Culture Collide Day 1: The Novocaines

The Novocaines

Plus at the Silverlake Lougne

Plus is the residency band at Silverlake Lounge.  They're the Silverlake Lounge version of Youngblood Hawke.  I suspect by the end of the month, the place will be packed to the maximum.

Good Thunder at the Silverlake Lounge

Good Thunder hit the stage at Silverlake Lounge with a bit of electronic funk and a dose of Mazzy Star.

Queen Kwong at The Bootleg

Queen Kwong finished up her North America tour Saturday night at The Bootleg. I got to see the band in both SF and LA. I wonder if that makes me a super fan or a stalker.  I was told that after a month of touring many of them were ill.  It really didn't seem like it when they hit the stage.  I'd venture to say that their Bootleg set was better than their SF set at the Rickshaw Stop.

Dear Boy at The Bootleg

Dear Boy is the first Los Angeles residency band I've seen in awhile.  It was nice to get back out there.  This band has the look down.

Warship at The Bootleg

Warship was the middle band at The Bootleg.  They're relaxed as they play their set.

Love the Ghost at The Bootleg

Love the Ghost was the first band up at The Bootleg. I caught the last half of the set. Their music just pulsates through your body.

The Little Ones in Chinatown

The Little Ones hit the stage in Chinatown on a recent Saturday night.

They represented the first band I saw after spending a few weeks in San Francisco.

It was a joy.

Summer 2013 movie round-up

This was a solid summer.  Though I think other summers had good movies, I think this summer might rank as the best in recent history.  (Example of the competing years: 2009 had Up, Julie and Julia, (500) Days of Summer; 2011 had the last Harry Potter movie, Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris, The Help.)

The Best of the Best

1.  Despicable Me
2.  World War Z
3.  Monsters University
4.  Man of Steel
5.  This is the End

You still want to hand over your well earned money

6.  Lee Daniels' The Butler
7.  The World's End
8.  Blue Jasmine
9.  The Way, Way Back
10.  Fruitvale Station
11.  Fast and Furious 6

Solid, but not Spectacular

12.  The Wolverwine
13.  Pacific Rim
14.  The Bling Ring
15.  Star Trek into Darkness
16.  Iron Man 3

Could have skipped

17.  The Spectacular Now
18.  Elysium
19.  The Heat

A Movie Review: Elysium

Elysium. A movie that has a nice set-up, but essentially falls flat.  The wealthy have abandoned earth.  The rest of humanity is left in poverty on earth.  Yes, an interesting concept, but if falls apart in my mind in two ways.  First, too many over-the-top characters.  You have a serious concept story, but characters that are more appropriate to Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall.  Second, why exactly would a computer program put power into the hands of one person?  If you just killed that person, who would be in power?

A Movie Review: Lee Daniels' The Butler

Lee Daniels' The Butler. A solid movie over-all though in the back of my mind I got distracted with the story line of the son. I should explain: the son gets involved in the sit-ins, freedom riders, was with Martin Luther King when he died, became a key member of the Black Panthers and finally was elected to Congress.  Yeah, right.

A Movie Review: Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine. Jasmine is used to the high life. After her husband is convicted of financial crimes and commits suicide in jail, she heads off to San Francisco where she attempts to manipulate her way back into her life style. Does she succeed? You'll need to watch this very entertaining movie to find out.

A Movie Review: The World's End

The World's End. The World's End doesn't rank up there with Shaun of the Dead, but it doesn't mean this isn't one funny movie. You will find yourself laughing throughout the movie as the group of friends continue a pub walk even when they understand the known dangers.