Rock/Pop
Dime Box Band Country Bacchanal with Carlos Guitarlos, The Groovy Rednecks, Dime Box Band, surprise guests at The Echo, 12/16
Babyland, The Dead Science, XIU, XIU at The Troubadour, 12/15
Books On Tape, Soccermom, XO at Hangar 1019 Gallery, 12/15, 9pm. 1018 S. Santa Fe Ave, Downtown LA, (323) 525-5652 or www.hangar1018.com
Turn The Screws Festival of Love and Noise: 16 Bitch Pileup, Gowns, Scott Arford, Tape Assemblage, Spastic Colon, Damion Romero, Roman Torment, Tralphaz, Jarrett Silberman, Robedoor, Bob Bellerue & Wanda Gala, G.X. Jupitter-Larsen, David Kendall’s Pity Party, Tarantism, Dude Dogg, Kitten Sparkles, Chris Musgrave, Chris Musgrave, Mitchell Brown, Privy Seals vs. Ex Jesus vs. Circuit Wound vs. Pedestrian Deposit, Feed The Dragon, Lacoste, Jewish Uprising, Dog Shit Taco, Jessica Catron & David Rothbaum, Maile Colbert, Carole Kim, The Swinging Chandeliers, Kraig Grady, Raven Chacon, Adam Overton, Toxic Loincloth, Sharon Cheslow, Bavab Bavab, Open City at Il Corral, 12/16 – 12/18. 662 N. Heliotrope Dr., LA. More info: www.halfnormal.com/ilcorral.html
The Camden String Quartet, Explosions In The Sky, Lichens at The Troubadour, 12/16 – 12/17
Madlib presents Sound Directions at Temple Bar, 12/17
Southern Culture on The Skids, The Weary Boys at The Echo, 12/15
Christmas Concert at The Santa Monica Pier with Sonar at Rusty’s Surf Ranch, 12/17. “Original songs and classic Christmas favorites.” All ages.
Amoeba Charity Auction, hosted by Brently Heilbron at Amoeba Music, 12/17, 4pm. Amoeba “will match all accepted individual bids up to $1000.”
Brian Setzer Orchestra’s fourth annual Christmas Extravaganza at The Gibson (Universal) Amphitheatre, Universal City, 12/17, 8:15pm.
The Groovy Rednecks, The Cheatin’ Kind at The Cinema Bar, 12/17, FREE.
Social Distortion (sold out) at The House of Blues, 12/19 – 12/20.
Jazz / Classical
Spirit of Christmas: Choirs from Hollywood United Methodist Church, Calvary Baptist and Children of the World Choir at The Kodak Theatre, 12/18 – 12/27. Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave., Hollywood. “. . . One of England’s most popular Christmas shows . . . a magical sleigh ride filled with everything that’s best about Christmas including Santa Claus, a menagerie of animals come to life, your favorite holiday songs and the highest-kicking chorus girls this side of the North Pole.” Also features David Jennings. Performances are Sunday, December 18 at 2 pm and 6 pm; Tuesday, December 20 at 7 pm; Wednesday, December 21 and Thursday, December 22 at 2 pm and 7 pm; Friday, December 23 at 10:30 am, 2:30 pm and 7 pm; Saturday, December 24 at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm; and Monday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 27 at 2 pm and 7 pm.
Stryker/Stagle Band at The Jazz Bakery, 12/15 – 12/18
LA Gospel Jubilee’s “A Holy Christmas”: Jean Shy sings Mahalia Jackson Christmas Songs with Friends at The Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Santa Monica, 12/18, 5pm. More info: www.lagospeljubilee.com
Vashti: World Percussion Ensemble “A Winter Soltice Offering For Peace” at The Electric Lodge, 12/16 & 12/17, 8:30pm and 12/18, 7:30pm. 1416 Electric Ave., Venice. (310) 823-0710.
