THE DUDE ABIDES
THE DUDE ABIDES
The traveling fan festival honoring the 1998 cult film The Big Lebowski hits L.A. this Friday for a weekend of nuttiness, bowling, live music, and White Russians.
Lebowski Fest founding dudes Scott Shuffitt and Will Russell got the idea while vending shirts at a tattoo convention. “We were passing the time trading dialogue from [the film],” says Russell. “Others joined in, and we ended up having a kick-ass time hanging out with people we'd never met before but felt strangely connected to through [our] common obsession.” Then the lightbulb went off. “If they can have a tattoo convention, why can't we have a Big Lebowski convention?”
In the Coen brothers' movie, Jeff Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a.k.a. “The Dude,” is a perpetually stoned L.A. casualty, who stumbles into a sloppy kidnapping plot. Most of the comedy focuses on the Dude, his layabout lifestyle, and the half-baked ideas he shares with his beer buddies while bowling, smoking weed, and drinking White Russians.
Coveting the Dude's kickback way of life, in 2002 Russell and Shuffitt rented the cheapest bowling alley in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and held their first weekend celebration of everything Lebowski. They expected only about 20 to 30 friends to partake, but 150 people showed up, from as far away as New York and Arizona. Since then, the Dude-ophiles have held annual events in Las Vegas and New York, each attracting more than 2,000 attendees. Now they've finally added L.A., where the film takes place, to the lineup.
Festivities kick off on Friday at the Knitting Factory with musical performances by Autobahn, Jamie Coon and the Von Dooms, and Blonde from Fargo (featuring cast member Peter Stormare), along with comedy acts referencing the movie, which will be screened at midnight. The main festival occurs Saturday at Lakewood's 68-lane Cal Bowl, where you can live large with unlimited bowling, costumes, trivia, and other contests, plus appearances by at least eight cast members.
Expect a very dude-like crowd, and don't forget your bowling shoes. “L.A. is going to be far and away the most amazing fest yet,” Russell predicts. Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
–Angela Farinha
i>Lebowski Fest. Fri. at 9 p.m. at the Knitting Factory, 7021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 463-0204. $15. Sat. at 8 p.m. at the Cal Bowl, 2500 E. Carson St., Lakewood, (562) 421-8448. $25. Tickets: Ticketweb.com. Info: Lebowskifest.com.
***********
THIS WEEK IN THE CITY
Thursday 24
GET THE WORM
Spring is here, which means summer is right around the corner. And nothing says warm, sunny goodness more than – tequila! Tonight, join Evan Kleinman (host of KCRW's Good Food), Anthony Dias Blue (wine and spirits editor of Bon Appetit), and caterer Carolyn Baer as they explore the history and versatility of the agave plant and its good, good juice. Learn the difference between plato, reposado, and añejo tequilas, sample foods like tequila-braised mushrooms and tequila bread pudding, and, of course, down it all with a couple of sweet and salty margs. Arriba! 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. $30; $14 Autry Center members. Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, L.A., (323) 667-2000. Autrynationalcenter.com or Ticketweb.com.
Friday 25
LOUD AND YUMMY
For some reason, Japanese youth culture is perpetually fascinating to many Stateside folk. Tonight, get another hit as several Japanese up-and-coming, female-heavy punk bands bang it out at the King King in Hollywood. Titan Go King's, Tsushimamire, Puppypet, Noodles, and Pink Mochi are all on the bill to blast you with “J-Pop,” a current musical style that's been described as an amalgam of anime songs, bubblegum pop, and videogame sounds, among other influences. Plan on a peppy, punky, pinky, puppy good time. 8 p.m. $10. 6555 Hollywood Blvd., L.A., (323) 960-5765. Kingkinghollywood.com.
Saturday 26
HEAD TO IT
Naturally, we here at CityBeat love alternative publications, so a big warm fuzzy goes out to the Venice Beachhead, the local, collectively run monthly founded in 1968 and currently carrying a mission statement that begins “Oh Holy Shit, the Thought Police are rising.” Tonight, as part of the ongoing celebration of Venice's 100th birthday, the paper is having a party, with homemade food, beer and wine, beat poetry, and movies made in or about the watery town. And it will all take place in the old Venice jailhouse, a perfect spot to cozy up to your community mates. 6:30 p.m.-midnight. $5. Social & Public Art Resource Center, 685 Venice Blvd., Venice. Info: (310) 663-1169. Freevenice.org.
Sunday 27
BUNNIES A.M., DOGGIES P.M.
It's Easter Sunday, and after all your morning hopping around, bounce on down to Long Beach, where the Long Beach Ice Dogs will be holding a hockey match against the Bakersfield Condors. Fifty percent of all proceeds from the game will go to the programs and services of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), and everyone who purchases at least $100 worth of tickets will get to participate in a private skate with the Dogs after the game. If the beast in you misses hockey and the beauty in you wants to help the beasts, this is the event for you. 5 p.m. $11-$40. Long Beach Arena, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. Info: (323) 730-5300 ext. 232 or Spcala.com.
Monday 28
MMM, MMM GOOD
M is for Monday. M is for Morrissey. M is for Morrissey's movie, the concert film Who Put the “M” in Manchester?, premiering today, Monday, for one night only. A document of the singer's sold-out homecoming show in the U.K. last year, the DVD (and separate CD) of the film will be released Tuesday. But tonight it's on the big screen in Universal City with yet another goodie: a rare clip of the former Smiths frontman performing the hit “How Soon Is Now?” at the 2004 Reading Festival. Oh, and that ham you ate yesterday: Do you know how … ? Never mind. 8:30 p.m. $10. Loews Cineplex Universal Studios Cinema, 100 Universal City Dr., Universal City, (818) 508-0588.
Tuesday 29
KEEP ON ROLLING
Speaking of music and film, celebrations citywide are honoring the 50th anniversary of the release of The Blackboard Jungle, the movie that introduced the song “Rock Around the Clock” (and some say rock 'n' roll) to mass audiences. “Rock is Fifty!” events are happening at the Egyptian Theater and Museum of Television & Radio, and don't miss the current photography exhibits capturing many of our musical heroes. Fahey/Klein Gallery (148 N. La Brea Ave., L.A., 323-934-2250) has the iconic work of Annie Leibovitz (American Music) and Jim Marshall (Proof), but your heart might really start pumping ('70s style) when you see Mick Rock Live in L.A. at Lo-Fi (1038 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. 323-654-5634). Shows at Fahey/Klein close Apr. 23; Lo-Fi show closes May 15. Free.
Wednesday 30
IS MEHTA META?
TV and film actor Ajay Mehta has something new to offer, and it only takes 40 minutes. As character Vinay Khan, Mehta will perform a solo theater piece about growing up in India, moving to New York City, and becoming a banquet manager for the United Nations, “epicenter of the world's problems.” Based on the TV comedy treatment Are You With Me?: F*ck the Middle East – What's for Dessert?, this could be a rare thing: an original idea with solid execution. Catch it tonight or on the 31st, and see if Mehta's got the magic. Directed by Michael Rothhaar. 7:30 p.m.; complimentary cocktails at 7 p.m. Free; reservations required. The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. Tickets: (213) 387-1158 or Rightdownbroadway.org.Published: 03/24/2005
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT
