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New month, new week, new format, new edition.
First, it's stop-the-presses for two deadlines today...
(1) AMERICANAFEST
Monday, February 3rd...
2020 "AMERICANAFEST" discounts end today for the Sep 15-20, 2020, conference and festival.
* “The coolest music scene today.” – The New York Times.
* TODAY is the last day of Early Bird discounts to save more than $150 on Conference Registration for 2020 AMERICANAFEST.
* Tomorrow (February 4), the rate jumps to $499/399.
* Showcase Submissions to PERFORM at AMERICANAFEST are open through March 6, and all musicians can apply via their digital platform for a small fee of $25 (it's free to their members), at: https://americanamusic.org/showcase-submissions
* Each year, AMERICANAFEST®: The Americana Music Festival & Conference brings together legendary artists, the next generation of rising stars and industry professionals for six days of music and education.
* The event takes place September 15-20, 2020, gathering thousands of artists, fans and industry professionals from all over the world in Nashville, TN.
* Daytime conference activities and sessions are held at the host hotel, The Westin Nashville.
* Evening showcases are held at a host of prestigious music venues throughout the city.
* Honors & Awards tickets are available in ticketing windows, dependent on when you purchase your registration.
* Americana Music Association and AMERICANAFEST swag and merch -- collectible t-shirts, posters, buttons, stickers and more -- are available at:
https://americanamusic.myshopify.com/
* Basic portal for info: www.americanafest.com
* Registration (early bird discount through today) at:
https://wl.seetickets.us/event/AMERICANAFEST-2020-Americana-Music-Festival-and-Conference/396945?afflky=AmericanaMusicAssociation&utm
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(2) Yep Rock Records 20% off sale, through 9 pm TONIGHT
This label stables stellar artists living and dead, ranging from Chatham County Line to Chuck Prophet, Dave Alvin to Doc Watson, Eleni Mandell to Bluegrass Champs, Grant-Lee Phillips to Greg Brown, Jim Lauderdale to John Doe, John Wesley Harding to Johnny Cash, Alejandro Escovedo to Sam Phillips, Kim Richey to The Reverend Horton Heat, Southern Culture on the Skids to Steep Canyon Rangers, Tift Merritt to Tony Joe White, Wesley Stace to Willie Nelson, and more.
Plus they have compilations like their "Southern Folklife Collection," and oodles of merch.
Here's a chance to capture anything in their catalog at a hefty discount (and no, they are not paying us to tell you any of this).
Use password SUPERBOWL at checkout for 20% off the ENTIRE Y-store, at:
https://yeproc.11spot.com/
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News features, and what's happening out there...
News features, and what's happening out there...
The IOWA CAUCUSES are TONIGHT. You've heard references to them forever.
In a nutshell, they are (at long last) the actual start of the 2020 presidential election. That's because Iowa state law -- and the state law in New Hampshire -- require these small states with miniscule populations, and tiny numbers of delegates, to be held FIRST, ahead of any other state, no matter how early on the calendar the other states (even the big states) set their primary elections.
Iowa -- 31st out of the 50 states in population -- is not representative of America in any sense, from the basis of its cornfields-for-ethanol economy to its racial (very white) and ethnic (very Western European / Christian protestant / fundamentalist) makeup. Yet Big Media always hypes Iowa's role as some combination of bellwether, harbinger, predictor, and decider for the rest of us.
A solid article about some of what is likely to go wrong in Iowa's systemless system of Caucuses during and following the nose counts tonight -- and how it can be perpetuated into more trouble, elsewhere -- is in today's "L.A. Progressive." Written by Steven Rosenfeld, the editor and chief correspondent of "Voting Booth," a project of the Independent Media Institute, it's titled, "What Happens Next If Iowa and Nevada 2020 Caucuses Are Disrupted?" Take a few minutes and read it (for free) at: https://www.laprogressive.com/iowa-2020-caucus/
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Continuing with that theme:
February 3rd in political history...
On this day in 1787, Militia led by General Benjamin Lincoln crushed the remnants of Shays' Rebellion in Petersham, Massachusetts. It was the first time the fledgling American government gunned-down its own citizens.
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Then and now, if history does not repeat, does it rhyme?
Ezra Klein has a new book, just out, that traces the roots of our species from stone age tribalism into modern societal behavior. He concludes that we are wired to identify with a group and justify its behavior, while vilifying those in other groups. He had quite a discussion with Fareed Zakaria about it Sunday morning. Even as a sparse reference here, it's something to think about.
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This day in 1917 (same year as the title of the movie that just won most of the BAFTA Awards, the British Oscars), America entered World War I. It came this day, after diplomatic relations with Germany were severed due to its unrestricted submarine warfare, and after disclosure of Germany's Zimmerman communiques with Mexico, promising the latter it would regain the American Southwest if it helped Germany.
Note that today in 1943 marked the sinking of the SS Dorchester by a WW II German U-boat. Only 230 of 902 men aboard survived. (Two wars in a row, German submarines torpedoed and sank merchant and passenger ships -- which may or msy not have been carrying war materiel to England.
Today in 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded at a "Unification Conference" held in Kowloon, British Hong Kong. Yet the America of the 1960s had everyone believing that "the communist menace" was dastardly domino thing, and they wouldn't stop until they reached America unless they were nipped in the bud. Sorta sounds like the 21st century line about Islamist extremists?
