Thurs/Oct 28
The Orange County Museum of Art has been not-uncool lately, and no, I don't understand it either. Not only did their recent Biennial opening have lots and lots of naked pictures and a performance art piece about creating a homegrown rock band on-site, it also was completely lacking annoying and entitled mid-30s debs and bankers. Now they're hosting a Thursday night program featuring the best acts from Largo, the smallish LA club where you used to be able to see Tenacious D once a week, and that's still the home base for peeps like Aimee Mann. This week, break open your piggy bank because seeing Jon Brion, who produces Mann and Fiona Apple and who soundtracked Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, don't come cheap. 8:30 p.m. $35. (Ouch!) Orange County Museum of Art, 850 San Clemente Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 759-1122.
Fri
The Passion of the Bush. This film, which is actually called George W. Bush: Faith in the White House, has been distributed free of charge to 300,000 American churches. That's why I love it so much when RNC head Ed “Chinless” Gillespie says John Kerry going to a black church and asking “But what is faith, then, without works?” is “beyond the bounds of acceptable discourse.” Because it's politicizing religion, yo! You know: completely unlike when the RNC asked for access to church membership lists and pressured the worst, most reactionary members of my Catholic Church to have John Kerry excommunicated. Undoubtedly the Unitarians are playing the flick for laughs, so be sure to bring something to throw at the screen. God bless the Unitarians. 7 p.m. Unitarian Church of South County, 25801 Obrero Dr., Mission Viejo, (949) 588-9367. Sat
There's great stuff going on tonight, including the fab Swingin' Utters at Alex's Bar in Long Beach and a Halloween party at La Cave featuring as celebrity guest judge the one and only LEIF GARRET! But how can you pass up the Pirates Festival at Mission San Juan Capistrano? Dude, in 1818, pirates took over the Mission! How awesome is that? Who knew??? So come and witness the live raid—and come in costume to win a prize, argh! This is utterly delightful in every stinking way. $4-$6. Mission San Juan Capistrano, corner of Ortega Hwy. N Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1322; www.missionsjc.com. Sun
I'd been pretty well ignoring the Arlington West Memorial Project, where Veterans for Peace assembles a symbolic military cemetery in Surf City every Sunday. But then I read Gordon Dillow's Register column about same, where he says (and I paraphrase, as Nexis has blocked out this story from its robot memory) that he's a big giant asshole (I paraphrase) and that building a memorial to slain soldiers with the objective of making folks think about the war's casualties is suspect and suspicious and much less beneficent than an actual memorial with no political agenda would be but he guesses we should still be allowed freedom of speech since that's what our soldiers in Iraq died for. Freedom. Which is on the march! (He didn't say that last part; he's been woefully off the talking points lately. Snap to it, Dillow! And we are glad you're back!) 8 a.m.; Take down, 7 p.m. Orange County Veterans for Peace, Lifeguard Station 3, just south of Huntington Beach Pier, Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach,se*******@ya***.com.
Oh, yeah, and it's also Halloween.
Mon
Pray. Tues
What was it I was going to do today? I know it was something important. Oh, it's killing me!
I kid! Ha ha! Get it? Because I've been obsessively riding this emotional election roller coaster for the past 14 months? Funny me! Since I've been completely unable to update my blog for over a week, here's my prediction: Kerry landslides with 346 electoral votes. You heard me, Nevada(and North Carolina)! Now let's hop to it and deliver a big enough margin that this gets wrapped up within the week. I can't handle hanging on till January this time. I am hanging on by a thread, and pretty it is not. Vote early and often, boys. Early and often.
Wed
Neville Brothers in the house tonight. With Trevor Hall. 7 p.m. All ages. $30. Mouse House of Blues, 1530 S. Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, (714) 778-2583. Thurs/Nov
4 Largo at OCMA continues, and I can still sing you every word to No Myth (you might remember it as Romeo in Black Jeans). I bet Michael Penn really hates that song by now. 8:30 p.m. $35. Orange County Museum of Art, 850 San Clemente Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 759-1122.
Looking for something more free? Judy Chamberlain is an incredible torch singer, and I say that as someone who hates jazz utterly and completely. 6-10 p.m. Free! Partners Bistro and the Terrace, 448 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, (949) 497-4441.
