After 20-some odd years reigning as hip-hop’s most funktastic white guys from New York, the Beastie Boys have whetted their live performances into a finely tuned display of showmanship that weaves seamlessly in and out of the many epochs of their discography. Recently, the Beasties have taken a break from their usual party anthems to release The Mix-Up-an entirely instrumental album that explores the group’s post-punk, jazz, bossa nova, and dub influences.
Quiz: Gotta Get Away
I think I knew every song played during the 311 and Matisyahu show at the Bowl last week. Before you go calling bullshit on that claim, let me explain: First and foremost, I have known and loved 311 since the release of their first independent albums-they were the soundtrack for everything in my life from pre-dawn surf missions and run-ins with the police, to high school keg parties and botched first dates.
Crowded House fans needn’t dream it’s over: reunited for their first U.S. tour in more than 10 years, the antipodean pop-rockers put on a mesmerizing show before a crowded, mixed-age house of faithful, melodically discerning fans.
Friends of the California coast lost one of our heroes recently. Melvin B. Lane, former owner and publisher of Lane Publishing Company and Sunset Magazine and Books, passed away recently at the age of 85. Among his many accomplishments, Mel led the California Coastal Commission from its inception in 1973 through the passage of the Coastal Act, establishing the commission as a permanent state agency. With his wry smile and sense of humor, Mel proved to be a visionary who left a mighty legacy for all of us.
“Ithink I need a vacation.” “I need some ‘me’ time.” “I just want to get away from it all for a while.” Chances are, you’ve said these words before, or heard them from burned-out friends and colleagues. At this time of year, the refrain often takes on a new level of irony: “I think I need a vacation from my vacation.”
Little one: Check out One, Nancy Neil’s photography show during 1st Thursday (Sept. 6) at David Shelton Studios.
Some people fear gravity as they get older, others the loss of sexual power, some even fear granny diapers. Me? I fear becoming a cranky old man.
“We must allow enough time to enjoy our food; we should share the act of eating with others; we ought to think of where the food came from and how it ended up on our plate,” Gabriella Pignatelli, writer of the hour-long documentary Slow Food Revolution, has said. “In this way we may all be part of the food revolution: maintaining biodiversity, producing nutritious food, eliminating poverty, protecting the environment, preserving traditions, and pampering our taste buds.”
August 30, 1983
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Guion S. Bluford becomes the first African American in space on the Challenger’s third mission.
