Major League Baseball’s 2008 season is underway and I got an early glimpse of the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox and revamped Los Angeles Dodgers during a wild exhibition match on Saturday night at the LA Memorial Coliseum. The historic event set a record for the number of people in attendance at a baseball game as 115,000 turned out for what ended up a 7-4 Red Sox victory. A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers move from Brooklyn out west to Los Angeles, the game was a homecoming of sorts as the team played their first four seasons at this uniquely-dimensioned stadium. It was my first time here at the gargantuan outdoor arena renowned for hosting two Summer Olympic Games and the festive atmosphere from the enormous crowd altered the dynamic of what would otherwise be a meaningless pre-season game. Tailgaters converged starting early in the morning to revel in the sunny weather, preparing for the evening’s action through barbeque and libations. We eschewed all traffic by parking on the outskirts of the USC campus and walking a mile or so down Vermont Ave. but I have since read numerous horror stories of the Dodger Stadium shuttle bus fiasco and overpriced lots that make me thankful we had it so easy. The concourse walkway was so jam-packed with fans that it took nearly 45 minutes to get a hot dog, popcorn, and soda and we didn’t venture from our seats once we reached them during the pre-game ceremony. The sheer size of the audience increased the energy exponentially, with the highlight of the day being a gargantuan wave that circled the Coliseum, dwarfing the action on the field. There were the requisite verbal spats and fights between Red Sox and Dodgers fans but overall it seemed the exhibition went smoothly with most everyone thrilled to witness the golden anniversary game. It’s not something I’d want to be a part of every weekend but this rare chance to be surrounded by over 100,000 baseball enthusiasts was an opportunity I’m glad I didn’t pass up.

Photo from LAist.com

The Lakers notched win number 50 for the season last night at Staples Center, defeating the Washington Wizards in overtime 126-120. It was a hard-fought battle that required contributions from the entire squad to overcome dual 27-point scoring efforts from the Wizards’ Nick Young and DeShawn Stevenson, who showed his effectiveness from long range in sinking eight threes. Coming off of two concerning losses to Charlotte and Memphis, Purple and Gold stepped up their game and answered back as seven players finished in double figures, led by Kobe Bryant’s 26 including 12 free throws. Luke Walton made seven of his eight shots and Sasha Vujacic drained six three-pointers before the night was through, sending the ecstatic spectators home delirious and satiated. It was my sixth Lakers’ game of the season and the best one thus far, rivaling last year’s first-round playoffs game three against the Phoenix Suns in terms of intensity and memorable outcome. The five game homestand resumes on Wednesday when LA squares off against the Portland Trailblazers for the third time in ‘08. If the Lakers can build momentum from yesterday’s contest for the remainder of the regular season and upon Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum’s return from injuries they’ll enter the playoffs the same way they began on October 30th, a formidable and resourceful team not to be taken lightly on the court.

For the first time in a while I watched a DVD without reading a synopsis of the plot beforehand. The subject of my experiment was the sentimental comedy Dan in Real Life starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook, the kind of film I would normally bypass but under these circumstances tolerated and, at points, enjoyed. The film deftly replicated the hectic joy that is an extended family weekend and ensuing headaches that arise, while tackling such delicate points as a single parent raising three children and the competitive jealousy that can arise between siblings in romantic endeavors. Ultimately, it just didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, though to disparage it would be futile because clearly I am not the intended demographic for the picture. A harmless and amiable rainy-day time waster for parents and kids alike.

Earth Hour is happening at 8 pm on Saturday night and World Wildlife Fund is asking that you turn off the lights for one hour to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a global energy conservation attempt and Tel Aviv, Israel started off the eco-campaign today, a little early so as to not infringe on Shabbat. I’m happy to comply for this environmental cause, in part because we won’t be home at that time, instead attending the massive Los Angeles Dodgers versus Boston Red Sox exhibition at LA Memorial Coliseum. More than 100,000 people are expected for this unusual baseball game where the playing diamond has been nestled into a football stadium and a 60-foot screen erected down the short left-field line. The game is a charity event with net proceeds going the Dodgers’ cancer fund ThinkCure, but unless the moon is particularly bright I doubt they’ll participate in Earth Hour as well. Wish us good luck in finding parking and be sure to refresh at Wear & Tear on Monday to see how the game went.

The NCAA March Madness Tournament resumes tonight with four games in the Sweet 16 round. It’s the Mountaineers against the Musketeers as West Virginia faces Xavier at US Airways Center in Phoenix followed by the West Kentucky Hilltoppers versus UCLA’s Bruins to determine the West Region’s representatives in the Elite Eight. Today’s East Region match ups are Washington State Cougars and the #1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels after which the Louisville Cardinals take on the Tennessee Volunteers, both happening at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. All the games are televised on CBS, so keep your bracket close by and settle in for a full evening of college hoops.

For his fifth film, The Darjeeling Limited, director Wes Anderson shows an unexpected maturity in tone and content in the tale of three brothers on a spiritual journey to India following their father’s death. Anderson’s trademark oddball characters, zany interactions, and exquisite set design remain unchanged, but are joined by a cultural reverence and meditative quality that never quite entered his previous works. Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman comprise the trio of siblings, and the actors’ collaboration is but one of the highlights of this excellent movie. The color and texture of India are displayed with deliberate patience, lingering in the mind long after its end and the peppy soundtrack skips about merrily from French love songs to the Rolling Stones without neglecting Raga, the indigenous music of the country. At only 91 minutes, it was a brief excursion to foreign lands but one not soon forgotten as the cinematography and script were equally vibrant. Whether you’re a fan of Wes Anderson’s previous work such as The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore, or just interested in a comedic fish-out-of-water story, The Darjeeling Limited will draw laughs, smiles, and, possibly, a tear or two.

Earth Day is April 22nd and the third annual Green Apple Festival is expanding to eight cities across the country, bringing with it a full afternoon of free live music, speakers, and environment-conscious fun to celebrate the global holiday two days early on Sunday April 20th. The Los Angeles location is being held at Santa Monica Pier with scheduled acts Taj Mahal, acoustic Ziggy Marley, Juliette and the Licks, School of Rock Hollywood Allstars, and more. The Washington, DC installment takes place on the National Mall and boasts the best list with The Roots & Friends, Gov’t Mule, Toots & The Maytals, and a DJ set by Thievery Corporation among others. The Green Apple Festival started out in multiple venues across New York City in 2006, branched out to include Chicago and San Francisco last year, and now also stretches to Miami, Dallas, and Denver in addition to LA and DC. Green Apple intends to make its Southern California edition one to remember and I can’t think of a better way to spend Earth Day than a mountain hike followed by music at the pier, so it should be a perfect fit.

Lakers fans, have you seen the “Laker Rhapsody” on YouTube ? It’s an amusing visual recapitulation of the 2007-2008 season set to a parody of Queen ’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the song having originated from a 710 ESPN radio skit on The Dave Dameshek Show. Tonight’s home game against the Charlotte Bobcats starts at 7:30 pm on Fox Sports Net and should be over just in time for the new South Park at 10 on Comedy Central. This is the third episode of the season and while last week’s Britney Spears-centric plotline never quite got off the ground, this one shouldn’t have the same problem. “Major Boobage” leads Kenny through an interpretation of the 1981 Canadian animated fantasy film Heavy Metal as only Trey Parker and Matt Stone could re-envision it. I even remember owning some of the old magazines back in the day, so its up in the air as to whether my lofty expectations will be fulfilled or left wanting for more. Too few programs successfully incorporate dated references but South Park has always been selective in what they decide to bring back so high hopes are that they deliver another classic.

