Ever been to the L.A. Times Festival of Books? It's held annually at UCLA and is truly impressive. Tents set up across the campus offer everything from free K'orans to live music to speakers like Tori Spelling (she wrote a book!), a massive food court and mini bookstores.
Besides the enormity of the event, the most striking thing about it is that it is packed. It took a good 20-30 minutes to get to campus from the Sunset exit of the 405 (and here I thought everyone would be approaching it from Wilshire.) This was at 10:30 in the morning too. The popularity of the event really becomes evident once you're on campus. There are thousands of people there. People lining up at the Ray Bradbury booth; people waiting in line to shop in a specialized bookstore; people munching on food while listening to speakers talk about cooking. But because these are readers, the vibe is mostly laid back and friendly.
I went to the Festival to see a college classmate, Gene Healy, speak on a panel. Gene works at the Cato Institute and wrote "The Cult of the Presidency," a book about how the office of the President has gotten too powerful. His panel was called "Irreconcilable Differences? The Future of Power and Partisanship." Matt Miller of NPR's "Left, Right, and Center" moderated. The other panelists were Farai Chideya, Mickey Kaus and Lawrence O’Donnell. I didn't recognize any of their names but apparantly other people did because the auditorium was pretty full. The topic was a little heady for me at the 11 o'clock hour but Gene opened it on an entertaining and informative note and the hour went by quickly.
I caught up with Gene as he was headed to his book signing table. It had been YEARS since I'd seen him but he was still the same 'ol guy. He's always been a Libertarian and now makes a living being a Libertarian. Cool! He didn't think many people were going to ask for his signature so he spent about 15 minutes at the signing booth before deciding it was time for an afternoon cocktail. (Before we took off, I picked up a free copy of Lawrence O'Donnell's book "Deadly Force: A True Story of How a Badge Can Become a License to Kill." After asking about my politics and rambling a bit, he signed it "Thanks for listening.")
The closest place I could think of to take Gene that wasn't a pain to get to from the north side of campus was the Hotel Bel-Air. It really is a great, albeit expensive, spot. All of the tables on the patio were taken or reserved when we arrived so we decided to have lunch in the dark dark bar. (When I say dark, I mean "your-eyes-need-to-adjust-to-the-sunlight-after-coming-out-of-a-movie-theater dark.) It was awkward for a minute in the empty room but the libations kept the conversation lively. It was nice seeing Gene and I am glad I made the effort to get to UCLA when it wasn't exactly convenient. I mean, how many times do I know someone on a panel at the book fest?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Coachella
The beauty of Coachella is that everyone experiences it differently. Whether you drank too much or the sun got to you or you were stuck in traffic that got you grouchy -- all of those things figure into the final equation. Where you were standing for a certain band, which acts you saw, which ones you didn't see -- those things count too.
Coachella for me this year was a four day affair. Drove out to Indio Thursday night with Rhonda and came back Monday afternoon with Chris. We went to the shows Friday and Sunday and kicked it by the pool at a friend's Palm Springs rental on Saturday (had a lovely dinner in downtown Palm Springs that night too).
There's really only two ways to attack the festival: either go early and burn out around sunset or wait out the sun and whoop it up for the late afternoon/evening acts. This was the first year in a long time that I went to the show early and departed early and that was mostly due to my company and the line-up.
So here is my own review of Coachella 2009:
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
Molotov (Outdoor Stage) -- My favorite Mexican band played in the middle of the day facing the scorching sun on what I think is the best stage at Coachella. No sweat for these Mexicanos. They rocked reliable hits like "Puto" and "Give Me the Power" and made a few converts, I'm sure. The party vibe was in full force and they played their punk and metal songs ferociously. There was a bit of a sound problem that bothered me throughout the set but it didn't ruin the performance, thankfully.
Los Campesinos! (Gobi Tent) -- I only managed to catch a couple of songs from this seven-member outfit (all of whom changed their last names to Campesinos) but man, were they good. They have a high energy Arcade Fire-like full sound with the lead singer playing the xylophone. Got to see them perform "You! Me! Dancing!" and was impressed. At one point the lead singer jumped into the crowd to sing and two other band members crowd surfed to close the show. Awesome! The ladies in the band were cute, well-dressed and had nice voices.
