To Do 10.18 - 10.24

Wednesday 10.18

Craft Night at Akbar
I can’t think of anything better to do on a Wednesday night, that most doldrumic of days, than to get creative. When you’re stuck in the middle of the work week feeling utterly sapped of creative juices, head on down to Akbar and roll around in glitter glue. Um. Wait. Maybe don’t go quite that far. But tonight they’re making funny little Halloween-inspired figurines from beaded spools: monsters, skeletons and more. Akbar is at 4356 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake. (323) 665-6810. (LMK)

Rainforest in a Shower at LACE
On a trip to Australia last year, I learned one very important thing: Everything in the rainforest can kill you. No, literally, everything. “See that dirt over there?” our Steve Irwin-esque guide would ask. “It can KILL YOU!” “See that vine? It can shoot a poisonous barb through your skull!” “See that pretty little flower bed? In it is a colony of spiders that can suffocate you in three seconds!” But what about all the cancer curing pea-pods? The hallucinogenic orchids? The cute little baby monkeys? Well, I guess they’re there too, buried just beneath a thin, slimy film of DEATH! Of course, artist Dustin Shuler doesn’t seem to mind. He’s taken a modern, mass produced shower and tub unit and transformed it into a rainforest. His 15 years of work have yielded, as a release describes:

“Elaborate water, light and sound systems housed in clear plexi-glass units flanking each side. The turtles, fish, birds, frogs and foliage that populate this microcosm are the “living” component of the sculpture - as they respond to the cycles of light and weather that Shuler has programmed into the environment, they also respond to and interact with each other in ways that the artist can neither predict nor control.”

Could one of these uncontrollable interactions be sending poisonous spores into the air that imbed themselves into your lungs, forming a webbing that slowly deprives your body of oxygen over several painful weeks? That’s yet to be seen. But it’s sure worth checking out. The exhibit is open and runs through December 15 at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 957-1777. http://www.artleak.org/shuler_rainforest.html (Lesley Bargar)

Thursday 10.19

Lock-Up Project at Il Corral
Think about your best friend, your bestest friend in the whole world. If the two of you were stuck on an island for five straight days, would you go insane? How about if you were locked in a room together for five days and had to constantly compose art, music, and whatever fucked up thing that comes to mind. The only rules are no pre-composition, and no leaving. Sound like a good idea? Not really? Well, evidently someone already beat us to the punch, because Salient Lockup did just that. This year, two artists have been locked up at Il Corral since October 15, and today is their last day of 24-hour creative lock down. Visitors have been able to view the pair at any hour of the day during the five days of the Lock-Up. To us, it seems the best idea would be to come at the worst time for them. Mental breakdowns? Vicious lash outs? Instead of s going the first day, the last day is when you can see the full result of their claustrophobic madness and sleeplessness, perhaps producing a pair of ragged, maddened and embittered sub humans and maybe even some rad art. Perhaps? Find out more at lotusalley.org/salientlockup.com (Tiffany Lee)

Highlights for Arthur Nights: Thursday’s Ice Breaker
This will be the first U.S. performance by Bert Jansch, the prolific folk poet from the U.K., in eight years. His acoustic soul-searching has most recently done wonders for Beth Orton, but he’s a recording artist who stands on his own. Also playing tonight, Belong, brings an ambient, effect-laden performance that has become more and more popular these days thanks to Arthur magazine’s persistent support of drone, for better or for worse. Belong stand out in that the group’s musical vocabulary has more in common with Kevin Shields than Aphex Twin. It’s a theme that continues with Portland artist Grouper, who makes chamber music for atheists. His ghost pieces seem to revel not in the spookiness of the after world, but in the other worldly beauty of it. The festival runs Thursday, Oct. 19-Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Palace. 4 p.m., $24, one-day passes available. (staff)

