase at the Taste.

The three actresses who co-starred in the 1965 classic musical as daughters in the singing von Trapp family will offer a handful of fully autographed (by all seven actors who played the von Trapp children) Limited Edition Collectors editions of their L.A. Times Best Seller The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook with a “seal of authenticity.” They will also be offering books for purchase that will be autographed and personalized by Angela, Debbie and Kym.

Tickets for Taste of Arcadia, featuring nearly 40 food and drink booths, are still available for $50 at the Chamber office, 388 W. Huntington Drive, by phone at 626-447-2159, and at the Chamber web site: www. ArcadiaCaChamber.org.


The appearance of the Sound of Music actresses is only one of several new features and activities planned for this year’s Taste of Arcadia, the community’s signature event that draws about 1,000 guests who enjoy the many different foods and tastes from the best local restaurants, caterers and wine-and-beer vendors.

A culinary contest of the food and drink will be judged by Food Network stars Jyl Everman and Penny Davidi as well as Arcadia Mayor Pro Tem Mickey Segal and his nutritionist gourmet wife Lee Segal.

Completely new this year will be a Business Showcase at the Taste, featuring about 30 tables featuring area businesses and organizations, including a dozen new 2013 model cars from four local dealers.

Also new also this year will be a strolling magician and the eight-piece Lounge-O-Rama band, made up of local JPL and NASA employees. The band will play timeless Swing and Big Band numbers early in the evening, moving to classic pop/rock favorites after the sun sets and the dance party starts heating up. And helping with that will be the popular Brazilian Dancers.
Arcadia High School’s talented drum line will again greet guests as they enter the gate.


Society of Seven in Cerritos Sept. 29

Society of Seven Featuring Jasmine Trias & Joey Albert


Theater: Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos

Date: Saturday, September 29, 2012, 8:00 PM

Ticket Prices: $70/$65/$60/$50/$40

Ticket Information: Tickets are available only at the Cerritos
Center for the Performing Arts’ Ticket Office, at
www.cerritoscenter.com, or by calling (562) 467-8818.

Guitar World to publish 'Best Instruction Book Ever"

In Guitar World Presents The Best Instruction Book Ever!, Guitar World’s crack team of educators will teach you all the basics, including the chords, scales and electrifying riffs used in your favorite blues, classic rock, country, and heavy metal songs. Along the way, you’ll receive words of advice, encouragement, and inspiration from legends like Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Eric Clapton, Queen's Brian May, and B.B. King. And with an easy tab system to show you where to put your fingers and which strings to pick, even beginners can learn to play like these guitar greats.

Guitar World Presents The Best Instruction Book Ever! includes over 200 full-color photos and diagrams that make each tip easy to comprehend, as well as a bonus DVD that brings the lessons to life. Also included in this one-of-a-kind book are exciting and colorful tutorials, including “Mastering Soloing,”“How to Play the Blues,” and “Essential Picking Techniques for All Styles.” Guitar World Presents The Best Instruction Book Ever! is backed by years of experience with the kind of instruction readers can only find in Guitar World magazine. With this book, any player can turn their living room into Madison Square Garden with just one mighty strum!

“This book has been 20 years in the making,” says Brad Tolinski, Editor in Chief at Guitar World. “It’s truly epic.”

Guitar World Presents The Best Instruction Book Ever! is the must-have book for both beginners, or longtime players looking to brush up on their technique. Guitar World Presents The Best Instruction Book Ever! retails for $29.95 U.S. (Hardcover, Time Home Entertainment Inc.), and will be available online and at bookstores nationwide on October 23, 2012.


Luther to release album and tour

For a band that's been around less than two years, Philadelphia's LUTHER certainly has some impressive fans. From being asked to play at Hot Water Music's record release show to summer and fall tours with The Bouncing Souls to opening shows for Braid, The Smoking Popes and Dead to Me in their hometown, the band certainly seems to have caught the ears of all the right people. Now Chunksaah Records has announced that they will be putting out the band's debut full-length on October 9, 2012. Titled Let's Get You Somewhere Else (tracklisting and album art below), the album was recorded and produced by The Bouncing Soul's guitarist Pete Steinkopf in his Little Eden Studios and mastered by Nick Zampiello and Rob Gonnella at New Alliance East (Torche, Against Me!, Piebald).


