Weekend roundup

Of course it's non-stop-magic every day in Southern California, but Labor Day weekend 2008 is one of those times where so many awesome things are happening so many places it makes one happy to be alive, and in such an awesome place.

Movies:

If you haven't seen the very very good Tropic Thunder and The Dark Knight (both perfect Summer Holiday movies) yet, then I don't know what to suggest. Except these:



1. The previously-recommended-on-this-site Ratcatcher.



2. Maybe get inspired by Patti Smith: Dream of Life.



3. Maybe get something else at What We Do is Secret.



4. Could there be any more perfect summer pastime than seeing Close Encounters of the Third Kind under the stars?



5. DO NOT MISS THIS! Sometime between Friday and Sept 8, go see Beautiful Losers at the Nuart. It features Geoff McFetridge and Margaret Kilgallen, two of 'our' best artists, and lots of other great artists and artwork too.

Music:



1. Pre-listen to Brian Wilson's surprisingly/delightfully good (and perfect soundtrack to your sunset-lit backyard barbeque) new album That Lucky Old Sun.


2. Figure out how and where to see the incredible No Age at this weekend's F Yeah Fest, and maybe check out Past Lives. You should also donate to the Festival due to it's recent financial burdens, but you may not want to socialize with the founder without bodyguards present. If you're not particularly attached to your dignity you might also want to take part in the (literal) Scavenger Hunt.



3. If you're the type, you could also swoon to John Williams music in the cool evening at the Hollywood Bowl, which was built from Summer's genetic material.

4. It looks like the (also) incredible Jon Brion is back to his regular twice-Friday shows at Largo. The Nasty Surprise: it's now $20-$30 to get in! How can this place not afford to get a phone line separate from their fax line? I suspect someone's smoking the door money.

5. Hustle hustle hustle in pursuit of tickets to see Vampire Weekend at the Glass House on the sixteenth.

Performance



1. It's closing weekend for Cabaret at the Hunger Artists Theater in Fullerton, which has great Goldstar reviews. Speaking of Goldstar, they've still got some regularly-$20-tickets to Saturday and Sunday's shows for $10.

2. Insomniacs who are not afraid of wasting $5 (or Largo club owners still high on door-fee dough) might want to check out the mysteriously-described Up All Night with the Dark Knight at UCB Theater Midnight Saturday night. Less daring individuals can't be let down by their always-perfect ASSSCAT ($8 Saturday, Free Sunday), but get there early to the Sunday show because Holiday weekends seem to double the lines.

Shopping

1. The Delicious Daily Candy suggests the pretty-good-sounding Corey Lynn Calter Sample sale. Maybe you'll find something to wear to the Late Night Art Flash at LACMA next weekend.

2. Save the Earth one outfit at a time at the Green Threads Fashion Show Friday night.

Art



1. It's almost certainly worth stopping by the Merry Karnowsky Gallery on La Brea Saturday between 8-11, for the opening of Mercedes' Helnwein's new awesome-drawings-show Whistling Past the Graveyard.



2. Fans of conceptual art should not miss MOCA's show Index: Conceptualism in California from the Permanent Collection featuring works like John Baldessari's delightful photo collage above.


Events



1. Head over Saturday at 3 for the Grand Opening Party of Skylight 1814, Skylight Books's new Art/Design books annex (Private Beef: They had a naming contest for this place and my friend Lisa and I proposed Skylight 2: Eclectic Boogaloo, which I think is a lot more memorable than Skylight 1814.)

2. Celebrate the old (movie) days where each race/culture had their own neighborhood at the Orange Street Fair.