Today in 1933, Adolf Hitler announced that the expansion of "Lebensraum" ("living room") into Eastern Europe, and its ruthless Germanization, are the ultimate geopolitical objectives of Third Reich foreign policy.
Today in 2020, "A man without character or ethical awareness will not change." -- House Impeachment managers to the US Senate sham trial, in closing argument after partisan Republicans voted to prohibit witnesses.
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Things do get better. Sometimes...
On this day in 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing all male citizens the right to vote regardless of their race. It would take awhile to extend that to all Americans over age 18... and then the well-funded crapmasters would arise and begin disenfranchising would-be voters, as they did in record numbers in 2016.
This day in 1913, the Sixteenth Amendment was ratified, forever imposing a federal income tax. Which, today is supposed to be "graduated," so the more you make, the more you pay. But after a couple of big GOP scam "tax cuts," the middle class pays the freight for upper classes who get off Scot free.
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Spaced-Out
This day in 1966, the Soviet Union's Luna 9 became the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the Moon, and the first spacecraft to take pictures from the surface of the Moon. (The "Space Race" of the '60s was quite real.)
But how things change... today in 1994, Space Shuttle mission STS-60 launched, carrying Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard NASA's Shuttle.
Two years after that, today in 1995, Astronaut Eileen Collins becomes the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle as mission STS-63 launches from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (The Soviet space program had included women cosmonaut spacecraft commanders since Valentina Tereschkova in the early 1960s.)
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THOUGHT FOR TODAY from one born on this date...
"Writers, like teeth, are divided into incisors and grinders."
-- Walter Bagehot, journalist and businessman (born Feb 3, 1826, died 1877).
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February 3rd notables...
☆ It's "the day the music died." This day in 1959, Buddy Holly (1936-1959) was killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa, with Southern California artist Ritchie Valens (who sang "La Bamba" and whose real name was Richard Steven Valenzuela) and pioneering rock deejay J.P. Richardson ("The Big Bopper"). Buddy Holly's career as a rock star ran only a year and a half, but during that time he recorded "Peggy Sue," "Everyday," "That'll Be the Day," "Oh, Boy!" and several more hits. Holly was 22 years old when he died. Valens' recording career lasted eight months and abruptly ended when he died at age 17... though the singer, songwriter, and guitarist is still a rock and roll pioneer and forefather of the Chicano rock movement who gave rise to bands like Los Lobos.
☆ Today is the 199th birthday of the first woman to graduate from medical school, Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910), born in Bristol, England. "She wanted to become a doctor because she knew that many women would rather discuss their health problems with another woman. She read medical texts and studied with doctors, but she was rejected by all the big medical schools. Finally, the Geneva Medical College (which became Hobart College) in upstate New York accepted her. The faculty wasn't sure what to do with such a qualified candidate, and so they turned the decision over to the students. The male students voted unanimously to accept her. Her classmates and even professors considered many medical subjects too delicate for a woman and didn't think she should be allowed to attend lectures on the reproductive system. But she graduated, became a doctor, and opened the New York Infirmary for Women and Children." -- Garrison Keillor's "Writer's Almanac."
☆ It's also the birthday of a woman who dropped out of medical school and moved to Paris with her brother Leo. That is Gertrude Stein (1874-1946), born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. She and Leo started collecting art together, and a group of artists — including Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso — gathered every Saturday evening at the Steins' home to discuss art and ideas. Friends with Picasso while he was experimenting with Cubism, she decided to do the same thing with language, creating a style of repeating words and phrases to highlight the sounds of words instead of their meaning. She said, "Nature is commonplace. Imitation is more interesting." (THAT should start an argument...)
☆ Epic novelist James A. Michener (1907-1997), was born this date in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He authored "Centennial," which was turned into the longest miniseries of its time (26 broadcast hours, 1979-1980, and it still turns-up on cable because everyone in Hollywood is in it, and it's that good). The prolific output included everything from the Korean War aviation classic, "The Bridges at Toko-ri," to "Tales of the South Pacific." Michener once said, "I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter." Good advice for songwriters.
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Musician & Artist Birthdays today...
Shawn Phillips, American-South African singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Nathan Lane, American actor, Broadway singer, comedian, a star in Mel Brooks' long-running Broadway show, "The Producers."
Linda Eder, American singer and actress.
Jesper Kyd, Danish pianist and composer.
Morgan Fairchild, American actress.
Maura Tierney, American actress and producer.
Blythe Danner, American actress.
Stephen McHattie, Canadian actor and director.
In memorium: Musicians & others born this date...
Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1935-1996), American blues, soul, and funk singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), American painter and illustrator.
Tim Chandler (1960-2018), American bass player.
Johnny Cymbal (1945-1993), Scottish-American singer-songwriter and producer.
Michael Cimino (1939-2016), American director, producer, and screenwriter.
Horace Greeley (1811-1872), American journalist and politician who famously advised the youth of the new American democracy, "Go West, young man!"
Sidney Lanier (1842-1881), American composer and poet.