TRACKLISTING:
01) The Concrete Sound
02) A Calm
03) Heavy Money
04) The Glory Bees
05) Backyard Fence Appeal
06) The Second Star
07) Rattlesnake
08) A Quiet Stretch of Weather
09) Sunset, Sugar
10) An American Gothic
11) The Farmer and Her Wife

All 11 songs on Let's Get You Somewhere Else buzz with a upbeat, driving momentum, calling to mind The Get Up Kids, Samiam, Jimmy Eat World and Hüsker Dü but stamped with an updated indie-rock edge that cements the sound as firmly Luther's own. The jangly, suspenseful build-up of album opener "The Concrete Sound", the noodling guitars and anthemic chorus of "A Quiet Stretch of Weather" and the undeniably catchy "The Glory Bees" (which threatens to become stuck in your head for days) are just a handful of the songs on this debut that demonstrate why Luther has so quickly gained the esteem of those who influenced their sound.

Their debut EP Siblings & Sevens was heralded by AMP Magazine as "one of the best records of 2011", with Altsounds saying "Luther have an endearing charm... the seeds are definitely planted for the future." Over a year later with several national tours under their belt it seems that the future is now for the band with the release of Let's Get You Somewhere Else. Luther is also preparing to tour parts of North America, including a Canadian tour with Chunksaah labelmates The Bouncing Souls and Dave Hause this fall (all tour dates below).

Luther is Phil Warner (Vocals/Guitar), Andy Clarke (Drums), Nick Harris (Vocals/Guitar), and Greg Karlowitsch (Bass).



lutherphiladelphia.com
facebook.com/LutherPhiladelphia
twitter.com/666LUTHER666
LUTHER ON THE ROAD
* signifies with Timeshares
# signifies with Bouncing Souls / Dave Hause
% signifies with Static Radio / The Arteries
Sept 20: The Shark Tank (Rochester, NY) *
Sept 21: Thursday’s Lounge (Akron, OH) *
Sept 22: The Local 432 (Flint, MI) *
Sept 23: Dragonfly Lounge (Madison, WI) *
Sept 24: Medusa (Minneapolis, MN) *
Sept 25: Blackhawk Room (Moline, IL) *
Sept 26: Township (Chicago, IL) *
Sept 27: The Globe Theater (Kalamazoo, MI) *
Sept 28: Now That’s Class (Cleveland, OH) *
Sept 29: 222 Ormsby (Pittsburgh, PA) *
Sept 30: TBA (Buffalo, NY) *
Oct 1: Charlie’s Kitchen (Boston, MA)
Oct 3: Foufounes Electriques (Montreal, QUE) #
Oct 4: Le Cercle (Montreal, QUE) #

Oct 5: Ritual (Ottawa, ONT) #
Oct 6: Lee's Palace (Toronto, ON) #
Oct 7: Call The Office (London, ON) #
Oct 10: Republik (Calgary, ALB) #
Oct 19: The Fire (Philadelphia, PA) %
Oct 20: Asbury Lanes (Asbury Park, NJ) %
Oct 21: The Camel (Richmond, VA) %
Oct 22: Motorco Music Hall (Durham, NC) %
Oct 23: Under the Couch (Atlanta, GA) %
Oct 24: Will’s Pub (Orlando, FL) %
Oct 25: Transitions Art Gallery %
Oct 26: FEST 11 (Gainesville, FL)
Oct 27: FEST 11 (Gainesville, FL)
Oct 28: FEST 11 (Gainesville, FL)


Yoko Ono designs for Swarovski

Inspired by hope, peace and dreams, conceptual artist Yoko Ono created two exclusive crystal key cuts for fall 2012, adding to SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS’ roll-call of illustrious designer partnerships including Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani, Andrée Putman and Manish Arora.

A pioneering figure in the sixties’ conceptual art and seventies’ new wave movements, Yoko Ono’s work spans music, film and writing, as well as performance, painting and sculpture. Today she still thrives on her social activism and philanthropic contributions, breaking cultural boundaries and giving expression to her creativity in completely original ways.