The Black Keys (Main stage) -- Wanted to see the Ting Tings in the Sahara Tent but they were running late and we had the Black Keys on the mind. This duo rocked as expected, though I wasn't as captivated as I thought I was going to be. I think it was because we were far away from the main stage and came in after they'd built momentum.
N.A.S.A. (Mojave tent) -- This two-man DJ gets high marks for presentation. They had a nice "NASA" sign on their turntable platform and better yet, had female dancers covered entirely in green body paint. Some of the beats were catchy but they lacked consistency. I'd be into a song and then not interested in the next. They brought robots on stage too, so like I said, they get an "A" for performance/presentation.
Ghostland Observatory (Sahara tent)-- I remember being impressed by this band and now can't really remember what they sounded like. It was electronica dance music, I believe. I remember being impressed that two guys could produce so much sound. I kept referring to them as DJs and my friend Audrey would keep reminding me that they were actually a band. Worth checking out again.
Morrissey -- (Main stage) Ahhhh, Morrissey. What can I say? He was grouchy, choking on "burning flesh" and still has a great voice. His band was rocking even though he hardly ever moved to the rhythm. The drama of his performance and general prissy-ness didn't bother me at all -- an avid vegetarian, he kept complaining about the smell of cooking meat. He actually gagged at certain points. I had never seen him before so it was theatrical and fine for me. Ana said it was one of the worst performances she's seen him do. Apparantly, we were lucky he didn't walk off stage. He canceled his show the next night. Must still have been choking on hot dog fumes. Seeing him rip his shirt off was entertaining too.
Paul McCartney, aka Sir Paul, Macca, the Mac (Main stage) -- I am a Beatles fan, therefore I am a Paul McCartney fan. Got excited as soon as strains of his music started up on the P.A. I gotta give McCartney credit, first off, for playing such good remixes of his songs before the show started. Seriously, there were some dancable, jams. He started the show with the Wings' tune "Jet" and the first Beatles tune of the night, "Drive My Car."
I thought the next couple of songs were so-so until he played the '70s jam, "Let Me Roll It." Goddamn, that is a great song! I had never heard it before that night. Great guitar licks, a catchy chorus -- even reluctant Rhonda, who didn't really want to see Paul, shouted out her props for that tune. It's a Wings song and I am going to buy a live version of it somewhere.
We had all petered out by that time and headed for the hills. The last song I heard was "The Long and Winding Road," which is not my favorite. Had we stuck around one song later, we would have heard Paul make his emotional speech about the anniversary of Linda McCartney's death and her love of the desert. From what I've heard, the concert really kicked in after that.
Oh well, I've accepted that you can't do it all at Coachella and now I have to see Sir Paul some other time.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
No Age (Mojave tent) -- Started the day super early to catch L.A. alternative rockers No Age. They opened with their "hit," "Teen Creeps." No Age sounds like a Matador band from the '90s with their off-key singing and love of the noise/feedback. I was surprised that so many people turned out for their show at such an early hour (1:45 with the temperature rising). I missed the last couple of songs but my boyfriend says the guitarist busted open a pinata with his guitar. Now that's entertainment!
Lupe Fiasco (Main stage) -- Lupe Fiasco was one of the most pleasant surprises of the festival. He had lots of energy and reminded the crowd that festivals are supposed to be festive! I had no idea what he sounded like and was suprised that he was a rapper. His beats were solid and catchy and his co-rapper was on fire on the "Go Go Go" song. I could never rap that fast! Matt something came on to sing a couple of songs and hit all his high notes with ease. I can see why he gets radio play and think he can get much, much bigger. There were some sound problems at the beginning of his set but they were fixed. He closed the set with a sped up version of "Superstar" that was fantastic. Chris recognized a few other of his tunes. I also liked that people were dancing and singing along to Lupe. It was a nice vibe. Anyone who sings about skateboarding is okay with me too.
