Los Angeles Downtown News 05-30-22

May 30, 2022 I VOL. 51 I #22

Dodgers PLAYERFEST RETURNS

LADF celebrates new Dreamteam at Dodger Stadium

Neon Cruises Museum of Neon Art leads double-decker bus tour from Downtown

It’s time to VOTE

Hits The Streets Aug. 15th!

Go to: ladowntownnews.com to vote Contact Catherine Holloway at 213-308-2261 or Michael Lamb at 213-453-3548

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MAY 30, 2022

Covered California CONSIDER THIS will help

I’ll be the judge of that

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist

F

ull disclosure: Although I do not have a personal or professional relationship with Deputy Public Defender Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes, who is running for LA Superior Court Office 67, she is a part of my All Saints Church “family.”

I would like her to win. This column is about why I want her and her three “Defenders of Justice” colleagues to win, notwithstanding sentimental ties to my church. Also, there will be no wise cracking from me this week; my humor is on hiatus given the Texas mass shooting tragedy unfolding as I write this.

The Defenders of Justice have a picture on their brochure that virtually screams “Bad-Ass Super Heroes”! I love their stances, both judicially and physically. I would happily show this brochure to any kid and say, “I hope you grow up to be like these folks.”

That’s my advocacy side. My former law-student side cringed a little when I saw the brochure. When I was coming up, judges campaigning for office seemed wrong to me, not in practical terms but philosophically speaking.

When I was a law student in the mid-’70s at Loyola Law School Los Angeles, we immersed ourselves in professional ethics. Professional ethics even had its own separate section of my bar exam! On both the federal and state bench, you’ll find “Canon 2: A Judge Should Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in all Activities,” which comes from “The Code of Conduct for United States Judges” with similar language for California Judges.

Campaigning for a bench seat used to be taboo. Campaigning means raising money, and money could create undue influence to and from a judge. We select judges based on their abilities to be impartial, so campaigning appears to be improper. However, I’ve since changed my mind.

“Avoiding the appearance of impropriety…” without a definition is a broad brush to paint professional and personal behavior. What appears improper to one person is entirely subjective. With all that said, I wholeheartedly endorse the women who are on the Defenders of Justice roster.

I don’t usually extract sizeable portions of text from other sources, but given the infuriating shenanigans of associate in-justices Thomas, Kavanaugh, Coney Barrett, Gorsuch and Alito, read the following commentary from the Code of Conduct through the lens of the proper — and improper — decisions of the conservatives on the SCOTUS: (A) Respect for law — A judge should respect and comply with the law and should act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.

Me: On its face, Coney Barrett, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh flat-out lied about holding Roe v. Wade as established law and disrespected “stare decisis,” Latin for “let the decision stand.” Their stance is disgusting from a judicial standpoint and pure gold to minority anti-choice zealots.

(B) Outside influence — A judge should not allow family, social, political, financial or other relationships to influence judicial conduct or judgment…

Me: “Hey, In-justice Thomas — ever heard of the practice of recusing oneself?” As we increasingly see how Ginni Thomas is eyebrow-deep in rightwing nutjob politics, that he’s still on the bench is a slap in the face to people concerned about impropriety.

What does this have to do with the Defenders of Justice? By today’s standards and the examples set by some of the Supremes, I believe it is not improper to have candidates for judge go public with their views.

A confession: As election aware as I like to think of myself, evaluating the judges on a ballot has traditionally stumped me, and that’s embarrassing to admit.

MAY 30, 2022

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Covered California CONSIDER THIS will help I’ll bet many of us are like that and possibly too proud to admit it. To help make the most informed choices, I typically use the consumer watchdog guides, Democratic party and union endorsements, and the League of Women Voters.

I still feel ignorant about judges, but not this time. I’m very impressed with the Defenders of Justice slate that consists of Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes (Office 67), Holly Hancock (Office 70), Carolyn “Jiyoung” Park (Office 118) and Anna Slotky Reitano (Office 60).

They will primarily weigh their decisions based on how the law impacts life as lived by people who are not privileged. Currently, many judges come from prosecutorial positions or are well-connected, aka elite. The Defenders of Justice are all deputy public defenders, except for Ms. Park, a civil rights attorney.

I didn’t realize until I met Ms. Lashley-Haynes that a public defender has never been elected as a judge in Los Angeles County and that only 38.7% of trial court judges are women.

Hey folks, last I checked, women’s experience is different from men’s, especially when it comes to poverty. These candidates are on the ground with social services that could prevent negligence and/or crime. When it comes to sentencing, they collectively say, “We need care, not cages. … The Defenders of Justice understand how to utilize the options available to prioritize care and rehabilitation instead of punishment.”

Thank you, public defenders, for standing for justice. That, for me, is the essence of propriety.

Ellen Snortland has written this column for decades and also teaches creative writing. She can be reached at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/ beautybitesbeast.

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Covered NEWS California will help Wilson calls for action after deadly shootings

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor he nation has mourned the loss of 19 children and two teachers who were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. The students were 9 to 10 years old.

“When is enough, enough?” asked Mel Wilson, mayoral candidate and businessman, in a May 25 statement.

“No parents, grandparent or family should ever suffer the pain and grief from the loss of a child, grandchild or sibling. Politicians, we need more than your hope and prayers, your public mourning, your political rhetoric about gun control. We have a duty to protect our children from senseless gun violence.”

According to reports, there have been 274 mass shootings in the United States since 2009, resulting in over 1,500 people killed and over 980 wounded. The shooting in Uvalde is the 27th school shooting that resulted in either injury or death this year and occurred 10 days after another mass shooting at Tops supermarket in Buffalo that killed 10 people.

“Politicians utter statements about hope and prayer on one side and gun control on the other side and taking a moment of silence on both sides without doing anything meaningful to stop gun violence,” Wilson

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Mel Wilson is a former Metro board member and current candidate in the LA mayoral race.

Mel Wilson/Submitted

said. “While I believe in the Second Amendment right to bear arms, I also believe that we need to take prudent actions to screen out the mentally ill and criminals from having easy legal access to military-style weapons. Guns alone do not cause mayhem; deranged people do.

“What about our rights or the rights of children to grow up to be adults? As parents, grandparents or older siblings, we have a right to expect our children we dropped off at school to be safe until we return to pick them up. The USA has over 320 million people, but Americans own 400 million guns. Where in the Constitution does it say that reasonable gun background checks are a breach of our Second Amendment?”

Along with shootings over the past two weeks, Los Angeles has seen its own increase in gun violence as the number of gun-related homicides reached a 15year high in 2021. According to reports from the LAPD, the pace of killings has been even higher this year.

“There needs to be an intersection of common sense between private citizens having the right to bear arms and sworn public safety officers having the ability to be stationed on our school campuses to keep our children safe,” Wilson said. “Voters have a right and duty to demand common sensical policies, procedures and laws that the overwhelming majority of Americans want.”

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MAY 30, 2022

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LA Fitness property in Baldwin Park sells for $18.08M

John Anthony named Kidder Mathews DTLA managing director

By LA Downtown News Staff idder Mathews executive vice president John Anthony was promoted to managing director of the firm’s DTLA office.

He specializes in selling and leasing office properties in greater Los Angeles.

Anthony has more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate and works with a team of brokers that includes Chris Steck, Chris Giordano and Phil Taggart. The team has completed over 1,250 transactions totaling more than $2 billion. Anthony is a Society of Industrial and Office Realtors designee.

“My decision to join Kidder Mathews and continue my career here has everything to do with the entrepreneurial and agile culture, the opportunity to become owners with other top industry professionals, and the high level of support and systems they provide,” Anthony said.

By LA Downtown News Staff he LA Fitness at 13822 Garvey Avenue in Baldwin Park has sold in a 1031 Exchange for $18.08 million.

Kidder Mathews’ Tanel Harunzade, Darrell R. Levonian and Brittney McCarthy represented the seller, a private family investor, in the transaction. The buyer was represented by Janet Neman and Angelica Gotzev, also with Kidder Mathews.

The 45,000-square-foot facility is on 4 acres of freeway frontage at the prime intersection of Interstate 10 and Garvey Avenue, with traffic counts exceeding 236,000 cars per day. The area population is 56,268 with an average household income of $85,562 in a 3-mile radius.

“LA Fitness is a strong tenant with 15 years remaining on the initial NNN lease with a rent increase of 10% every five years,” Harunzade said. “The sale was an all-cash deal that closed in two weeks at a sales price over the listing price.”

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John Anthony is a Society of Industrial and Office Realtors designee.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Cole Gallagher plays The Mint in Los Angeles on Friday, June 3.

Luis Chavez/Staff Photographer

Singer Cole Gallagher thankful for his top-notch support

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor inger-songwriter Cole Gallagher is an old soul.

His lyrics are wise beyond his years and his understanding of music and the surrounding business as advanced as adults.

The 20-year-old South Pasadena resident appreciates his fans, his family and the rest of his team.

“I’m extremely gracious for all the support I’ve received along this road,” he said.

“I couldn’t have done it without an army behind me.”

He is the new voice of music coming out of the San Gabriel Valley. His latest single, “Chatting Through Steel,” features David Hidalgo from Los Lobos. Each Tuesday, Cole Gallagher & the Lesser Saints serve as the house band for The Mixx’s Tuesday Night Open Jam. The band hits the stage at The Mint in Los Angeles on Friday, June 3.

“They can expect songs from the record that’s coming out soon and stuff that I don’t know if I’ll ever release,” he said.

“I have about damn near 30 songs recorded, and I love them all. I feel like putting them all out, but that’s a tough move. I’d love to have all the music out, but we’re releasing the songs in small chunks. That’s the

S

way to do it.”

Inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA,” he is the first person in his family to pursue music. His father, Dan Gallagher, and his mother, Paula Gibson, introduced their son to music.

“I’m into classic rock artists like Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, CCR and, my goto, Pink Floyd,” Cole said. “I’ve had (CCR’s) ‘The Midnight Special’ stuck in my head for three months now.”