The John James Quartet with John James, Joe Gaeta, Peter Marshall and Gene Stone at Schatzi on Main, 12/16, 7- 11pm. 3110 Main St., Santa Monica.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles: A Touch of Brass – A Classy Brassy Holiday Extravaganza at The Alex Theatre, 12/16 – 12/18. 215 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. 12/16, 8pm. 12/17, 8pm. 12/18, 3pm. Additional family holiday performance for all ages on Sat, 12/17, 2pm.
Readings / Performance
Lenny Bruce: In His Own Words at The Un-Cabaret (M-Bar), 12/17, 10pm. 1253 N. Vine, Hollywood. (323) 993-3305 or www.uncabaret.com
Anansi Writer’s Workshop with Keith Antar Mason: Master Class and Workshop at The World Stage, 12/21, 7:30pm. 4344 Degnan Blvd., LA. More info: (323)293-2451 or www.theworldstage.org.
Thursday, December 15
Fernando, Goldenboy, Mike Coykendall at The Silverlake Lounge
Chantelle Tibbs at Genghis Cohen
Ranch Party Christmas Charity Benefit: Merle Jagger, Lynda Kay & Danny B. Harvey, Welldiggers Banquet, Angela Easterling & Dave Phenicie, Old Bull, more at The Lava Lounge, 12/15, 9pm. Proceeds go to the Joe Strummer Children Fund.
The Week Ahead
Friday, December 16
Starvations, Flash Express, Alleged Gunmen at El Cid
Jeff Cain, Adam Overton, Slanguage, Ultra Red at LA Contemporary Exhibitions, 6522 Hollywood Blvd., LA (323) 857-1777
Chaos Butterfly, Matt Davignon at Open Books Music Magazine Art, 144 Linden Ave., Long Beach
Los Straitjackets Christmas Pageant with The Pontani Sisters at The Mint, 8:30pm.
Coco Montoya at Cozy’s
Zac Harmon at Harvelle’s
Saturday, December 17
Nickel Creek at The Wiltern
Books On Tape, Captain Ahab, Clipd Breaks (Oakland), Kid 606, Love Tongue Attack at The Smell, 9pm
Chuck Dukowski Sextet, Falopian, Heliotrope, The Mormons at The Knitting Factory
Grant Langston at The Mint
The Willowz, The Vacation at Spaceland
Kingsizemaybe, The Curbhounds at Taix Lounge. FREE.
Kevin Brennan at Molly Malone’s
Blowin’ Smoke at Harvelle’s
Sunday, December 18
Dntel, Frosty, Hoseh, Nobody, DJ TommyD, The Minor Canon at Spaceland
Hella, The Mae Shi, Wires On Fire at The Troubadour
Swing Kings at Pershing Square, 2 – 4pm. Downtown LA.
Monday, December 19
Rock n’ Roll Karaoke at Bigfoot Lodge
Eleni Mandell, Charlie Wadhams at Tangier
Cold War Kids, This Blush, Lemon Sun at The Silverlake Lounge
Insidium at Ear Orchard (Club Tropical)
Bedroom Walls, Buko at Il Corral
Fierce Perm (Olympia, WA), Devon Williams at The Smell
Eleni Mandell at The Fold (Tangier)
Preston Smith at Pershing Square, Downtown LA. FREE.