K'Naan (Gobi tent) -- Another pleasant surprise. This was the most intimate, relaxed show I saw all weekend. Just a good rapper with political and positive things to share. His spoken word/rap about Somalia and his need to spread the word about his homeland was really touching. K'Naan also played some dancable, solid beats.
Murder City Devils (Mojave tent) -- Met up with a couple of friends during this show. Can't say the hard rock/punk music was up my alley but they were giving it their all. The lead singer sang with the mic IN his mouth and you don't see that every day. Another "A" for effort but not really my cup of tea.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Main stage) -- It took a while for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to warm up. I was wowed by them when they opened for the White Stripes years ago but wasn't that impressed this time. There was also the fact that the sun was really beating down on us at this point and I couldn't see the stage. People were closing in tight on me and I couldn't take it at one point. Had to move out of the crowd. The sun eventually hid behind the hills and all was better. They played the dancey first two tracks off their new album well -- I think they were into this material more than their older stuff. They could have been better for sure.
My Bloody Valentine, or, My Bloody Eardrums (Main stage) -- I was fading by the time My Bloody Valentine took the stage. Their ear-splitting feedback didn't help matters either. What can I say? I didn't like them. It was LOUD. When they did play melodies it was nice but for the most part is was like a Sonic Youth concert gone bad. I couldn't take it and spread out on the grass for most of the set. We left towards the end of the set and could still hear what Chris described as their "airplane" drone everywhere we went.
Public Enemy (Outdoor stage) -- Awh yeah. Public Enemy was just about the polar opposide of My Bloody Valentine. I could understand the lyrics. I didn't have to wear earplugs. They played with a band and did the album "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." Flava Flav was pretty energetic for a guy his age but I got tired of his "we are the best, we are Public Enemy" rantings. Chuck D has an awesome voice and told the crowd to question authority. Right on! We left after "Don't Believe the Hype" because I was fighting a losing battle against tiredness by that point. But at least I got to see them.
Other thoughts:
Coachella for me this year was a four day affair. Drove out to Indio Thursday night with Rhonda and came back Monday afternoon with Chris. We went to the shows Friday and Sunday and kicked it by the pool at a friend's Palm Springs rental on Saturday (had a lovely dinner in downtown Palm Springs that night too).
There's really only two ways to attack the festival: either go early and burn out around sunset or wait out the sun and whoop it up for the late afternoon/evening acts. This was the first year in a long time that I went to the show early and departed early and that was mostly due to my company and the line-up.
So here is my own review of Coachella 2009:
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
Molotov (Outdoor Stage) -- My favorite Mexican band played in the middle of the day facing the scorching sun on what I think is the best stage at Coachella. No sweat for these Mexicanos. They rocked reliable hits like "Puto" and "Give Me the Power" and made a few converts, I'm sure. The party vibe was in full force and they played their punk and metal songs ferociously. There was a bit of a sound problem that bothered me throughout the set but it didn't ruin the performance, thankfully.
Los Campesinos! (Gobi Tent) -- I only managed to catch a couple of songs from this seven-member outfit (all of whom changed their last names to Campesinos) but man, were they good. They have a high energy Arcade Fire-like full sound with the lead singer playing the xylophone. Got to see them perform "You! Me! Dancing!" and was impressed. At one point the lead singer jumped into the crowd to sing and two other band members crowd surfed to close the show. Awesome! The ladies in the band were cute, well-dressed and had nice voices.
The Black Keys (Main stage) -- Wanted to see the Ting Tings in the Sahara Tent but they were running late and we had the Black Keys on the mind. This duo rocked as expected, though I wasn't as captivated as I thought I was going to be. I think it was because we were far away from the main stage and came in after they'd built momentum.
N.A.S.A. (Mojave tent) -- This two-man DJ gets high marks for presentation. They had a nice "NASA" sign on their turntable platform and better yet, had female dancers covered entirely in green body paint. Some of the beats were catchy but they lacked consistency. I'd be into a song and then not interested in the next. They brought robots on stage too, so like I said, they get an "A" for performance/presentation.
