Events for March 6-12, 2014

Get with THE PROGRAM

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

MUSIC

Gary Numan @ The Mayan (Downtown)
If you weren't fortunate enough to see industrial/electro pioneer perform in support of his latest album, Splinter (Songs From a Broken Mind), last fall, then this is your chance to see him in all his glory in a great venue, which is intimate yet allows you enough room to dance comfortably. The album marked Numan's return to the Billboard 200 for the first time in over 31 years, and it's no wonder why. With guitar work from Nine Inch Nails' Robin Finck and compositions produced with long-time collaborator Ade Fenton, there is ample of ear and brain candy in each track. There are solid opening acts, Big Black Delta and Roman Remains, on the tour as well, so get there early.

FRIDAY, MARCH 7

COMEDY

Billy Connolly @ The Montalbán (Hollywood)
You might recognize Billy Connolly as Dain (aka the King Under the Mountain) from The Hobbit movies or his voice as King Fergus from Brave, but if you haven't seen any of his stand-up comedy routines you're sorely missing out. His shows have been known to leave sides aching and cheeks sore from so much laughter and smiling. His latest tour, The Man Live, begins its two-night stand at the Montalbán this evening at 8 p.m.

DANCE

Savion Glover @ Valley Performing Arts Center (Northridge)
Although I love dance, I'm not super fond of tapping – unless it's a routine by a phenomenal tap dancer – and there is no question that Savion Glover is a tap prodigy. The dancer, actor and choreographer has been tapping since age 7 and has spread his love for the art form throughout the world. He and his ensemble of dancers (TLHS) fuse traditional music of the past with modern flair in STePz tonight at 8 p.m.

FILM

In Theaters This Week
Annettte Bening, Ed Harris and Robin Williams in The Face of Love; Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel stars Ralph Fiennes as the legendary concierge of a famous European hotel and involves the theft of a priceless Renaissance painting and a battle for a family fortune. Also starring F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel and, of course, Jason Scwartzman and Bill Murray; "Modern Family"'s Ty Burrell lends his voice to the scholarly canine with glasses and a red bow tie in Mr. Peabody & Sherman; Science documentary Particle Fever. Also in theaters: 300: Rise of an Empire; Bethlehem; Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me; In Fear; Journey to the West; Kids for Cash; Lucky Bastard; Special ID

MUSIC

Aer @ El Rey Theatre (Miracle Mile)
Word of Mouth Tour
I might be a bit obsessed with the Boston duo's "Says She Loves Me" off their self-titled sophomore album that released in January. Once you give the track a listen, you probably will be, too. Boston's David von Mering and Carter Schultz combine rap, reggae, pop and indie rock for a sound that  can be described in one word: fun. Having shared the stage with the likes of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Slightly Stoopid, A$AP Rocky and Iggy Azalea, Aer have crafted a live show that is as infectiously energetic as their recordings.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

MUSIC

NO @ Troubadour (West Hollywood)
The Echo Park sextet released their Arts & Crafts debut, El Prado, last month and head out on a North American tour on Sunday. So let's give them a proper send off tonight at the Troubadour. Just give songs like "Leave the Door Wide Open," "Stay With Me" and "There's a Glow" a few spins and you'll be able to sing along to the anthemic gems in no time flat. Led by the fantastic Bradley Hanan Carter, the band's live show will undoubtedly persuade you to say 'yes' to NO.

SUNDAY, MARCH 9

CULTURE

Festival of the Kite @ Redondo Pier (Redondo Beach)
If you haven't flown a kite lately (or ever), I strongly urge you to take part in Redondo's 40th annual festival dedicated to the pastime. See kites of all shapes and sizes floating in the sky, with prizes going to the Highest Flying, Best Handmade and Youngest Kiteflyer, and help launch a massive, 25-foot wide kite. There are also dance and music performances, a hot dog on a stick eating contest and yo-yo competition.

FILM

Brontë Sister Double Feature @ New Beverly Cinema (Fairfax)
Curling up by a fire with a book by one of the Brontës sounds like a fabulous way to spend a Sunday afternoon to me, but if you're in the mood for something more visually stimulating then head on over to the New Beverly for this screening of two of the sisters' literary masterpieces adapted to the big screen. First up is Andrea Arnold's 2011 version of Emily's classic tale of love and revenge, Wuthering Heights, starring James Howson and Kaya Scodelario as Heathcliff and Cathy. The double feature continues with Charlotte's romantic drama Jane Eyre, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga ("True Detective") and starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender and Jamie Bell.