Tuesday, December 20
Ainjel Emme, The Tangent Comedy Show at Tangier
Old Bull Holiday Benefit at The Lava Lounge
Watkins Family Hour at Largo
Andre Comeau Band, Don Everett Pearce at The Mint
Wednesday, December 21
Club London Calling at Bigfoot Lodge
Huge, Ari Shine at The Silverlake Lounge
Mozella at Tangier
Annabel Lee Murders (Modesto), Bring Back The Guns (Houston) at The Smell
Banshee In The Kitchen at Pershing Square, FREE. Downtown LA
Westside Coffeehouses and Other Spaces
Anastasia’s Asylum – 1028 Wilshire, Santa Monica. (310)394-7113
Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – FREE Workshops & Readings. This week: Thu, 12/15, 7pm: Antioch Graduate Writing Program. Faculty Readers include Hope Edelman, Carol Potter with graduating student readers Laura Dahlke, Parissa Ebrahimzadeh, Richard Goodwin. FREE. Sat, 12/17, 7:30pm: Ahadada Books presents the writers and poets of Ahadada Books, including Jesse Glass, Catherine Daly, Bruna Mori, Daniel Sendecki, Jerome Rothenberg, more. Sat, 12/17, 9pm: Cid Corman Tribute and Memorial. The legendary poet, translator, and editor Cid Corman (b. 1924) passed away on March 12, 2004. Join Jerome Rothenberg and Ahadada Press in a tribute to “this key ?gure in American poetry of the second half of the 20th century.” Sun, 12/18, 6pm: Poets Beyond The Half Shell with Michael C. Ford, Randall Fleming, Sarah Maclay, Mindy Nettifee. 681 Venice Blvd., Venice. (310)822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org
Diesel, A Bookstore – 3890 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, CA 90265. (3100 456-9961, www.dieselbookstore.com
Duttons Books Brentwood & Beverly Hills – Critically acclaimed readings and events. This week in Brentwood – Call for events. This week in Beverly Hills – Sat, 12/17, 3pm. Princess Meg Storytime. 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, (310) 476-6263 or www.duttonsbrentwood.com. Duttons Beverly Hills – 447 N. Canon Drive.
The Talking Stick Coffee Lounge – 1630 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 450-6052, www.thetalkingstick.net.
Village Books – Swarthmore Ave., Pacific Palisades, (310) 454-4063. www.pp90272.com/books
Club Directory:
14 Below – 1348 14th St., Santa Monica. (310)451-5040. Or go to 14below.com
Amoeba Music – 6400 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323)245-6400
Bigfoot Lodge – 3172 Los Feliz Blvd., LA. (323)662-9227.
Boulevard Music – 4316 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, (310) 398-2583. www.boulevardmusic.com
Cinema Bar – 3967 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City. (310)390-1328
Club Tropical – 8641 Washington Blvd., Culver City. (310) 287-1918, www.cryptonight.com
Cozy’s Bar & Grill – 14058 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 986-6000. Cozysblues.com
The Echo – 1822 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. (213) 413-8200. www.attheecho.com
The El Rey Theater – 5515 Wilshire Blvd., LA. (323)860-7880.
Genghis Cohen – 740 N. Fairfax Ave., W. Hollywood. (323) 653-0640.
Hal’s Bar & Grill – 1349 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. (310) 396-3105, www.halsbarandgrill.com
Harvelle’s Blues Club – 1432 Fourth St., Santa Monica (310)395-1676, www.harvelles.com
The House of Blues – 8430 Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood. (323) 848-5100.
The Jazz Bakery – 3233 Helms Ave., Culver City. (310) 271-9039.
The Knitting Factory – 7021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. (323)463-0204.
Largo – 432 N. Fairfax Ave., W. Hollywood. (323)852-1073.
Lava Lounge – 1533 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood. (323) 876-6612
McCabes – 3101 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 828-4403 www.mccabes.com.
The Roxy – 9009 Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood. (310)276-2222.
Rusty’s Surf Ranch– 256 Santa Monica Pier (310)393-PIER.
Silverlake Lounge – 2906 Sunset Blvd., Silverlake. (323)666-2407.
The Scene – 806 E. Colorado St., Glendale. (818) 241-7029
Silverlake Lounge – 2906 Sunset Blvd., Silverlake. (323)666-2407.
The Smell – 247 S. Main St., Downtown LA. (No Phone).
Spaceland – 1717 Silverlake Blvd., Silverlake. (213)833-2843.
The Taix Lounge – 1911 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. (213) 484-1265.
Tangier – 2138 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz. (323) 666-8666.