Her latest creative endeavor is her collaboration with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS. The limited-edition contemporary key-cut crystal collection combines her trademark playfulness with a search for deeper philosophical meaning, and launches fall 2012. Designed around the theme of ‘Unlocking the Door to a Better Life’, the collection has distinct echoes of a childhood spent in war-torn Japan, which motivated Yoko Ono’s commitment to pacifism. The collection symbolizes her hopes and dreams for our planet: “Imagine a key that unlocks the door to the forest with its secrets, to the sky with its peacefulness, to the universe with its infinity, to a future with a promise for a better life.”

One of her designs, an elegant oversized key on a silver chain is available in a crystal silver shade in a limited-edition run of 1,300 pieces, each engraved with Yoko Ono’s signature and its limited-edition number. This crystal silhouette, “KEY TO OPEN THE UNIVERSE,” symbolizes the spirit of all the possibilities the universe holds: “Imagine two billion universes,” Yoko Ono says, “and visualize yourself on a planet in each universe.” Wearing this beautiful, thought-provoking piece allows us to share Yoko Ono’s vision of the power of the imagination.

The second silhouette, “KEY TO OPEN THE FOREST,” has been designed in seven color ways with two size options – a medium or small pendant – the medium-sized design is embellished with a tiny dangling metal key set off with a crystal chaton; and the smaller pendant is on a black cord for a laidback, casual look. Both feature the Yoko Ono signature and retail for $90 - $190.

The collection launches on Fashion’s Night Out, Thursday, September 6 and will be available in select SWAROVSKI stores worldwide, as well as SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED stores in New York City, Vienna, Wattens, Innsbruck and London.

LindyGroove in Pasadena Aug. 30

LindyGroove Thursday August 30th 2012

Main Ballroom
Guest DJ Hillary Alexander (Los Angeles)
Guest DJ Kristin Buxton (Los Angeles)
DJ Vicky Chan (Los Angeles)

2nd Ballroom (The Lab)
Balboa with Augie Freeman & Mary Freitag

Lindy Hop Lessons:
Beginning Lindy with Jason Vaughan & Heather Martel 7:30 to 8:30
Intermediate Lindy with Ben & Sheri 7:30 to 8:30
Advanced Intensive with Jasmine Cheung & Sam Chan (Audition required)
Mini Privates with great instructors

LindyGroove Birthdays:
David Russey
Melissa Royston
Morgan Dinerstein
Vince Tagle

Welcome visiting dancers by including them in our Birthday/Visitor Jam (Email us names/cities or tell the DJ)

LindyGroove Details:
*Every Thursday dance to the best swingin Jazz and Blues DJ's from around the country.
*Grand Ballroom of the Historic Pasadena Masonic Lodge 200 S. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101
*5,400 sq. ft. floating wooden dance floor
*Complimentary Beginning and Intermediate Lindy Lesson 7:30-8:15
*Dancing until Midnight.
*Complimentary Parking until 12:45 AM (Lot is locked at 12:45 AM)
*All Ages
*Cover $8.00 (Except for special events)

www.LindyGroove.com

Rosie Flores and Scott H. Biram in LA Sept. 6 and 9

Bloodshot Shows in L.A.area!
Rosie Flores & Scott H. Biram in the L.A. area!

Rosie Flores at Viva Cantina, in Burbank on 9/6
Scott H. Biram at The Echoplex on 9/9

(Details Below)


ROSIE FLORES LIVE!
At Viva Cantina on Thursday, September 6th

http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/mediakit/rosie-flores

Beginning in the late 70s with her rockabilly punk band the Screamin' Sirens, Rosie Flores has been crafting a pioneering career in the roots underground. She was an integral part of the LA New Traditionalist scene that gave rise to Dwight Yoakum and Los Lobos, toured with Flatlander Butch Hancock, recorded with Ray Campi, and rockabilly and riot grrl icons Janis Martin and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Wanda Jackson. She has contributed tracks to several Bloodshot Records compilations, including "Hard-Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson" (2004) and the kids' classic "The Bottle Let Me Down" (2002).

With over half a century of hard roots-rabbling between them, Rosie Flores – the Rockabilly Filly, and Jon Langford—head Mekon, Waco Brother and conductor of the Chicago-based collective the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, blast a sonic contrail stretching from Texas to Wales, from the dusty hill country to the dusky fetter cairns. These two long-celebrated musical forces, one with her cowboy boots firmly in the dance halls and the other with his work boots sloshing around puddles of beer in the pubs, come together for Girl of the Century, an album of spirited and soulful romps through the back roads of American music.