College Night at the Getty
Another reason to go back for your graduate degree! Tonight the Getty opens its doors for free (reservations required) to college students. It’s not just the usual museum walkabout: painter Ed Moses will chat about Gerhard Richter, whose paintings are featured in From Caspar David Friedrich to Gerhard Richter: German Paintings from Dresden. Tour the exhibition Public Faces/Private Spaces: Recent Acquisitions with photographs curator Virginia Heckert, and there’ll be celebrity/artist interviews, live music from the multitalented Icelandic Bardi Johannsson, a cash bar, light hors d’oeuvres, a surprise celebrity appearance, and more. It’s nice to get free stuff when you’re in school. God knows you dropped five hundred on the stupid books alone. Make your reservations at www.getty.edu. The Getty Center is located at 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A. (LMK)

“Blackout” Couture Striptease
As loathe as we are to send you anywhere on the Westside, we’ve decided to get past our snobbery for this one. After all, who doesn’t love hot naked chicks taking their [high-fashion] clothes off? COMMIES, that’s who! Are you a COMMIE?! (Don’t answer that one, kids). The answer is NO! You’re a red-blooded American who’ll jump at the chance to see strippers-uh, we mean, burlesque performers-in Beverly freakin’ Hills. “Blackout” works to create a super-sexy, underground-style James Bond-noir vibe, and it’s choreographed by the same pair who choreographed shows for Marilyn Manson, No Doubt (coff coff), and Wolfmother, and costumes are by Grey Ant and other folks who’ve designed for Shirley Manson, Juliette Lewis, and more. It certainly should be an impressive show. So go. Unless you prefer to stay home and read Marx. Tickets are $20 in advance and can be had by visiting www.myspace.com/blackouttheshow. 9pm. The Aqua Lounge, 424 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills. (LMK)

Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D
Ok, so this really happens on Friday, but it’s a midnight show, so we’re putting it under Thursday’s events. Nightmare Before Christmas is such a fun, classic film anyway, that showing it in 3-D just leaves me nigh to popping with joy. The cool thing is that some of the impact of the puppetmation gets lost-flattened to a degree-on film. So in 3-D it’ll be like you’re right there as the animators manipulate the characters and they move through space. It should be fascinating for film and animation geeks as much as it is for eight-year-olds. Opens tonight, but runs through the 31st. Visit disney.go.com/disneypictures/el_capitan/ for tickets and more info. A hint: A limited number of half-price tickets can be found at goldstarevents.com for some of the nights. (LMK)

Friday 10.20

Angus Oblong’s The Victorian Hotel at the Powerhouse Theater
Adult Swim’s The Oblongs is a twisted cartoon series about mutant family that goes about, well, as normal a daily life as can be expected from a torso, conjoined twins, and a slew of mysterious growths. Angus Oblong, the show’s creator, has now embarked beyond the world of animation into the realm of live theater, with his show The Victorian Hotel opening this Friday at the Powerhouse Theater. It’s the classic story of a young couple checking into a creepy old hotel, haunted by a collection of ghouls, ghosts and other grotesques. But here it’s been brought to life in the vision of an illustrator, with a mix of live actors, puppets, and digital media with the help of the Rogue Artists Ensemble. The opening gala performance is at 8 p.m. ($50), and the show runs through December 2 with Thursday and Friday performances at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m. ($25 for each). Student and senior discounts available. The Powerhouse Theater is at 3116 2nd St., Santa Monica. http://www.angusoblong.net/VictorianHotel.html (staff)

Highlights for Arthur Nights: Friday’s Slam Dancing
In the vein of Anaheim’s pet darlings, the Willowz, Be Your Own Pet, manage the angst-fueled fire without all the bullshit. This is tantrum rock the way original punk pioneers intended, if a bit too shiny around the edges to seem genuine. Touring mates, Awesome Color, a trio of malicious rockers from Michigan, bring unbridled rock and roll pleasure to the stage as well tonight. The band opened for Sonic Youth this summer at Little Radio and did an excellent job-which is more than most openers should be asked in that situation. These dudes, and dudette, sound like the Stooges with a little more restraint and elegance. Then stick around for Tall Firs whose trip is decidedly more mild but worth some attention. They’ve been called “beard-less contemporary rock at its best,” for guitar duets that clearly take cues from Bedhead, while the drums spitter spatter in between.The festival runs Thursday, Oct. 19-Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Palace. 4 p.m., $24, one-day passes available. (staff) For tickets, call (866) OFF-MAIN or visit www.rogueartists.org.

