Nestled in a strip mall; in picturesque Highland Park, sandwiched between what I suspect to be a rub and tug massage parlour, a laundry mat overrun by savage rogue children and an El Pollo Loco, is Carolina’s Mar Y Sol Restaurante. I don’t know a whole lot about Salvadorean dishes, but a sign outside promises $1.60 pupusas everyday, and I like pupusas. Also, I like a bargain even though I am always hesitant to try things that have not been previously recommended.

»continue reading Under $10: Carolina’s Mar Y Sol, Highland Park

PREVIOUS GLASANJEALOUS

Glasvegas, Troubadour, January 14, 2009 by Audree
SXSW ‘09: Glasvegas @ Mohawk Patio by Sung
 

»continue reading Glasvegas, Henry Fonda Theater, July 28, 2009

Citysearch! Where did we go wrong? Following yesterday’s playful post on Losanjealous you’ve now removed all 20 hilarious listings from your Best Los Angeles Venue 2009 As Voted By Local Readers On July 29, 2009 list, declaring no winners and nonchalantly advising that I “take a look at another city.” Fine, I’ll look at other cities, though I really do live in Los Angeles. Lessee…hrmm…ah yes, here we go. Chicago now has a #1 best venue and two #2 best venues for 2009 as declared by Citysearch readers, but nothing further, and New York officially has a four-way tie for eighth-best venue of 2009 as declared by Citysearch readers – 8th place being between The Bowery Electric, Bowery Ballroom, S.O.B.’s and Sutra Lounge.

Red herring. That shit just does not help me locally, guys. Declaring “no victor” is an open-faced, glove-across-the-cheek, spit-on-the-feet insult to each and every establishment that calls itself a venue in our fair city. I call on you now: Where should I go if I am seeking the Best Live Venue in Los Angeles, 2009? Where should I turn? What dark, alcohol-suffused, scuffed-floor club, and/or posh restaurant, shall claim the victor spoils for 2009? Who’s getting that coveted wall plaque? You still make those nifty plaques, right!? Help! I’ll continue to hang on to my Zagat Nightlife (2005 edition) until I get some answers.

UPDATE, 228pm: Later That Same Day: Citysearch now firmly declares Backstage Bar and Grill the Best Live Venue in Los Angeles, 2009 as chosen by its readers. Congrats to BB&G, who are followed by Roxy, Rusty’s Surf Ranch, The Draft Bar and Grill, Echo, and a four-way tie for sixth place featuring V Lounge, Air Conditioned, Spaceland and Hotel Cafe. Whither Sgt. Pepper’s Dueling Piano Cafe In Long Beach and Plan B Gentleman’s Club Down On Pico in this mostly normal list? Sigh.

HEADS UP
Monsters of Folk (Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, & Jim James) @ Greek Theatre
Sun Oct 18
Monsters of Folk (Mike M, Conor O, M. W, & Jim J) @ Santa Barbara Bowl Thurs Oct 22

Both dates are on presale right now; use code “SAYPLEASE”. General on-sale begins this Saturday.

» Monsters of Myspace (three songs now streamable; full album drops late September)

We do not wish to discuss the Microsoft-Yahoo deal announced today, opting instead to point out a timely issue directly affecting our readership: namely, the Best Live Music Venue In Los Angeles title. To bring you up to speed, NBC conducted a Best Live Venue In Los Angeles poll not long ago. Now, it’s Citysearch’s turn to bat. And bat they do! In the current Citysearch poll, the top four live music venues in Los Angeles are Shore Ultra Lounge in Long Beach, The Draft Bar and Grill in Studio City, Plan B in “that one Mr-Cecil’s-Ribs-themed stretch of West LA Pico” and Spazio Restaurant in Sherman Oaks.

Say What?

The curious top ten list continues: Sgt. Pepper’s Dueling Piano Cafe (Long Beach), Rusty’s Surf Ranch (Santa Monica Pier), Cabana Club (Tinseltown proper), Backstage Bar & Grill (Culver), Zanzibar and the Roxy. Ah, #10! Finally a venue we’d consider legitimately worthy of the running. Say what you will about the Citysearch audience and its dwindling vitality, they have definitely heard of the Roxy. (Aside to Citysearch: We fully understand you had no room on this list for the Hollywood Bowl, guys, but did you really have to leave off Applebee’s West Covina as well?)

»continue reading Vote Today for LA’s Best Live Venue in Citysearch Poll: Spazio Restaurant or Plan B? Only 13 Hours Left!

HEADS UP
The Dodos @ The Getty Sat Aug 8 (Don’t forget: Free parking!)