MUSIC

The Aussie BBQ @ Bootleg Bar (Westlake)
The cloudy weather lately may not immediately scream barbecue time, but here in Los Angeles, we can always be sure that sunny afternoons ideal for grilling are never too far away. The Fold and Sounds Australia are throwing a good, old-fashioned Aussie-style BBQ this afternoon with over 20 Australian acts hitting the stage for the biggest live showcase of talent from Down Under in the city ever. Headlining the bill are Ben Lee, Glass Towers and Gossling.

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

THEATER

"Harmony" @ Ahmanson Theatre (Downtown)
C'mon, admit it. I know there are more than a few of you who list Barry Manilow as one of your guilty pleasures. The singer-songwriter composed all of the songs – with longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman penning the book and lyrics – in this new musical about the world's first boy band. Six young lads formed the Comedian Harmonists in late-1920s Germany and went on to sell millions of records, star in dozens of films and pack concert halls around the globe until their mixed races (three of them are Jews, three of them Gentiles) become an issue. Through April 13.

New Release Tuesday 10/15/13

Oct. 15, 2013

MUSIC

The Avett Brothers – Magpie and the Dandelion (American)
The North Carolina band, fronted by Scott and Seth Avett, release an eighth album that is full of the folk, bluegrass, punk, country, rock and ragtime blend the Avett Brothers have come to be known for. The 11 tracks were recorded during the same sessions as their effort from last year, The Carpenter, with powerhouse producer Rick Rubin, who also produced their I and Love and You album from 2009. It's no surprise, then, that Magpie and Dandelion packs just as many thoughtful, somber ballads – and less screeching vocals – as those two albums. Have some Kleenex handy, because you'll be shedding tears as you sing along to every word of tracks like "Good to You" and "Apart From Me."

The Dismemberment Plan – Uncanney Valley (Partisan)
The groundbreaking D.C. foursome's first album in 12 years was recorded by longtime collaborator J. Robbins (Jawbreaker, The Promise Ring), produced by the band and Jason Caddell, and mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead). Perhaps the years apart are just what the Dismemberment Plan needed to come back and record with fresh perspective. Uncanney Valley exudes a playful exuberance from the opening lines of its first track, "No One's Saying Nothing," and that energy remains throughout songs such as "White Collar White Trash" and "Let's Just Go to the Dogs Tonight," making for a energetic, fun listen. Witness the new album, as well as older favorites, brought to the Fonda stage on Dec. 12.

Gary Numan – Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind) (Machine Music)
Co-produced by the electro/industrial pioneer and his longtime collaborator Ade Fenton, Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind) marks Numan's 20th studio album. Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck provides snarling riffs that pair with pulsating synths to give texture to the backdrops for Numan's vocals. The artist relocated to Los Angeles from his native England at the end of last year, and Angelenos have heartily embraced him: His Oct. 17 and 18 shows at Hollywood Forever's Masonic Lodge sold out in minutes. You can still catch him perform songs from the new album, and signing some copies, at Amoeba Hollywood tomorrow (Oct. 16) at 6 p.m.

Lucius – Wildewoman (Mom + Pop)
It's pretty impossible to not get up and dance from the opening bars of the title track from the NYC quintet's debut, Wildewoman. Adding stellar vocal harmonies by Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, heart-pounding percussion and hand claps (yes!), to their infectious hooks has made Lucius a "band to watch" as dubbed by TIME and Rolling Stone. "Turn It Around," "Hey, Doreen" and "Tempest" are guaranteed to get you moving, and even stripped-down tracks like "Go Home" and "Two of Us on the Run" capture your attention. They blew the roof off the Echo in August and won't be back in town for a while, but that just means you'll have plenty of time to memorize the lyrics to your favorite tracks.

Tristen – CAVES (Pupsnake)
Tristen Gaspadarek's follow-up to her acclaimed 2011 debut, Charlatans at the Garden Gate, sees the Nashville-based singer-songwriter stepping into the synth-pop realm, mixing electronic and live instruments for an electrifying sophomore release. She artfully marries these new tones with touches from her past influences that range from Dolly Parton and Madonna to the Beatles, Bob Dylan and David Bowie on CAVES, produced by Bright Eyes' Mike Mogis and mixed by Stephen Hague (New Order, Pet Shop Boys, OMD). Tristen's vocals captivate, from the buoyant first single, opening track "No One's Gonna Know," to the break-up ballad "Easy Out" and the darker "Winter Night, which was inspired by the Boris Pasternak poem of the same name. She performs in Los Angeles this Friday, Oct. 18, at Hotel Café.

