Floating Away

Hollywood Palladium Closed, To Reopen as a Live Nation Venue

In an effort to take over the world, Live Nation has signed a long term lease to run and operate the 4,000 capacity Hollywood Palladium.  Live Nation already owns/operates or have exclusive booking arrangements with the House of Blues (Los Angeles and Anaheim), the Avalon, the Wiltern,the Long Beach Arena, the Honda Center, Gibson Amphitheater, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and the Hyundai Pavillion. The company also promotes and produces concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium and Staples Center.

From Billboard: Bruce Eskowitz, Live Nation's CEO of North American Music, says the new lease agreement is part of the company's strategy to accommodate touring acts at all levels. "Basically, wherever an artist is in their career, we'd like to have a venue in the major markets that can accommodate the right play for them." Eskowitz tells Billboard.biz. "We've been working on this for some time."

The Palladium will be under construction for 18 months to be brought back to its glory days and get some serious renovations.  I am not a big fan of big venues to begin with, largely because of non-intimate feeling I get when watching a band play the Wiltern or Gibson, but the fact that one company will booking all large bands throughout Los Angeles also scares me a bit. 

Saturday Night at Spaceland

If you will not be at KCRW's Sounds Eclectic or the Deerhunter/Ponys show, then I highly recommend you make your way to Spaceland.  There will be a fantastic line up of bands, particularly The Deadly Syndrome, who upon seeing them live the first time, I declared were one of the best things happening in Los Angeles right now. 

One of the other best things happening in LA right now is the Parson Redheads who will scare you with their white pants and their jangly pop.  Many others have told me that the Happy Hollows are also solid. Tandemoro rounds out the group.  Should be great. Don't miss out.

Oh My Rockness

18 months ago, when I made the trek back to this fair city, one of the many emails I sent was to Oh My Rockness asking if they were ever going to start a LA rock show list. Well, good things come to those who wait and now the LA hipsters and music lovers have a great new way to check out who is playing around town.

The site has direct links to buy tickets as well as indepth profiles on your favorite indie artists.  The site is also easily the most comprehensive in terms of venues as well.  In addition to your Hollywood and East Side venues, they have listings for shows at the The Smell, Malibu Performing Arts Complex, the Glass House along with many, many more.   The highlight is their weekly e-mail blast informing you of the newest, hippest shows around town.  Be sure to subscribe.

Jonathan Lethem @ ALOUD at Central Library

Last night, I headed over the Central Library to hear Michael Tolkin talk to Jonathan Lethem about his new book, "You Don't Love Me Yet".  The book, set in Los Angeles, is about a near famous Gen-X rock band.  As you may have read, Lethem has been getting more attention for his plan to "sell" the film rights, than he is for the actual content of the book.  You see, he plans to just give the rights away to one filmmaker who agrees on two conditions: 1) that Lethem will get 2% of the budget when the movie is picked up and 2) that 5 years after the film's debut, the movie, the novel and all things associated with it will become open source material - free for anyone to play with, adapt, steal, etc.   

It's pretty incredible when you think about it and Lethem talked extensively about the idea last night.  Tolkin brought up his most recent piece (must read!) in Harper's Bazaar, which is an incredibly well written tale of the history of plagiarism and open sourcing only to get to the end and discover that he didn't write any of it - it's all been plagiarized.  Yes, the idea is brilliant and yes, he is much, much, much smarter than you.  He is planning on doing the same for a fiction piece and I am sure the movie will get some press for the same reason if it is ever made.

The conversation went on to discuss more about LA (he's never really lived here, yet wrote an entire novel based here), mash-ups (he loves them), Mickey Mouse (he is the Nelson Mandela of Public Domain) and Frank Gehry (hates him). 

There are some other fantastic events happening at the Central Library in the next few months and I encourage all of you go here and check the schedule.  Highlights include:

May 9: Michael Chabon speaking to Kenneth Turan about his newest novel
May 15: Film Screening of "Tony Kushner: Wrestling with Angels"
July 12: Daniel Wallace speaking to Erika Schikel about his new novel
July 25: An Evening with Graphic Designer Chip Kidd

All events are free.

March 07 Mix

[In an attempt to keep my few readers abreast of what I am listening to, The Monthly Mix Series is a monthly post featuring music that found its way into my ears over the course of the past month.]

While I didn't blog as much as I would have liked this past  month, I did see and hear lots of great music.  The Menomena show at the Echo was wonderful as was Elvis Perkins a few weeks later (at this point, I don't think they guy can do me wrong).  I am officially obsessed with the new Andrew Bird.  I also finally got around to listening to the new Albert Hammond solo project and actually bought The Replacements' "Let it Be" which is great too.  Throw in some new stuff (The National, Wilco, Voxtrot, Neil Young, DNTEL, Modest Mouse) and some classics (The Gerbils, Dylan, Camera Obscura, Destroyer) and you have my mix of the month.  Enjoy. 

Tracklisting:
1. Dark Matter - Andrew Bird
2. Wet and Rusting - Menomena [MP3]
3. Screendoor - Illinois
4. Suspended From Class - Camera Obscura
5. You Were So Cruel - Destroyer
6. I Will Dare - The Replacements
7. Eyes - Rogue Wave
8. Fake Empire - The National [MP3]
9. Hard To Live In The City - Albert Hammond, Jr.
10. Roll On - DNTEL w/ Jenny Lewis
11. Fluid - The Gerbils
12. Steven - Voxtrot
13. Old Man - Neil Young
14. Dashboard - Modest Mouse
15. What Light - Wilco
16. Queen Jane Approximately - Bob Dylan
17. My Boyfriend Writes Plays - Pants Yell!
18. Last Song - Matt Pond PA

DOWNLOAD MIX

DOWNLOAD ARTWORK

Previously:
January 07 Mix
February 07 Mix

The Aftermath of Seeing Keanu

So, as most of you read, I was at the Troubadour on Wednesday and I saw a certain celebrity.  My site has been getting TONS of hits from these keanu fan sites.  I have copied and pasted one of the many threads.  Its incredibly amusing.  Next time, I will snap a photo of him.  I didn't realize it was that big of a deal.  First of all, who likes Keanu Reeves? Second of all, why are they all out for blood?