At age 11, he started guitar lessons with John Klof, who continues to mentor him.

“He taught me how to play guitar and has been writing with me since I was a little kid,” Cole said.

“He’s basically the one who helped me lay the foundation for everything. I went from putting a record together in LA, to going to Nashville, to mixing the album with Vance. If it wasn’t for John, I don’t know where I would be.”

“Vance” is Vance Powell, whom Cole met in the summer of 2020 during the mixing sessions for his first record. For the 16 tracks, the two spent 15 days together.

His live experience started with The Mixx in Pasadena, courtesy of Ed Minassian, in 2016, at 15.

“He’s been a saint to me,” Cole said. “He’s put up with my band for almost three years now. Every Tuesday night we play there. I

went from going there and getting yelled at and put down by old-time blues players to being the house band for the joint and working hard to keep the tradition going.

“That’s really where I got my start — onstage at his bar. A couple of kids came up who had never played before onstage recently. It’s great to give that chance to other people.”

Cole said Pasadena has a special place in his heart, as his musical experience stemmed from the city’s venues. He attended South Pasadena Music Center & Conservatory and, in 2020, graduated from South Pasadena High School.

As a student, Cole met videographer Marc Levine in 2017. The family friend has provided the connections for the musician to move forward, setting him up with his first studio sessions in 2020 and an entertainment attorney.

“My dad and I refer to him as the glue,” Cole said.

“He helped me after I did a show in Pasadena at The Rose. After that, Marc helped me land at NAMM after-jam artist showcase at Bobby McGee’s in Orange County.

“Marc Levine got the ball rolling on everything that is going on,” he said.

Levine said he has watched Cole perform since his library gigs. He described his music as “cool” at the time, but unsophisticated.

“However, his lyrics were something to sit up and take notice of,” Levine added.

“Here was this precocious little kid speaking in a language much older than himself.

He’s an observational songwriter. That was something special. In talking to Cole and others, it’s come up that he is what people call an ‘old soul.’ I was intrigued by it.”

From there, Cole’s team continued to grow.

The lead engineer at Tustin’s Voyager Studio, Chris Sikora, came into Cole’s life in February 2020. He produced and engineered Cole’s first recordings.

“He reached out to his friends in Nashville, session players, to help create this music,” Dan said. “Chris was going to mix the project’s songs but instead handed it to Vance Powell.”

The six-time Grammy Award-writing record producer, engineer and mixer’s credits include Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown, the Raconteurs, the Dead Weather, the White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, Deadly Ap-

ples, Seasick Steve, Black Prairie, the Revivalists, Tinariwen, Jeff the Brotherhood, Daniel Ellsworth & the Great Lakes, and Martina McBride.

Powell was assisted by Michael Fahey, whom Dan called “the absolute key person who helped Cole take the major steps toward being able to record with amazing musicians.”

Fahey is Powell’s first assistant at Sputnik Sound he tracked half of the first recording sessions for Cole.

Nashville session keyboardist John Eldridge hooked Cole up with Jimbo Hart and Sadler Vaden of Jason Isbell’s band, the 400 Unit, for overdubbing bass and lead guitar on this project. Eldridge helped Cole find Powell’s Sputnik Studio in Nashville.

“Jimbo Hart and Cole have become very good friends,” Dan said. “Jimbo has recorded on both of Cole’s recording sessions.”

Cole considers Hart a mentor.

“When I go to Nashville, the first thing I do is call Jimbo,” he said. “We hang out and play music. He’s a great guy. Working with Jason’s band, I realized the caliber of musicianship in which I had been playing at. It’s pretty far off from what I was seeing happen in the studio.”

In the summer of 2020, Cole took a side trip to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to relax during a three-day break from recording in Nashville. Once again, being in the right place at the right time paid off for him. He ran into Barry Billings in a Marriott hotel lobby in Florence, Alabama.

“They found out they had common friends in the guys from the 400 Unit,” Dan said.

“They co-wrote a song together that was demoed by Barry and Cole at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. Then, Barry traveled to Buffalo to perform with Cole at his first nationally recognized music festival. He also invited Cole down to Florence, Alabama, again to perform with Jason Isbell.”

Cole continues to record with the likes of the 400 Unit’s Hart, Vaden and Chad Gamble, as well as Hidalgo.

“Things have really been a dream come true,” Cole said.

“I have so many people to thank, and I’ll be repaying them for the next God knows how many years.

“I’m super, super excited to see this music come out. I can’t even begin to express what the people involved mean to me.”

Cole Gallagher & the Lesser Saints WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, June 3 WHERE: The Mint, 6010 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $10 INFO: themintla.com, colegallagher.com

MAY 30, 2022

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MAY 30, 2022

Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help

Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal are Tears for Fears.

Frank Ockenfels/Submitted

Tears for Fears hopes fans relate to its music

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor ears for Fears felt the need to refresh its live show when it planned its first tour since 2017. A single here, a single there, would have sufficed.

