admin I try to find humor in every situation, no matter how bleak. As the old adage goes, funny things happen to funny people. Why? Because we’re stalkers. We watch, wait, and then snatch the moment when it trips into our traps. I’ve often wondered, is my need to provoke chuckles lodged in my DNA, born … Read more
Over the years, I’ve found that rock ’n’ rollers play their most inspired shows when riding high on the momentum of a fresh album that stands among their best work. In 2024, Pearl Jam proved the veracity of that statement with their energetic concerts promoting Dark Matter. On August 12, 2025, at YouTube Theater in … Read more
In the early ’70s, when smog saturated the new skyscrapers in LA, hope and faith hung in the haze. The filthy air expelled by autos and factories created spectacular sunsets at the beach, paradoxically. Longhairs wore Nehru jackets, tie-dyed shirts, and hippie beads, while a sense of adventure wafted in the Venice boardwalk’s breeze. Our … Read more
Most composers incorporate transitional bridges into the structure of their tunes. These short sections, commonly called the “middle eight,” distract us from the main theme long enough to create a sense of anticipation so the melody can reestablish itself with a bang. It’s an essential element of Songwriting 101. Of course, some next-level artists vibrate … Read more
Our city has accommodated many cultures over a long period of time. Eight thousand years ago, indigenous tribes populated the basin. In 1542, Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to discover the benefits of life in LA. In 1769, a Spanish expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá unearthed a hospitable place to … Read more
On its surface, the Netflix documentary Norman’s Rare Guitars looks like a study of a successful store in the San Fernando Valley. But over the course of a brisk hour and a half, we discover the true rarity is Norman Harris himself, not his inventory. The film is also an homage to SoCal as the … Read more
In March 1981, the Who released the first album of their post–Keith Moon era, Face Dances. The melodies mirrored the band’s precarious state, with members caught under rip tides of alcohol and cocaine, but the songs also portrayed the general unease and despair of the early 1980s. The whole disc relayed the sense of dread … Read more
My wife likes to listen to sleep stories on the Calm app, which serve only to keep me awake. They’re circuitous nonsensical blatherings, but she drops right off the cliff into dreamland. They work for her, as she reminds me every time I complain, precisely because they’re nonsensical. I prefer the Coast to Coast app, … Read more
Under perfect circumstances, in a pricey box seat, the preshow hang at the Hollywood Bowl confers a magical vibe. Optimism abounds under a canyon breeze, the sun drops to the sound of wine glass clinks, and the crowd revels in a rare SoCal sense of community. On a normal night, it may prove more memorable … Read more
The first album by the Stephen Stills–led band, Manassas, stands as one of the most underrated records of all time. There’s one great track after another for the full four sides. One of those classics is called “It Doesn’t Matter.” It established a blueprint for the Stevie Nicks–Lindsay Buckingham edition of Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, … Read more