Giuseppe Moretti (1857-1935), Italian sculptor, designed the Vulcan statue, largest cast iron statue in the world at 56-foot (17 m) tall, depicting the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry.
Jehan Alain (1911-1940), French organist and composer.
Mary Carlisle (1914- 2018), American actress, singer, and dancer.
Joey Bishop (1918-2007), American actor and producer.
Shelley Berman (1925-2017), American actor and comedian.
Beau Biden (1969-2015), American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 44th Attorney General of Delaware.
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Event of note: Coming up...
"Seamless: A Play about Japanese American Incarceration and the Afterlife of Historical Trauma"
Those who are frequent Guide readers know we are fond of pointing-out that history always reaches beyond the obvious, and is never about the past unless we are dumb enough to forget what already happened.
Sunday, February 23, at 4 pm, presented by "USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative," this happens at the USC Brain and Creativity Institute's Joyce J. Cammilleri Hall (BCI), on the main USC campus in University Park, Los Angeles CA.
This is an omnibus of dramatic arts performance, conversation, and LI-Humanities event that revisits the Japanese American incarceration and dissolution of the American Dream during World War II -- exploring the ways the past haunts the present.
Written by USC professor Dorinne Kondo and published in her most recent book, "Worldmaking: Race, Performance, and the Work of Creativity," the play examines the afterlife of trauma, history, and memory. It also considers the (im)possibility of knowing the people you love most, compelling the audience to question themselves, their families, and their past.
A staged reading of Seamless directed by Tim Dang (Dramatic Arts) will be followed by a conversation with Kondo moderated by USC professor Beth Meyerowitz, an expert on the psychological adjustment among survivors of genocide and on the causes and treatment of post-traumatic stress.
“Sitting at the nexus where critical race theory meets affect theory, this breathtakingly ambitious and fascinating book is as much about how racism functions in the theater world as it is a treatise on the production of race as a naturalized discourse. An important contribution.”—John L. Jackson Jr., author of Thin Description: Ethnography and the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem
“Dorinne Kondo’s penetrating and insightful book should be required reading for any theater artist who is serious about confronting racism. She brilliantly reminds us of the power of the theater, and of the real responsibility that comes with that power.”—Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater.
That's Sun, Feb 23, 4 pm, in Joyce J. Cammilleri Hall, 3620 McClintock Av, Los Angeles CA 90089.
Free with a reservation (before it "sells-out"):
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seamless-japanese-am-incarceration-and-the-afterlife-of-historical-trauma-registration-91400299757
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Apply to Play...
"Bloom 2020" produced by Youbloom in Dublin, Ireland
Apply by March 15th - notifications of selection will be sent out by March 25th. Event / festival is May 28th to June 1st in Dublin, Ireland.
Artists of all genres are encouraged to submit. The focus is on "emerging talent." Approximately 20 acts will perform over the 5 days. "Bloom 2020" based on past experience, is expected to draw a total attendance over the five days of approximately 120,000. They estimate 20,000 total audience for the music stage.
Criteria used in selection:
⊙ Significant amount of local buzz
⊙ No cover bands
⊙ Set lengths range from 45 to 60+ minutes
⊙ Sets begin at noon, run 'til 5 pm each day
Compensation: Will be agreed upon invitation. Note, no travel or other expenses covered beyond the agreed compensation.
Professional sound, lighting and backline (drum kit, two guitar amps, bass amp) are provided. A sound engineer is provided.
Full info and how to apply:
https://www.youbloom.com/dublin-2020/
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Congrats to a big behind-the-scenes player: MSO becomes SRO
MITCH SCHNEIDER, MARCEE RONDAN, and LYNDIE WENNER are celebrating
their 25th anniversary during February as a major music PR company with headquarters in Los Angeles, and since 2008, an office in Nashville.
They've been operating as "MSO PR," and with an announcement today, they are rebranding as "SRO" PR. That reflects the promotion of Marcee Rondan from Executive Vice President to Partner, an announcement that was made by the company's Founder and Partner, Mitch Schneider.
The SRO site includes a link to the former MSO site where press releases have been archived since 1996, when MSO became the first independent music publicity firm to have its own website.
As MSO, the firm has been hailed as a "bonafide taste maker" (L.A. Weekly, 2010) and by Music Connection (May 2019) as "one of the world's premier public relations firms."
The Music Connection piece continued, "The MSO roster is eclectic and encompassing. It includes various styles and genres, superstars, musical legends, festivals, award shows and emerging artists. That diversity enables MSO to obtain coverage in multiple outlets and mediums, from underground to mainstream."
FESTIVALS: Throughout the company's history, the SRO team has been fortunate to be a part of some historic moments in U.S. festival history including, the launch of Coachella in 1999 (through 2011); the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans from 2005-2013, including the pivotal event in 2005 that was a part of the city's recovery from Hurricane Katrina; and the inaugural Kind Festival in Desert Hot Springs in 2019, the first ever cannabis-friendly music festival.
ARTISTS & BANDS include Rock and Roll of Fame inductees HEART, led by ANN and NANCY WILSON, who gloriously returned to the spotlight with their massive "Love Alive" cross-country summer tour after a three-year hiatus from touring. The roots of the PR trio's relationship with the iconic and pioneering sisters go back to 1987.
