One of the Dirty Hands Caravan bio-diesel buses

Coachella seemed like it was another good time this year, what with Prince, Roger Waters, My Morning Jacket, Serj Tankian and a hundred more acts turning in quality sets over the three days, so I texted a friend on Monday to get the lowdown from an actual attendee. To my amazement, he responded that he was on a bus from the Coachella grounds to New Orleans for Jazzfest, a road trip organized by celebrity activist Sean Penn. In what is being dubbed the Dirty Hands Caravan , 150 people recruited during Coachella are traveling cross-country on three bio-diesel buses and assisting with a host of noble causes in various cities along the way. In exchange for their energy and action, all the living expenses such as food, camping, and transportation are being paid for until the return to Los Angeles on May 7th. The caravan participated in an AIDS march in Tucson on Monday before heading into New Mexico. Today the group traveled to Texas where they will work for environmental conservation, rally for immigrant’s rights, and repair neighborhoods while clearing trash. Once they arrive in New Orleans, the focus shifts on health care and rehabilitation of areas still damaged nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina. I hope the Dirty Hands workers are also rewarded with tickets to the Jazzfest fairgrounds, because it seems like they’re definitely being kept busy enough on this trip to earn a reward when they reach the final destination. I have to give credit to Sean Penn because this project has nothing but good intentions and is fostering the concepts of helping the less fortunate to a generation who might not be exposed otherwise. We’re all looking forward to more reports from the road and will gladly pass them along to you, the readers of My Wear & Tear.

Dirty Hands Caravan on the open road

The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to round two of the NBA playoffs following last night’s 107-101 victory over the Denver Nuggets, completing a clean sweep of their mile-high opponents and leaving LA as the only team still undefeated in the postseason. Kobe Bryant tallied 31 points, including 14 in the final six minutes of the contest, Pau Gasol scored 21, and Lamar Odom led the squad with 12 rebounds. Purple and Gold now enjoy a couple days’ rest before they face the winner of the Utah Jazz / Houston Rockets series, which Utah currently leads 3-1, with game five tonight at 6:30 pm. The Eastern conference’s number one seed isn’t having quite as easy of a time as the Lakers during their opening round. In an unbelievable turn of events, the Boston and Atlanta series is now tied at two apiece after the Hawks downed the Celtics 97-92 yesterday thanks to Joe Johnson’s 35 points and Josh Smith contributing 28 of his own, going 12 of 13 from the free throw line. If Atlanta can somehow manage to oust Boston from the playoffs, it would be a monumental upset and supreme disappointment for the city still bitter from this year’s Super Bowl failure against the New York Giants. I’ve also been keeping a close eye on the Phoenix Suns’ match up against the San Antonio Spurs, a series that returns to Texas tonight with the Spurs holding a 3-1 advantage. The Suns found a way to handily defeat San Antonio on Sunday 105-86 after losing the first three. It will be fun to see if the Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich continues issuing orders for the hack-a-Shaq defense, a strategy that has frustrated the 7’ 1” center and Phoenix fans to no end. The 2008 NBA playoffs are only 10 days old but have already succeeded in completely drawing me in. With three of four games this evening on TNT and NBA TV being potential series clinchers, I don’t foresee my interest waning anytime soon.

