sha in LA

100.3 The Sound...and your Los Angeles Lakers!

With the demise of local radio station Indie 103.1 this past January, and my reluctance to accept newer forms of technology, I am limited to listening to either standard radio or CDs while driving in the Zoom Zoom.  The first few days after Indie left the airwaves I was in a funk.   What was I going to listen to?  I hated everything that came across the dial.  I was seriously considering a full fledged switch back to all-sports-talk-all-the-time but just couldn’t get myself to go there again.  While it’s nice sometimes it just doesn’t cut it these days with me; especially since I have grown accustomed to listening to music.

Then I remembered a station I had pre-set a few months prior and decided to give it a try.  That station was 100.3 The Sound and it’s now my go-to favorite with things like Album Sides Wednesday, 10at10 and My Turn among other things to keep things fresh and not as repetitive as all the other stations.  If you listen to The Sound then you know what all those references pertain to and if you don’t listen you can probably figure them out pretty easily.  Album Sides Wednesday is just that…complete with the gap between songs where you can hear the static of needle on record; 10at10 involves a theme…be it year or a word or whatever; and My Turn is a program where artists and/or other public figures take over the station for an hour and guest DJ (commercial free).

And speaking of My Turn…last night after I did a few turns of the pedal in Spinning class and was on my way home I heard some DJs with thick accents that I didn't immediately recognize.  Well they turned out to be Sasha Vujacic and Pau Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers. Two words; AWE-SOME.  I had a huge grin on my face for nearly the entire drive home listening to my beloved cro magnon-ish Sasha with his limited command of the English language and Spicy Spaniard Pau.  What I would have given to be a fly on the wall in that studio!  I’m convinced that there was some major air guitar, air drums and bad singing happening during their set that contained Bohemian Rhapsody…I’m just sayin’.

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3 Thursdays

Most Thursday nights I can be found at the Elephant Theatre running a show. Every once in a while I get to take a little break. Coming up in July I will get such a break as things will change for 3, yes count 'em 3 Thursdays. I must make good use of my time as I won’t see anything like this again for a few months. In a perfect world, one where I don’t come home and decide to A) workout or B) pass out from exhaustion, the following would be my intended plans for the 3 Thursday’s in July.

July 6 – Take in Dinner and a Movie at the Autry National Center, Mexicali Rose plays tonight. For a mere $15 some sort of dinner is served in the plaza area beginning at 5pm, then at 7:30 the movie is screened at the Wells Fargo Theatre. Other options would be July 13 (In Old Monterey), July 20 (South of the Border) or July 27 (Down Mexico Way). Or, if you’re like every other semi-normal person and have numerous Thursday evenings at your disposal then you really won’t want to miss the Sizzling Summer Nights Live Music Series in August. For $5 enjoy live music and dancing from 6pm – 9pm with some of the hottest Latin bands in town. Make sure to check the calendar for more information.

July 13 – this one is a no-brainer for me. Finally go on the Downtown Art Walk held on the 2nd Thursday of every month and sponsored by the Gallery Row Organization.

July 20 – Go see the SpyAnts new show, The Reunion: Everything Changes, Everyone Stays the Same. In this production the Howard Fine Acting Studio will be converted into the fictional Woodrow Wilson High School of Woodland Hills hosting the 10 year reunion of the class of 1984. The inspiration for this piece came from a play called Tamara which had an extended run in Los Angeles in the 1980’s. In the SpyAnts piece you can follow one character throughout the evening or switch to another if that suits your fancy. Maybe some day soon the 'Ants will get their website updated and it will have more detailed info on the concept.

Movies, Music, Art and Theatre. How cultured am I? Anyone wanna join in on the festivities?

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i see hawks (on a weekly basis)

The infamous "country-rock" band that myself and quite a few others love so much known as I See Hawks in L.A. have taken up a Monday night residency at The Echo. Start times vary by week it looks like so check ahead if you happen to have a particularly busy schedule.

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cd baby

A few days ago I decided to buy an I See Hawks in L.A. CD from CDbaby.com because A) I like the Hawks and B) all money from purchases of Hawks CD's for the next few months will go to a Hurricane Relief Fund.

Today I got the funniest confirmation message that my CD's were on their way to me...I must share:

Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.

A team of 50 employees inspected your CDs and polished them to make sure they were in the best possible condition before mailing.

Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.

We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Friday, September 2nd.

I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as "Customer of the Year". We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!

Thank you once again,

Derek Sivers, president, CD Baby
the little CD store with the best new independent music
phone: 1-800-448-6369 email: [email protected]
http://www.cdbaby.com

I think I'm in love.

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rocco my world

Sometimes I think I'm psychic, or maybe just hyper-tuned into the world. Last night when I came home I found this postcard that my neighbor left on my doorstep:

almost immediately Nels Cline popped into my head. Low and behold, when I turned it over I saw this, sans the cancellation note for the performance on the 29th. Which is good, not for Rocco or anyone who bought tix but for me because I have a conflict on the 29th. Maybe the reschedule will fit into my schedule. Oh, I hope I hope.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to be introduced to the whole Rocco in LA jazz scene. For about a year he ran his jazz club out of the theatres that I am associated with, Elephant Stageworks. I can't recall how many times, after my shows, I'd be locking up and then out of the blue I'd be drawn into the Lillian Theatre by some fantastical sounds. Rocco was always a sweetheart, often letting me sit in for a bit to unwind. Sometimes I would just sit in the lobby with him and listen from afar. The energy was still there even if I wasn't in the same room as the players.

So now Rocco puts on weekly events in Los Angeles at Cafe Metropol and on a more sporadic basis at Barnsdall Art Park. You can look at his calendar for more detailed info.

Go and check it out sometime. Relax and let the music move you.

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