March 27-30, American Ballet Theatre, based in New York City, presents the classic, "Swan Lake" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

February 22nd and 23rd at Freud Playhouse, UCLA
March 1st at Alex Theatre in Glendale
March 15th at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center

Los Angeles Ballet presents a mixed-bill, including three ballets choreographed by the late George Balanchine ("The Four Temperaments," "Tarantella," and "Who Cares?") and a new work by LAB's Melissa Barak.

I watch Balanchine's ballets now and am completely blown away by the movements he's created. I can not imagine what it would have been like to have seen them fifty years ago when they were first presented to audiences.

Angelus Rosedale Cemetary Walking Tour
Brought to you by the Studio for Southern California History

Time: 10 am - 12 pm
Date: February 2, 2008
Location: 1831 W. Washington Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90007
Cost: This event is free but reservations are required by calling 213-229-8890.
Meeting Place: to the right of the front gates.

Led by Resident Storytellers Steve Goldstein and Joe Walker, this Walking Tour explores Angelus Rosedale, one of Los Angeles' oldest resting places, built in 1884. In addition to many of the city's mayors, this cemetery is important to Los Angeles' African American communities as well as many others.

Joe Walker is a Crime Analyst with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and has been with the department since 1986. In that capacity, he has worked numerous patrol stations and special unit assignments, including Robbery and Homicide. In 1995-1996, he assisted best selling author James Ellroy, (L.A. Confidential, Black Dahlia). His most recent work was as a contributing writer to the five volume series, "Famous American Crimes and Trials" published in December, 2004 by Greenwood Publishers. Walker wrote about the 1942 "Sleepy Lagoon" murders in Los Angeles and the subsequent "Zoot Suit." Most recently, he is assisting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the 1957 case of Tommy Bowman.

If there's one thing I love more than music, it's free music! Musician Peter Case is coming to the Getty Center for a free show February 1, 2008 in support of his Grammy-nominated release Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John. The album, which came out August 7, is the illustrious singer/songwriter’s first album of all original material since 2002.

The show is free, but you must reserve tickets in advance. Starting January 22, you can reserve
your spot at the Getty Center ’s website: http://www.getty.edu/

Friday February 1 @ the Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90049

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys are coming to town with two shows in February. If you're stuck on what to do for Valentine's Day, why not head over to the Bordello Bar in downtown Los Angeles for a little swoon and croon with Big Sandy? I can't think of anything more romantic!

And if that's not your style, they'll be playing at the Arcadia Blues Club on the 23rd.

SHOW INFORMATION:
Fri. February 15 @ Bordello Bar
901 E. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
&
Sat. February 23 @ Arcadia Blues Club
16 E. Huntington Dr.
Arcadia, CA 91006
WWW.YEPROC.COM -- WWW.BIGSANDY.NET

Yep Roc’s The Gourds are on the road and headed this way in support of their most recent album, Noble Creatures. I'm not a huge Gourds fan, but they rock live!

SHOW INFORMATION:
Thurs. February 7 @ Safari Sam’s
5214 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.yeproc.com -- www.thegourds.com

http://www.gemfaire.com/

Costa Mesa, CA
Orange County Fairgrounds
88 Fair Dr.
December 7,8,9
Classes & demonstrations

The Gold Coast Pirate Faire is this weekend at the Lake Casitas Recreational Area!

Don't miss entertainment all weekend long including James Intveld 9:00 pm. to close on September 21st, preceeded by Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

http://www.redondochamber.org/lobsterfestival//entertainment.html

THIS WEEKEND, DON'T MISS!
Costa Mesa, CA
Orange County Fairgrounds/Building 10
88 Fair Dr.
August 10, 11, 12
Classes & demonstrations
Wire-wrapping by Carolyn Eddy
Bead classes by Donna Palmer

Photo by Cindylu

For details & class schedules, please see Workshops.

I haven't seen Robbie Fulks in a very long time. And now I hear he has a double-cd out. I haven't heard it, but I have heard that Mr. Fulks is moody and unpredictable live. Am I starting rumors? I hope so. McCabe's is a wonderful place to see someone as talented as Robbie Fulks live.

UPCOMING SHOW:
Sat. July 28 @ McCabe’s
3101 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
www.yeproc.com -- www.robbiefulks.com

I can't think of a better band to listen to in the long, hot days of summer than Big Sandy. I can't think of a better band to go see on a first date. I can't think of a better band to take the whole family to see at the Fullerton Summer Concert Series! Big Sandy is like a big, cool, mint julep on a really hot summer's evening. Delicious!

UPCOMING SHOWS:
Fri. July 20 @ Memories
12901 Philadelphia Ave.
Whittier, CA 90601

Sun. July 22 @ The Derby
4500 Los Feliz Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Wed. July 25 @ Fullerton Summer Concert Series
560 E. Silver Pine St.
Fullerton, CA 92835

Thurs. July 26 @ Culver City Summer Series
9770 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

You know I love Smith's Ranch Boys. They haven't played in FOREVER. And everytime the Lucky Stars play, it's in Ventura, or at the Autry. Clearly, my Lucky Stars aren't aligned. Cari Lee is from San Francisco, so I think it's been 5 years since I've seen her. Damn! I've got to get out of the house more often.

And now I've got a really good reason to! Thanks, Sam!

I've got good news, and bad news. Which do you want first?

The good news is that The Knitters are opening for Willie Nelson at the Pacific Amphitheatre. And your $35 - $45 ticket gets you in to the OC Fair for free. That's a lot of kettle korn and petting zoo, I know. There are also good tickets still left. I know, I checked.

The bad news? Oh, my boyfriend has a show that night and I can't go.

Go without me. And have a good time!

You know how you have these "musical guilty pleasures" that you don't want anyone to know about? Well, I'm admitting right now, two of mine are The Alarm and the Psychedelic Furs. I'm not even guilty about it, and judging from the response when I dj an 80s night, and the number of regular requests I get, neither is anyone else.

So I'm guessing the Rockin’ The Colonies show upcoming at the Pacific Amphitheatre is going to be sold out: The Alarm, The Psychadelic Furs and the Fixx (a band I truly do NOT enjoy, but I can be parking the car while they're on)!

The Alarm has a new album: Under Attack, which is group-founder Mike Peters’ first release with the Alarm since his recent battle against leukemia. Joining him on this album are ex-Gene Loves Jezebel guitarist James Stevenson, ex-The Cult and Mission UK bassist Craig Adams and Stiff Little Fingers drummer Steve Grantley. “Superchannel,” the album’s first single, went to #1 in the UK .

Coming up, The Alarm is set to release a series of EPs called Counter Attack.

Now, I've already seen the Psychedelic Furs many times and they are GREAT. Plus, your $25 ticket price to the Pacific Amphitheatere (before Ticketmaster rape charges, of course) gets you in to the OC Fair FREE. Cowabunga!

THE ALARM
“Rockin’ The Colonies” 2007
Tues. July 17 @ Pacific Amphitheatre
100 Fair Dr.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626