But when Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith started writing, it snowballed — but only on their terms. The result was Tears for Fears’ first album since 2007, “The Tipping Point.”

“It was a little tedious playing the same material,” Smith said.

“At the behest of the industry, record company and management, we went on this speed dating course of writing with modern hit songwriters. While it was an interesting experiment, it failed abysmally.”

During the songwriting process, Orzabal’s first wife, Caroline, died, which, Smith called “a major upheaval.” Smith and Caroline were friends since they were 13. He’s hoping the album helps others who are grieving. Her death impacted the songwriting, as did the COVID-19 pandemic and world conflicts.

“There was a lot more upheaval in the world with the rise of the right wing, politically, worldwide; the climate crisis and the pandemic,” he added.

“There was so much turmoil, it seemed, two, two and a half years ago. The songwriting was getting more intense because of all these things.”

“The Tipping Point” is a highly personal album that was cathartic for the duo.

“Once the songs got into their final form, they had meaning and feeling behind them,” he said. “Coincidentally, we had bought ourselves off the record company. It was just myself and Roland to forge a path forward. We went back to writing like we did when we were 18.”

The two sat down at Smith’s home in Los Angeles with two acoustic guitars. That was the catalyst that brought the duo closer. They communicated — just the two of them, without record companies or management. Smith called the process “very freeing.”

Input from outside sources can make musicians and songwriters uncertain about their feelings.

“I think we were getting into moments of self-doubt,” Smith added about the collaborations.

“We were encouraged to work with these people. We’re songwriters at heart. It was literally four months we were done.”

In October, the duo released the first single and title track, “The Tipping Point,” which captures the grief of watching a loved one lose their long-standing battle with disease.

Their second single, “No Small Thing,” was a meeting of the minds as the pair went back to the drawing board and found the heart and soul that would complete the al-

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VOTE FOR

bum. The accompanying video was made using solely found footage showing the conflict between individual freedoms and collective responsibility.

Tears for Fears’ latest single, “Break the Man,” is an empowering yet groovy track that calls for a better balance between men and women. Inspired by the song’s lyrics, the music video encompasses a world that illustrates the constructed reality of the patriarchy. From the inside, the world appears infinite, but from the outside it’s a mere plaything in the hand of Mother Universe.

Smith said the songs they write must have meaning it goes into the proverbial trash.

“I find it far harder to write about superficial things,” he said.

“Our music tends to be very personal, sometimes political. We don’t have any intention of preaching to anyone. It’s a personal preference. If it has deep meaning to us, it seems to have deep meaning to our audience.

“That’s why our audience relates to us. People are going through the same thing. The most gratifying times are when we meet people who come to our shows. We get a lot of young people now. Anyway, people who are our age say ‘The Hurting’ helped them through their college years. They had the same teenage angst at the time. If you can have that affect and help other people, it’s worth it.”

Now Tears for Fears are on tour, visiting The Kia Forum on Saturday, June 4. As of the end of April, Tears for Fears hadn’t started rehearsals, but Smith was looking forward to it and the tour.

“We’ve done three of the new songs when we played on TV shows,” he recalled. “The band sounds fantastic. The new songs fit in beautifully with the old material. It’s as strong and as good. I hope people will like the new material.”

Tears for Fears WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4 WHERE: Kia Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood COST: Tickets start at $59.50 INFO: ticketmaster.com, thekiaforum.com

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By Alex Gallagher LA Downtown News Staff Writer aylor Bennett has spent half of his life attending pride festivals with the bulk of them in his native Chicago.

The support he felt while marching alongside that community captivated him at his first Chicago Pride at age 13. The brother of Chance the Rapper relished the knowledge he gained from the speakers.

“Growing up in Chicago, Pride is a really big thing,” he explained. “It’s very important to have these gatherings of our community where we’re given a chance to speak to each other, to enjoy each other, to learn more about each other and educate ourselves.”

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MAY 30, 2022

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Bennett has attended pride events around the country, and each one has been different, he said.

“No pride is the same, and every city has its own way of showing out and bringing who its people are to the table,” Bennett said.

So, it was an easy yes when he was asked to perform at Outloud: Raising Voices on Sunday, June 5. The set builds on the momentum of his latest release, “Coming of Age,” which hit airwaves in April.

“It’s not that often that I get to play festivals fresh off of a new release and having the opportunity to bring a buzz to WeHO Pride is great,” Bennett said.

Other performers include Lil’ Kim, Marina, Years & Years, Jessie J, Ana Bárbara, Angelica Ross, Cassidy King, CupcakKe, Dorian Electra, Freddie, Gina Chavez, Greyson Chance, Isaac Dunbar, Jake Wesley Rogers, Kaleena Zanders, Kelechi, Kornbread Jeté, Madison Beer, Madison Rose, Mari, Mila Jam, Mo Heart, Muna, Mykki Blanco, Ninel Conde, NoSo, Raye, Saucy Santana, Sam Tsui, Scarlett BoBo, Shaun Ross, Shea Diamond, Slayyyter, the Aces and Ylona Garcia. It’s hosted by Hannah Rad, Ryan Mitchell, Shar Jossell, Arisce Wanzer, Billy Francesca and Tina Burner.

