Harbor View Mental Facility ~ Sunday, Sept. 2 ~ 11am-Midnight

921 S. Beacon St. ~ San Pedro

For more info: Kim W. 310.374.1308

As part of a national “Take a Stand Day,” Move-on.org called for Americans to gather at street corners all over the nation to express their disapproval of the Iraq war. One such group was meeting only 10 minutes away from my house.

As I drove towards the corner of Palms Blvd. and McLaughlin, I asked myself what have I done to oppose the war lately? The last demonstration I attended was in March for the 4th anniversary of the Iraq war (TACO photo coverage.) I’m politically active in Cyber space. I Cut, Paste and Send petitions on a weekly basis. But do I even read them or am I thoroughly informed about the subjects? No. I wonder if this instant protesting is not turning me into a lazy and sheltered activist. Inspired by Diane Lefer, a writer I recently interviewed for Taco, who bravely shows up at book readings in an orange jumpsuit and black hood, and by a picture seen on “Taco visits Buenos Aires and Mendoza,” of the Mothers of the Disappeared who still gather every week in Buenos Aires, I decided it was time to get out in the open again.

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Hollywood ~ CA

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Hai Nguyen, 24, of Garden Grove was charged with a misdemeanor count of taking and “attempting to harass, hunt, and kill a California sea lion,” according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana this morning.

The offense carries a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison and a $20,000 fine.

Nguyen was arrested in Newport Beach on July 27 for allegedly stabbing a California sea lion repeatedly with a steak knife after the animal stole his bait. The sea lion, which was swimming near the dock Nguyen was fishing from on Balboa Peninsula, was apparently so close that the fisherman could reach down and stab the animal.

The animal didn’t die from its wounds right away, so it had to be euthanized.

Photo by Mike Baird via Flickr

Los Lobos del Este de Los Angeles are treating thier hometown to a free show tonight, all the way in el oeste, the right direction for traffic if you’re coming from inland, and if you’re not, you should wait out the grind with the group’s jam-heavy blend of Norteño, rock, country, and blues. Lucha Va Voom is the sort of crazy, unique good-time we crave everyday, heavy with masked nanos and almost unmasked na-nas, all duking it out for the belt. Saturday sees a bevy of Blues masters begin their wailing in Long Beach, while we’re gonna try and see The Smashdown, a night of rapid-fire hip-hop by some of the country’s most talented up and comers. Sunday, we have no idea what might be weirder, a typical night of freakdom at Mr. T’s Bowl or the possibility of watching Anton freak out at the Brain Jonestown Massacre gig and slap one of his bandmates silly five seconds into the first song. What do we do, what do we do? Let me touch it, let me feel it, let me grab it, Gram Rabbit! Gram Rabbit! This band has a buzz only slightly smaller than the one you’ll hopefully get on Monday, sucking down brews and bingers at the beach perchance, while skipping all that labor. Fuck work.

Thursday August 3oth

Lucha Va Voom 9: Hot August Nights @ The Mayan ~ 1038 S. Hill St. Downtown Los angeles, CA ~ Midget wrestling, lucha libre, kamikaze comedy, burlesque y mucho mucho mas ~ Doors @ 7PM ~ $30

Los Lobos @ The Santa Monica Pier ~ 7PM ~ Free

Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical @ Keyclub ~ 9039 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA ~ 8PM ~ $35

Friday August 31st

To the Masses @ Scion Gallery ~ 3521 Helms Ave. Culver City, CA 90232 ~ Group show curated by Giant Robot ~ 11AM-6PM ~ Through September 8

Saturday September 1st

28th Annual Long Beach Blues Festival @ Cal State University ~ Featuring legends Buddy Guy, Little Richard, Taj Mahal, Robert Cray, Dr. John, Koko Taylor, and many more ~ Through Sunday ~ One day pass $45/Two-day pass $75

The Smashdown @ Tangier ~ 2138 Hillhurst Ave. L.A., CA 90027 ~ Non-stop hip-hop line-up of phenomenal MC’s including New York’s Chan, Gardena’s The Oddibles, FM, Declypsz, LS, and many more ~ 9PM-2AM ~ $10

Sunday September 2nd

The Brian Jonestown Massacre @ EchoPlex ~ 1154 Glendale Blvd. Echo Park, CA ~ 9PM ~ $15

Weird Talent Gong Show @ Mr. T’s Bowl ~ 5621 N. Figueroa St. Highland Park, CA ~ 8PM

Monday September 3rd

Gram Rabbit @ Spaceland ~ 1717 Silverlake Blvd. Silverlake, CA ~ 9PM

Photo by ZUELA

Redondo Beach ~ CA

THE EXCHANGE was started in 2005, with six artist from different areas of the United States. The participants of The Exchange pair off into six groups of two, trading names and personal styles through sketches. The sketches are drawn and traded between the artist. They are then painted by the receiving artist in their particular city. The goal is for all the artist involved to be able to become more versatile through attempts at graffiti styles out of their personal comfort zone. THE EXCHANGE will be making many stops across the country. For more information and tour dates check out the site.

REVOK

AROE SEVER

EWOK

ESTEME KACAO77

PERSUE

RIME
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