For other Keanu fans out there, Point Break Live! (yes, the classic surfing movie has been adapted into a stage show and is currently playing its second run in the Lower East Side).   The best part is that the Johnny Utah role, played by Keanu, is played by an audience participant pulled from the crowd minutes before the show begins.  The only way to get that look of pure shock is to literally throw someone on stage with no idea what they are going to do.  More HERE.

Topic: Keanu Reeves at The Troubadour [Story]

SIGHTING: Keanu Reeves hanging out in the back at a concert of The Little Ones at The Troubadour. April 2007. (No photos.) [scoop: 'Brandi96']

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Total Comments: 14 / 14 | Viewing: 1 - 14 Comments london36 Added 2007-04-06 15:23 GMT   What bullshit! Just using his name for fame... to get attention... who else was there? Brad Pitt? Tom whatever his name is? And so on... yea right!... Hika Added 2007-04-06 15:42 GMT   Hum, no photo of Keanu...what a pity... Hey, the beard became an interesting joke... the kind of joke friends do... but if they're not Keanu's friends, the beard joke has just no sense at all... -_-° queen182 Added 2007-04-06 19:29 GMT   People usually try to ride on coat tales, I'm sure Keanu's is very long with all the prestige he bears. My only wish is that Keanu had a good time! ApricotJam Added 2007-04-06 21:21 GMT   Why is it 'bullshit' to mention he was there? maryroam Added 2007-04-06 23:53 GMT   Good Music is Good Music!And a great way to de-stress,And he needs less stress! hollywood Added 2007-04-07 01:56 GMT   Hey, at least the article did not put Keanu down. modelone Added 2007-04-07 02:22 GMT   I think it's awfully cute that he still hangs out at the back of rock clubs and listens to bands play. He would have liked Lamours East in NY. It's closed now, but it was great fun. Kick ass music(bands) and a kick ass DJ on the nights you just felt like dancing until you could not move but you could totally wear your oldest tee-shirt,jeans, and sneakies or flip flops. Closed 3 years ago! Too bad! london36 Added 2007-04-07 03:02 GMT   Apricot, peaches, whatever..its bullshit if there is no proof..no pic? no proof..so that just means they are using his name for their on good..NOT good...and yes modelone, it may have been awfully cute IF it was true... Duly6 Added 2007-04-07 09:55 GMT   If Keanu was there, nice news! I agree Maryroam and Modelone... Keanu needs having fun... queen182 Added 2007-04-07 19:09 GMT   I agree london36, I didn't even think about proof! Could it be held as a left handed compliment, that the mere mention of your name can give someone a few moments of fame? Perhaps Mr. Reeves takes offense to being hoodwinked, who knows...maybe he is just numb to it all! Like I said, people ride coat tails, at the end of the day...the coat tail goes home, leaving the uninviteds at the curb. To be honest, I can't even tell you the name of the band...I'm justing wondering...was he in there when I cruised by? modelone Added 2007-04-08 00:03 GMT   Does it matter. we have seen pix of him going to these types of things. It is at least within the realm of possibility unlike some of the other rubbish! This means nothing either way. We all do Duly6 modelone Added 2007-04-08 00:14 GMT   Lighten up! Spring has sprung and balmy days and evenings are just ahead. YEAH! Keanu I dare venture could care less one way or another if someone said he was watching a band. it's not like they said he had his bare ass out in the parking lot and was scratching like he has fleas or something while he picked feverishly at the overgrown thing attacking his lower face which remotely resembles a beard from a pre- modern grooming devices era...now that would be RUDE. A little levity. maryroam Added 2007-04-08 03:03 GMT   It was SEAWOLF/THE LITTLE ONES performing, other people noticed him as well. He was sitting at the bar alone enjoying the music and drinking a Hienkin(spelling?)beer. eveday Added 2007-04-08 12:50 GMT   Maryroam, the beer's name is Heineken (it is a Dutch brand).

The Little Ones @ The Troubadour

How much fun are the Little Ones? OK, thats a question that you can't really answer.  Or rather, you can answer it, but I can't hear your answer.  Regardless, they are a lot of fun.  If you take away one thing from this band, its that they love to perform.  They, more than any other band I can remember seeing, have so much fun on stage that it is hard not to just smile when they play. 

I have seen The Little Ones too many times than I would like to admit and each time left feeling not only satisfied, but happy.  This show seemed a lot cleaner and tighter than I remember.  This is partially due to the world wide touring that they have been doing, but it also seems that they are expanding a bit as a band.  They played several new songs which were wonderful.  Heavy in the percussion, but still very poppy and fun. 

I also decided that their live show is what it is largely because of the incredible drumming of Greg Meyer.  He is the key to this band.  His beats and incredible time keeping are truly the heartbeat of these guys and they would be no where without him.  He deserves some props for playing a great show. 

Also of note:

• Keanu "Look at my Beard" Reeves was there hanging out in the back
• Alex Church's Sea Wolf is just phenonemal.  I have been listening to that EP for almost a year now and it continues to get better.  His live show is great too.  I am looking forward to his full length album.