Also available – American Babies' Knives & Teeth; Annie Mac Presents 2013 compilation; Beats Antique's A Thousand Faces – Act 1; Black Milk's No Poison, No Paradise; Boardwalk's self-titled; Boldy James' My 1st Chemistry Set; Brian Haas & Matt Chamberlain's Frames; Cass McCombs' Big Wheel and Others; Courtesy Drop's Songs to Drive to; Cry, and Make Love To; Crystal Antlers' Nothing Is Real; Cults' Static; Devin the Dude's One for the Road; Dom Kennedy's Get Home Safely; Doomriders' Grand Blood; Eye Candy's A Tell All; Field Study's Feverland; The Head and the Heart's Let's Be Still; Heavenly Beat's Prominence; I Am King's Onehundred; Icon for Hire's self-titled; James Ferraro's NYC, Hell 3:00 AM; Kwes.' ILP; Linda Thompson's Won't Be Long Now; Lizzo's Lizzobangers; The Lonely Forest's Adding Up the Wasted Hours; Luke Temple's Good Mood Fool; Marijuana Deathsquads' Oh My Sexy Lord; Mike Donovan's WOT; Music from the Motion Picture Carrie soundtrack; Morcheeba Head Up High; Nobunny's Secret Songs: Reflections from the Ear Mirror; Paul McCartney's New; Pearl Jam's Lightning Bolt; Red City Radio's Titles; Red Fang's Whales and Leeches; Scotty McCreery's See You Tonight; Shad's Flying Colours; Shine 2009's Our Nation; Silence the Messenger's Achilles; Tancred's self-titled; Tim Hecker's Virgins; TLC's 20; Toad the Wet Sprocket's New Constellation; Trivium's Vengeance Falls; Willie Nelson's To All the Girls…; Wymond Miles' Cut Yourself Free; Young Dro's High Times

BOOKS

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding (Knopf)
The flawed heroine returns, but she's not living the happily-ever-after existence fans of Fielding's 1996 introduction to Bridget Jones's Diary (and its The Edge of Reason sequel) might have expected. First off, SPOILER ALERT, Darcy is dead, leaving Bridget to face middle age and to raise their two children alone. As she deals with life as a single mother, Bridget ventures into the world of dating once again, but with modern-day technology and the Internet's dating tools at her disposal. And yes, Bridget Jones is now a cougar. Follow her continuing struggles with her weight and men, as well as the new challenges that parenthood brings.

Also available – The Caterpillar Way by Craig T. Bouchard; The Duck Commander Devotional by Alan Robertson; The Everything Store by Brad Stone; The Family by David Laskin; Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton; Identical by Scott Turow; Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin; Just One Evil Act by Elizabeth George; The Kennedy Half-Century by Larry Sabato; The Last Dark by Stephen R. Donaldson; Orr by Bobby Orr; Police by Jo Nesbø; The Reason for My Hope by Billy Graham; Revealed by Kristin Cast; Shores of Knowledge by Joyce Oldham Appleby; Transform by Christopher Morace; Wheelmen by Vanessa O'Connell; The Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice

DVDS

Film – Sandra Bullock is an uptight FBI agent who has to join forces with a rebellious Boston cop (Melissa McCarthy) to take down a drug lord in Paul Feig's The Heat; The Colony stars Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton and Kevin Zegers; Pacific Rim, from director Guillermo Del Toro, pits Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba and Rinko Kikuchi against giant monster aliens; Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States

TV – Anger Management: Volume Two; Defiance: Season One; Hart of Dixie: The Complete Second Season; The Fall, Series 1; River Monsters: Season 4; Vikings: Season One

Music – Deep Purple's Perfect Strangers - Live; Flying Colors' Live in Europe; Jason Aldean's Night Train to Georgia; Joe Cocker's Fire it Up: Live; The Tenors' Lead with Your Heart: Live from Las Vegas

Also available – Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire; Babysitter Massacre; Birdemic 2: The Resurrection; Come Dance with Me; Dirty Wars; Exploding Sun; The Harbinger Decoded; A Hijacking; Hitched for the Holidays; Jug Face; Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain; Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade; Maniac; Merry In-Laws; Plush