February 28, 2009. 5.47pm. Hollywood, CA. Octo! Octo! Octo! Thanks to the astonishing reproductive skillz of undercapitalized but astonishingly fecund Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman, SoCal is agog over all things octopodic and/or numbered eight. The price of coctel del pulpo at local food jobbers has topped $20/lb. The octopus has replaced the Chihuahua as the cool new pet to carry around in your purse. The most common horrible name with which rich yuppies are saddling their poor children is now “Octavian.” Area doctors have renamed the dreaded kissing disease “octonucleosis”. And if you want to make a reservation for a party of eight at a local restaurant, brother, then you best have the patience to wait til 2011.

6.17pm. And what in living hell does this have to do with roller derby, you may ask? Fuckin’ everything is your answer. Specifically, tonight’s delectable matchup between two new(-ish) sides will take place at a Doll Factory laden with octo-themed references to the latest hip new trend. DF, for one, is showing up prepared. Quick check of the wardrobe before departure: fun octopus hat (no, not some BS novelty like this, I mean a real, recently deceased octopus on my goddamned head); baby-tee short enough to show off my lower-back tat in the likeness of Octo-Mom herself, surrounded by hearts; and eau du poulpe cologne (it’s made with bits of real octopus so you know it’s good). DF smells so bad, but he looks oh so good. Ready now for some hot girl-on-girl action!

»continue reading Octopia!!! Varsity Brawlers v. The Swarm @ the Doll Factory, 2/28/2009

Me, two years ago: “It’s stupid to cheap out on raw fish – it’s RAW.”

Me, this year: “It’s stupid to spend $70 on raw fish – it doesn’t even get COOKED!” How a recession changes you. Let’s move on.

Taro Sushi & Teriyaki is a tiny storefront in Culver City, three blocks west of Sony. Call it what you want: Divey, hole-in-the-wall, B, etc.

Yes, the exterior is a bit jenky. As mentioned, the storefront is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it small and it looks like some DIY refurbishments happened in the form of Christmas lights and saggy grocery store balloons. But wait till you go in!

»continue reading Recession-Worthy Eats: Taro Sushi & Teriyaki

HEADS UP
Fool’s Gold, BLK JKS @ Natural History Museum Fri March 6

At the risk of offending every other artist who has taken the trouble to drive down to USC and entertain the people, bones and stuffed animals with their music and presence over the last few years, for me this Friday’s lineup is the most exciting I’ve seen in some time. BLK JKS, after having graced the Fader SXSW stage and magazine cover last year, have recently signed to Secretly Canadian. The “AC-averse” group will now bring their South African grooves (and hopefully a few pairs of those tight-as-shit 1970s gym coach short-shorts) to town for the first time. Alongside South Africa’s finest we have California’s own Fool’s Gold, a 10-piece band of which I am an unabashed fan. Where to pigeonhole these guys. Afro-pop? Freak-folked horn fusion? Let’s just call them intensely listenable and fun, and leave it at that. I’ll drive; first round is on you, non-negotiable. Dublab selectors take care of things before, between and after. Big thumbs up this Friday.

» SXSW ‘08: BLK JKS @ Fader Fort, March 15

» Myspace: Fool’s Gold | BLK JKS

The album, Hombre Lobo, is due for early June. I’m sure we’ll hear more much about it in the coming months, so let’s use this occasion mostly as an excuse to run the above instantly iconic new press photo by Autumn De Wilde, apparently taken on the Santa Monica Pier.

If beard length is one of our most reliable indicators of individual psychosis (see: Joaquin Phoenix, Unibomber, Rick Rubin, Santa Claus, etc), let’s hope, looking at this photo, that this is not the case for E, who was seemingly onto a new state of personal lucidity around the time of the publication of his book on his father and the related PBS NOVA episode in 2007. The lycanthropic title may well be a red herring to dare us to assume there’s some loony going on here. Whatever E’s situation may or may not be these days, we wish him well and look forward to the new music this summer.
 

Beautiful Freaks On Sunset (Eels, Live at The Roxy, February 2006)

Let it be known that April 11, 2009 shall be your chance to see damn near every single music-spinning radio face the Santa Monica station has to offer at one place and one time, including Jason, Garth and the newly-added face of Henry Rollins:

On Saturday, April 11, KCRW (89.9FM and KCRW.com) will host RadioActive, a Spring dance party featuring the station’s own skilled selectors at The Legendary Park Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles, a beautiful space that is not normally open to the public. Tickets to RadioActive go on sale to members only on Thursday, March 12 and will be available to the public starting Tuesday, March 17.

»continue reading KCRW to Throw Massive Dance Party @ Park Plaza Hotel

Outside Lands shall return to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for a second year, August 28-30, 2009. Last year’s inaugural headliners included Radiohead, Jack Johnson and Tom Petty. (N/B: Writing those words just reminded me of Sunday’s lunch, dammit: I bet Jack Johnson knows which Surfer Taco to order. Maybe even shows up with his own sauce and escabeche in tow.)

Interestingly enough, if we are to take the below press release at face value Stereogum may be “road-tripping” to the festival this year. Sort of a long drive from New York if you ask me, but I say bring it, guys! See you up there (I’m flying Virgin with a cocktail in hand).

As always, keep your eyes tuned to the site for your ticket on-sale info. Photos from last year’s festival may be found here.

March 3, 2009, San Francisco — Another Planet Entertainment, Superfly Productions and Starr Hill Presents, in a partnership with the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department, are proud to announce the second annual Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival. The second installment of this dynamic entertainment experience will once again take place over three days in San Francisco’s historic Golden Gate Park. The dates for this year’s event are August 28 – 30, 2009.

»continue reading Outside Lands Returns to Golden Gate Park: 2009 Dates Announced

If you’re driving through the Pico/Union area and suddenly see the red & blue lights of hell through your rear view mirror, you’d better hope that you have any of the following:

(1) Pink box of assorted donuts

(2) A stack of $100 bills

(3) A fresh new set of implants poking through a tight tanktop and a whiny girl voice.  (More points for you if you’re male.)

But cops nowadays can be pretty picky and less inclined to fall for your bullsh*tting or flirting.  I think there is one solution though… a styrofoam box filled with some tasty, orange-roasted chicken and freshly cut fries from Dino’s Burgers.  Never mind the burgers, this place has been serving some of my favorite chicken in Los Angeles for a long time.  Everytime I’m here, there are cops taking a break.  Dino’s please do not start selling donuts.

»continue reading Under $10 – Dino’s Burgers

PICK OF THE WEEK

M83
w/ Los Angeles Philharmonic
Julian Kuerti, conductor
Saturday March 7
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Info
 

Cut Copy
and Matt & Kim
Mon Mar 9
The Glass House (Pomona)
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]
 

Leonard Cohen @ Nokia Theater (Tickets pre-sale begins Sat 3/7 10 am) Fri 4/10
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia @ Troubadour (TV show cast performs songs from “The Nightman Cometh”) Fri 4/17
The Walkmen @ El Rey Wed 5/20
Puscifer @ Club Nokia Sat 4/4
TV On The Radio @ Glass House Tue 4/14
Jenny Lewis @ Glass House Mon 4/13
Bamboozle Left w/ 50 Cent, Deftones, Taking Back Sunday & more @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sun 4/5
Bamboozle Left w/ Fall Out Boy,Get Up Kids, Cobra Starship & more @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sat 4/4
Avett Brothers @ Henry Fonda Sat 5/9
Fischerspooner @ Avalon Sat 5/23
Chris Cornell @ The Wiltern Sun 5/3
Keane @ The Palladium Sat 5/9
Golem and The Sway Machinery @ The Echo Wed 3/18
Mirah @ The Echo Thu 4/9
Ladyhawke @ Troubadour Tue 3/17
The Nels Cline Singers w/ Jeff Gauthier Goatette @ REDCAT Sat 3/28
Sleepy Sun w/ Larkin Grimm & Foreign Born @ The Echo Tue 3/10
Alaska In Winter @ Bordello Thu 3/26
Hot Panda @ Silverlake Lounge Thu 3/26
Princeton w/ Jeremy Jay @ The Smell Thu 4/2
Princeton w/ “Very Special Guests” @ Spaceland Wed 3/4
Oh No Not Stereo @ Viper Room Tue 3/10
Maria Taylor @ Troubadour Sun 5/3
Anya Marina @ Hotel Cafe Thu 4/2
Sara Bareilles @ Hotel Cafe Thu 3/12
Sara Bareilles @ Hotel Cafe Wed 3/11
Asa @ Hotel Cafe Mon 3/23
Mad Professor @ House of Blues Tue 4/14
Sweet and Tender Hooligans w/ DJ Howie Pyro @ House of Blues (Morrissey’s 50th Unhappy Birthday Celebration) Fri 5/22
The Go-Go’s @ House of Blues Sat 4/25
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs @ Gibson Amphitheatre Fri 4/10
Leibowski Fest @ The Wiltern Thu 5/7
Cryptonights @ REDCAT Sat 3/28
Cryptonights @ REDCAT Fri 3/27
New Maximum Donkey @ Knitting Factory Fri 3/20
New Maximum Donkey @ Knitting Factory Sun 3/1
The Rakes @ Troubadour Wed 4/1
No Doubt w/ Paramore @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Sat 8/1
No Doubt w/ Paramore @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Fri 7/31
 

TUESDAY
Fugiya & Miyagi w/ Pop Levi @ Echoplex

»continue reading Losanjealous Concert Picks: Mar. 2 – 8

Tacos de camaron! That’s deep-fried, right?

“Yah.”

OK, add one of those as well.

Here I am rolling the dice at an incredibly goofy-looking truck just off Sixth street. Let’s do this and get it over with…

TRUCK NAME
The Surfer Taco

LOCATION
Sixth @ Witmer (a few electrifying blocks west of the 110) (Pacific Dining Car-adjacent)

DID THEY TWEET YOU THE LOCATION? LIKE THE KOGI?
…

TODAY’S ORDER
1 de chorizo
1 de asada
1 de camaron
1 Jarritos Refresco de Mandarina

QUANDARIES AND HUNGER-WROUGHT POSTULATIONS WHILE MARVELLING AT TRUCK
»continue reading Under $10: The Surfer Taco

Phoenix’s rustic royal residence is all aglow in the late afternoon sun. The legend of this handmade house begins in Seattle in 1929 when Boyce Luther Gulley promised his young daughter, Mary Lou, he would build her a castle. Then after being diagnosed with tuberculosis and told he only had only six months to live he deserted his wife and daughter without a trace. A desolate piece of land in the foothills just south of downtown Phoenix is where he settled and began work on what was to become one of America’s folk art masterpieces of the highest order.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: The Mystery Castle, Phoenix, AZ, 1958