Outloud: Raising Voices is the marquee attraction for WEHO Pride, the city of West Hollywood’s first self-produced Pride celebration. Outloud champions LGBTQ+ musicians and the community. The three-day experience will include the ticketed music festival and free community programming, all on San Vicente Boulevard and culminating with WEHO Pride’s community parade at noon Sunday, June 5.

Bennett said he’s looking forward to seeing the crowd enjoy his music.

“I’ve been performing these songs but never in that totality,” Bennett said. “By the time we play WeHO Pride, we’ll have a further/more advanced level of playing with the band and a more in-depth mix.”

In addition to newly released tracks, Bennett plans to curate a set list that features songs like “Kick Back,” “Today” and “Good Guy.” “Because this is such a special show, I’ll probably play the songs that I enjoy myself the most because, when I do things I enjoy, I tend to do them better than things that I would do for just streams and plays,” he said.

“Those songs just have this vibe to them where it feels as if the atmosphere is changing and the listener is entering a place that’s inclusive for everyone.”

His track “Be Yourself” is expected to get the biggest reaction, as it’s one of the most inspirational songs in his catalog.

“That track inspired me in a lot of ways after its release because of the acceptance and expression from listers,” he said.

Bennett is proud to represent his community at the festival. Calling it “a beauty,” Outloud, he said, is a “big thing.”

“I think it’s a great space for me,” Bennett said.

“These shows not only give us an environment to be ourselves, but they give us a platform to speak on things that are going on. It’s no secret that our community is extremely supportive. Anytime I get an opportunity to perform for my community, it’s something that I take seriously, and there’s nothing like having the opportunity to perform the songs for the people that I wrote the songs for.”

He plans to give every ounce of energy to his set to leave fans exhilarated.

“Fans can expect a great show,” he said.

“My big thing is that no matter where I am, I’m going to perform and I’m going to try to leave it all on the stage and give it the best that I can. Fans can also expect to hear an amazing band, new sounds, and expect to possibly find a new song or a new artist.”

Outloud: Raising Voices Music Festival WHEN: 4 p.m. Friday, June 3; noon Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5 WHERE: West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood COST: Tickets start at $10 INFO: weareoutloud.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

Neon Cruises reveal city’s iconic signage

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor eon has long played an important role in painting the image of Los Angeles as a bustling city with a thriving nightlife. As the sun sets over the Pacific, iconic signs like Mel’s Drive-in and Hollywood and Vine illuminate the city with a neon glow that catches the eye and captivates the imagination.

For the past three decades, the Museum of Neon Art has led neon-focused tours across LA County. On May 14, the museum launched its new season of Neon Cruises that invites audiences atop a double-decker bus for an open-air night excursion from Downtown to Hollywood and back. The tours are led by author Eric Lynxwiler and will run until Sunday, Sept. 18.

“I love sharing Los Angeles with people,” Lynxwiler said. “I can’t tell you how much I adore this city. I’ve lived here all my life. … I can’t believe I’ve been doing (the tours) for all these years, but I wouldn’t change that. Part of me is a ham, part of me is a teacher, and it’s really just a lot of fun.”

The live narrated tour departs from Downtown LA and points out neon’s historic and aesthetic dimensions while placing them firmly within the context of 20th century LA’s cultural history. From the classic movie marquees of the Downtown theater district and the glowing

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pagodas of Chinatown to the glittering lights of Hollywood, audiences will see both innovative electrical advertising as well as outstanding examples of contemporary art on this award-winning tour.

Part historic tour, part stand-up comedy and fully a love letter to Los Angeles, this tour is crafted for locals who may have missed parts of the city’s history hidden in plain sight, as well as tourists who want an offbeat insider’s look into what makes the area glow.

“I’m showing people a Los Angeles that they never knew existed,” Lynxwiler said. “A lot of people just don’t explore beyond their backyard, and they don’t see how many little Los Angeleses there are in this world. Dorothy Parker said that Los Angeles was 97 neighborhoods in search of a city, and I’m going to celebrate all 97 of those neighborhoods if I possibly can.”

Though Lynxwiler’s wit and voluminous knowledge of the city remains constant, he has had to adapt the tour’s route over the years as the city’s signage continues to change. There have been several nights that he has driven a tour and begun introducing a neon sign only to turn the corner and find that it had disappeared.

In one instance, Lynxwiler led a tour that saw a sign removed in front of the audience. He stopped the bus and called an intermission to the tour so that he

Initiatives such as “Bring Back Broadway” have seen many old neon signs return to life along Broadway Street.

MONA/Submitted

could find out why the sign, which said “Jesus saves” on the back of the United Artists Theatre, was being removed and how he could save it. It was never seen again.

“The city changes around us all the time,” Lynxwiler said. “It’s hard to picture Los Angeles without neon, just like it’s hard to picture Los Angeles without palm trees or automobiles. The city of LA grew up with cars in the heyday of neon in jazz-age America. It all happened at the exact same time. While Los Angeles was getting skyscrapers, we were growing up in an era of automobiles, neon and entertainment.”