In both Los Angeles and Nashville SRO worked with DOLLY PARTON for a five-year run that started with the 2007's BACKWOODS BARBIE album. It marked the first release on Dolly Records and was launched with "Better Get To Livin'," a classic kick-in-the-pants inspirational.
Their hefty client list (past and present) includes TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS, DAVID BOWIE, AEROSMITH, KORN, SEX PISTOLS, and BACKSTREET BOYS.
Rondan tells us, "We're looking forward to what the future holds for SRO, while also celebrating our accomplishments with the breadth of artists that have brought us here."
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SELECTED EVENTS THIS WEEK...
Tue, Feb 4:
8 pm - JIM & ANNE CURRY: "THE SONGS OF JOHN DENVER" at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena CA
* Reservations by phone only, 10 am-10 pm, 7 days: 626-798-6236.
* Tribute artist Jim Curry, whose singing voice was heard in the CBS-TV movie "Take Me Home: The John Denver Story," has performed Denver's music in sold-out shows throughout the country and has emerged as today's top performer of Denver's vast legacy of multi-platinum hits.
* He has performed with most of the members of Denver's band and he has performed Denver's music with symphony orchestras, as Denver did so often in concert, enabled because Curry was given the original orchestral sheet music that had been presumed lost.
* Jim's uncanny ability to mirror John's voice and clean-cut look takes you back to the time when "Rocky Mountain High," "Sunshine," "Calypso," and "Annie's Song" topped the charts, and his popular music had the heartfelt message of caring for the earth and caring for each other.
* Denver’s message is worth repeating in our contentious times: “Be kind to the Earth and to each other.”
* TIX, $20. Make reservations. This ALWAYS sells-out.
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Tue, Feb 4:
8 pm - ALAN PARSONS LIVE PROJECT plays the City National Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim CA
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Tue, Feb 4:
WYNONNA & CACTUS: "Party Of Two" plays the famous concert hall in back of McCabe's Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica CA 90405; www.mccabes.com
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Thu & Fri, Feb 6 & 7; INDUSTRY CONFERENCE:
7th Annual "DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT WORLD" ("DEW 2020") produced by Digital Media Wire at the Marina del Rey Marriott, in Marina del Rey CA
* Brings together 2,000 decision-makers from video, music, games and advertising as well as startups, innovators, technologists and press
* Features Speakers from Pluto TV, Roc Nation, Facebook, CBS, NBC, Epic Games, Skydance, Warner Bros, Sony Music.
* DEW includes more than 50 unique sessions and 200 speakers on topics essential to the future of video, music, brands, marketing, gaming, AR/VR, and AI, with keynotes and fireside chats from Pluto TV, Facebook, Sony Music, CBS, Roc Nation, Roblox, and more.
* View the full speaker list at: www.dewexpo.com/speakers-2020
* Registration, etc, at: https://www.dewexpo.com/register/
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Thu, Feb 6:
7:30 pm - SCOTT AINSLEE and REGGIE HARRIS, legendary guitarmen, explore the uniquely American folk and blues roots of the deep south, at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W Malvern Av, Fullerton CA 92833; 714-738-6595; www.TheMuck.org
* An evening of jaw-dropping musicianship.
* Two noted troubadours together in concert with a variety of acoustic instruments, stories, and songs.
* TIX: $30 gen'l, $20 student/senior, $15 member.
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Fri, Feb 7:
THE FRED EAGLESMITH SHOW starring TIF GINN plays the famous concert hall in back of McCabe's Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica CA 90405; www.mccabes.com
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Fri, Feb 7:
8 pm - THE SUSIE GLAZE NEW FOLK ENSEMBLE plus ANDY & RENEE (of HARD RAIN) play a double-bill for Susie's recently reinstituted series, "THE WOODSHED SESSIONS," at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena CA 91001; www.coffeegallery.com
* THE SUSIE GLAZE NEW FOLK ENSEMBLE has been likened to the British bands Pentangle and Fairport Convention, blending classic folk music with rough-edged stories of tragedy and fate, all with orchestral arrangements sounding like chamber music gone folk.
* Susie & co get good reviews: “...a ride through a wide range of Americana meadows and valleys... from skilled instrumentation bluegrass jams, Appalachian vocals, sweet high lonesome harmonies and old-time folk influences, the richness of a tapestry of American music that weaves together each genre through... song-craft, clear production and authentic performance... it feels like we’re hearing just one genre ~ great American music... one of the finest and most original Americana groups in California (or in the country for that matter).” -- No Depression.
* ANDY & RENEE are the award-winning leaders of award-winning band HARD RAIN, and producers and musical hosts of the excellent annual "DYLANFEST."
* TIX, $20, and note: THIS SERIES always sells-out, AND, all of Andy & Renee's acoustic shows ALWAYS sell-out. So don't dawdle. Call promptly for reservations, 10 am-10 pm, 7-days: 626-398-7917.
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Sat, Feb 9:
ALASDAIR FRASER & NATALIE HAAS play the famous concert hall in back of McCabe's Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica CA 90405; www.mccabes.com
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"THE LAST SHIP," the acclaimed musical stage production written by STING, plays in the Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center in downtown L.A., 135 N Grand Av, Los Angeles, CA 90012
* "This unbelievable show has some of the best talent in the industry... The Last Ship consistently delivers the strongest stage performers around and has a track record of performing in front of sold out audiences..."
