Subject: Orchestral Music

• The Substitute Soundtrack

  May 2, 2002

• Incoming: M83, Propagandhi, Gojira, Coming to the Glass House

  We've been blessed with some cool show announcements lately, and hey, here are a few more! Fresh from their performance with the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, M83 (pictured) are headed to Pomona, Glass House-style, on May 20. Tickets are on sale noon this Friday (March 20), for 20 bones. Death/prog metal troupe Gojira are also headed to the Glass House, May 22. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door, on sale at noon Friday. Canadian punk rock vets Propagandhi play the ver

  March 18, 2009

• My Neighbor is Famous

  Ok, not really. But he is a musician and he's playing Saturday.His name is Darrin Thaves and he's a flutist. Let me go on record right now as saying this: If you have to live within earshot of a professional musician who not only practices all day, but gives lessons in their spare time, make it a flute player. Seriously, it's like heaven above, which is ironic because he lives upstairs. My girlfriend (sorry ladies) and I often talk about how screwed we'd be if we shared walls with  John Bon

  March 20, 2009

• Power Piano

  January 29, 2009

• Kid Envy

  January 22, 2009

• All in the Family

  January 15, 2009

• Salute to Vienna

  January 1, 2009

• The Glory of Christmas

  December 25, 2008

• Bright Lights

  August 7, 2008

• Starry 
Night

  July 3, 2008

• Organ Loner

  May 22, 2008

• On the Virg

  April 17, 2008

• Get Stoney

  March 13, 2008

• Bohemian Rhapsody

  January 10, 2008

• Epiphanies

  April 25, 2002

• Self-Sufficient

  May 11, 2006

• Aural Reports

  January 12, 2006

• Gratitude for Being

  October 27, 2005

• Pulchritudinous Performer

  September 22, 2005

• The Lemons of Orange

  May 12, 2005

• Pimp My House

  May 20, 2004

• Any Lengths

  March 28, 2002

• Strings & Things

  May 31, 2001

• Rage Against the Classical Machine

  June 1, 2000

• Classical Punk

  November 26, 1998

• OC Turns Brit as 'BritWeek' Begins

  Is Tony Blair a Freemason? The video above seems to think so. Oddly, some evidence behind the claim is provided by Martin Short, although it is unclear if he was doing so as himself, Jiminy Glick, Ed Grimley, Katharine Hepburn or Jackie Rogers Jr. What is as clear as London fog is the freewheelin', possibly Freemasonin' former prime minister arrives in Beverly Hills Tuesday evening for a private gala kicking off BritWeek, which is more like "BritMonth" considering the range of events and acti

  April 20, 2009

• Attention All Flute Enthusiasts

  Besides being a great guy to live downstairs from, Darrin Thaves is also a darn good musician. He performs regularly as the Principal Flutist of the Northwest Sinfonietta, is an instructor at Cal State Long Beach, gives lessons in his spare time and never complains when we have to swap parking spaces.Thaves and fellow CSULB instructor with Rena Urso-Trapani are hosting the sixth annual Long Beach Flute Institute from July 7-11. That's next week, people, so if you're interested, get on it. The ca

  June 29, 2009

• Last Night: Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, the New Pornographers at the Hollywood Bowl

  Just watch the fireworks.Last Night: Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara and the New Pornographers at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles; July 5, 2009.Better than: Staying home and celebrating the Fifth of July, the sacred holiday commemorating the cloning of Dolly the Sheep in 1996.Minor celebrity spotting: Former Saturday Night Live cast member Horatio Sanz. He's skinny now, y'know.I first saw Death Cab for Cutie in 2003 at the second location of the now-defunct Nita's Hideaway in my hometown o

  July 6, 2009

• This Month: Free Classical Concerts

  ​In this recession-plagued economy, the most enticing word has to be free. Free is good, free is seductive. It usually doesn't really matter what that free is (within reason). As long as you don't have to pay for it then why in the world are you complaining? To capitalize on that theme, here are a series of classical concerts coming up this month that are family friendly, fun, and--did I mention--free? Just remember to bring some beach chairs, blankets and munchies. After that, sit back and r

  July 27, 2009

• Pacific Symphony Offering 50% Off Tickets

  Courtesy of Pacific Symphony​Who doesn't love a good sale--especially in these dreary economic times? Here's one: the Pacific Symphony is celebrating its upcoming season--their 20th year with musical director/conductor Carl St.Clair, pictured--with a chance to score some half-price tickets.This Sunday and Monday only (August 30 and 31), head to the Pacific Symphony website, for a 50% discount on each single ticket bought online. The sale ends 11:50 p.m. Monday, August 31st.The next event o

  August 27, 2009

• Star Wars: In Concert

  September 24, 2009

• Eight Questions with Rick Berry

  ​Rick Berry's a lot of things. Some of these things include jazz trumpeter (currently in the Hollywood Canteen Swing Band), political candidate (he ran for Long Beach city council) and gardener (he's got a killer backyard garden). But to the rest of the world, he's got a new title that is pretty darn spiffy--marketing manager for the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. If you're like me, you're wondering why a jazzman is getting in bed with classical music. I just had to ask.1. Tell the people a li

  October 13, 2009