In the 1920s, Downtown LA was booming with movie theaters that boasted enormous neon marquees. Businesses across the county utilized neon signage to attract visitors from both personal automobiles and the Red Car rail lines.

Neon become a sign of modernity.

“Neon wasn’t born in darkness,” Lynxwiler explained. “We lived in the world of incandescent lights, but suddenly those incandescent lights became long strings of neon tubes that could be bent in absolutely any shape imaginable. Whatever you imagined could become a neon sign. It could be a beer pouring or an eagle flapping its wings. … The city of Los Angeles was suddenly getting color and animated motion and signage that was multistories tall.”

Even after the Second World War saw the city’s neon lights switched off for fear of attack, LA remained home to a plethora of historic signage and some of the tallest neon installments in the state.

“There was a long-standing myth that Los Angeles had the first neon sign in the United States and that it would stop traffic for blocks and blocks,” MONA Executive Director Corrie Siegel said. “That was disproven a couple years back by our board Secretary Dydia DeLyser and her partner, Paul Greenstein, but there’s still this lore and sheen about neon. …

It speaks to the way that LA both represents itself and is represented to the outside world.”

The art and imagery of neon signage became an integral part of community identities across LA, including Chinatown, an area born from the destruction of LA’s original, organically grown community of Chinese Americans displaced to make way for Union Station. In Chinatown, neon became a way for the new generation of American-born Chinese residents to distinguish themselves from their mothers and fathers and visually express their presence in the community.

“It speaks to how something can be so real and so seated in identity but also can be all about the spectacular,” Siegel said.

“Los Angeles is a place that is deeply embedded culturally and has so many diverse stories to tell.

Author and anthropologist Eric Lynxwiler has led MONA’s Neon Cruises tour for over 23 years.

MONA/Submitted

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“There’s this bad rap about LA having no history and that the reason why we can’t talk about history is nothing exists. But the signage is proof that there’s this continuation from the 1920s onward of this really rich history that’s not only just this textbook history, but it’s about communities across Los Angeles, what they’ve experienced, why these different areas are so vibrant, ever-changing and dynamic, and why they need to be preserved.”

Near the end of 20th century, cities across the United States began outlawing neon signs because many of them hadn’t been well maintained and were seen as symbols of decline. In the last few decades, though, Los Angeles has experienced a neon renaissance following initiatives like “Bring Back Broadway” that relit old neon signs.

“When I started this tour, I could drive down Broadway completely dark and people would say, ‘How disappointing it was to do a neon tour and not see any working neon,’” Lynxwiler described.

“Now driving down Broadway, there are restored theater marquees and giant vertical signs that have been re-illuminated. … Broadway is looking fantastic to me.

Little Tokyo is shining bright again. Hollywood is aglow.

“We’re seeing this move throughout a lot of the United States, this recognition that neon is historic and neon is something that cities want as an element of revitalization. Not only is it important to save the neon; it’s important to save the

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legacies, the businesses and the communities that were served by these businesses. Every neon sign is bent by hand, by a skilled craftsperson. It always comes back to this history of a person, of people.”

By riding through the illuminated city atop a double-decker bus, Lynxwiler hopes that audiences will be able to witness LA’s neon transformation for themselves and see the city from a new perspective as they pass signs at eye-level view.

“It’s hard for me to explain what it’s like when your perspective of Los Angeles changes, and I’m not just talking about a perspective change from being on the ground level of a sidewalk to being on top of a double-decker bus,” Lynxwiler said. “It’s also a mindset change. Suddenly you’re seeing Los Angeles in a new way, in a new light and taking notes of where to eat, where to drink, where to go and celebrate, where to explore.”

With the launch of its new Neon Cruises season, MONA seeks to transform the way Angelenos and tourists understand and celebrate the city, especially after two years of lockdowns and restricted travel.

“It’s so nice to board a bus and to realize you can travel in your own city and that those experiences will make you feel like you know it so much better and just have this renewed love for this place that most people only know a small sliver,” Siegel said. “This is a really nice way of coming back and reappreciating all that we have in this wonderful county.”

Neon Cruises WHERE: Downtown location disclosed after booking confirmation WHEN: 7 to 10:30 p.m. select days through Sunday, Sept. 18 COST: $65; $55 for MONA members INFO: store.neonmona.org/collections/neon-cruises

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Neon Cruises invites audiences atop a double-decker bus for an open-air night excursion.

MONA/Submitted

The Rialto Theater’s neon display glows brightly on Broadway.

MONA/Submitted

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Artist Ruthanna Hopper’s exhibit “The Emergence” runs until spring 2023 at the Hotel Figueroa.

Robiee Ziegler/Submitted

Pandemic pause spurs artist’s productivity

By Jacqueline Fitzgerald LA Downtown News Contributing Writer s the pandemic recedes into the rear view, visual art can provide a fresh perspective on the road ahead. A case in point: Ruthanna Hopper’s exhibit, “The Emergence,” at the Hotel Figueroa in Downtown Los Angeles.