Thursday, September 6th at Viva Cantina
(Janis Martin CD Release Party)
900 Riverside Dr. – Burbank, CA
Show time: 10pm
Ticket cost: No Cover
All Ages


SCOTT H. BIRAM LIVE!
At The Echoplex on Sunday, September 9th

http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/mediakit/scott-h-biram

Recent highlights: featured on FX’s Sons of Anarchy, in American Songwriter, AMP Magazine, Thrasher, Paste, Daytrotter, Magnet, Blurt, Slant Magazine, front cover feature with Austin Chronicle, and many more.

Scott churns out ultra-primal, gutbucket blues and rock with a country heart beating underneath. The man and his squalling '59 Gibson hollow-body electric, along with a wall of beat up amps, and a hell-bent, pounding left foot, throw down the salvation with such gavel-like conviction that you'll actually start to believe his dose of snake oil just might cure the lame, and make the blind see.




Sunday, September 9th at The Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd. – Los Angeles, CA
Tickets: $13 ADV $15 DOS
Show Time: 8pm
Ages 18+


3D Film Festival in LA Sept. 20-22

3DFF, the world’s largest all-digital 3D Film, Music, and Interactive Festival, celebrates its fifth anniversary at its new location inside Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14, with additional activities taking place at the JW Marriott Los Angeles, L.A. LIVE, The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles, Club Nokia, The Conga Room and The GRAMMY Museum, all located within the L.A. LIVE sports and entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles. The three-day festival, presented by RealD, 3net and LG Electronics, opens Thursday, September 20th with multiple world premiere red carpet screening events starting at 8pm and 10pm, inside Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE Stadium 14’s luxurious 800-seat Premiere House Theater. The Opening Night Gala event takes place at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia later that evening following the World Premiere screening of the highly anticipated thriller SPIDERS 3D, directed by Tibor Tackács presented by Millennium Films/Nu Image.

During the multi-day event, 3DFF honors several music industry and cinema legends, including Quincy Jones and Montreux Jazz Festival Founder Claude Nobs, both of whom co-star in the World Premiere of 3DFF’s Opening Night Documentary Film, EXPERIENCE MONTREUX in 3D. This groundbreaking film invites viewers to experience the Montreux Jazz Festival and the legend of Europe’s most famous contemporary music capital, and features a classic lineup of live performances and interviews from over fifteen jazz, contemporary and indie artists, including: Angelique Kidjo; Broken Bells; Elvis Costello; Herbie Hancock; Joe Bonamassa; Leszek Mozdzer, The Maccabees; Macadam Jazz band; Marcia Castro; Martina Topley Bird; Massive Attack; Mumford and Sons; Nas & Damian Marley; Sophie Hunger; and Yacht. The film has been heralded as the best 3D music film ever produced and it is a must-see for any 3D enthusiast or music fan.

“Director David Barnard captured a mix of visual elements and Montreux charm by combining the energy and spirit of Montreux in a wonderfully immersive stereoscopic world. The film embraces the 3D medium and makes the viewer feel like they are in the front row of the concert,” commented GRAMMY Award Winning Producer Sheira Rees-Davies, one of the producers on the film along with Frank Dreyer, who spearheaded the project in cooperation with HELLO! and The Dream Factory for Nagra/Kudelski Group, Eagle Rock Entertainment and The Montreux Jazz Festival.

The 3D team behind the project also captured two additional 3D concert films during the Montreux Jazz Festival, both of which will also World Premiere at 3DFF as part of a special collaboration with The GRAMMY Museum and their Clive Davis Theater. Each one-hour film, QUINCY JONES AND THE GLOBAL GUMBO ALLSTARS LIVE IN MONTREUX 3D and HERBIE HANCOCK THE IMAGINE PROJECT LIVE IN MONTREUX 3D will screen continuously through the Festival for 3DFF attendees and GRAMMY Museum patrons alike.

On Closing Night, Saturday, September 22, at The GRAMMY Museum and The Conga Room at L.A. LIVE, 3DFF and AEG will honor music legend Quincy Jones, who will perform with his Global Gumbo Allstars Band, which is comprised of some of the most talented musicians and performers in the world. The event also includes a 3DFF Screening of the Quincy Jones-produced WE ARE THE WORLD FOR HAITI 25 BEHIND THE SCENES DOCUMENTARY in 3D presented by AEG featuring the late Michael Jackson.