* Enjoy a thorough review of the show in the South Bay "Easy Reader News" at: https://easyreadernews.com/the-last-ship-in-port-at-the-ahmanson/
* Photo of Sting as Jackie White. By Matthew Murphy, Easy Reader News.
* WATCH A VID CLIP of the show on Broadway: https://youtu.be/XEfztIeQcfg
* TIX at: http://www.ahmansontheatre.net/events/
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"MARGARITAVILLE," the new touring musical by JIMMY BUFFET, arrives in Southern California for a short run.
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ONGOING through Feb 22; MUSICAL THEATRE:
"DAY AFTER DAY (THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF DORIS DAY)" in its West Coast Premiere, produced by the P3 Theatre Company at the Ernest Borgnine Theatre (inside the Long Beach Scottish Rite Cultural Center), 855 Elm Av, Long Beach CA 90813
* This is a brand new musical telling the dramatic personal life story of Doris Day through her music. Songs including "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "Sentimental Journey," "Secret Love," "It’s Magic," "A Guy is a Guy," and "Que Sera, Sera," turned Doris Day into America’s Sweetheart.
* Take a deep and personal look into this star’s dramatic personal life while appearing as the quintessential “girl-next-door” in Warner Bros. musicals. Blending factual life events and her songs, this show is a love letter to this extraordinary icon.
* Written by Tony Santamauro, starring Deborah Robin as Doris Day.
* "(Deborah) Robin absolutely shines in her role, fully inhabiting Day’s perky demeanor and delicious voice from her early years as a big-band singer and top recording star– beginning with “Sentimental Journey” after World War II– through to her movie roles opposite leading men such as Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, and James Garner." -- Anita W. Harris, Signal Tribune.
* TIX: 800-595-4849 or www.P3Theatre.biz
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ONGOING, Jan 29-May 27; FILM SCREENING of LIVE THEATRE:
"NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE," a series of productions filmed live on London's West End, screening at Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N Mentor Av, Pasadena CA 91106; www.bostoncourtpasadena.org
* Boston Court, itself renowned for live theatre, brings these brilliantly filmed plays from across the pond; some have two dates, and the near-term one is sold-out; get tix early:
■ "ALL ABOUT EVE," starring GIllian Anderson:
Wed, Jan 29, 8 pm, get tix now.
■ "HAMLET" (encore), starring Benedict Cumberbatch:
Sun, Feb 2, 1:30 pm, get tix now.
■ "FLEABAG," written & performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge; two dates:
Thu, Jan 30 - Sold out; Wed, May 20, 8 pm, get tix now.
■ "PRESENT LAUGHTER," starring Andrew Scott; two dates:
Fri, Jan 31, Sold out; Wed, May 27, 7:30 pm, get tix now.
■ "ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS" (encore), starring James Corden; two dates:
Sat, Feb 1, 1:30 pm; Sat, May 16, 7:30 pm; get tix now, either date.
■ "THE AUDIENCE" (encore), starring Helen Mirren:
Sun, May 10, 1:30 pm, get tix now.
■ "HANSARD," starring Alex Jennings and Lyndsey Duncan:
Tues, May 12, 8 pm, get tix now.
■ "CYRANO DE BERGERAC" – New, starring James McAvoy; two dates:
Mon, May 18, 7:30 pm; Fri, May 22, 7:30 pm; get tix now, either date.
* TIX, $20; Box Office, 626-683-6801, 11 am - 5 pm, Tue-Fri.
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ONGOING, PODCAST, on-demand:
"RECORDING ARTISTS: RADICAL WOMEN" is a new podcast series from the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In it, art historian HELEN MOLESWORTH explores the lives and work of six artists — ALICE NEEL, LEE KRASNER, BETYE SAAR, HELEN FRANKENTHALER, YOKO ONO, and EVA HESSE.
* What was it like to be a woman making art during the feminist and civil rights movements? In this season of "Recording Artists," Molesworth delves into their lives and careers, spanning several generations. Hear them describe, in their own words, their work, relationships, and feelings about the ongoing march of feminism. Contemporary artists and art historians join the conversation, offering their own perspectives on the recordings and exploring what it meant—and still means—to be a woman and an artist. Share this with one who'll appreciate it.
* HERE'S THE LINK. The whole series is here in individial episodes so you can pace yourself or binge it. You'll hear rare audiotaped interviews and fresh perspectives on what it meant — and still means — to be a woman making art:
http://www.getty.edu/recordingartists/
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ONGOING, through Feb 23; FREE:
11am-5 pm - "FALLEN FRUIT: SUPERSHOW!" at PDC Gallery, 8687 Melrose Av, West Hollywood CA
* Runs Sun, Nov 24 through Feb 23; free.
* Opening day Sunday features outdoor jamming, preceded by an artist talk with FALLEN FRUIT (aka DAVID BURNS and AUSTIN YOUNG), and Young will be taking his trademark portraits of whoever wants one inside the installation, plus music and apparently, cheerleaders.