“My work comes out of a personal wintering and the collective wintering we’ve all just been through in the pandemic.

It was a response to that and a way to touch base with hope,” Hopper said.

The exhibit is the first showing of her visual work in Los Angeles and will run until spring 2023.

In the early days of the pandemic, Hopper said she was taken aback at the horrible illness and death, and experienced the anxiety of uncertainty.

But as life slowed down, she became contemplative. “‘Shelter in place’ is kind of a fascinating term,” she said.

“For me, there was something about

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all of us being united and connected in this feeling of a lack of safety and a vulnerability that felt more real to me than where we had been. It became sort of an interesting thing to grapple with.”

Hopper said she created most of the work during the pandemic, though some of it was finished within the last six months. She plans to unveil new works later this year.

Expressive, vibrant and dynamic, some of the paintings incorporate digital collage, perhaps a nod to the tech devices that helped humans connect while stuck at home.

Many of the paintings were created specifically for the hotel’s space. “The Emergence” greets viewers in the lobby; the rest of the paintings hang in artist alley, a quiet enclave amid the elegant hotel’s hustle and bustle.

The Hotel Figueroa, which opened in 1926 as a YWCA property and was female operated, has a strong tradition of supporting women and showcasing the

work of women artists.

Hopper said she leaned into that history as she approached this show.

“Women are literally holding up the walls here,” she said.

“I’m tremendously inspired by these women artists in the permanent collection, especially Alexandra Grant and Lily Stockman.”

Hopper described her painting process as “peeling back layers and working with unresolved visceral experience through movement and gesture and color.”

Although she studied art at UC Davis, she said the most impactful artistic influence in her life was growing up in Marin County with a family of artists. She is the daughter of actor-artist Dennis Hopper and dancer Daria Halprin.

“I grew up in this incredibly Bohemian kind of living laboratory,” she said.

“It was about dancers and artists, and it was a real collective-experience creative process. There really was not much

separation between life and art. It was very much a daily creative experience.”

In particular, she followed in the footsteps of her grandmother, dancer and choreographer Anna Halprin, who died last year at 100.

“She had a renegade spirit to dig into her artistic practices unabashedly,” she said.

“She was so ahead of her time that way. She talked about dance as a way to find her conviction. For me, this work is about just that — finding the conviction to emerge.”

Noting that there’s a lot of movement in her process, Hopper said her painting “The Prophetess” is an homage to a dance her grandmother made in 1947.

Her grandfather, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, designed the dance costume.

“The choreography is spinning, spinning, spinning — to the point where the audience wonders how it’s even feasible for her to continue.”

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The Young Bucks reach new heights at home

By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer espite the party taking place more than 20 years ago, Matt Massie remembers well the present he received from his dad on his birthday.

Not only was it unusual; it helped catapult a childhood obsession into a career that, along with his brother, Nick, reaches all-new heights this week in their hometown in front of friends, family and thousands of fans.

The two will appear as part of All Elite Wrestling Presents “Dynamite” at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 1, at the Kia Forum.

Matt’s younger brother Nick recalls the aforementioned birthday fondly.

“Getting a real wrestling ring for his birthday, part of his Sweet 16,” recalled Nick, who lives in Hesperia.

“That is what he asked from our dad who was, fortunately, in the construction business, so we didn’t think it was a hard ask. From that day on we never left the ring our dad built. We practiced and trained every single day and every single night. Even when it rained, which doesn’t happen much in So Cal. “ The ring was cemented into the ground. It was a tough day when our family sold that house. The buyer had to know the ring came with the house.”

The backyard shenanigans at the family’s Rancho Cucamonga home served as a catalyst for future pro wrestling stardom for the brother duo known professionally as Matt and Nick Jackson, aka The Young Bucks.

Currently signed with AEW, they also serve as front office executives for the blossoming company.

“This has always been our target; we’ve always wanted to run AEW shows in California,” Matt said.

“We know there is a giant wrestling fanbase here. This is largely an untapped market as all the love, it seems, goes to the East Coast shows. In Inglewood, I did a show there years ago and the place was probably a quarter full. This time the place is going to be a jam-packed sellout.

“It will give us a chance to show those we love something special, and we are incredibly excited to perform on this stage and in this type of environment.”

The Young Bucks are calling this part of the AEW Tour a homecoming. After four weekend events in Las Vegas, AEW plays the Fabulous Forum as well as the Toyota Arena on Friday, June 3, in Ontario, mere miles from where Matt and Nick grew up.

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Both events will sell out and broadcast on national television.

As children the Massie Brothers were consumed by professional wrestling.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW) toured the country 12 months a year. Las Vegas. Anaheim.

Ontario. Bakersfield. Los Angeles.

When a show was nearby, the Bucks were there, including their first show as fans in 1994 at the Rancho Cucamonga minor league baseball stadium when WWE (then known as WWF) stopped by.