Reprising his role as Celebrity Host of the Festival for a third year is actor/director Thomas Jane (Hung), who commented, “The art of 3D Filmmaking continues to grow, & 3DFF is humbled and honored to host multiple film and music legends at this year’s event along with their exciting new 3D movies, which are some of the best natively shot indie-3D films that the Festival has ever seen in its lineup. We wish all the 3DFF Filmmakers this year best of luck in the competition and we encourage you to continue making great 3D content.”

The complete slate of all sixty 3DFF films will be published in coming weeks.

Additional Presenting Sponsors include Dreamfactory3D, 3opolis, VER, National CineMedia, AEG, Network Live, Regal Cinemas, Idea Giants, Principal Media, 3net and Best Events with support from Fandango, NVIDIA, Marketsaw.com, Koziak Productions, BVGPR, Jade Productions, Deluxe, StereoD, New Wave Entertainment, 3DContentHub.com, Libra Group, Luxe Hotels, Fantastic Fest, Alamo Draft House, The Advocate, Out in 3D, Party Truck Game Center, ACL Live, Stock3DPhotos.com, Gen Audio, LA Metro, Living Social, Amoeba Music, UltraD, INGRI:DAHL , Raw Studios, The 3D Academy of Stereoscopic Arts & Sciences, and Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Doors for the Opening Night 8:00p.m. screening at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14’s Premiere House will open at 6:30p.m. for a 7:00p.m. (PDT) start time for the new one-hour 3DFF Pre Show Program, which will feature a roundup of sneak preview clips and trailers from almost every major Hollywood studio including: Sony Pictures Animation, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Open Road Films, DreamWorks Animation, The Weinstein Company, Lionsgate, Focus Features, and more. The Pre Show Program will also feature the World Premiere of Katy Perry’s Wide Awake Music Video in 3D; plus footage from Sony Pictures Animation’s HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (the film opens nationwide in 3D and regular theaters September 28); Warner Bros’ trailer from Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY; and a 3D Tribute to the night’s honorees.

For late-night movie fans, on opening night be sure to catch the Midnight Screening of DREDD 3D, presented by Lionsgate and Regal Cinemas. Please note that tickets to DREDD 3D at Midnight on September 20th can only be purchased at the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 Box Office or online through Fandango.com. *3DFF badges will not be accepted for this screening.

3D game enthusiasts will want to be sure to stop by the LG 3D Game Truck which will be parked outside the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 from 5:00p.m. to 10:00p.m. on Opening Night, and from 12:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Each lounge will be outfitted as an ultimate at-home theater with the latest 3D movie trailers and games. LG Electronics will also present five different CINEMA 3D TV and Game Lounges inside L.A. LIVE during the 3DFF. Look for the LG CINEMA 3D TV and Game Lounge displays at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14, The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, The Conga Room, Club Nokia, and The GRAMMY Museum during the Festival’s regular hours of operation, which are as follows:

The GRAMMY Museum:

Thursday, September 20th 11:30am to 2:30pm

Friday, September 21st 11:30am to 7:30pm

Saturday, September 22nd 10:00am to 7:30pm

All other venues:

Thursday, September 20th 5:00pm to 2:00am

Friday, September 21st 12:00pm to 2:00am

Saturday, September 22nd 9:00am to 2:00am

L.A. LIVE discounted parking rate of $10 for ALL DAY parking for 3DFF attendees is located in the West Garage via Gate G. Please note that the $10 parking fee will be collected at time of entry. Save time and money plus get special 3DFF discounts when you take the LA METRO transit system. Bring your L.A. Metro Card to the 3DFF Box Office to learn more.

Ticket prices range from $10 to $100 and can be purchased in advance online at www.3dfilmfest.eventbrite.com. 3DFF will operate a Box Office at L.A. LIVE from Sept 16 to 20 inside the L.A. LIVE West Garage. For additional information please visit us online at www.3DFF.org

Boys Noize to release album with Snoop Dogg collaboration

BOYS NOIZE is proud to release his third full-length album Out Of The Black on October 16th (Boysnoize Records) in America. The album’s twelve track titles were revealed via Boys Noize’s Twitter. Besides features from Siriusmo and GIZZLE, it includes the highly anticipated collaboration with Snoop Dogg on the album closer “Got It”.

