April 24-30, 2008
By Alfred Lee
NOIRIST SCHMOOZE
The Akashic Book party will be a schmoozy (and boozy) way to ease into this weekend’s Festival of Books. But glitz aside, an independent press is only as good as its lineup, and Akashic Books’ is a versatile one in the spirit of some its indie rock roots – including a spin-off series from the now-defunct Punk Planet magazine, progressive political nonfiction by someone best known for starring in M*A*S*H, and noir. Lots of noir.
For one night, Book Soup has abandoned its read-and-sign routine in lieu of a free-form soirée, featuring four guests who have recently published with Akashic: Elizabeth Crane, Abraham Rodriguez, Mike Farrell, and Nina Revoyr. Also on hand will be publisher/owner Johnny Temple, whom some might better know as the bassist for post-hardcore band Girls Against Boys.
“The publisher always comes out for the festival,” says Tyson Cornell, who organizes Book Soup author events and says the relationship between Book Soup and Akashic Books goes way back. “We just decided to make it public this year.”
Attendees who find themselves at the corner of the universe where music and publishing intersect will note that Akashic Books gained the most notoriety and success with its noir series – geographically specific anthologies from each of the five boroughs of New York (like Queens Noir) and the rest of the world (like Trinidad Noir). Rodriguez will be promoting his South by South Bronx and local author Revoyr will be on hand to discuss her novel The Age of Dreaming, which examines the meteoric career of a Japanese-American silent film star.
Cornell says it is the success of the noir series that has allowed Akashic to branch out into the other genres and series represented Thursday night. Crane’s short story collection You Must Be This Happy to Enter is part of the series that carries on the Punk Planet legacy. Mike Farrell, who will forever be associated with the TV show M*A*S*H, will be the token nonfiction writer present to discuss a book that explores his actor/activist role: Just Call Me Mike.
Johanna Ingalls, musician-cum-managing editor at Akashic Books, says authors look forward to the L.A. indie bookstore scene: “You get treated like a rock star.”
–Emma Gallegos
Akashic Book party featuring Nina Revoyr, Abraham Rodriguez, Mike Farrell and Elizabeth Crane. Thurs., 7 p.m. Free. Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 659-3110. Booksoup.com.
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THIS WEEK IN THE CITY
THURSDAY 24
MAKIN’ WHOOPEE
The headliner at the El Rey is Caribou, the Dan Snaith electronic music project formerly known as Manitoba, but it’s opener Fuck Buttons that’s able to hit that ever-elusive sweet spot between abrasive noise and arresting melody. The Bristol duo’s debut album, Street Horrrsing, was the first album of 2008 that could be mistaken for great. See ’em live now, if you’re ever gonna: Half of these buzzed-out-of-the-gates bands peak after only one full-length. Doors at 8 p.m. $17. El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., (323) 936-6400. Theelrey.com.
FRIDAY 25
BIGGER & BLACKER
Chris Rock’s stand-up game today is reminiscent of none other than a late-career Michael Jordan. Where MJ was still winning titles by learning to play with his back to the basket, Rock has gone from brash and whip-smart newcomer to cracking jokes about marriage – that are nevertheless still pretty damn funny. He showed he’s still got it on his last big tour, “Never Scared,” and now “All Apologies” comes to L.A. for four dates. Thurs.-Sat., 8:15 p.m. $45.50 and up. Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, (818) 622-4440. Livenation.com.
SATURDAY 26
GREEN HUNDREDTH-ACRES
“Maybe/ I don’t really wanna know/ How your garden grows,” Liam Gallagher once sang – here was a man who had never been to L.A.’s Westside, where gardens are proudly packed into cramped spaces as a stubborn line of defense against urban density. The 4th Annual Green Gardens tour takes participants around six gardens in West L.A. and Santa Monica, with lectures and demonstrations on topics including sustainability, soil restoration, and irrigation. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $50; $40 advance; $25 students. 1027 Princeton St., Santa Monica. Info: (310) 264-4224 or Virginiaavenueproject.org.
SUNDAY 27
BLOCK PARTY
By the screwy logic of downtown L.A., it’s only natural to be throwing a Cinco de Mayo party – in April. The annual Fiesta Broadway returns today with a claim on 36 square blocks of downtown real estate; the large-scale, family-friendly street festival expects nearly half a million Angelenos to enjoy the various themed merriments it has to offer. Even if it’s all a week-plus early, there’s no sense in complaining about free musical performances on multiple stages, and the usual food vendors and activity booths. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Downtown L.A. Info: (310) 914-0015 or Attfiestabroadway.com.
MONDAY 28
CANADA’S FINEST
I’ve never been to Ottawa, but Wikipedia tells me the only reason to go is the Rideau Canal, which freezes over into the world’s longest skating rink each winter at 4.5 miles (to the delight of Joni Mitchell, I’m sure, among thousands of others). Ottawa is also home to the Ottawa International Animation Festival, which claims to be the largest of its kind in North America, but you don’t have to cross the 49th parallel for that. The Best of Ottawa ’07 at REDCAT highlights the best of the 97 works that screened there last year. 8 p.m. $9. REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown L.A., (213) 237-2800. Redcat.org.
TUESDAY 29
EXILE ON MAIN
By leaving Hitler and those distasteful Nazis behind for Hollywood and the sunny beaches of Southern California, L.A.’s German-exile community of the 1930s and ’40s made one of the most obvious decisions in history. As composers and writers, they also contributed – we can all agree on Billy Wilder, can’t we? –
invaluably to the city’s cultural milieu.
Peter Rosen’s Shadows in Paradise, screening tonight at Villa Aurora and tomorrow at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library at noon, documents the story of those artists and intellectuals. 8 p.m. Villa Aurora, 520 Paseo Miramar, Pacific Palisades, (310) 454-4231. Villa-aurora.org.
WEDNESDAY 30
TOUGH LOVE
There are difficult relationships, and then there are unnecessarily difficult relationships. The ones at the heart of Through Thick and Thin feature not only the eternally lamented long-distance barrier, but nasty legal ones as well. The film focuses on gay and lesbian bi-national couples whose relationships aren’t recognized by their governments and so must navigate immigration laws. The screening is part of the ongoing Outfest Wednesdays series, and the film originally premiered at the Outfest Film Festival last year. 7:30 p.m. $10. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., (323) 466-3456. Americancinematheque.com.
Published: 04/23/2008
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