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..What the gosh-darn heck can we dance for (against?)? The LA Gay & Lesbian Center is hosting a dance party in celebration of the crossing-my-fingers-for the NO on Prop 8 initiative. It’s at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, there will be TVs on all over to monitor specifically Prop 8’s progress, a suggested $10 donation, and a hosted bar and complimentary appetizers. Also - watch the election results while you’re at it!

The buzz in LA this week is sonic-alt-indie band Swing Hailey, hailing from Downey. Fans of nearly everything will find something to like about this band; but especially fans of Sonic Youth, the PIxies, Iggy Pop, all that new pop on 103.1 nowadays, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, etc, et all. They sound like an aural version of the Bloody Marys at the Golden Cafe in Burning Man: It’s a mix of a whole ton of spices, flavors, and other influences thrown into a blender on a chainsaw in the middle of a crazy party in a Tunisian-style tent in the middle of the desert; everything gets all mixed up together, and the end result is an ethereal, completely tangible yet indescribable heaven to your senses, to live in legend and infamy for the rest of days. 

Catch Swing Hailey and all its awesome aural gloriousness at the next S.O.U.P Kitchen 4, along with S.O.U.P themselves, Custom Deluxe, The Last Holy Fools, and plenty of inter-band jamming. Fun times abound indeed! And it’s always considered courteous to bring a form of alcohol to share, beer is favored amongst S.O.U.Pers. 

The buzz today is the Gumbo Brothers, who rocked Mandeville Canyon today at the annual UMCA Fall Festival.

The Taylor Ranch is a lovely setting for anything… 65 acres of pristine idyllic ranch property in Brentwood, set among Sycamores and chaparral. Today was the annual UMCA Fall Festival, featuring the Gumbo Brother and their most excellent party groove. These guys have an honest to goodness sound that would make even Sarah Palin understand the best of America isn’t rstricted to small-town USA.

Besides their super-cool rhythm, the Gumbo Brothers are genuinely nice guys. The Gumbo Brothers have firmly rooted themselves in the eclectic artistic tradition of Venice Beach, California with weekly residencies at the Venice Bistro, Rae’s Lounge and now Fridays at The Santa Monica Bar & Grille.

Bayou-steeped, organic funky dance music, it’s good for the soul. See these guys if you get a chance. They play around locally all the time. It’s a guaranteed good time out. Just add a few cold beers, and be sure to get off your ass and shake it.

Ok. So the “tour” is a 2 stop weekend, Friday at the Mirror Image Studios in Anaheim; and Saturday at the Cobalt Cafe in Canoga Park. It’s put on by the band Soulfound, who have much to do with record label Mohawk Bomb Records, from Florida. Rest assured that this tour will have you pulling out all your old Pennywise, AFI, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones records (yes. records.) after the show, and drunk dialing all your buddies from high school to reminisce about the old days.

Bands are Soulfound, Bull Lee, 900 Lb Gorilla, The Business End, and New Skool Kings. Check out the music on Mohawk Bomb’s myspace, check out the youtube videos, and the pics of the bands playing in the photo album. You’ll get the sense that yeah, the music’s a bit of a throwback, but none of the bands playing that music care. It seems like all the bands are just out to have fun, they probably all have day jobs and aren’t looking for any kind of music career to speak of; these guys just want to get up on stage, go batballs crazy, make a lot of noise, and have many many raucous beers with the other bands after their set, and show all those 13-years-olds (it’s, um…it’s all ages.) how the pit’s done old school. 

Anyway, if you’re looking for a completely refreshing alternative to the usual overcontrived, overwrought, and overhyped LA music scene, make the drive, drop by, and remind yourself why you fell in love with music in the first place.

 

The buzz this week in LA is Glendale’s upcoming S.O.U.P Kitchen en las Dias de la Muertas, Saturday Nov. 1. It’s hosted by a cavalier band of experimental noise makers, band S.O.U.P, who have been known to draw comparisons to Sonic Youth…….on acid, Built to Spill………on acid, and Pink Floyd…….on even more acid. 

It’s a backyard BBQ in its base form, but it’s the most gosh-darn fun backyard BBQ that I’ve ever been to. S.O.U.P. sets their own equipment up for open jamming between bands, there’s a psychedelic sculpture garden, there is beer…. and lots of it, and if you stick around long enough, tipsy band members from all manner bands will scurry up to the instruments, and create the most wonderfully odd versions of original and cover songs. 

Por ejemplo, at S.O.U.P Kitchen Take 2, members of What’s Their Name?, Jed’s Dead, and S.O.U.P temporarily banded together to take the audience on a wild, captivating, mind-melding head trip of “The End”, by the Doors. Oh - and speaking of crazy-arse covers, don’t miss S.O.U.P’s version of “Bohemian Rhapsody”. They usually play first, so get there early to catch it. It’s what would have happened if Queen existed in dank, smoked-out and tuned-in basements of suburbia 1960s. 

Check out their myspace for more info - see you there!

Last Friday two very brave girls took-on the parking havoc and insanity on Fairfax Ave at the Petersen Automotive Museum caused by the largest event of Fashion week, the Gen Art sponsored Fresh Faces in Fashion gala fashion show. After driving half hour to get there already, it was so insanely backed up that after waiting in the parking line for 15 minutes we were informed that it was full and we could only valet park to the left in another impossible maneuver. I was ready to give up and go home but my companion bolstered my good will and patience and we decided on a new plan. To park at her house, change into flats and walk the several blocks to the location. We arrived at least a half hour late and were almost cut off from being let in, despite being on the guest list. We just made it in the nick of time.

We were ushered past the ghosts of automotive past to a giant hangar where the fashion show was being hosted. There were beautiful people everywhere. Despite being in heels, my five foot frame had a very poor view of the show being about 15 feet back in the standing room only section. I could see enough, however, and even glimpsed the singer/actress host Mandy Moore. The music and lighting was exciting an fitting, changing for each new collection. This show exhibited the designs of nine of the hottest new fashion designers in town. Two shows featured menswear, one female swim wear, the rest were female fashions. Afterwards was an fun soiree on the outdoor deck of the hangar with a wonderful open bar offering up Baily’s Irish Cream, Sake2Me fizzy drinks, red and white wine and champagne. Yummy!! We got some swag and enjoyed the live art installation fashion, spray paint, hats and otherwise. Went home appropriately tipsy.

It was my first official fashion show. Possibly my last, but I enjoyed it just the same. Glad I didn’t give up.

The 5th Annual Grand Avenue Festival will hit the streets of Downtown on Sunday, Sept. 28, anchored by MOCA Downtown and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

The family-oriented (I say this because Folsom’s happening this weekend in SF) music, arts & culture festival is another attempt to make Downtown LA a destination. Here are some highlights of the event:

• Free performances, art-making activities and specialty programs in legendary venues along Grand Avenue
• Street entertainment
• Culturally diverse crowd
• Audience ranging from young professionals to families to downtown residents
• Access to acclaimed restaurants located on Grand Avenue
• The 2008 festival is expected to draw more than 30,000 visitors from the Southern California region
• FREE admission

Click here to view the full Grand Avenue Festival schedule for the day (9/28).

The buzz in LA this week is teeny tiny bar Tiki Ti. It’s located on Sunset Blvd on the edge of Silverlake, and has gotten rid of the “volcano” size due to an “incident.” They open and close pretty much whenever they want, because they are their own tiki gods. Father Mike and sons Mike and Mark are the tiki gods, and you will imbibe as much rum as they feel like giving you and you will like it. 

They ever have a Tiki Ti survival guide. Be sure to get there early, otherwise you’ll have to wait in line because this thing only seats about 2 people at a time. Enjoy!

The buzz in LA today are the Proper Behavioral Codes and Standards of Dockweiler Beach. They are as follows:

• DO get there by 6pm to get a fire pit. 
• DO find your own Secret Parking Spot. Street parking is unreliable and dangerous for everyone involved.
• DO NOT bring too much beer. Like a whole cooler dedicated to beer. The cops will find you and laugh as they watch you pour it out.
• DO NOT burn the couch. DO NOT burn anything toxic. DO NOT burn anything that emits black smoke. DO NOT burn anything that smells like you may be getting cancer. 
• DO share your fire pit with whatever wandering band of poor souls goofed around for too long and now can’t find a free fire pit. Especially if they have food. They will share, and you’ll find some new buddies!
• DO NOT get too crazy with your fire-spinning. The cops don’t get it, they don’t understand it, and they don’t have time for your shenaniganery. They’ll laugh as they make you sit your ass down and stop spinning fire. 
• DO NO bitch about the airplane noise. It’s actually pretty cool. 
• DO pack up and leave the beach by 9:45pm. The parking cops are vultures and will laugh as they merrily date your parking ticket “10:00:01pm”
• DO remember that if you’re already wet from being in the ocean, you’ll stay wet. Fire will blister your bare skin before it dries your wet clothes. 
• DO NOT bring your frat party to the beach. DO remember that everyone else who’s not in a frat hates frat parties. And no one else on the beach is in a frat. 
• DO skitter down the hill if you can’t find the path down. You’ll be fine.
• DO NOT hold hands as you walk on the quasi-sidewalk at the top of the hill. You will fall down the hill and you’ll take everyone with you.
• And lastly, DO NOT take my Secret Parking Spot. I will hunt you down and throw sand on your fire.

Follow these rules and it’s sure to be a blast!