After headlining Electric Zoo’s Sunday School stage, Boys Noize will be back in November performing his first ever American live shows. He'll makes stops in Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, SF, LA and ending it in December with two Texas dates. Please see full date and on-sale info http://boysnoize.com/dates. Earlier, on October 6th Boys Noize will play his first live performance in Berlin, at the start of an extensive 25-city European live tour.

Boys Noize’s first single in 3 years, "XTC" and the accompanying MMM Remix, of his third album Out Of The Black is released and available now. Complex Magazine premiered "XTC", calling it "ridiculously catchy". The first rousing album track “What You Want” was revealed earlier by Rolling Stone.

Alex Ridha - aka Boys Noize - is a Berlin-based producer, DJ and label owner who started producing and DJing at a very early age and is known internationally as a one of the most valued electronic artists (for instance; Independent Music Award in 2010 and named Best Electronic Artist 3 consecutive times by the influential music store Beatport, world’s largest electronic music community).

The new album perfectly bridges the gap between his previous two efforts Oi Oi Oi and POWER; providing the requisite in-your-face electro bang of classic Boys Noize on tracks like “What You Want”, “Rocky 2” and “XTC”, or more melodic songs like "Ich R U“ and “Reality“. At a time when mainstream electronic music, particularly the pervasive cultures of EDM and dubstep, have moved dance music out of the clubs and into the stadiums, Ridha is quick to acknowledge the old school house and acid records that shaped him as a DJ; the very same records that continue to bubble up as an influence on Out Of The Black.

Alex Ridha is at the heart of Boysnoize Records and BNR Trax that involves a roster of over 100 releases by more than a dozen different artists (Spank Rock, The Faint, Mixhell, Strip Steve, Housemeister and 17-year old SCNTST etc). Along releasing two long players Oi Oi Oi and POWER with contemporary anthems "&Down," "Don't Believe The Hype" and "Jeffer" he's had numerous releases with Mr. Oizo (aka Handbraekes), Erol Alkan, Jarvis Cocker and more.

Boys Noize has been on the forefront of remixing indie artists like Feist’s “My Moon, My Man,” long before it was a custom to remix non-dance tracks. Other remixes range from the likes of David Lynch, N.E.R.D, Depeche Mode, Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers to name a few. Having worked with Scissor Sisters, Gonzales, Spank Rock, Santigold and Kelis, the highly sought after producer, is ready to show the world his best work to date.

Boys Noize – Out Of The Black - track list:
01. What You Want
02. XTC
03. Missile
04. Ich R U
05. Rocky 2
06. Circus Full Of Clowns feat. GIZZLE
07. Conchord feat. Siriusmo
08. Touch It
09. Reality
10. Merlin
11. Stop
12. Got It feat. Snoop Dogg

BOYS NOIZE LIVE (*) and DJ Dates:
http://boysnoize.com/dates (on sale now)
08/31 – Las Vegas, NV (USA) @ Haze
09/01 – Mexico City (MEX) @ Auditorio Blackberry
09/02 – New York, NY (USA) @ Electric Zoo Festival
10/06 – Berlin (GER) @ Columbiahalle *
10/09 – Glasgow (UK) @ O2 ABC *
10/11 – Dublin (IRL) @ Academy *
10/12 – Manchester (UK) @ TBA *
10/13 – London (UK) @ Coronet *
10/17 – Zurich (CH) @ Maag Halle *
10/18 – Geneva (CH) @ Salle des Fetes de Thonex *
10/19 – Lille (FR) @ Fantastic Festival *
10/20 – Nantes (FR) @ Stereolux *
10/23 – Oslo (N) @ Rockefeller *
10/24 – Stockholm (SWE) @ Arenan *
10/25 – Copenhagen (DK) @ Vega *
10 /27– Vienna (AUSTRIA) @ Gasometer *
10/28 – Bologna (IT) @ Link *
10/31 – Milan (IT) @ Limelight *
11/01 – Lyon (FR) @ La Sucriere *
11/02 – Paris (FR) @ La Cigale *
11/03 – Toulouse (FR) @ Le Bikini *
11/04 – Nimes (FR) @ Paloma *
11/08 – Madrid (SP) @ Arena *
11/13 – Amsterdam (NL) @ Paradiso *
11/14 – Cologne (GER) @ E-Werk *
11/15 – Hamburg (GER) @ Docks *
11/17 – Munich (GER) @ Kesselhaus *
11/23 - Fort Lauderdale, FL (USA) @ Revolution *
11/24 – Orlando, FL (USA) @ House of Blues *
11/28 – Washington, DC (USA) @ Fillmore *
11/30 - New York, NY (USA) @ Roseland Ballroom *

