I know that the world is currently inundated with MJ news. That said, I figured that since I made a church organ related post last week, I should follow it up with the footage from Robert Ridgell's tribute to Michael. Although the Trinity Wall Street Church's organ is an electric facsimile of a pipe organ, I'll give them a pass, as it seems their old pipe organ was taken out by 9-11 debris & fallout.

In the confusing sprawl that is Los Angeles, you never know what alternate realities are hidden from block to block. Some of our best kept culinary secrets are tucked away in minimal blight or carted around in taco trucks, secret museums are hidden in bank basements, powerful soothsayers and Santaria healers rent corner spaces from struggling car stereo shops. But due to the overwhelming topography of LA, we can miss out of things that are not hidden at all. In fact, some of these "secrets" can take up city blocks. Case in point, the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. The beautiful Neo-Gothic church is just behind Lafayette Skate Park in the Westlake area and quite visible from Wilshire. If you need an escape from the drug dealers and fake I.D. guys in MacArthur Park, this is the place. Every Thursday @ 12:10 they open the doors to the public and give free organ concerts. Their organ happens to be the largest on the planet, so it's quite a privilage to attend these concerts. This Thursday, July 2nd, there will be a special concert @ 2:00pm featuring brass and choral ensembles as well as the organ. It might be worth an extended lunch break...

Having missed the Egyptian's 70mm presentation of both 2001 and Vertigo last week, I'm going to make the trek out to the Aero on the 23rd to catch Vertigo. My last vacation to San Francisco was heavily influenced by the film; we checked out a few of the landmarks that pop up throughout the winding plot. Anyhow, back to 70mm: A few years back I took my son to a Sleeping Beauty 70mm screening and was blown away. During the 80's I caught quite a few of the major blockbusters (E.T., Raiders, Return of the Jedi etc.) but I most remember the Cinema 21 showing of Lawrence of Arabia back in '89. I remember it was '89 because they played "So Alive" by Love and Rockets during the intermission and I hate that song. Even at 14 I could appreciate what the 70mm projection did for Lawrence of Arabia and I'm sure you'll agree if you too choose to run out to Santa Monica next weekend and catch the sceening of either Lawrence or the Hitchcock classic. While you're at it, tomorrow night they're showing an amazing Noir double as part of their Jules Dassin tribute-- Thieves' Highway and Night and the City!