  This first week in September will be marked by a handful of hot parties sprawled across this glorious city like music-and-pop-culture-fetti raining down to celebrate the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.  Many of our nations most infamous moments went down on this side-show stage, including Britney’s heyday performance with a giant albino snake, Britney Christina Barcelona Madonna’s three-way kissssss and Britney’s “comeback” tragedy last year. Not to mention crazy musical collaborations and a star-studded lineup of hosts, presenters and the rest of z-list saps who are occasionally panned in the audience.This year’s installment will air live from the Paramount Lot on Sunday, September 7th at 9pm ET/PT. We love live. We’d love it more without the 7-second delay that filters out all the really juicy stuff…Full schedule of PARTAYS after the jump.  You’re welcome.  Read More »

This event will be located Encino to raise money for The Alzheimer’s Association.

The buzz in L.A. today is all about the hot hot hot charity auction next weekend. Items up for bid include: Elvis Presley memorabilia; cartoon cells of Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone; Al Pacino “Scarface” signed items; collectibles from “24″, “American Idol” and the “Sopranos”; signed Sandy Koufax baseball; Pete Rose helmet; Kobe Bryant jersey; boxing gloves from Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Ken Norton; Tony Hawk skateboard; soccer ball from Pelé; and a bunch more stuff.

The auction takes place from 8am to 5pm on Thurs., Sept. 4, in the main lobby of the Inter/Media Group building; 15760 Ventura Blvd. in Encino. People needing more information can call 818.995.1455.

Click here more information about the California Southland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s association.

The buzz in LA this week is The Royal Gents‘ upcoming gig at the vaguely monthly S.O.U.P Kitchen art, music, film and beer parties. For those of you living in a cave for the past decade or so, The Royal Gents were voted Best Band of 2007 for their smash single, “Sometimes A Girl.” They’re on at 8:30pm, and you don’t want to miss them!! There’s just something about a band, no matter how big or small, playing a relaxed venue like a backyard BBQ. There’s no fancy lighting or sound, no superficial barriers between artist and fan, and there’s no pressure. This is why we can’t wait to check out S.O.U.P Kitchen Mach Drei featuring the Royal Gents. Other bands include the seminal What’s Their Name?, Triclops, the host band, S.O.U.P, Scimon, Hollywood Kill, Swing Hailey. Film screenings by Thad, Ryu, and Missing Kitty Pictures. Art by Sunny Dayz, LA Deck, and Blinkeyteque. Past players in the S.O.U.P Kitchen have included Finland Station, Big Dave and the Dirty Liars, Jed’s Dead, and Virgo Serena. S.O.U.P finally got a myspace page, which serves as the online repository for all things S.O.U.P Kitchen. The bigger these things get, the better they get, because S.O.U.P is able to keep that relaxed backyard vibe for everyone. And, it’s free!! BYOB and Potluck food. You remember those slightly dirty, kinda smelly kids who always had way too much energy and always seemed to be doing fun and really cool things that you were too shy and/or awkward to take part in? S.O.U.P is those kids, and S.O.U.P Kitchen is that really fun and cool thing! And this time, you’re invited! 

 The buzz in LA this week is upcoming Riot Life/Redrawn Arts fashion show at the Libertine. Designers Keoki Tavares and Trisha Hanudel have teamed up for Tavares’ first fashion show since his store on Melrose, Riot, got cleaned out. Both male and female models from Fierce Models will be sporting Riot graphics in Redrawn Arts cuts.This show is notable, as it’s the first time Redrawn Arts has cut their signature t-shirt corsets for the fellows. We’re sure we’re not the only ones on the edge of our seats waiting to see what boy corsets will look like. However, it’s called Fierce Models for a reason, and we can’t wait for the four-on-the-floor fierceness to be raging in the new boy corsets!Where: Libertine No, Really: 8210 Sunset Blvd, LA, CA, 90046When: 8/20/08, this Wednesday, 7pm-2amWhy: Fierceness, Fabulousness, and Fashion!!  

The buzz is all about heading down to the Downtown Film Festival this week & weekend to enjoy the fun filled days and nights that are on the slate. I’m heading to see the Centerpiece Gala Film “Piccadilly” playing Friday the 15th at 8:00pm at the Los Angeles Theater in the Historic Theater District. This 1929 silent film will be accompanied by live music and only costs $15 a ticket. Excitingly, it will be followed by a awesome Gala party at 9:30pm on the rooftop terrace of the Roosevelt. To purchase tickets and to get more info about the show and the festival go to www.dffla.com. Click here to read more about the film, actress Anna May Wong, and the film in its entirety. In addition to all sorts of screenings there are many events and after-parties as well. I studied Anna May Wong in college and went to a screening of her film “Toll of the Sea” at a theater in Silverlake in 2003. She is quite beautiful and it is soo interesting to see the scandalous typecasting of Asians in the films from that era. I will report back after the viewing.