Ghostland Observatory (Sahara tent)-- I remember being impressed by this band and now can't really remember what they sounded like. It was electronica dance music, I believe. I remember being impressed that two guys could produce so much sound. I kept referring to them as DJs and my friend Audrey would keep reminding me that they were actually a band. Worth checking out again.
Morrissey -- (Main stage) Ahhhh, Morrissey. What can I say? He was grouchy, choking on "burning flesh" and still has a great voice. His band was rocking even though he hardly ever moved to the rhythm. The drama of his performance and general prissy-ness didn't bother me at all -- an avid vegetarian, he kept complaining about the smell of cooking meat. He actually gagged at certain points. I had never seen him before so it was theatrical and fine for me. Ana said it was one of the worst performances she's seen him do. Apparantly, we were lucky he didn't walk off stage. He canceled his show the next night. Must still have been choking on hot dog fumes. Seeing him rip his shirt off was entertaining too.
Paul McCartney, aka Sir Paul, Macca, the Mac (Main stage) -- I am a Beatles fan, therefore I am a Paul McCartney fan. Got excited as soon as strains of his music started up on the P.A. I gotta give McCartney credit, first off, for playing such good remixes of his songs before the show started. Seriously, there were some dancable, jams. He started the show with the Wings' tune "Jet" and the first Beatles tune of the night, "Drive My Car."
I thought the next couple of songs were so-so until he played the '70s jam, "Let Me Roll It." Goddamn, that is a great song! I had never heard it before that night. Great guitar licks, a catchy chorus -- even reluctant Rhonda, who didn't really want to see Paul, shouted out her props for that tune. It's a Wings song and I am going to buy a live version of it somewhere.
We had all petered out by that time and headed for the hills. The last song I heard was "The Long and Winding Road," which is not my favorite. Had we stuck around one song later, we would have heard Paul make his emotional speech about the anniversary of Linda McCartney's death and her love of the desert. From what I've heard, the concert really kicked in after that.
Oh well, I've accepted that you can't do it all at Coachella and now I have to see Sir Paul some other time.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
No Age (Mojave tent) -- Started the day super early to catch L.A. alternative rockers No Age. They opened with their "hit," "Teen Creeps." No Age sounds like a Matador band from the '90s with their off-key singing and love of the noise/feedback. I was surprised that so many people turned out for their show at such an early hour (1:45 with the temperature rising). I missed the last couple of songs but my boyfriend says the guitarist busted open a pinata with his guitar. Now that's entertainment!
Lupe Fiasco (Main stage) -- Lupe Fiasco was one of the most pleasant surprises of the festival. He had lots of energy and reminded the crowd that festivals are supposed to be festive! I had no idea what he sounded like and was suprised that he was a rapper. His beats were solid and catchy and his co-rapper was on fire on the "Go Go Go" song. I could never rap that fast! Matt something came on to sing a couple of songs and hit all his high notes with ease. I can see why he gets radio play and think he can get much, much bigger. There were some sound problems at the beginning of his set but they were fixed. He closed the set with a sped up version of "Superstar" that was fantastic. Chris recognized a few other of his tunes. I also liked that people were dancing and singing along to Lupe. It was a nice vibe. Anyone who sings about skateboarding is okay with me too.
K'Naan (Gobi tent) -- Another pleasant surprise. This was the most intimate, relaxed show I saw all weekend. Just a good rapper with political and positive things to share. His spoken word/rap about Somalia and his need to spread the word about his homeland was really touching. K'Naan also played some dancable, solid beats.
Murder City Devils (Mojave tent) -- Met up with a couple of friends during this show. Can't say the hard rock/punk music was up my alley but they were giving it their all. The lead singer sang with the mic IN his mouth and you don't see that every day. Another "A" for effort but not really my cup of tea.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Main stage) -- It took a while for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to warm up. I was wowed by them when they opened for the White Stripes years ago but wasn't that impressed this time. There was also the fact that the sun was really beating down on us at this point and I couldn't see the stage. People were closing in tight on me and I couldn't take it at one point. Had to move out of the crowd. The sun eventually hid behind the hills and all was better. They played the dancey first two tracks off their new album well -- I think they were into this material more than their older stuff. They could have been better for sure.