* This is "A gorgeous mile of fruit and flower garland wallpaper in a gradient of saturated hues containing within its two story installation multiple scenarios and vignettes of photography and ceramic, faux Grecian luxury statues, gilded mirrors, chaises and sundry objects. All of this exists in the mode of a secular temple to beauty, as well as a sort of public living room where communities are formed through the universal language of shareable fruit."
* Might be the right thing for a memorable date.
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ONGOING, through Mar 1:
“MUSEUM ACQUISITIONS 2019: DIRECTOR’S CHOICE” at the Getty Museum, 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles CA 90049
* This intends to be the first of many annual exhibitions that highlight the Getty Museum’s acquisitions made throughout the year.
* Highlights key works of newly added art selected by the Museum's director. It includes ancient gems and sculpture; Renaissance and 19th-century paintings; Renaissance sculpture; medieval manuscripts; old-master drawings; and 20th-century and contemporary photography.
* "It’s a small but succinct show, just one gallery, but with a variety of work, including [an] early Crucifixion in which our Lord appears to have four arms, a sort of biplane Jesus." -- Easy Reader News.
* Open 10 am-5:30 pm Sun-Fri, Sat 10 am-9 pm, closed Mon.
Holiday closures: Dec 25, Jan 1; early closings Dec 24 & 31 at 4 pm; short hours Dec 23 & 30, 10 am-5:30 pm.
* Free admission, parking costs. Info, 310-440-7300 or www.getty.edu
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ONGOING, through May 29:
“INCREDIBLE JOURNEY: BUGS” opened mid-Dec at the South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Bl, Palos Verdes Peninsula CA
* Gawd, we love experiential learning. Whichever journey Garden visitors decide to take, they are transformed into that bug – literally (via props).
* This program interactively educates visitors about the butterflies, spiders, ants and bees that can be found in the Garden.
* Full info, 310-544-1948 or www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org
___
ONGOING, through April 12, daily:
10 am-5 pm - "EGYPT'S LOST CITIES" exhibition at the Reagan Library, 40 Presidential Dr, Simi Valley CA 93065
* Akin to your best fantasies of Atlantis, these are artifacts recovered from beneath the sea.
* One day as the Mediterranean sun beat down on the bay of Aboukir, two bustling cities of ancient Egypt slipped into the sea without a whisper of wind, buried for centuries.
* These cities, before they sank beneath the waves, were known throughout the world as cultural centers of power, of wealth, of trade, and novel artistry.
* Time may have eroded the memory of a civilization, but not the mystery -- or the breathtaking artifacts -- of what it was.
* This exhibition runs Oct 5, 2019–Apr 12, 2020.
* View the holiday tree exhibit (through Jan 5; see our listing) and the Air Force One Pavilion, along with this current special exhibition, all during one visit for the price of museum admission. But allow yourself PLENTY of time.
* Open seven days a week, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
* Facility features a nice cafeteria-style cafe.
* TIX include the exhibition and the 125,000 square feet of all the permanent exhibits and displays, including Air Force One; you need to allow three to four hours to enjoy all of the galleries and grounds. Gen'l adm $29.95, discounts for youth, kids, seniors; active US military get in free. Free parking. Tix available in advance or at the door. It's worth adding the $7 "audio tour." Online adv. tix:
https://www.reaganfoundation.org/library-museum/online-ticket-sales/
"NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE," a series of productions filmed live on London's West End, screening at Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N Mentor Av, Pasadena CA 91106; www.bostoncourtpasadena.org
* Boston Court, itself renowned for live theatre, brings these brilliantly filmed plays from across the pond; some have two dates, and the near-term one is sold-out; get tix early:
■ "ALL ABOUT EVE," starring GIllian Anderson:
Wed, Jan 29, 8 pm, get tix now.
■ "HAMLET" (encore), starring Benedict Cumberbatch:
Sun, Feb 2, 1:30 pm, get tix now.
Thu, Jan 30 - Sold out; Wed, May 20, 8 pm, get tix now.
■ "PRESENT LAUGHTER," starring Andrew Scott; two dates:
Fri, Jan 31, Sold out; Wed, May 27, 7:30 pm, get tix now.
■ "ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS" (encore), starring James Corden; two dates:
Sat, Feb 1, 1:30 pm; Sat, May 16, 7:30 pm; get tix now, either date.
■ "THE AUDIENCE" (encore), starring Helen Mirren:
Sun, May 10, 1:30 pm, get tix now.
■ "HANSARD," starring Alex Jennings and Lyndsey Duncan:
Tues, May 12, 8 pm, get tix now.
■ "CYRANO DE BERGERAC" – New, starring James McAvoy; two dates:
Mon, May 18, 7:30 pm; Fri, May 22, 7:30 pm; get tix now, either date.
* TIX, $20; Box Office, 626-683-6801, 11 am - 5 pm, Tue-Fri.
___
ONGOING, PODCAST, on-demand:
"RECORDING ARTISTS: RADICAL WOMEN" is a new podcast series from the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In it, art historian HELEN MOLESWORTH explores the lives and work of six artists — ALICE NEEL, LEE KRASNER, BETYE SAAR, HELEN FRANKENTHALER, YOKO ONO, and EVA HESSE.