The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival revealed a more complete lineup this week, one that rivals Rothbury in terms of bands I would travel to see perform. The previously announced headliners of Radiohead, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and Jack Johnson will be joined by Primus, Beck, Widespread Panic, Wilco, Manu Chao, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Steve Winwood, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, and dozens more artists for the August 22-24 gathering at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Three-day passes are going to run $225 before fees and shipping but the fine print says “pending availability single day tickets may be released at a later date” so I’m going to hope for that and just go for part of the weekend. Tuesday means new music in stores and Cavalera Conspiracy’s debut album Inflikted is a tiger unleashed. Brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, founding members from Brazilian metal legend Sepultura, have mended fences following over 10 years apart and recorded a relentless, pummeling, discordant, and crushingly heavy collection with Marc Rizzo of Soulfly on guitar and Joe Duplantier of Gojira on bass. Their tour starts this summer in Europe with no US dates scheduled yet, though hopefully some will be added soon. If you get a hold of the CD, hold on tight because these sonic attacks can just about take your head off at first listen.

It took until overtime in Oakland but the Los Angeles Lakers earned a split in the second game of a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors, 123-119. The two games were a potential first-round playoff preview, as LA is this close to the #1 seed in the West while the Warriors are currently eighth. After Sunday’s rousing 26-point comeback but eventual 115-111 loss, Purple and Gold were hungry for a win heading up to the Bay Area. An 11-point halftime deficit was overcome when LA turned up the jets in the third quarter to tie the score. Kobe Bryant’s 30 points led the team, who kept pace with a speedy Golden State squad right to the end before Lamar Odom delivered the knockout blow in OT after Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic volleyed a barrage of three-pointers. The Lake Show now enjoys a five game homestand through April 4th starting with two lesser opponents in the Charlotte Bobcats and Memphis Grizzlies before welcoming the playoff-bound Washington Wizards this weekend. I’ll be at Sunday’s contest, my final Lakers’ regular-season home game of the year, and was hoping to see guard Gilbert Arenas face off against Kobe, but it looks unlikely he’ll be back from his knee injury for this one. Without the head-to-head match up to look forward to, I’ll be perfectly content with a good display from Wizards’ scoring leaders Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler en route to a Lakers victory.

About midway through Wild Hogs, which can be seen this month on Starz On Demand, I realized what kind of movie I was watching. It’s a moderately amusing comedy starring John Travolta, William H. Macy, Martin Lawrence, and Tim Allen as four middle-aged suburban motorcycle enthusiasts whose cross-country road trip runs them afoul of a real biker gang led by Ray Liotta and the subsequent brawls and hi-jinks that ensue. The broad slapstick comedy seen here transcends generational gaps and is racially independent, the kind of film that can be enjoyed by ages 5 to 85 and subtitled with any language to be easily understood in foreign cultures. While the film has found an incredible balance in terms of its intended audience, I can say with unequivocal certainty that Wild Hogs, for all its good intentions only succeeds in living up to its name as an utter bore.

Attending The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at NBC studios in Burbank yesterday was effortless and thankfully brief, an experience that was essentially the antithesis of most TV tapings. It was my second time going, the other being in 2003 with guests Conan O’Brien and Jane’s Addiction, but the major differences on Friday were not having to wake up at 7 AM to pick up tickets or wait in any lines. Thanks to a contact on The Black Crowes message board that works for the network, we arrived, collected our passes, and immediately were seated. Adam Corolla’s interview was the funniest part of the show, as he discussed Dancing With the Stars and the new movie The Hammer. Geraldo Rivera’s visit was topical and timely as he engaged Jay in a lively discourse on Barack Obama’s controversial pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, while promoting the book His Panic. The Black Crowes played exactly what we expected, a high-energy version of “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution” from Warpaint, truncated slightly for broadcast but forcefully delivered. They really cranked up the sound for their in-studio performance, one earnest blast of energy before we walked out the door after a pleasant spell for a good start to the weekend.

