May 8-14, 2008
By Alfred Lee
Another Side of Bob
That folk rockers Andy Hill and Renee Safier have found inspiration in Bob Dylan should be no surprise, but the impetus behind their 18th annual “Bob Dylan Birthday Fest” actually came from his liner notes. The South Bay duo got the idea after reading about a celebration of the singer in those of his retrospective set Biograph.
“There was an event in New York City, and they had everyone dress up in costume as an interpretation of Bob Dylan’s lyrics,” recalls Safier, who along with Hill has recorded a 14-song tribute to Dylan called It Takes a Lot to Laugh. What began as a four-hour gig of Bob Dylan covers and a costumed audience at the Hermosa Saloon has been cultivated into an annual birthday bash hosted in venues throughout the South Bay, from the now-closed saloon to Hill’s own backyard.
This Saturday, the tribute kicks off at Club 705 in Hermosa Beach. The concert will include more than 60 performers, including Hill and Safier’s band, Hard Rain, and Marty Rifkin, who has toured and recorded with Bruce Springsteen. The set includes 65 selections from Dylan’s half-century-long songbook.
“We contact the list of performers, and we let them know when the party’s going to be,” Safier explains. “We ask them what songs they want to perform, and we go into the work of setlists of the day so there are no repeats.”
But the most interesting thing about the concert are the costumes. In previous concerts, musicians and some of the attendees have taken cues and dressed up in their interpretations of Dylan songs. For instance, Hard Rain’s guitarist dressed up as Highway 61, wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a design to look like a road. At another concert, an attendee dressed up as William Shakespeare, a nod to the lyric “Well, Shakespeare, he’s in the alley” from Blonde on Blonde’s “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.”
The event continues to be a many-faced celebration of a fittingly absent Dylan.
“We have a few people within one degree of separation (of Dylan), but we don’t know if he knows about it,” Safier says.
–Ed Carrasco
“18th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Fest.” Sat., 1-9 p.m. $20. Club 705, 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, (310) 372-9705. Andyandrenee.com.
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THIS WEEK IN THE CITY
THURSDAY 8
NEWS TODAY, OH BOY
It could be an insightful look into the troubles behind a famously challenged newspaper – or it could be the most boring car crash you’ve ever seen. Tonight’s participant in Zócalo’s lecture series is Los Angeles Times editor-in-chief Russ Stanton, who speaks with NPR correspondent David Folkenflik about the status of the paper. It’s part of the guy’s job description to have well-prepared and unconvincing answers about staff cuts and Sam Zell, so you’ll have to press him about something else to make the night interesting. 7:30 p.m. Free. Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Wy., L.A. Info: (213) 403-0416 or Zocalola.org.
FRIDAY 9
JUDGIN’ ITO
Shinjo Ito’s most renowned sculpture, the Great Parnirvana, is one of Buddha on his deathbed – except ol’ Siddhartha looks like he’s having a pretty good time. Depicting spiritual transcendence as a man calmly lying on his side, with his head propped up by one hand and a slight smile on his face, speaks to the core of certain Buddhist principles, but “The
Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito” takes the late Ito’s art out of its traditionally religious context for a first-time tour of art spaces outside of Japan. It’s on display in Westwood from Thursday through June 29. Free. Westwood Art Forum, 1028 Westwood Blvd., Westwood. Info: Shinjoito.com.
SATURDAY 10
REVISITING HOURS
Give them points for trying. Gallery Revisited says it’s canceling all solo shows for the rest of the year – instead, 12 artists will work all year long, simultaneously exposing works there at four different times. The point of “Internal Environments: Project Forefront and Ongoing,” apparently, is to break out of the current gallery cycle where artists try to show as much art at as many galleries as possible, in order to avoid being out of sight. The Silver Lake gallery also attempts to turn the tables on journalists with “Project Journalism Revisited,” which features in-house editorial essays by Stacy Elaine Dacheux on the artists being shown. Opening reception 6-10 p.m. Free. Gallery Revisited, 3204 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (626) 253-5266. Galleryrevisited.com.
SUNDAY 11
COME TOGETHER
It’s a night of energizing pairings: Counterculture periodical Arthur magazine co-hosts at the geeked-out Silent Movie Theatre, presenting live scores to 1928 German Expressionist flick The Man Who Laughs and silent Georges Méliès short A Trip to the Moon – which back in 1902 displayed more imagination and wonder than the processed sci-fi extravaganzas of today. The soundtracks will be performed not by an orchestra, but by local lo-fi experimentalist and all-around ridiculous guy Ariel Pink, drummer Jimi Hey, and Chicago’s Plastic Crimewave. 8 p.m. $12. Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A., (323) 655-2510. Silentmovietheatre.com.
MONDAY 12
ON EDGE
The success of last year’s Cannes was welcomed as an affirmation of the health of world cinema, and Fatih Akin’s The Edge of Heaven marks one of the last of that heralded class to make an appearance on these shores. Akin is the Turkish-German director who’s been on the radar since 2004’s Head-On, a despairing romance between two mixed-up German Turks, and The Edge of Heaven is said to again confront transnational issues – like Babel, hopefully, only not terrible. Preview at 7:30 p.m. $10. Billy Wilder Theater, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood, (310) 206-8013. Cinema.ucla.edu.
TUESDAY 13
INTERVIEWING BARBARA
What does it mean, you ask, that Barbara Walters had an affair with a U.S. senator? It means she’s on a book tour. Which in turn means that, for a cool $20, you can see the author of Audition: A Memoir in discussion with journalist Judy Muller about all kinds of aspects of her life (7:30 p.m.; Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Dr., L.A.; info: 213-628-8141 or Townhall-la.org). Wednesday’s appearance at Vroman’s is free, but only a no-frills signing of the book, which sells for $29.95 (7 p.m.; free; Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626-449-5320; Vromansbookstore.com).
WEDNESDAY 14
BICYCLE! BICYCLE!
It’s hard to argue with the bicycle, unless you happen to be driving behind one on the patience-thinning streets of Los Angeles. Up in Pasadena, they’re trying to take things easier: “Bike Week Pasadena 2008” highlights the undeniable benefits of spinning pedals – health, traffic, pollution, etc. – to the public. This evening’s event, “Tour de Pasadena,” is a co-ed ride through the neighborhoods of that city. 6 p.m. Free. One Colorado Courtyard, Old Pasadena. Info: (323) 478-0060 or Cicle.org.
Published: 05/07/2008
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