If you haven’t been following the Dodos’ new Phil Ek-produced album saga, here are the highlights(?) as we know them:

• The new album was leaked earlier this month
• To combat the leak, Meric Long and Logan Kroeber created this website and offered the album as a free high-quality (320kbps) stream
• Individual tracks are priced at a standard $0.99 rate, but the entire album is now available at Amazon for $2.99, today only (updated: this week only)
• The album will cost more than $2.99 at all other retailers, beginning next Tuesday
• The physical album will drop September 15 on Frenchkiss.

While you’re throwing that one into your shopping cart, don’t forget: Your best Amazon mp3 bet to date remains those incomparable 47-minute Miles Davis live fusion mp3s priced at the bank-breaking rate of $0.99/per.

HEADS UP
Phish @ Festival 8, Empire Polo Club, Indio, Oct 30-Nov 1 ($199/3 Days)

FESTIVAL 8, PHISH’S FIRST FESTIVAL IN FIVE YEARS,
SET FOR OCTOBER 30th, 31st AND NOVEMBER 1st AT
THE EMPIRE POLO CLUB IN INDIO, CA
Tickets Go On Sale Monday, July 27th, 10 A.M. PDT
Band Plans Special Three-Set Show For Halloween,
Featuring Its First “Musical Costume” Since 1998

For the first time ever, Phish will combine two of its most cherished traditions – the Phish festival and the band’s Halloween event – in a massive three-day celebration. Christened Festival 8, it will take place October 30th, 31st and November 1st at The Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. Festival 8 marks several additional firsts: it is Phish’s first three-day festival, its first held on the West Coast and it will be the first time that a single band has played consecutive dates at the venue.

Tickets, priced at $199.00 plus applicable service charges for the three-day event, will go on sale next Monday, July 27th, at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time at http://places.musictoday.com/festival8. Daily parking is free, but additional fees of $15 per car and $125 per RV will be charged for those wishing to camp onsite. In addition to eight sets from Phish over the course of the event, fans will enjoy numerous attractions and art installations. Additional details are available at http://www.phish.com/festival8.
»continue reading Phish Festival 8 (aka “Save The Date”) Festival Location Announced: Indio, Oct 30 – Nov 1: Tickets On Sale Now

PICK OF THE WEEK

Crystal Antlers
Mika Miko
& audacity
Wed 7/29
Alex’s Bar, Long Beach
Info
 

Jarvis Cocker
w/ Little Joy
Mon 7/27
Wiltern
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]

HoneyHoney
w/ Lal Meri
& Juliette Commagere
Thurs 7/30 | Roxy
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]

Deerhoof
w/ Busdriver & Avocet
Fri 7/31
Echoplex
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]

The
Mars
Volta
Wed 9/2
Santa Barbara Bowl
On sale now
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]
 
 
 
 
 

Blur Midlife: A Beginner’s Guide to Blur New 2xCD collection (Virgin) Out 7/28/09 [ENTER TO WIN]

Beetlebum, Girls And Boys, For Tomorrow, Coffee And TV, Out Of Time, Blue Jeans, Song 2, Bugman, He Thought Of Cars, Death Of A Party, The Universal, Sing, This Is A Low, Tender, She’s So High, Chemical World, Good Song, Parklife, Advert, Popscene, Stereotypes, Trimm Trabb, Badhead, Strange News From, Another Star, Battery In Your Leg

HEADS UP

The Mars Volta @ The Palladium Sun 8/30
The Mars Volta @ Santa Barbara Bowl Wed 9/2
Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Greek Theatre Thu 9/17
Yo La Tengo @ Avalon Thu 10/15
Sea Wolf & Afternoons @ Glass House Wed 9/16
Clipse & The Cool Kids @ Glass House Sun 8/16
Elefant @ Glass House Sat 8/8
Roadside Graves, Avi Buffalo, Parson Redheads, M. Bison @ Knitting Factory Wed 8/12
Crooked Cowboy & Freshwater Friends, Amanda Jo Williams, Horse Thieves @ Unknown Theater (1110 Seward St, 90038) Fri 8/14
Marilyn Manson @ Fox Theater Pomona Tue 8/25
Cass McCombs w/ Girls @ Bootleg Theater Thu 9/10
Mew @ Troubadour Tue 9/1
The Duke Spirit @ El Rey Tue 9/1
Cocorosie @ Henry Fonda Mon 9/21
Amazing Baby & The Entrance Band @ Troubadour Wed 9/23
Chairlift @ Troubadour Wed 9/16
Amadou & Mariam @ Henry Fonda Fri 10/2World Party @ El Rey Fri 10/2
Datarock @ El Rey Wed 9/30
Blitzen Trapper w/ Wye Oak @ El Rey Mon 9/28
Bogie Ogreton, voices voices, Warpaint, Slang Chickens, Blank Blue & more @ Knitting Factory Sun 9/27
Metronomy w/ Destructo @ The Roxy Fri 10/9
Echo & The Bunnymen @ Nokia Theater Sat 10/24
The Oh Sees with The Fresh & Onlys / Dan Melchoir @ The Echo Thu 10/22
Raveonettes @ Henry Fonda Fri 11/13
Ludo @ Glass House Sat 11/7
The Raveonettes @ Glass House Sat 11/14
 