I made it out to the AMC theatre at Westfield in Century City to see Horton Hears a Who! Saturday night and was in rapture at the Dr. Seuss story brought to life on the big screen. The rich, vivid colors within the animation and frenetic action in Whoville were but two of the highlights in the surprisingly funny tale that trumped the two recent live action versions of Theodor Geisel’s children’s stories, The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas . If you haven’t seen it yet, keep your eyes peeled for two scenes: one where the computer generated images give way to the original Seuss drawing style and another when Horton gets into a fight and the design all of a sudden shifts into anime mode. These two moments are a somewhat jarring departure for the story’s visual presentation but succeed in ramping up the energy level by keeping the audience on its toes. I also found the time to watch the brief but exciting Cloverfield , a thrill-ride motion picture that thrusts the unsuspecting viewer into a harrowing encounter with a 350-foot monster on a path of destruction through New York City. None of the human characters were particularly memorable but I don’t think that was the point. To watch a behemoth creature devastate Manhattan in realistic detail is, as producer and Lost creator J.J. Abrams says in the special features, a clear tribute to Godzilla and King Kong but also an earnest attempt to scare people already on edge from the carnage they witness daily. I was a little put off by initial descriptions of the shaky handheld look but kind of got into the unique point of view after awhile. In fact the whole thing grew on me as it unfolded, more than I thought it would, and ended so abruptly it left me wanting more. The movie works on a visceral level but also possesses a subtext, albeit buried under the rubble of so many demolished high-rise apartments, and for that I will recommend you give it a try.

The 13th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books takes over the UCLA campus this weekend with hundreds of authors, exhibitions, speakers, and events for all ages scattered about the grounds. A veritable Mecca for literary enthusiasts, I attended in 2003 for a musical performance by The Rock Bottom Remainders, a mildly enjoyable super group comprised of Simpsons creator Matt Groening, renowned authors Amy Tan and Dave Barry, and others. I have higher hopes for today’s 1 pm discussion and concert with bass guitar virtuoso Victor Wooten. Vic is the kind of player who can best be described as superhuman, for his feats on the instrument are unparalleled. Some other personalities appearing this afternoon are Ray Bradbury, the Dodgers’ Tommy Lasorda, and actress Valerie Bertinelli while tomorrow features Julie Andrews, Cheech Marin, Henry Winkler, and director John Landis interviewed by Tim Curry to name but a few. Temperatures are expected to climb towards 90 degrees even in Santa Monica, so if you head out be sure to stay hydrated, wear a hat or sunscreen and we’ll see you back here on Monday. Enjoy the weather this weekend!

Flight of the Conchords are playing a free set at Amoeba Music around 6 pm this evening, so I’m about to head over there in hopes of seeing the kiwi jokesters. Aside from the Paul McCartney in-store last year there’s been at least one other Amoeba show I know of that’s filled the building to capacity, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals in March of 2006, so you’re better off playing it safe by arriving a little early than risk being shut out. Worst case scenario if the place is mobbed and I’m turned away? It’s really no biggie because I’m in for both nights at the Orpheum Theatre on May 30th and June 1st. Rumor has it the Conchords will also make a surprise appearance at Coachella this weekend but as of yet there’s nothing on the set times schedule to back it up. I won’t be there to find out for myself, so if you hear of anything while in the sweltering desert, hop over to the AT&T Blue Room next to the Mojave Tent and post a reply for all of us living vicariously through the multitude of internet message boards. A hearty thank you, in advance, from My Wear & Tear.

The Coachella Main Stage in 2007

The second game of the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff series against Denver is 7:30 pm tonight at Staples Center, televised on TNT and Fox Sports Net, with Purple and Gold enjoying a 1-0 lead over the Nuggets. Only one underdog team is winning their first round match up, the Philadelphia ‘76ers , who found a way to foil the Detroit Pistons’ defense and pound out a 90-86 victory on Sunday. Game two of that Eastern conference battle can be seen on NBA TV with tip-off scheduled for right around 4:30 pm PST today. One of the most exciting series’ thus far has been the San Antonio Spurs versus Phoenix Suns, where the Spurs hold a commanding 2-0 advantage after last night’s 102-96 win behind Tony Parker’s game-high 32 points. The Suns have started each contest with a barrage of offense, jumping out to a first half lead both times, only to have the Spurs chisel away diligently before eventually coming away with the wins. Now that the series moves to Phoenix, Shaq, Steve Nash, and the rest of the squad will have the home crowd at their backs in hopes to turn the momentum. As the Suns knocked the Lakers out in the first round the past two seasons, it’s only fitting that they might suffer a similar fate, my only overriding hope being that the series goes seven games to potentially tire out both teams before one moves on to the Western conference semi-finals.

