This Friday, April 5, Amoeba will be on hand at First Fridays at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. We’ll be selling $20-for-$15 gift certificates (limit four per person) and giving away other goodies. The first 30 people who come to our table and say “boogaloo” get a free Amoeba T-shirt!

The show this Friday features electronic composer Dan Deacon and art-rockers Japanther, as well as talks on the periodic table, with hands-on activities and discussions as to how the periodic table relates to the arts, history and mythology. The discussions start at 5 p.m. and run until 7 p.m., while the performances go from 8-10 p.m. Meanwhile the DJ lounge will feature KCRW’s Anthony Valadez and a DJ set from L.A.-based indie pop duo Kisses from 5:30-10 p.m.

Pre-sale tickets for this event are sold out, but a limited number of  tickets will be available at the Museum’s South Entrance the day of the event starting at 5:00pm.

Amoeba’s ongoing sponsorship of First Fridays at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles continues March 1 with Allah-Las and The Babies. We’ll be at a table near the entrance selling Amoeba swag, $20-for-$10 Amoeba gift certificates (limit two per person) and more. There's also a tour of the museum and discussion with Dr. Lucy Jones starting at 5 p.m., discussing the history of seismology in LA and what might be in its future — yikes! The band performances run from 8 to 10 p.m., with KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez and Travis Holcombe spinning from 5:30 to 10 p.m. in the DJ lounge, where you can buy drinks as well. For $18 you get a presale ticket and museum admission (with a guaranteed spot in the concert hall), or museum admission with access to the discussions and DJ lounge but not the concert hall for $12. The event starts at 5 p.m. Get tickets for the show here.

This show is extra special because it features Allah-Las, who met while the members were working at Amoeba. Since forming, the band, which filters surf rock, ’60s garage rock nuggets and ’80s jangly paisley underground rock into a cool, collected whole, has become one of the biggest young bands in Los Angeles. Produced by another local favorite, ’50s-flavored songsmith Nick Waterhouse, their self-titled debut record, released in 2012 on Innovative Leisure, was one of the most buzzed-about L.A. records of the year and has helped launch the band globally. We’re proud of our boys and we hope you check them out March 1! Read my interview with the band here.

It's been a week and a half since Hurricane Sandy ravaged New York and New Jersey and the cities and beach communities there are still working to recover from the storm. To top it all off, they have just been hit with a snowfall and many homes that just had their power restored are back without electricity. A group of Los Angeles residents have formed a collaborative to help grassroots organizations in New York with their relief efforts.

LA Hearts NY is throwing an emergency benefit this Sunday, November 11 at Space 15Twenty in Hollywood (right across from Amoeba). The event runs 2-6pm and will feature DJs from KCRW (Chris Douridas), Cat Power (Gregg Foreman and Nico Turner) & others, along with a silent auction, bake sale, Intelligentsia coffee and more. They still need help too so if you want to donate anything (including auction items) please email them at laheartsny@gmail.com.

 

 

 "....Yet Another Reason Why Amoeba Rules."

Friend of Amoeba Hollywood, public radio station KCRW welcomes American radio icon Joe Frank back to the Santa Monica radio station's airwaves later today (July 20th) when he will present a special production of UnFictional - the KCRW Independent Producer Project that features captivating stories of real life told by writers and performers.  Today's special production of UnFictional, that airs at 730pm, is titled Dreamers and addresses questions regarding time and mortality. It includes "stories about a family’s tragic visit to Palestine, a man who attends a dinner party after learning he might be dying, and a contemplation of different perspectives on time,” said Frank in a prepared statement.

The most-unique & influential radio artist was previously at the station for sixteen years when he created several radio programs beginning in 1986 with the one hour Joe Frank: Work In Progress. Of Joe Frank, KCRW's Bob Carlson said that, "Listening to one of his stories is a mesmerizing and disorienting experience. If you’ve never heard one before, you’re in for a trip.”

Dreamers will air live today Friday, July 20th at 7:30pm PST on 89.9 FM in the greater Los Angeles area and will also stream online at kcrw.com. If you miss it today it will rebroadcast on KCRW on Tuesday, July 24 at 2:30pm or you can grab it online later today here to download, stream and podcast.