TUESDAY
Band of Skulls @ Spaceland
Glasvegas w/ Ida Maria @ Henry Fonda
Magnolia Electric Co w/ The Donkeys @ The Echo
Regina Spektor @ El Rey

»continue reading Losanjealous Concert Picks: July 27 – August 2

HEADS UP
George Thorogood & The Destroyers w/Jonny Lang @ The Greek Sun July 26

Destroyers frontman George Thorogood, acutely aware of his place in the pantheon of rock and blues, has at various times in the past likened his musical output to a car dealership and a cheeseburger franchise, arguing that the business is thriving because all customers still get a quality cheeseburger (and/or car) at the end of the day. George and The Destroyers will play hits, catalog standards and songs from the new album The Dirty Dozen, which drops on Capitol/EMI this coming Tuesday, July 28, at the Greek this evening. George will also stop by Guitar Center tomorrow evening for a free story-and-song session sponsored by Gibson guitars.

George! How are you?

Bad. I’m bad.

Some things never change. So you’re playing the Greek on Sunday. I just read in the LA Times that it’s one of your favorite venues here in town.

We’re playing on Mick Jagger’s birthday. And…we’re going to invite him. I don’t know if he’s going to show up, but the invitation’s out there. (laughter in background)

Are you going to give him some sort of shout-out, on stage?

I might. You never know. This is the entertainment capitol of the world, you know. You never know who’s going to turn up. I did a thing at the House of Blues, and Bruce Willis and John Goodman poked their head in to say “Hi.” It was pretty cool. Another time I was working there and my wife came in and said, “You know who wants to meet you out there? Johnny Rivers.” Los Angeles. It’s a cool place to work, you know what I mean? You never know who’s out there checking your ass out, so you gotta hunker down.

You’ve just played two nights with Jonny Lang on this tour. How did those dates go?

So far so good. I knew there weren’t going to be any disappointments with Jonny Lang; he’s a first-rate entertainer in his own right, you know? In my mind he’s really just starting his career. He was no flash-in-a-pan, but he was attention-grabbing when he started. As far as him maturing into what it is he’s going to be, if he chooses to have a lengthy career, I think he’s coming into it now.

Ok, enough formalities. I want to get an answer now to a question I’ve had for years regarding your take on “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.” You basically tack an extended play onto the front of the song. Long before the guy ever goes inside a bar, the protagonist is running around, hustling, dodging the rent lady. Where’d you get the idea for this, sort of, dodgy character avoiding paying his rent?

»continue reading George Thorogood: The Losanjealous Interview: “You’re Going To Have To Legalize Dope And Tax It.”

Set list below.

»continue reading La Roux, Troubadour, July 24, 2009

A nautical lifesaver hangs centered on an abalone and starfish studded fishing net festooning on a pale brick backyard wall like a giant bat. The draped display is an inspired backdrop for an aqua tile trimmed swimming pool decked in battleship grey and furnished with a wooden diving board, redwood bench, trio of mismatched aluminum chairs and a round table shaded by a fringed umbrella.

Islander wannabees are dressed for party success in hearty Hawaiian shirts, sarongs and muumuus. They sit Japanese restaurant style on white-piped canvas cushions around a blanket. Some of the guests sport festive straw hats and leis. At the head of the blanket a smiling, shirtless man is theme inappropriate in light blue twill trousers and a white terry towel around his neck.

Recognizable among the sweet and sour spread are a red Jell-O mold, a ripe pineapple surrounded by coconuts and bananas, cheese cubes pricked with frizzled toothpicks, white bread rolls, and a casserole dish filled with, what looks to me like, some sort of Spam and hash brown concoction topped with sliced pineapple halves. Some maraschino cherries would be nice! Whatever it is the casserole will contrast nicely when served on the mint green paper plates. I wonder what they are washing all of this down with in those bright green paper cups. Exotic cocktails anyone?

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Luau Party, Los Angeles, CA 1958

Micachu & The Shapes
Official site