What You'll Find Here: Music, Movies and Me

Since May 1976, I have written in journals. When I have nothing particularly resonant to say about my own inner turmoil, philosophic ramblings, sexual peccadillos or whining on about the state of the world around me...I have always fallen back on reporting the cultural time consumption that takes up in inordinate portion of my daily goings on.

In the 40+ years since my first concerts seeing Children's Symphony presentations on Sundays at the Pasadena Civic or The Hot Jazz Society's monthly Dixieland romps in an old meeting hall on the edge of the L.A. "River" across from Griffith Park, I have been sold heavily on the magic of live music. As Neil Young so aptly put it, "Live music is better bumper stickers should be issued."

Growing up a few orange groves and canyons length away from Hollywood also contributed greatly to my family's addiction to movie going. From the time I was a small there were weekly trips to the drive-in theaters that dotted the landscape, or the local Temple theater for the Saturday matinees. Once in a while we'd drive the 12 miles into Hollywood and see something in one of the magnificent old movie palaces like Grauman's Chinese, the Egyptian, The Pantages or later the Cinerama Dome. My dad loved Westerns and War movies, as if he didn't get enough shoot-'em-up as an L.A. County Sheriff in his day gig, my mom adored musicals and comedies. My brother and I loved them all.

At SDSU, I played in my first gigging band and began booking concerts on campus as part of the well-funded Cultural Arts Board, kindling for my future life in and around music.

So it's not surprising that my first jobs out of college were working in local video rental places (which were all the rage) or managing a couple of Sam Goody record stores in Mall's on the East Coast where we marveled at the new CD format and sold the first home computers and video games (yes Commodore and Pong and Atari).

So these are really just extensions of all of those journal entries talking about the great new movies I was seeing and LPs/CDs I was listening to.

Though iPODS/iPADs, apps, smart phones and downloads now make music and movies accessible in your own pocket, there is still nothing like sitting in front of a stack of speakers with a room full of people swaying to music created before your eyes. Nor is there anything that works quite so well for me to escape the real world and all of it's pressures just outside than two hours in a dark theater, absorbing the stories flickering across that wide screen as they pull you into their world.

But a really good taco runs a close third...

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

LINK HAZE: LINKS TO TODAY'S CULTURAL CLAPTRAP

Solid. Links to some cultural claptrap from the front lines. Random bits and species.


ERIC CLAPTON’S NEW RELEASE
 




And more on the JERRY GARCIA SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION TOUR:

Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration featuring Warren Haynes:

A new symphonic project celebrating American music icon Jerry Garcia. This ground-breaking orchestral adventure features Garcia's storied original compositions as well as classic interpretations of timeless standards that were hallmarks of Garcia and the Grateful Dead's shows. Renowned vocalist/guitarist Warren Haynes collaborates with the nation's finest orchestras, lending his soul-soaked, introspective blend of rock, blues, R&B and jazz to Garcia's masterworks.

For pre-sale information on many of these shows check in at

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 - 7:30pm Heinz Hall - Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Presents Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration
Featuring Warren Haynes
in association with Princeton Entertainment
Conductor: Fawzi Haimor
Ticket Price: $78, $56, $48, $40, $30
General On-Sale begins: Monday, March 25th at 9am ET via PittsburghSymphony.org

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 -- 8:30pm Tanglewood Music Center -- Lenox, MA
Boston Pops Present a Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration
Featuring Warren Haynes
Conductor: Keith Lockhart
Ticket Price: $79, $52.50, $23.50
Tickets available now via BSO.org

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013 -- 8:00pm The Mann Center for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA
The Mann Center Presents Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration
Featuring Warren Haynes and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
in association with Princeton Entertainment
Conductor: Fawzi Haimor
Ticket Price: $75, $52.5, $35, $19.5
Tickets available now via: MannCenter.org

Wednesday, June 26th, 2013 -- 8:15pm Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts - Vienna, VA
National Symphony Orchestra Present a Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration
Featuring Warren Haynes
Conductor: Emil de Cou
Ticket Price: $75, $52, $42, $35, $20
General On-Sale begins Saturday, March 16th at 10am ET via Wolftrap.org

Thursday, August 1st and Friday, August 2nd, 2013 -- 7:30pm Davies Symphony Hall - San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Symphony Performs a Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration
Featuring Warren Haynes
Conductor: Sarah Hicks
Ticket Price: $100, $75, $55, $30
Tickets available now via: www.garciaorchestra.tickets.musictoday.com and www.sfsymphony.org

Sunday, August 4th, 2013 - 8pm Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration
Featuring Warren Haynes and 55-piece Orchestra
Ticket Price: $100, $85, $70, $55, $40
General On-Sale begins: Saturday, March 30th at 10am PT via GreekTheatreLA.com
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