Send in the Clones
Detroit’s 103-97 win against Boston last night in the second game of the Eastern Conference Finals was an unexpectedly pleasant outcome for a match-up that I had assumed the Celtics would dominate. The series now tied at one apiece, the Pistons have turned the tables and momentum, holding home court advantage for three of the five remaining contests. Game three of the Pistons / Celtics is Saturday at 5:30 pm Pacific time, televised on ABC from Auburn Hills, Michigan. Of course, tomorrow is still a world away because the Los Angeles Lakers face San Antonio’s Spurs in game two of the Western Conference Finals tonight. Purple and Gold overcame a 20-point third quarter deficit on Wednesday behind the heroics of Kobe Bryant, who notched a 25-point second half and dished out a game-high nine assists. A few key players for LA ended up with conspicuously low numbers, namely Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, so I expect them to step up their play at Staples Center this evening to try and preserve their playoffs unbeaten-at-home streak before the series shifts to Texas. Join me in rooting on the home team in a critical juncture; watch it with friends at 6 pm Pacific on TNT.
An old picture of Temple Bar without the Westside Rentals office next door
Jet lag and an impending cold didn’t stop me from going out after the Lakers won game one to see Wilco’s Nels Cline, Kneebody, and Wayne Krantz Trio at Temple Bar in Santa Monica. A minor ticket snafu at the door led to me missing the opening set by Nels, but all was resolved by the time Kneebody took to the stage. They delivered an hour-long set of experimental jazz-rock that piqued my interest, especially their talented saxophonist Ben Wendel, a Westside local. Wayne Krantz expounded on the night’s instrumental theme with a 95-minute set replete with bold though seemingly endless guitar passages and a tight rhythm section consisting of bassist Tal Wilkenfeld and drummer Cliff Almond.
This holiday weekend I’m torn between two shows at exactly the same time on Sunday. I’ve already got tickets for Jam Day of Jazz Reggae Fest at UCLA featuring The Roots, John Densmore’s Tribaljazz, Immortal Technique, and Dr. Lonnie Smith, among others, but there’s also Topanga Days in the lush canyon with Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club, Gary Louris, and Jonathan Wilson, to name but a few of the artists. When the biggest challenge in front of me is to choose between two excellent concerts, it’s ultimately nothing to be all that concerned about. This Memorial Day, I suggest reflecting on the state of the world and the people who protect our freedoms with their lives; in due time, everything else will be put into perspective. See you next week right here at My Wear & Tear!
Topanga Days in 2005
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