12/01 – Philadelphia, PA (USA) @ TLA 
*
12/02 – Boston, MA (USA) @ House of Blues *
12/06 – Montreal (CAN) @ Telus Theatre *
12/07 - Toronto (CAN) @ Sound Academy *
12/08 – Chicago, IL (USA) @ Aragon *

12/10 - St. Louis, MO (USA) @ Pageant *
12/14 – Oakland, CA (USA) @ Fox Theatre *
12/15 - Los Angeles, CA (USA) @ Palladium *
12/16 - San Diego, CA (USA) @ House of Blues 
*
12/18 – Denver, CO (USA) @ Fillmore 
*
12/20 – Dallas, TX (USA) @ House of Blues *
12/21 – Houston, TX (USA) @ House of Blues *

International Release Dates:
Japan – October 3
Germany, Austria & Switzerland – October 5
UK, France, rest of world - October 8
Australia & New Zealand – October 12
USA, Canada – October 16

http://www.boysnoize.com
http://www.facebook.com/boysnoize
http://www.twitter.com/boysnoize
http://www.youtube.com/boysnoize
http://www.soundcloud.com/boysnoize

One Direction adds third LA concert date

Due to the continued demand from Los Angeles Directioners eager to see the group live on stage, One Direction have added a third Staples Center concert to their 2013 summer tour itinerary.

The group will now perform at Staples Center on Friday August 9, 2013, in addition to their previously-announced shows on August 7th and 8th. Tickets for the third night will go on sale next Saturday – September 8th – at 10 AM at LiveNation.com.

With their entire May/June 2012 tour selling out in just minutes, One Direction are giving their fans a chance to see the group live once again in the summer of 2013 as part of their World Tour– the earliest they are able to return with a tour to the States. The Live Nation promoted 25 city tour kicks off in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on June 13, 2013 and hits New York, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and more.

One Direction will appear at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, September 6th and will also host, “My First Time,” a half-hour preview special dedicated to reliving the most memorable VMA performances of all time. “My First Time” will air tonight at 11:00 PM ET/PT on MTV.

One Direction has certainly had a very busy summer: they performed at the London 2012 Olympic Games’ massive closing ceremony concert earlier this month. Also, at the Fox Teen Choice Awards in June, the group won for Breakout Artist, Summer Music Star and Choice Love Song.

One Direction gained notoriety in 2010 after appearing on the X-Factor UK. Their global smash debut album, Up All Night, entered the charts at #1 in 17 countries and has been certified triple platinum in Ireland, double platinum in the UK & Australia, and platinum in New Zealand. One Direction made history as their debut album Up All Night entered the US Billboard 200 chart at #1 with over 176,000 copies sold making them the first British group ever to debut at #1 in the US with their debut album release. Their debut single “What Makes You Beautiful” has recently been certified platinum in the US for sales in excess of 1,000,000 units. They recently announced a brand new single -- “Live While We’re Young” will be available to download via iTunes on Monday, October 1st

One Direction are Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. All of the group hail from the U.K., save for Horan, who is from Ireland. All five of the boys (ages 18-20) auditioned for the UK X Factor in 2010 as solo artists. However, at the suggestion of Simon Cowell they joined forces as a group, quickly becoming one of the competitions most popular acts of all time, finishing in the final three and garnering a gigantic fan-base along the way.

Up All Night debut album is available now

iTunes: http://bit.ly/sGhR74

Amazon: http://amzn.to/sQrNrW

Amazon (Deluxe Yearbook Edition): http://amzn.to/vfxzwF

For more info visit

http://www.onedirectionmusic.com

http://www.columbiarecords.com