The Shining at the Nuart
One of the creepiest movies ever made, just in time for Halloween. You may never walk comfortably down the corridor of a hotel again. Plus, with the screening at 11:55 p.m., you can bring a sweetie and hang on them the entire movie, then race back home at the end of the night to soothe one another’s frazzled nerves. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll just stay home and keep checking under the bed because ever since you saw Silence of the Lambs you’ve been a nervous wreck. 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. Tickets can be had via moviefone.com. (LMK)

Saturday 10.21

Highlights for Arthur Nights: Saturday’s Chill-out Sesh
Tonight belongs to Angelenos. Before L.A.’s part-time punks became part-time funks, there was Future Pigeon. This 7 or 8 or 9-piece band (who can count when you’re high at a Future Pigeon show?) saw the future of dub/reggae being hip again before anyone else. They have mastered the art of horns mixed with thump bass added to impeccable melodies-appropriate for all ages. Then there’s L.A.’s Residual Echoes, a mess of sound and spatial effects. Tight drumming holds it together while percussively screwed-up everything else veers into weird directions before being pulled back on course. Renegade guitar spurts and vocals more satisfyingly frustrating than Comets On Fire make these echoes residual, in that you’ll wanna keep seeing them after they’re done. Rounding out the night is one of the stranger supergroups I’ve ever seen: Living Sister featuring Mia Doi Todd, Inara George, Becky Stark and Wooden Wand. It’s like Velvet Revolver for the Tangiers crowd! The festival runs Thursday, Oct. 19-Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Palace. 4 p.m., $24, one-day passes available. (staff)

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Tours
Hallow’s Eve is coming this way, and what better way to get psyched up for it than a tour in the most illustrious cemetery in town. The Art Deco Society is holding tours of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery today, their mission statement being to “celebrate and preserve the architecture, art, music, dance, clothing and elegance of Art Deco.” What the hell is Art Deco dance? But if anyone’s going to be dancing on my grave its going to be the Art Deco dance. . . or Voguing. Thing is, the tour starts at 10 a.m., which seems awfully early for prime spook-factor, and continutes every 15 minutes until noon. But what better way to get a real in-depth look into all the rad, dead movie stars’ plots there and their choices in tombstones, ranging from Victorian to Egyptian Revival and of course, Art Deco. Hollywood Forever is located at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, in Hollywood. Tickets are $13 or free to members, for more information go to www.adsla.org. (Tiffany Lee)

Free Circuit Bending workshop with Jeff Boyton at NELAart’s Second Saturday
Circuit bending is the art of opening up electronic sound devices and intentionally short-circuiting them in search of interesting and never-before-heard sounds. Such devices can range from cheap kids’ toys to sophisticated keyboard instruments. In northeast LA, you may have seen our very own maestros march in several local parades. The Ridiculatron 2000 show at the Acorn Gallery showcases Jeff Boynton, the bandleader of the “The Highland Park Thursday Evening Gentlemen’s Society Circuit Bending Marching Band and Ladies Auxiliary,” and a classically trained musician with a penchant for the experimental. The show features photos of the wacky world of circuit bending, Jeff’s instruments with technical notes and sketches, hands-on activities, and 2 performances. Bring a battery operated toy or other sound making device and learn how to disrupt it’s innards and make cool music. 1pm, 135 N. Avenue 50, Highland Park. (LMK)

Sunday 10.22

Halloween Horrors Crime Bus Tour
LA Alternative’s favorite local historian and crime hound Kim Cooper will helm this bus tour of L.A.’s crime scenes, weirdities and wonders with a special focus on the macabre just for our beloved Halloween holiday. This five-hour jaunt spans downtown, Hollywood, Echo Park and the Eastern San Fernando Valley while offering a grimly hilarious look at more than two dozen peculiar and long-forgotten crimes, including several with a Halloween theme. Vintage crime scene photos are featured, with passengers urged to BYOBB (bring your own barf bag). No kids, sorry. 1-6 p.m. Seats are $47/person, which includes Halloween-flavored Scoops gelato. Visit 1947project.com for instructions on how to reserve tickets; these things sell out fast! (LMK)

