PHOTO by Sung. More HARD Summer before/after shutdown shots here.

Hard Summer LA 2009 at The Forum was shut down by Inglewood P.D. last night. Yes, you all know this already– already a hot thread is cooking over at LAWeekly.com here–and Underworld has issued a statement here–but just wanted to make a small mention as it was our POTW. Maybe you want to chime in with your takes on what went down. If we get any word on the refunds that apparently have been promised, we’ll pass it along.

Someone’s pride and joy sits proudly posed curbside before a big rock pile, trio of ’49 Dodge sedans, ’39 Ford Coupe and ’20-something model A Ford. If a Jeep and a Ruffles potato chip had a baby this would be it. Clearly someone poured their heart and soul into this highly original garage craft project. And, yes the results are an inspiration to behold in every way. But – fair WARNING: don’t look at it too long because it will hypnotize you.

First of all that lipstick red and buttercup yellow two-toned paint scheme is stunning! Who needs a chrome bumper when you can have a yellow one? The expression on that mustached face-of-a-front-end couldn’t be more honest. That nearly unnoticeable hand cut grill is priceless. The perky pointed front fenders; streamline side panels and sassy, slanted tail end simply define unpretentious poetry in motion even while standing still. And how about the slight curve of the hood and whatever that chrome knob is sticking up through it. Make sure you don’t miss the rake of the frameless windshield; and eye-catching antenna set on the bias where the door should be but isn’t. But who needs doors when you have a car like this. You just jump in and out of it! And don’t mind the fact that it’s topless. So what if it rains. A few refreshing raindrops never hurt anybody.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Homemade Sports Coupe, Irwindale, CA 1951

Also: “Cyxymu” says he was the target of an Online Attack.

Weathered Sandal

With rave reviews in notable publications like the LA TIMES, the LA WEEKLY, and Los Angeles Magazine, just to name a few, it’s no wonder I eagerly looked forward to trying the “Huaraches” at my neighbourhood “gem” of the same moniker, ‘Huarache Azteca Restaurants’ in Highland Park. At the risk of disagreeing with the pseudo culinary expertise of YELPers far and wide, this brick pile is a 2.5 star joint, AT BEST.

Maybe I am being too hard on this place because I grew up eating Mexican food, or maybe all the praise and hype I heard about it falsely raised my expectations. Whatever it was, I can honestly say that I gave it the ol’ college try. I once read an article about the rules to writing food reviews which included a list of do’s and dont’s. I found the list redundant and obvious, but one rule that seemed logical was that in order to review a restaurant fairly, one had to try it more than once, and that is just what I did.

»continue reading Under $10: Huarache Azteca (Highland Park)

Taking in This Is Spinal Tap for maybe the dozenth time, now on Blu Ray, fondly remembering dorm-room fast-forwarding VHS past the white-on-blue Embassy Pictures logo, what strikes me, this time, is how, depending on your take, TIST can stand both with and apart from the class of popular films of 1984.

Rattling off a list of the mainstream ‘84 flicks that have secured landmark status in the culture some 25 years later—Sixteen Candles, Gremlins, Ghostbusters, Footloose, The Karate Kid, Repo Man, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Beverly Hills Cop and Terminator*—all, amazingly, from 1984—in fact, EW has a piece just last month on the notion of 1984 as a cinematic annus mirabilis of sorts—one can read TIST on its surface as a comedic character piece, with David, Nigel and Derek as 80’s icons, immediately identifiable right alongside the Ghostbusters, Gizmo the Mogwai or The Karate Kid. But, looking at its style and technique, it stands apart from the other films in that list.

»continue reading A Couple of Thoughts on This Is Spinal Tap Upon The Release of Its Blu Ray Edition

PAST LYKKE-ANJEALOUS

Coachella 2009 Festival Photo Gallery: Lykke Li
Lykke Li, Hotel Cafe, August 25, 2008
Lykke Li at the El Rey, May 19, 2008
SXSW ’08: Lykke Li

HEADS UP
Bob Dylan & His Band @ The Palladium Tue Oct 13
Bob Dylan & His Band @ The Palladium Wed Oct 14
Bob Dylan & His Band @ The Palladium Thu Oct 15

Presale going on right now; general on-sale begins August 14. Your presale password for all LA dates is yucas (thanks, concert tip line!) Further, there will be an opener, but it will not be Willie or John. More as it develops.