* What was it like to be a woman making art during the feminist and civil rights movements? In this season of "Recording Artists," Molesworth delves into their lives and careers, spanning several generations. Hear them describe, in their own words, their work, relationships, and feelings about the ongoing march of feminism. Contemporary artists and art historians join the conversation, offering their own perspectives on the recordings and exploring what it meant—and still means—to be a woman and an artist. Share this with one who'll appreciate it.
* HERE'S THE LINK. The whole series is here in individial episodes so you can pace yourself or binge it. You'll hear rare audiotaped interviews and fresh perspectives on what it meant — and still means — to be a woman making art:
http://www.getty.edu/recordingartists/
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ONGOING, through Feb 23; FREE:
11am-5 pm - "FALLEN FRUIT: SUPERSHOW!" at PDC Gallery, 8687 Melrose Av, West Hollywood CA
* Runs Sun, Nov 24 through Feb 23; free.
* Opening day Sunday features outdoor jamming, preceded by an artist talk with FALLEN FRUIT (aka DAVID BURNS and AUSTIN YOUNG), and Young will be taking his trademark portraits of whoever wants one inside the installation, plus music and apparently, cheerleaders.
* This is "A gorgeous mile of fruit and flower garland wallpaper in a gradient of saturated hues containing within its two story installation multiple scenarios and vignettes of photography and ceramic, faux Grecian luxury statues, gilded mirrors, chaises and sundry objects. All of this exists in the mode of a secular temple to beauty, as well as a sort of public living room where communities are formed through the universal language of shareable fruit."
* Might be the right thing for a memorable date.
___
ONGOING, through Mar 1:
“MUSEUM ACQUISITIONS 2019: DIRECTOR’S CHOICE” at the Getty Museum, 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles CA 90049
* This intends to be the first of many annual exhibitions that highlight the Getty Museum’s acquisitions made throughout the year.
* Highlights key works of newly added art selected by the Museum's director. It includes ancient gems and sculpture; Renaissance and 19th-century paintings; Renaissance sculpture; medieval manuscripts; old-master drawings; and 20th-century and contemporary photography.
* "It’s a small but succinct show, just one gallery, but with a variety of work, including [an] early Crucifixion in which our Lord appears to have four arms, a sort of biplane Jesus." -- Easy Reader News.
* Open 10 am-5:30 pm Sun-Fri, Sat 10 am-9 pm, closed Mon.
Holiday closures: Dec 25, Jan 1; early closings Dec 24 & 31 at 4 pm; short hours Dec 23 & 30, 10 am-5:30 pm.
* Free admission, parking costs. Info, 310-440-7300 or www.getty.edu
___
 |
| "When the sea shall give up her dead." The many displayed artifacts recovered from the ocean floor include the Stele of Thonis-Heracleion (SCA 277), loaned by the National Museum of Alexandria – IEASM excavations. Photo by Christoph Gerigk ©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation |
ONGOING, through May 29:
“INCREDIBLE JOURNEY: BUGS” opened mid-Dec at the South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Bl, Palos Verdes Peninsula CA
* Gawd, we love experiential learning. Whichever journey Garden visitors decide to take, they are transformed into that bug – literally (via props).
* This program interactively educates visitors about the butterflies, spiders, ants and bees that can be found in the Garden.
* Full info, 310-544-1948 or www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org
___
ONGOING, through April 12, daily:
10 am-5 pm - "EGYPT'S LOST CITIES" exhibition at the Reagan Library, 40 Presidential Dr, Simi Valley CA 93065
* Akin to your best fantasies of Atlantis, these are artifacts recovered from beneath the sea.
* One day as the Mediterranean sun beat down on the bay of Aboukir, two bustling cities of ancient Egypt slipped into the sea without a whisper of wind, buried for centuries.
* These cities, before they sank beneath the waves, were known throughout the world as cultural centers of power, of wealth, of trade, and novel artistry.
* Time may have eroded the memory of a civilization, but not the mystery -- or the breathtaking artifacts -- of what it was.
* This exhibition runs Oct 5, 2019–Apr 12, 2020.
* View the holiday tree exhibit (through Jan 5; see our listing) and the Air Force One Pavilion, along with this current special exhibition, all during one visit for the price of museum admission. But allow yourself PLENTY of time.
* Open seven days a week, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
* Facility features a nice cafeteria-style cafe.
* TIX include the exhibition and the 125,000 square feet of all the permanent exhibits and displays, including Air Force One; you need to allow three to four hours to enjoy all of the galleries and grounds. Gen'l adm $29.95, discounts for youth, kids, seniors; active US military get in free. Free parking. Tix available in advance or at the door. It's worth adding the $7 "audio tour." Online adv. tix:
https://www.reaganfoundation.org/library-museum/online-ticket-sales/
___
ONGOING, Feb 5-Mar 1; LIVE THEATRE:
"THE FATHER" starring acclaimed actor ALFRED MOLINA in "a tour-de-force performance that will leave you breathless," at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S El Molino Av, Pasadena CA 91101; 626-356-7529; www.pasadenaplayhouse.org
* 90 minutes, no intermission.
* “Savagely honest … Hugely rewarding” -- The Guardian.
* Directed by Boston Court Pasadena Artistic Director Jessica Kubzansky. Written by Florian Zeller, translated into English by Christopher Hampton.