My Bloody Valentine, or, My Bloody Eardrums (Main stage) -- I was fading by the time My Bloody Valentine took the stage. Their ear-splitting feedback didn't help matters either. What can I say? I didn't like them. It was LOUD. When they did play melodies it was nice but for the most part is was like a Sonic Youth concert gone bad. I couldn't take it and spread out on the grass for most of the set. We left towards the end of the set and could still hear what Chris described as their "airplane" drone everywhere we went.
Public Enemy (Outdoor stage) -- Awh yeah. Public Enemy was just about the polar opposide of My Bloody Valentine. I could understand the lyrics. I didn't have to wear earplugs. They played with a band and did the album "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." Flava Flav was pretty energetic for a guy his age but I got tired of his "we are the best, we are Public Enemy" rantings. Chuck D has an awesome voice and told the crowd to question authority. Right on! We left after "Don't Believe the Hype" because I was fighting a losing battle against tiredness by that point. But at least I got to see them.
Other thoughts:
- I am sorry I didn't see Paul Weller play before Public Enemy. I read his set got cut short. Not cool.
- For some reason, I wasn't into the dance acts this year. Some of the electronica I heard made me downright agitated.
- Caught three songs of Perry Farrell and he was solid. A true entertainer, that one.
- The Do-Lab in the middle of the field was awesome. There were good DJs playing there all day and you can't argue with any spot that has misting machines and mist machine guns. It was an oasis.
- Coachella really is a great festival. It is super organized and the crowd is fantastic. Sure, there are your drunk frat boys and burn-outs but for the most part, it is full of people just wanting to hear good, and sometimes new, music. Kudos.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Of Wedding Bells and Brewballs
The South is a nice place to visit. Living there is a different animal -- especially if you're black, I'm sure -- but for a long weekender like me, it is fab. The occasion for my trip this past weekend was the wedding of my friend Karen and her man James. She grew up in Gibsonville, North Carolina so that's where she tied the knot.
Going in, I knew I wouldn't know too many people. I can't really say I "know know" the groom and I am not part of Karen's tight circle of New Orleans homies. I was traveling with my friend Nicole but she was shooting the wedding events and wouldn't be around much. So I was left to my own devices much of the time.
We came in late Thursday night and attended a bridesmaid luncheon on Friday. Nicole had things to do so I hit the road in our roomy Chrysler Sebring in search of a jogging trail. There's nature all around in the South but I didn't spy anyone running along the roads so I followed a hunch and set out for Mackintosh Lake. To my disappointment, there were not any trails at the entrance I tried first. There was a Revolutionary War monument though. My map showed another park entrance and there I hit the jackpot: a one or three-mile loop through the woods and along a lakeside trail. It was a nice run and I dilly-dallied the rest of the afternoon, driving around, seeing the landscape; admiring the wackiness of the person who painted a giant Mickey Mouse on his/her barn.
I was ready to call it a night by the time Nicole came back from wedding rehearsals and dinner but I was talked into socializing at a hotel room with others. It was there that I tasted a delicious, sweet, empanada-shaped pastry that one of Karen's friends imported from New Orleans. It was also there that I was talked into exploring Burlington's nightlife with Karen's L.A. friend Joe, the groom's nephew Mark, and the matron of honor's husband Steve. Nicole went with us to the first bar and for some reason I was perfectly fine sipping on water and being the DD while the men got ripped.
Before we even made it to the bar, Burlington had something special in store for us. Our Best Western was on a slope, and from the parking lot, you could hear the sound of a loudspeaker and hum of a crowd. Turns out that the Chik-fil-a down the hill was giving away 100 vouchers guaranteeing a meal a week from the restaurant. People were CAMPED OUT for this. They rushed the venue at the blow of a whistle and were still in their tents by the time we hit our second destination, Brewballs.
Nicole bowed out of Part II of our Burlington adventure, leaving me and the men: Steve is an attorney in New Orleans and like all good Southerners, could hold his liquor and spin a mean yarn; Mark is from Florida and is only five years younger than James, making him more of a cousin or brother than a nephew -- he too, was a talker; Joe was Karen's landlord for a long time and lived in the main house while she set up show in the "clubhouse." I've been in Joe's presence many times but had my first conversations with him during the weekend.