Hillary Clinton won the Pennsylvania Presidential primary election over Barack Obama yesterday, keeping her campaign to become the Democratic nominee alive for at least another few weeks. The next two states to get a primary vote are Indiana and North Carolina on May 6th, with early analysis saying Obama is likely to claim North Carolina while Indiana is nearly an even split. I’ve never known an intraparty race to be this close, especially with the November general election only six and a half months away. It’s been an undeniably exciting time in the political realm with no signs of this neck and neck tug of war subsiding. So long as the mud-slinging and muck-raking don’t convert Democratic voters to become John McCain supporters, I embrace the remaining competition with confidence that the most qualified candidate will emerge triumphant as our best choice for US President in 2008.

The trailers I’ve seen on TV for Speed Racer these past few days have been nothing short of eye-popping. Directed by the innovative creators of The Matrix trilogy, Andy and Larry Wachowski, the movie comes out on May 9th and stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon, and John Goodman. The film’s visual style has a look reminiscent of video games such as Mario Kart Wii and the SSX snowboarding/skiing series. Give a click on the picture below to visit the Speed Racer website and watch the preview, it’s a definite rush.

Earth Day is tomorrow, April 22nd, but I got into the spirit of nature a little early by attending two scenic musical gatherings this weekend: Topanga Earth Day Festival in the Santa Monica Mountains and Green Apple Festival on Santa Monica Pier. The Topanga Earth Day Festival took place on both Saturday and Sunday but I opted to attend just the first day as Leon Mobley & Da Lion and Particle served up a tasty tandem of danceable beats to a friendly and relaxed crowd. The set by Da Lion had a good deal more visual flair than the latter as the percussive group invited a trio of dancers in traditional African clothing on stage to spice things up through interpretive movement and acrobatics. What Particle may have lacked in spectacle they made up for with up-tempo tunes that got devoted fans and the uninitiated alike up and boogying over a 90 minute span that began in daylight but ended in complete darkness, save a solitary string of Christmas lights and the full moon to provide sparse illumination. It was an entirely magical and memorable event that left me eager to return to the location this time next year, if not sooner.


Leon Mobley & Da Lion at Topanga Earth Day Festival 4.19.08

After yesterday afternoon’s thrilling playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, when the Lakers won 128-114 behind Pau Gasol’s near-triple double of 36 points, 16 rebounds and 8 assists, I made my way to the Santa Monica Pier for the LA version of the Green Apple Festival. Arriving a bit later than I had hoped, I found Ziggy Marley already on stage, playing acoustically to a huge audience numbering in the thousands. Following his set, the cool shoreline temperature became downright blustery as gusty winds picked up and the crowd began to thin out substantially. As I was there to see legendary headliner Taj Mahal, I dressed accordingly in a fleece, but took advantage of the exiting patrons and made my way close to the front for his hour-long show. The Taj Mahal Trio laid it down effortlessly, turning all of those who stuck around through the chilly conditions into lovers of the blues. One song I was particularly happy to hear was “Corrina,” a number I first became familiar with through the enormous live catalog of Phish, though it was a great delight to finally hear the original artist’s version. The two days of environmentally-themed activities had come to a close but Earth Day itself hadn’t even begun yet. One late-breaking show announcement for tonight is that Marc Ford plays around 10 pm this evening at The Joint on Pico for a gig that is certain to go past midnight, so come on out for a suitably unpredictable performance to properly usher in the globally-minded holiday.

Taj Mahal Trio at Green Apple Festival Santa Monica 4.20.08

Helmet play the Key Club in West Hollywood tonight with opening acts Nick Oliveri & Mondo Generator and Fireball Ministry. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve been there for a show, maybe Morbid Angel and Soulfly in 2005, but it will be fun to go back. I got into Queens of the Stone Age a little late in their band history and never saw Nick Oliveri with them or anyone else, so I’ll be sure to arrive early for his set. Reviews from last night in San Diego are that Helmet played all of the 1997 record Aftertaste and newspaper ads for the Key Club gig proclaim that they will dig a little deeper to perform the seminal Meantime in its entirety. I’m always excited going into a Helmet show but knowing that I’m going to hear the album that turned me onto them back in 1992 is an added thrill.