Highlights for Arthur Nights: Sunday’s Big Names
The acts on tonight’s bill need less of an introduction. Suffice it to say that Comets On Fire, despite a less thrilling sophomore album, have only gotten sharper and more explosive in the last year or so. Same applies to the one-hot-minute hipster siblings of Fiery Furnaces who have proved they have songwriting staying power. Plus a rare solo set by guitarist/singer of TV On the Radio, Kyp Malone. Oh and did we mention Devendra Bahnhart will be playing one of these nights? Or did you just assume… The festival runs Thursday, Oct. 19-Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Palace. 4 p.m., $24, one-day passes available. (staff)

RussianFantastik at the Egyptian Theatre
I’ve always been a little confused about how I feel about Communism, and Russian Communism in general. Probably it comes from a childhood of hanging out with my Czech grandmother, who would take any opportunity (although usually it happened in line at Safeway, where she had a captive audience) to disparage the country and its people. She didn’t really mean any harm by it, but when you reach a certain point in life you just figure you might as well let the old grievances flow. So basically we would end up in the check-out behind some random family who left St. Petersburg in the ’50s, buying Pop-Tarts and Sarah Lee bagels, and my grandma would launch into her tirade (in Russian, of course) about how now capitalism was good enough for them, but first they had to destroy her beautiful Praha and don’t these people have any sense of shame, while my mom and I read Redbook and pretended we didn’t know her. So I don’t know, maybe I feel a little guilty about emotional trauma caused to strangers by my family members. Not that going to see a movie is going heal the wounds, but I do what I can. RussianFantastik will be playing on Sunday October 22nd at the Egyptian Theatre, featuring Vladimir Gardin’s 1922 silent film A Spectre Haunts Europe, to be preceded by the short Interplanetary Revolution. For more information, visit www.americancinematheque.com/archive1999/2006/RussianFantastik.htm. (Jessica Madison)

Monday 10.23

Surfing LA screening at ALOUD in the Mark Taper Auditorium We don’t have too much information on this documentary, but what we do know sounds pretty amazing. On one day in 2004, three participants toured some of L.A.’s most quirky local spots, including the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant, The Metropolitan Detention Center, The Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Venice. Then, according to the release, “Psychologist James Hillman and essayist Michael Ventura spend the first half of the hour long DVD chatting about the L.A. mindset. Their good friend and Doors drummer John Densmore joins them the second part for further reminiscences and explorations of ’60s L.A. and her weird place in the world’s psyche. Surfing L.A. corresponds with major themes in Hillman’s depth psychology. Hillman’s dictum that ‘conversation is consciousness’ was tested here in the attempt to bottle the spontaneous intellect, wit and insight that flashes within conversation, much like improvisation in jazz.”Heavy? Yes. Sweet? Most likely. Fabulous Angeleno self-indulgence? Fabsolutely! Screening at 7 p.m. at Central Library Mark Taper Auditorium, Fifth and Flower Streets, Downtown. (staff) http://www.lfla.org/aloud/index.php

Tuesday 10.24

Tom Friedman Poo-less Exhibit at Gagosian Gallery
I think we’ve all heard at some point about the artist who would use his own excrement, hair and so-forth in his artwork to create minimalist geometric pieces, winning him both praise and rigorous criticism from the art community art large. Well, poo no more, Tom Friedman is back with an exhibition that doesn’t stink. Opening today is a solo show of found objects, meticulously deconstructed or reconstructed at both a macro and microscopic level to create colorful, playful and sometimes freaky pieces. Highly conceptual, prepping his “primary material” to create mediums such as “a piece of paper stared at for one thousand hours,” Friedman is not one to take himself seriously, exhibiting a playful and humorous show. You can see it today at the Gagosian Gallery, 465 N. Camden Drive in Beverly Hills. Ick, I know, but it’ll be worth it. For more information go to www.gagosian.com.