As angry protestors across the country demand an end to police brutality, nationally syndicated African-American cartoonist Keith Knight has increasingly become a sought-after speaker on U.S. race relations, a frequent topic in his storytelling cartoons. Knight, the creator of three comic strips, The Knight Life, The K Chronicles, and (th)ink, is scheduled for a number of U.S. speaking engagements in 2015, including a special guest presentation on police brutality at the inaugural Black Comix Arts Festival in January and a civil rights panel discussion at the California School Library Association Conference in February. In his provocative speaking engagements, a unique blend of lecture, activism, and comedy, Knight addresses issues of race, politics, media, censorship, and the importance of social activism.  Read the rest of this entry »

Bezerk Productions and Highways Performance Space present Melody of Chaos, an evening of free-spirited and psychologically intense visual and performing art, on Saturday, January 17, 2015. The event features the work of Linda Carmella Sibio, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1977 and is known for her cathartic performance and visual art that explores madness and creativity. The evening will start with an original new performance piece by Sibio, “Human-Pig Hybrid.” The work is a nonlinear exploration that juxtaposes cultural notions of “the pig” with mental illness. The night also features a performance by the Spontaneous Combustion Choir, conducted by O-Lan Jones. Read the rest of this entry »

Devolver Digital Films is proud to announce the digital VOD release of The Beatles tribute documentary, Come Together. Directed by Steve Ison and John Scofield, Come Together features performances by ten of an estimated 8,000 international Beatles tribute bands keeping the legacy of The Fab Four alive around the world. Come Together was filmed primarily in and around Liverpool, the birthplace of The Beatles – including the world famous Cavern Club where they were discovered – during International Beatleweek, five decades after the band was formed in 1960. Julia Baird, the sister of John Lennon, narrated the film. In addition to entertaining viewers, Come Together demonstrates the impact of The Beatles on global culture.  Read the rest of this entry »

Devolver Digital Films is proud to announce the digital VOD and cable releases of the touching comedy-drama, Diving Normal. The film will also have a limited theatrical release in Los Angeles as well as one night event screenings in Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, New York, Orange County (CA), San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC, and other cities to be announced (please see schedule below). Directed by Kristjan Thor, the character-driven narrative feature film tells the story of a love triangle that occurs when two unlikely friends fall for the same beautiful, but broken, woman. In the film, an adaptation of the critically acclaimed play of the same name, the three main characters combat abandonment, addiction, and struggles with conforming to traditional relationships. Read the rest of this entry »

Critically acclaimed singer-composer-actor Naama Kates is gearing up to perform at Molly Malone’s on the night of Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at 10:00pm. The appearance is in support of her latest album, Souled, which was released earlier this fall. Presented by Tall Tails Entertainment, the event will feature Kates on piano and vocals. She will be joined on stage by award-winning producer Cyrus Melchor (music production controller and guitar), Joseph Harvey (cello; to be confirmed), Steuart Leibig (bass), and Emiliano Almeida (drums). Doors open at 7:30pm; ages 21+ with ID; $10 tickets available at the door. Read the rest of this entry »

Following his highly acclaimed album The Predicting Machine and a slew of pop-infused 12-inch singles, LA-based electronic musician John Tejada returns with a new full-length album, Signs Under Test, which drops in the U.S. on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 (Monday 2/2 for other parts of the world). The intimate album is a personal auditory experience, which brings listeners in close to details and idiosyncracies on 11 expertly crafted new tracks. With Signs Under Test, the studio wizard digs deeper into his synthesizers, unearthing dreamy tracks that rank among Tejada’s most accomplished work-to-date. The Austrian-born, Los Angeles-based artist, well-known in international electronic music circles, has been releasing his subtle, melodic techno for 20 years on some of the world’s most respected labels, as well as his own Palette Recordings. Read the rest of this entry »

Nationally syndicated African-American cartoonist Keith Knight has become a sought-after speaker on complex social and political situations through the perceptive and hilarious lens of his storytelling cartoons at college campuses, conventions, festivals, and fundraisers across the US and beyond. Knight has been tapped to tour five German universities, in November 2014, for a series of provocative comic strip slide show presentations, They Shoot Black People Don’t They?, on the topic of police brutality in the US. Knight is the creator of three comic strips, The Knight Life, The K Chronicles, and (th)ink. Read the rest of this entry »

Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz is pleased to present 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a steampunk-inspired puppet theatre performance based on the classic 19th century Jules Verne science fiction novel by Portland-based Tears of Joy Theatre, on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. The story investigates a wave of mysterious sinkings encountered by the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo. Tears of Joy’s 60-minute performance is full of fun, with humor for adults as well as children (ages 4+) to enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

Re-Animator™ The Musical. Revival of the award-winning musical hit is now extended until Sunday, November 23, 2014 in Los Angeles at the Steve Allen Theater. PLUS, the show will run from Tuesday, January 6 through Sunday, January 18, 2015 at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, NV. Based on the hit movie that practically invented the genre of horror comedy, the show blends side-splitting hilarity with outstanding special effects and some genuinely scary moments for an entertainment experience like none other. Read the rest of this entry »

Local creative organizer Wyatt Closs, visual street artist Patrick Martinez, and fashion photographer Colin Young-Wolff have joined forces in an artful call to action, Embrace Your Power, Embrace Our Communities, to promote voting in Los Angeles.  Particularly aimed at young people and disaffected communities who are apathetic about voting, the campaign centers on a neon artwork with text that urges passersby to “Embrace Your Power.” The sign, a whimsical play on neon palm reader signage, was positioned and documented in diverse communities around Los Angeles; the resulting images and videos are being distributed online through a variety of social media platforms to serve as a catalyst for political action.

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