After a hard-fought regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers are to be commended as the number one team in the Western conference. The first round playoff schedule has been determined and Purple and Gold are set to square off against the Denver Nuggets starting on Sunday, April 20th. The Lakers beat the Nuggets all three times they faced each other in the 2007-8 campaign but haven’t seen them since the middle of January so care should be taken not to underestimate the eight seed, lest they suffer the same fate as the Dallas Mavericks in last year’s opening series upset courtesy of the Golden State Warriors .

Today is the deadline for MVP voting and Kobe Bryant is an odds-on favorite to receive the award for the first time in his career. The winner won’t be announced for another week or two, so #24 still has a few more games at Staples Center to soak in the deafening chants of “M-V-P” before the league potentially bequeaths the honor upon him. New Orleans Hornets’ All-Star point guard Chris Paul is also in the running for the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, but in my estimation there really is no contest with who should take home the accolade. Kobe Bryant motivated the Lakers’ front office to make a trade that ensured a dominant position going into the postseason when they obtained Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies and has shared the ball more than ever, inspiring his team mates to reach their potential and perform at an incredibly high level. I hope the drought Kobe has endured from the voters ends soon and he earns a fourth championship ring to go along with it, dual proof of just how special this season has been.

The Justice ’08 Tour kicks off at West Hollywood’s Troubadour on Tuesday as The Nightwatchman Tom Morello performs with a few familiar friends in tow, namely Slash from Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction, Pete Yorn, and others. This show is the first night of an eight-city run that concludes in Chicago on May 1st and each concert addresses a social issue specific to the location, the theme here being homelessness. This will be my first time seeing the Rage Against the Machine guitarist’s acoustic alter ego, though I did watch a webcast of his set from Bonnaroo last June and was amazed by how disparate it was from the well-known aggressive rock material. Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals performed a surprise set at Hotel Café with The Nightwatchman last week and Ben joined Eddie Vedder at The Wiltern on Sunday so it would be a treat if he or his band mates materialized at this evening’s gig as well. Tickets might be a little hard to come by as it is already sold out but if this roster of musicians has you salivating on the keyboard, it doesn’t hurt to get head over around 8 pm and see if they release some more.

The Los Angeles Lakers host the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center tonight in a game that concludes the regular season and determines Purple and Gold’s position when the playoffs begin on April 19th. A final win means the number one seed in the Western Conference and guaranteed home court advantage until the Finals in June so expect the Kings to play hard to prevent them from claiming the title. Tip off is, as usual, shortly after 7:30 pm and the game can be seen on Fox Sports Net. Even the Dodgers are getting into the postseason spirit as they invited forward Ronny Turiaf to throw out the first pitch last night before they lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He dressed up for the occasion, wearing their trademark white and blue jersey and almost threw a strike to second baseman Jeff Kent. The Lakers.com BasketBlog has a video up of it here; Ronny’s humble bow to Kent afterwards is priceless.

Paul Verhoeven took a while to make Black Book , his first directorial effort since the forgettable Hollow Man of 2000, and the fruit of his patient labors is a rich film in imagery and history. Now on DVD, the World War II-era story of a female spy from the Dutch resistance who infiltrates Gestapo headquarters by romancing an Nazi officer is gripping and often graphic, but also lush and vast in its presentation of the European countryside. Coming from the Netherlands-born director of Basic Instinct , Starship Troopers , Robocop , and Total Recall , this is clearly a more personal and important work, one that resonates deep through the horrors endured and depicted. The authenticity in the characters’ wardrobe and costumes design, along with the attention to detail in set decoration show a rare level of commitment in film making from page to screen. Although there’s no denying the unsettling subject matter may put off some viewers, it is an essential piece of art for any aficionado of the cinema.