Previously in Robert Zimmerman, Coug and Ol’ Cowboy Hippie Pot Smoker Tour News:
» Bob Dylan to Embark on Ballpark Tour With John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson

Ting Tings
Official | MySpace

Tinariwen
tinariwen.com | Wikipedia
 

Hey, Kids! It’s Music Blog Demographic Gut-Check Departmental Survey Time! Today’s polling background from over Curbed way:

Just a month ago, the Lofts at Cherokee Studios, a 12-unit Pugh + Scarpa-designed building launched its official web site, floorplans and all. Now the building, built on the site of the old Cherokee Studios (where Sinatra and Bowie recorded), has launched its blog and announced it’s creating a “Platinum Showcase.” Developer REthink has partnered with four architects to each create a loft that will pay homage to the musicians who recorded on that site. Rogerio Carvalheiro will design a loft that honors David Bowie, interior designers Kristin Casey and Rick Rifle will design for Frank Sinatra, Lori Dennis & Brook Casey will pay tribute to Alice Cooper, and Jennifer Siegel’s Office of Mobile Design and Sandra Sharma are designing a penthouse suite in homage to 30 Seconds to Mars. Wait, huh? How did 30 Seconds to Mars sneak in there with Sinatra, Bowie and Cooper?

Beatles producer George Martin once called Cherokee Studios the best recording studio in America. The recording alumni list published by the studio itself reads like a who’s who of late 20th century music…Devo, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Public Enemy, Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Who…with all those guys waiting in the wings, why exactly in hell the 30 Secs To Mars Hot Topic-suffused Penthouse design again, guys? Has Jared Leto already signed on to purchase the goddamned thing? We understand they helped raise some money for Habitat – and no fooling, that’s great – but seriously, the penthouse alongside Sinatra? User poll time! This is your chance to passively tell owner Bruce Robb and designers Jennifer Siegel and Sandra Sharma, by way of a random pointless music blog poll, which artist you’d really like to see that Legendary Cherokee Studios penthouse paying tribute to come October. Don’t snooze.

»continue reading Which Cherokee Studios Music-Themed Penthouse Do You Crave The Most?

PICK OF THE WEEK

HARD Summer 2009
Underworld, Chromeo, Crookers, Crystal Castles, A-Trak, Tiga, The Bloody Beatroots, Sebastian, Busy P, Amanda Black, Steve Aoki, Sinden, Jackbeats, Destructo, Dan Oh, Skeet Skeet, 12th Planet
Sat 8/8 | The Forum | Info
 

Bowerbirds
w/ Megafaun
Tues 8/4
The Echo
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]
 

The Ting Tings
w/ Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
Tues 8/4
Club Nokia
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]
 

Grand prize winner gets VIP lounge passes + meet & greet with A.P. himself!

Black Heart Procession
w/ Circus Minor
Fri 8/7
Spaceland
Info
[ENTER TO WIN]
 