The card that night included a tag match with one of the in-ring participants being Billy Gunn, who now works in AEW. One of Matt and Nick’s favorite memories includes their family attending WrestleMania 21. However, nobody in the traveling party sat together at the show at the then-Staples Center, because they could only get single seats.

They are also this week simply excited to drive to work. After all, the life of a pro wrestler is one road trip after another, one flight after another. Being based on the West Coast — along with other AEW talent including Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, Rey Fenix, Penta Oscuro, Scorpio Sky, Frankie Kazarian, Christopher Daniels and popular referee Rick Knox — already puts these performers behind the eight ball with less rest than their counterparts.

Nick said the special group “bonds… we bond because of how tired we collectively are.”

The tireless work ethic of the brother pair (Matt is four years older than Nick) is remarkable. Both have achieved the fame and popularity in their chosen profession despite not ever working for global sports-entertainment power WWE. Their “Being the Elite” series on YouTube has more than 500,000 subscribers.

They are authors and wrestling merchandising juggernauts.

The self-made Young Bucks are, though, bombarded with ticket requests from family and friends. Nick said this will mark the first time his wife and three kids will get to see him in the ring. Matt has a 2-year-old son who has yet to his dad perform.

“These local events are going to have a unique feel to them,” Nick said.

“This is the first time AEW has been to Los Angeles. I don’t think we will have the issues that you see for other sports events in our area where the crowd ar-

Nick Jackson, left, and brother, Matt Jackson, aka The Young Bucks, are star attractions with upstart All Elite Wrestling.

Submitted photo

The high-flying Young Bucks (All Elite Wrestling) battle in the ring and serve as executives for the company outside the ring. Pictured are Nick Jackson, left, opponent Ortiz and Matt Jackson, right, in action at a recent show.

Submitted photo rives late and then leaves early. The fans are going to go nuts, and they will appreciate everything. Those are the types of shows we love to wrestle in. To us that is the heart and soul of the Los Angeles wrestling fan. They are going to be redhot all night.

Added Matt: “There has been a hun-

ger, bordering on starvation, for AEW to come here that fans have practically been begging us to come to the West Coast. It took nearly three years. We have been dying for it ourselves. I can only imagine how much the fans have been dying for it.”

All Elite Wrestling: “Dynamite” WHEN: 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 1 WHERE: Kia Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood COST: Tickets start at $37 INFO: ticketmaster.com, thekiaforum.com, allelitewrestling.com

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Covered will help PHOTO California PAGE

The Broad opens exhibits

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he Broad museum in DTLA hosted an opening celebration for two exhibitions, “ Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow” and the group exhibition “This is Not America’s Flag.” The exhibitions run through Sept. 25. Murakami’s exhibition was enhanced with augmented reality (AR) elements that are present inside and outside of the museum. These were developed in partnership with The Broad’s special exhibition and Meta’s Spark AR, Instagram and BUCK. Attending were

notable figures in entertainment, music and design, including Andre 3000, J.J. Abrams, Salehe Bembury, Zack Bia, Vic Mensa, Lionel Richie, will.i.am and Dr. Woo. Major artists and art figures included Takashi Murakami, Genevieve Gaignard, Sayre Gomez, Emmanuel Perrotin, Ann Philbin, Betye Saar and Wendy Red Star, in addition to The Broad founding director Joanne Heyler and museum co-founder Edythe Broad.

The Broad founding director Joanne Heyler, Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, American art collector and philanthropist Edythe Broad, and writer and curator Ed Schad attended the celebration.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

American filmmaker J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath celebrate the opening of two exhibits at The Broad.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

World-renowned tattoo artist Dr. Woo was in attendance for The Broad’s event.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

Legendary singer Lionel Richie takes a photo with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, who is behind one of the two new exhibits at The Broad.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

Will.i.am, Takashi Murakami, Salehe Bembury and Andre 3000 get together at the event.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

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CLASSIFIEDS

Juliana Horner is an artist, illustrator, make-up artist and fashion designer.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

Apsáalooke contemporary multimedia artist Wendy Red Star attended the event.

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com, courtesy of The Broad

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MAY 30, 2022

Dodgers PlayerFest

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he Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation celebrated Dodger Dreamteam players, families and coaches at PlayerFest, presented by Bank of America, on May 21 at Dodger Stadi-

um. The day featured access to health screenings, educational resources and more for thousands of participants and families.

Hayven Sanders, Deyoni Roland, Derrion Daniels and Deonte Daniels pose for a portrait on the Dodgers fire truck.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Bayron and Izaiah Paiz touch the grass.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

DJ Severe sets the vibe.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Blythe Collins talks about the dugouts and the stadium’s history.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Daniel Bohorquez tests his slapshot at the LA Kings activation.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Aubrey Murillo meets the Laker Girls.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

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Nichol Whiteman is chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Bank of America volunteers Ali Oberoi and Johnson Durojaiye attend PlayerFest.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Steven Perez shows off his throwing arm.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Charles and Denali Coleman check out Jackie Robinson’s jersey.

An estimated 6,000 people attended the event.

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer

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