Multi-Instrumentalist Mayra Vargas Breaks into the Los Angeles Music Scene with her First Andean Pop Single

Every so often I have the good fortune to connect with musicians who are part of the vibrant Los Angeles music scene. Just last week I published an interview with the talented Martin Lopez-Iu, in which he discussed his debut solo project Zanja Madre and premiered his music video, Mulholland’s Nightmare, on this blog.

Art, Music & Family Fun at TarFest 2015

I’m always attracted to events that help cultivate the local arts scene in Los Angeles, which is why I’m so excited about TarFest 2015, the annual music and culture festival hosted by KCSN-FM 88.5 and LAUNCH LA. This free, all ages event features an impressive roster of rising local artists and musicians, a Lagunitas Biergarten […]

Edwardian Ball Los Angeles — Gettin’ Gorey with it

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It’s not often I attend the same event in different cities, but that’s exactly what I did earlier this year. In January, I transformed myself into an Edwardian cowboy of sorts and participated in the Edwardian World’s Faire and the Edwardian Ball, held on consecutive nights at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. The following month, I donned my costume again and took part in the Edwardian Ball Los Angeles, which combined many elements of the two Bay Area events into a single night of fun, fashion, music, theater, dancing and more.

Get Your Costume Ready – The Edwardian Ball is coming back to Los Angeles!

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When Justin Katz and his San Francisco-based band Rosin Coven set out to celebrate Edward Gorey’s whimsically macabre aesthetic in 1999, little did they know that the event would grow into a beloved Bay Area tradition (one that has recently spread to Los Angeles). But that is exactly what the Edwardian Ball is today.

World Festival of Sacred Music

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The World Festival of Sacred Music is back with another eclectic program of music and dance performances that highlight the diverse range of sacred heritages in Los Angeles. Originally inspired by the Dalai Lama’s call for a festival of music on every continent to celebrate the dawn of the new millennia, this two-week series takes place once every three years and seeks to provide “…opportunities for people to come together and investigate issues of tolerance and diversity within our complex, urban environment,” according to Judy Mitoma, Festival Director.

Pacific Standard Time: Telling the Story of Art in LA, 1945-1980

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As LA Times Art Critic Christopher Knight pointed out in a recent article, “…retrospective knowledge [of the early years of post-World War II art in Los Angeles] is broad but shallow, a surface barely scratched.” Recognizing the dearth of knowledge and understanding of this formative period in the city’s cultural development, the Getty Foundation and the Getty Research Institute set out to uncover, document and reclaim the historical record of art in Southern California.

String Theory Live with Special Guest David Poe

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Each week I receive dozens of press releases and emails about upcoming events around the Los Angeles area. Many of these happenings sound enticing, but it’s the rare event that truly captures my attention and stands out from the crowd. The upcoming performance of String Theory at the Ford Amphitheatre is one that jumped out at me.