HEADS UP

FYF Fest presents: Save Our State Parks @ LA Historic State Park (The Black Lips , Lightning Bolt , Tim & Eric , Lucero , Converge, F* Up, The Thermals, No Age, Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio , Glass Candy, Japanther, Times New Viking, Darker My Love, Carbonas, Peanut Butter Wolf, Crystal Antlers, AA Bondy, Mika Miko & more) Sat 9/5
The Dead Weather @ Mayan Theatre Wed 8/26
Brendan Benson @ Troubadour Sat 9/12
The Killers @ UC Irvine Bren Events Center Tue 9/15
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart @ Troubadour Sat 9/19
Manic Street Preachers @ Avalon Fri 9/25
Sonic Youth @ Fox Theater Pomona Fri 9/25
Wavves w/ Ganglians @ Echoplex Sat 10/17
Brazilian Girls @ Avalon Mon 10/19
Monsters of Folk (Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, & Jim James) @ Greek Theatre Sun 10/18
Monsters of Folk (Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, & Jim James) @ Santa Barbara Bowl Thu 10/22
Daniel Johnston @ Henry Fonda Sat 10/24
Regina Spektor @ Greek Theatre Wed 10/28
Phish @ Festival 8, Empire Polo Club, Indio (3-Day Pass) Fri 10/30
Ray La Montagne @ Orpheum Theatre Fri 11/20
Pixies @ The Palladium Wed 11/4
Broadcast w/ Atlas Sound @ Troubadour Wed 11/4
Mos Def w/ Erykah Badu & Jay Electronica @ The Palladium Sat 9/5
The Honey Brothers ft Adrian Grenier, Andrew Vladeck, Ethan Gold, DS Posner, Ari Gold @ Troubadour Sun 9/13
Sea Wolf w/ Sara Lov & Afternoons @ Troubadour Thu 9/17
Love Grenades, Elefant @ Henry Fonda Fri 8/7
Yellowjackets & Mike Stern @ Catalina (through Aug 23) Wed 8/19
Mike Stern Quartet (w/Weckl, Brecker, Kennedy) @ Catalina (through Dec 20) Thu 12/17
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (JFJO) CD Release @ Catalina Wed 9/9
Buster WILLIAMS, Patrice RUSHEN , Cindy BLACKMAN & Bennie MAUPIN @ Catalina Sat 8/15
Buster WILLIAMS, Patrice RUSHEN , Cindy BLACKMAN & Bennie MAUPIN @ Catalina Fri 8/14
Buster WILLIAMS, Patrice RUSHEN , Cindy BLACKMAN & Bennie MAUPIN @ Catalina Thu 8/13
Pastilla, La Banda Skalavera, Los Nova & Autopop @ Knitting Factory Sun 8/16
The 88 @ The Grove Apple Store (7 pm) Fri 8/21
Pharoah Sanders Quartet @ Catalina Sat 8/29
Pharoah Sanders Quartet @ Catalina Fri 8/28
Pharoah Sanders Quartet @ Catalina Thu 8/27
Quantic and his Combo Barbaro @ Detroit Bar (Costa Mesa) Sun 8/16
Quantic and his Combo Barbaro, J.ROCC , DJ Nu-Mark , SAKE ONE @ Echoplex Sat 8/15
Dengue Fever @ Fingerprints Record Shop (Long Beach) (free–RSVP: [email protected]) Mon 8/24
Sunset Strip Music Festival Sat 9/12
Sunset Strip Music Festival Fri 9/11
Sunset Strip Music Festival Thu 9/10
OohLaLA Festival @ Henry Fonda (“Electronic French Party” with Brodinski, The Shoes, Jamaica (aka Poney Poney)) Fri 9/25
OohLaLA Festival @ Henry Fonda (Nouvelle Vague presents “Hollywood, Mon Amour,” The Dø, Emilie Simon September) Thu 9/24
OohLaLA Festival @ Henry Fonda (Sébastien Tellier, Gonzales, Cocoon) Wed 9/23
These Arms Are Snakes & DD/MM/YYYY @ Knitting Factory Sat 10/10
Hall & Oates @ Morongo Casino Resort and Spa Fri 9/11
Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine @ El Rey Wed 9/16
Daryl Hall & John Oates: Up Close and Personal Tour @ Nokia Theater Wed 9/2
Star Wars: In Concert @ Nokia Theater Thu 10/8
Star Wars: In Concert @ Nokia Theater Wed 10/7
Fresh Air Tour W/ Brother Ali, Evidence, Toki Wright & BK One @ El Rey Tue 10/20
Which One’s Pink & Led Zepagain @ Club Nokia Sat 10/3
Shaquille O’Neal All-Star Comedy Jam @ Club Nokia (w/ Rickey Smiley, Kevin Hart, Aries Spears & De Ray Davis) Fri 8/28
The Faint @ Club Nokia Sun 8/30
They Might Be Giants @ Royce Hall (performing Flood + other works) Sat 11/14
They Might Be Giants (A Special Afternoon Family Show) @ Royce Hall (3pm) Sat 11/14
McCoy Tyner plus Build An Ark @ Royce Hall Thu 11/12
An Evening with R. Crumb @ Royce Hall Thu 10/29
Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer @ Royce Hall Thu 10/22
Gal Costa @ Royce Hall Sat 10/24
Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra w/ Wynton Marsalis @ Royce Hall Fri 10/2
Paco Peña @ Royce Hall Thu 10/8
Nomeansno! @ Knitting Factory Wed 10/14
Blind Boys of Alabama and Allen Toussaint @ Royce Hall Sat 3/6
Los Lobos @ Royce Hall (evening show) Sat 1/30
Los Lobos @ Royce Hall (afternoon family matinee) Sat 1/30
An Evening with Randy Newman @ Royce Hall Fri 2/19
Baaba Maal @ Royce Hall Sat 4/17
Titans of the Graphic Novel: Harvey Pekar and Alison Bechdel @ Royce Hall Fri 4/23
David Sedaris @ Royce Hall Wed 5/5
 

TUESDAY
Bowerbirds w/ Megafaun @ The Echo
Lykke Li @ The Wiltern
Ting Tings @ Club Nokia

»continue reading Losanjealous Concert Picks: August 3 – 9

The optimistic, billboard scale signage marking a prescription drug counter is an unexpected backdrop of a wig bar in a big box discount retail store. A beautiful, bewigletted wigtender (if those aren’t words they are now!) stands by ready for the lovely ladies who may wander by the wigbar and want to try one on for size. Behind her, a big pastel-buttoned cash register divides a sloppy selection of the styles of the day displayed under plastic and uncombed on skin-tone wig heads stenciled with blue eye shadowed blank stares and pale pink lips. Piled beside her across the counter divide are “100% human hair ‘moderate’ wiglets” just waiting to be styled, crowned and bobby pinned high atop the head of every hair hopper in town. The wiglets are bargain priced at .88. I’m not sure “moderate” refers to the price, size or quality.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Prescription Wiglets, West Covina, CA, 1967