Purple and Gold smothered the Sonics 130-105 last night at Staples Center as eight Lakers finished with double digits in points and the newest member of the team, Ira Newble, made his first basket in four minutes of playing time during the fourth quarter. Kobe Bryant was high scorer with 23 points after only a half hour on the court before resting most of the final period in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, a 6:30 PM game televised on Fox Sports Net. Until then, I’ll be minding my March Madness bracket for the multitude of college basketball games today and tomorrow and seeing a concert at Cozy’s in Sherman Oaks. Jefferson Steelflex and his Neptune Society resume their mysterious practices tonight, so if you’re in the Valley mosey on down to 14058 Ventura around ten o’clock for an intriguing evening. Happy Easter for those who celebrate, we’ll see you back here at Wear & Tear on Monday so be sure to return and refresh with us next week!

above: The Black Crowes at Fillmore San Francisco 3.19.08

The Black Crowes swooped down into The Wiltern on Thursday, pecked our bones clean, and ascended back to the skies where they soar so majestically. Which is to say the “One Night Only” tour closer was a truly great concert; the best I’ve seen from them since Marc Ford resigned in September 2006. I arrived early enough to secure a pit wristband but opted for the first tier above to get a better sight line and improved sound, a move that paid off wisely as the pit became more and more crowded. Last night’s first set was an end-to-end performance of their newest album, Warpaint, and the receptive audience ate it up. The newest member to The Black Crowes is guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and his versatile style meshed well with the other members all night, often elevating the band’s collective output to uncharted levels as on “Oh Josephine.” In my estimation, the “Movin’ On Down the Line” / “Wounded Bird” combination is the best tandem on their record and to hear these live was a supreme pleasure, as was the sight of drummer Steve Gorman at the front of the stage in full marching band regalia for “God’s Got It.” After Warpaint, the band indulged in a few choice covers and originals including my all-time favorite Crowes song since I was 14 years old, “Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye,” and a supreme rendition at that. As an encore, the Rolling Stones cover “Torn and Frayed” seemed to speak directly of how this group can build themselves back up after so many tumultuous personnel changes, yet still return to peak form. Following today’s appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which I will be in attendance for, they’re off to Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, but you catch them back in the states this summer with Dave Matthews Band as well as numerous headlining and festival gigs. Once again, The Black Crowes are back; let’s hope they never fly away again.

It’s been far too long since my last visit to Amoeba Music on Sunset, so if the timing works out I’ll drop by either before or after the taping in Burbank. Going out for the afternoon should fulfill my desire to socialize, so tonight looks to be a low-key Friday spent watching sports at home. The Lakers have played admirably considering they’re without Pau Gasol for the time being and assumed control in Utah from the get-go, jumping out to a 20-point lead in the first quarter on the way to a 106-95 win. Purple and Gold shoot for three straight with tonight’s home game against Seattle’s Supersonics, the second-worst team in the league at 16-52. On second thought after looking at the match-up, I may want to find something else to do if the contest turns into a blowout. If you have any Friday suggestions or recommendations, post them below, we’d love to know what everyone else has planned.

Denver, Colorado has muscled its way onto the summer festival radar with the aptly named Mile High Music Festival, scheduled to descend on the nearby town of Commerce City from July 19-20. The Saturday lineup consists of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Steve Winwood, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Spoon, moe. and others while Sunday is sure to draw a giant crowd with Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, The Black Crowes, The Roots, and Leftover Salmon among the confirmed artists. The proliferation of festivals this year is an interesting development as promoters have clearly latched onto the notion that they are profitable if staged under the right circumstances. However, as more and more city-adjacent events arise, the traditional festival consciousness is being diluted due to an absence of unity that would manifest from a group camping scenario. To be honest, Mile High is more of an all-day concert than festival and concern grows as to what will happen if this model proves more successful than the traditional counterpart. Attendance figures will ultimately determine which ones return or fall to the wayside, so take that into consideration when gassing up the car for a weekend excursion to simply enjoy live music because what happens behind-the-scenes to bring it all together is far more complex.