* About the play: André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he’s losing control.
* An Open Captioned performance is Sun, Feb 23 at 2 pm.
* TIX: $25, less 20% off tickets with code MEMORY. Restrictions may apply.
* TIX at https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/the-father/
___
ONGOING, Feb 5-Mar 1; LIVE THEATRE:
"THE FATHER" starring acclaimed actor ALFRED MOLINA in "a tour-de-force performance that will leave you breathless," at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S El Molino Av, Pasadena CA 91101; 626-356-7529; www.pasadenaplayhouse.org
* 90 minutes, no intermission.
* “Savagely honest … Hugely rewarding” -- The Guardian.
* Directed by Boston Court Pasadena Artistic Director Jessica Kubzansky. Written by Florian Zeller, translated into English by Christopher Hampton.
* About the play: André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he’s losing control.
* An Open Captioned performance is Sun, Feb 23 at 2 pm.
* TIX: $25, less 20% off tickets with code MEMORY. Restrictions may apply.
* TIX at https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/the-father/
___
THERE'S PLENTY MORE HAPPENING. And with the Guide going to our new topical news feature story format, we can get to things and get them out to you without getting bogged-down by completing everything that needs to be included in a calendar.
See ya soon. Stay Tuneful!
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LINKS to recent editions,
including NAMM news (so far)
☆ Fri, Jan 31: "End of January, end of an era. Welcome February & the weekend."
☆ Thu, Jan 30: "What's doin' Thursday... Quick edition."
☆ Wed, Jan 29: "Today is a fascinating date in history"
☆ Mon, Jan 27: "Monday: an international day of remembrance, a time to consider our world."
☆ Sun, Jan 26: "GRAMMY Day Sunday, with notes and live music alternatives"
☆ Sat, Jan 25: "Annual mega-multi-Museum FREE ADMISSION DAY"
☆ Jan 21: "January won't end when the calendar page turns."
☆ Jan 19: "Top honor for Joni Mitchell amidst 35th annual NAMM Tech Awards' comprehensive recognitions"
☆ Jan 17: "News from NAMM, day one"
☆ Jan 12: "A week of concerts and events, before the news from NAMM" (A very photo-heavy edition)
☆ Jan 8: "Special edition: We're Already Against the Next War."
☆ Jan 8: "2020: Ch-ch-ch-changes, and what's happening out there in the land of Musica Acoustica"
☆ Dec 11: "Greta Thunberg named 'Person of the Year.' Special edition"
☆ " Impeachment: What it is, what it means, where we go from here. Dec 10 2019 special edition"
☆ THE ENTIRE CATALOGUE of all past editions of The Guide is available (and searchable!) FREE, in our archive. If you don't see the navigation pane on the left side of your screen, just click "view web version" and it'll magically appear (along with the correct photo, art, and page formats that you've been missing if you don't see that left-sidebar.)
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We have lots of MUSIC NEWS
features in the works, and they'll
be along as we get them dressed,
shoes tied, cowlicks combed down,
bowties cranked straight,
and strings tuned.
Find a comfortable spot by the
wood stove, play a round or two
of checkers, and we'll be along...
directly.
features in the works, and they'll
be along as we get them dressed,
shoes tied, cowlicks combed down,
bowties cranked straight,
and strings tuned.
Find a comfortable spot by the
wood stove, play a round or two
of checkers, and we'll be along...
directly.
_________________________________________________
On to the necessary boilerplate...
Boilerplate? What "boilerplate"? Where's the main pressure gauge? And the firebox?
Who came up with that goofy term for the basic essential informational stuff...
Alright already, it's right down there...
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
LEGALESE, CONTACTING US, 'N SUCH...
________________________________
Direct to the Guide's current editions /
MOBILE-DEVICE-FRIENDLY
editions load quickly at
Or at
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CONTACT US -- Post Comments / Send Questions / say Howdy at:
Tiedtothetracks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
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OR USE THE COMMENTS FUNCTION on the Blogspot site.
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Entire contents copyright © 2020,
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All rights reserved.
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♪ The ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE endeavors to bring you NEWS – and views of interest to artists everywhere – more specifically to musicians and the creative community and music makers -- and fans of acoustic and Folk-Americana music. That includes both traditional and innovative forms. From the deepest roots to today’s acoustic renaissance, that’s our beat. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues (now undergoing a major update), and inside info on FESTIVALS and select performances in Southern California in venues from the monumentally large to the intimately small and cozy. We cover workshops, conferences, and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kinds o’ things in the world of acoustic and Americana and accessible classical music. From washtub bass to musical spoons to oboe to viola to banjo to squeezebox, from Djangostyle to new-fangled-old-time string band music, from sweet Cajun fiddle to bluegrass and pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to all the swamp water roots of the blues and the bright lights of where the music is headed now.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. Thanks for sittin' a spell. The cyber porch'll be here anytime you come back from the road.
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We'll be back again soon with music news and more "News of the Non-Trumpcentric Universe." (c)
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Til we catch ya again on the flip side
in this new decade...
in this new decade...
as Buford the Wonder Dog looks on
and in our best Kathy Baker
"Hee Haw" voice: "THAT's all!"
"Hee Haw" voice: "THAT's all!"
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