We couldn't have picked a better destination than Brewballs. It was a well-worn honkytonk that required you to be a "member" to enter. Steve had scoped the place out earlier so we walked in as his guests, and as the doorman said, as obvious out-of-towners. We set up downstairs where two older men played country tunes to a drum machine accompanyment. We alternated between pool and darts, with Steve proving himself to be a pool hustler and Mark entertaining me with his dart tricks. He could hit the dart board left handed; or under his leg; or, my favorite, backwards and upside-down through his legs. Awesome!
The wedding was at a picturesque little church. The groom sobbed as the bride walked down the aisle. It was moving and beautiful. The reception was held at a pretty community center in a senior citizen complex. The band was solid and the party really got started after James sang Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Rock" with the band. You know, "It's been a long time since I rock and rolled....It's been a long time, been a long time, been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time."
Going in, I knew I wouldn't know too many people. I can't really say I "know know" the groom and I am not part of Karen's tight circle of New Orleans homies. I was traveling with my friend Nicole but she was shooting the wedding events and wouldn't be around much. So I was left to my own devices much of the time.
We came in late Thursday night and attended a bridesmaid luncheon on Friday. Nicole had things to do so I hit the road in our roomy Chrysler Sebring in search of a jogging trail. There's nature all around in the South but I didn't spy anyone running along the roads so I followed a hunch and set out for Mackintosh Lake. To my disappointment, there were not any trails at the entrance I tried first. There was a Revolutionary War monument though. My map showed another park entrance and there I hit the jackpot: a one or three-mile loop through the woods and along a lakeside trail. It was a nice run and I dilly-dallied the rest of the afternoon, driving around, seeing the landscape; admiring the wackiness of the person who painted a giant Mickey Mouse on his/her barn.
I was ready to call it a night by the time Nicole came back from wedding rehearsals and dinner but I was talked into socializing at a hotel room with others. It was there that I tasted a delicious, sweet, empanada-shaped pastry that one of Karen's friends imported from New Orleans. It was also there that I was talked into exploring Burlington's nightlife with Karen's L.A. friend Joe, the groom's nephew Mark, and the matron of honor's husband Steve. Nicole went with us to the first bar and for some reason I was perfectly fine sipping on water and being the DD while the men got ripped.
Before we even made it to the bar, Burlington had something special in store for us. Our Best Western was on a slope, and from the parking lot, you could hear the sound of a loudspeaker and hum of a crowd. Turns out that the Chik-fil-a down the hill was giving away 100 vouchers guaranteeing a meal a week from the restaurant. People were CAMPED OUT for this. They rushed the venue at the blow of a whistle and were still in their tents by the time we hit our second destination, Brewballs.
Nicole bowed out of Part II of our Burlington adventure, leaving me and the men: Steve is an attorney in New Orleans and like all good Southerners, could hold his liquor and spin a mean yarn; Mark is from Florida and is only five years younger than James, making him more of a cousin or brother than a nephew -- he too, was a talker; Joe was Karen's landlord for a long time and lived in the main house while she set up show in the "clubhouse." I've been in Joe's presence many times but had my first conversations with him during the weekend.
We couldn't have picked a better destination than Brewballs. It was a well-worn honkytonk that required you to be a "member" to enter. Steve had scoped the place out earlier so we walked in as his guests, and as the doorman said, as obvious out-of-towners. We set up downstairs where two older men played country tunes to a drum machine accompanyment. We alternated between pool and darts, with Steve proving himself to be a pool hustler and Mark entertaining me with his dart tricks. He could hit the dart board left handed; or under his leg; or, my favorite, backwards and upside-down through his legs. Awesome!
The wedding was at a picturesque little church. The groom sobbed as the bride walked down the aisle. It was moving and beautiful. The reception was held at a pretty community center in a senior citizen complex. The band was solid and the party really got started after James sang Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Rock" with the band. You know, "It's been a long time since I rock and rolled....It's been a long time, been a long time, been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time."
And it was a lovely time too.
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