Now on DVD, watch Southland Tales at your own risk. This depiction of America three years after dual nuclear attacks in Texas is frightening, perplexing, and frustrating as it ultimately implodes from a rare filmic ailment: an abundance of unique ideas. Setting aside the religious overtones, the eccentric performances that serve as an (un)intentional homage to the oeuvre of David Lynch, and the far-fetched space-time continuum subplot, we’re still left with a myriad of concepts that clash against one another much like the out-of-control rioters of this alternate Los Angeles. Those who brave the two-and-a-half hour running time will find some rewards buried deep within the rubble; the presentation of the news media as an unceasing window into violence and terror in the streets is not that far removed from our current broadcasts. Extrapolating the Patriot Act of today into what is termed the USIDent system in Southland is also not so far-fetched given the proclivity of the United States to protect its borders and population through whatever means necessary. The ensemble cast including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, Justin Timberlake, John Laroquette, and Jon Lovitz amounts to a talented pool of actors reciting incredulous dialogue. Six years after Donnie Darko, director Richard Kelly’s follow-up aims for the stars but only reaches the stratosphere before the gravity of the scripted situation pulls it back to Earth in a twisted heap of wreckage. If you’re feeling daring, give it a chance, but don’t say that Wear & Tear never warned you.

The annual NCAA March Madness Tournament is about to tip-off, so now’s the time to get your bracket filled in before the Thursday deadline. I entered my picks at CBS Sportsline and Yahoo! Groups to spice things up as I keep tabs on the games these next few weeks. Although 64 collegiate basketball teams battling to reach the Final Four and National Championship Game at San Antonio’s Alamodome is without a doubt exciting, there admittedly isn’t much to interest individuals indifferent to sports. One local radio station has come to the rescue for those more “fashion” minded with the 93.1 Jack FM March Mullet Madness where contestants from the Mud Flap, Squirrel Pelt, Waterfall, and Top Hat brackets face off in a showdown of embarrassingly eighties hairstyles. Each vote gets these brave souls one step closer to a 1969 Camaro SS; your choices for round 1 end on Wednesday at 6 PM. If you really want to get into the spirit, wear a Mullet Wig while you pick your favorites.

The Lakers eked out a 102-100 win tonight against the Dallas Mavericks as Purple and Gold snapped a two-game losing streak with help from Kobe Bryant’s 29 points and seven assists. Vladamir Radmanovic’s 21-point contribution was well over his PPG average and Lamar Odom shared defensive duties with Ronny Turiaf in amassing 17 rebounds and 4 blocks, respectively. LA’s Western Conference road trip ends on Thursday when they travel to Salt Lake City and face the 45-24 Utah Jazz. After losing Pau Gasol to a sprained ankle in New Orleans for an undetermined amount of time, they’ll be lucky to end up with a split after the quartet of challenging match-ups is completed. The NBA’s second longest winning streak is over, as the Boston Celtics visited Houston and dealt the Rockets a 94-74 loss after 22 straight victories. It was quite a run for Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alston, Luis Scola, and Co. and they’re still perched atop the West’s standings but, with the postseason looming, Boston stepped in at just the right time to once again position themselves as the team to beat.

Sunshine is the most original outer space science-fiction film I have seen in years. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland crafted a tense, multi-tiered story as a team of astronauts are sent to detonate a charge inside the dying Sun, told with retina-searing visual effects all the way through. Michelle Yeoh and Cillian Murphy are two of the actors in this young yet commanding cast but the real “star” is the weakened yet threatening solar mass whose heat and light are so vital to life on Earth. Aspects to the ending were a bit contrived but the familiarity was easily forgiven for the abundance of ideas permeating the script and set design. Consider it a 2001: A Space Odyssey for the 21st century and enjoy this ride through the cosmos.

While I won’t be going out to an Irish establishment for a pint of Guinness to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I did wear some green today, as did many of the people I saw out on the roads and in the stores. Instead of a trip to the bar, the evening’s all about TV with the season premieres of How I Met Your Mother on CBS, and ABC’s double-header of The Bachelor: London Calling after Dancing with the Stars. The male celebrities danced tonight and Adam Corolla along with his partner Julianne Hough earned the lowest score I’ve seen on Dancing, with a 15 from the three judges: Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman, and Carrie Ann Inaba. The female contestants, including Marlee Matlin, Monica Seles, and Shannon Elizabeth, take to the stage tomorrow night in hopes of getting the most viewer votes before the first results show and eliminations on March 25th. If I had to choose from tonight’s episode, I’d like to see Steve Guttenberg stick around as I just watched Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol a few weeks ago and Sgt. Carey Mahoney has long been a favorite comedy character.