The Canyon Club welcomes Sandy Haley for her first gig in 2023 to the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills. Sandy, profiled before here in The Los Angeles Beat, shares the bill with Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, the premier West Coast blues guitarist. Sandy’s been playing around the Southwest, including a scintillating performance at last year’s annual Woodystock Blues and Brews Festival in Laughlin, Nevada. So good, in fact, that Sandy Haley has just been signed for this year’s Woodystock too—on Saturday, March 25, 2023 in Lake Havasu, Arizona.
Sandy’s blend of blues and R&B with her marvelous voice is sure to bring the audience at the Canyon Club to their feet; bringing excitement to this upcoming show. The Canyon Club show will be on Thursday, January 19, 2023; with showtime at 7pm.
Sandy Haley has been around for several years now. Her self-penned songs, covering a wide range of subjects and emotions, capture the audience’s hearts, minds and soul. Her latest, Run for Shelter, is a true story about a woman lying on the sidewalk at a Target store. She had no clothes or shoes on, and was wrapped only in a blanket,” recalls Haley. “I went inside (Target) and bought her an outfit, some flip-flops and some food. When she got dressed, she looked like any other shopper. Sadly, dozens of shoppers had walked past her without helping”. The song, available here on Spotify, shows a glimpse into Sandy’s heart and the depths of her compassion.
When the Canyon Club welcomes Sandy Haley to their stage, she is sure to perform one of her most heart-wrenchingblues songs, Love Me Right or Cut Me Loose. Her single, new in 2022, provided the basis for one of her best music videos.
Blumhouse, the king of horror, has done it again. Black Phone is in many ways a standard kidnapped-victim-in-the-basement movie, but with a few supernatural twists. A disconnected telephone in the kidnapper’s basement allows “The Grabber’s” former victims to talk to the protagonist, giving him advice, and occasionally showing up in all their bloody, murdered, glory–which is the only gore in the entire movie. Where this movie truly excels is in giving us time to get to know the characters and get really invested in them. Kudos to the young actors for fully inhabiting their roles and making it believable. Ethan Hawke is unrecognizable, and not just because of the creepy-ass mask. His “Grabber” is understanding and friendly, like a person who knows how to talk to kids, which makes it even scarier. Especially juxtaposed with that creepy-ass mask. You will get sucked in. By the way, if a stranger ever asks you if you want to see a magic trick, run. FX and Amazon.
Have you been thinking about adopting a dog? This Saturday and Sunday – January 7th and 8th – Ventura County Animal Services is waiving the usual adoption fees for canines!
Thousands of dogs are currently in need of rescue in Southern California. Both the Camarillo Shelter and the Simi Valley Shelter are participating in this event, as each location has an abundance of lovable dogs that could use a good home.
Adoption hours are between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Camarillo location and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Simi Valley location.
The Camarillo shelter is located at 600 Aviation Drive (zip code 93010), while the Simi Valley Shelter is at 670 W. Los Angeles Avenue (zip 93065)
“House of Terrors” (1965, Mondo Macabro) In the wake of her husband’s mysterious death, Yuko Kusunoki inherits the titular manse, a gloomy country estate on a mountain side with a hunchbacked caretaker (Ko Nishimura) and spirits intent on doing harm to Kusunoki and her companions, which include two highly suspicious doctor (one of whom is her creepy father-in-law), and her niece. Director Hajime Sato’s supernatural horror title for Toei is steeped to the rafters in black-and-white Gothic atmosphere (voices in the night, drifting fog, a murder of crows, Satanic statute) that favorably suggests, at times, the Italian efforts of the period – so much so that the only available print of the film prior to Mondo’s Blu-ray release was one dubbed in Italian – and not one but two particularly frightening and malevolent ghosts; in short, a must-have for fans of both early Asian horror and Gothic screen terror. Mondo’s Blu-ray delivers a 2K restoration of this extremely rare title and adds the original Japanese language track (with English subs), as well as typically informative commentary by Tom Mes and info on Toei’s horror efforts by author/historian Patrick Macias. Continue reading →
2023 is right around the corner. Whether you feel like a cover-free party at a New Orleans-style bar, a multi-course feast at a special restaurant, joining a rooftop disco party with tarot readings and a drag show, going to a burlesque dinner, or shaking your thing at a whimsical Downtown bar’s dance party, here are a few ideas on where to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2023 in Los Angeles.
Ring in the New Year at 1933 Group’s Sassafras Saloon – with live music and no cover charge! Located a bit off of Hollywood’s beaten path, on Vine St. near Fountain Ave., this New Orleans- and Wild West-inspired bar has well-crafted cocktails and atmosphere to spare. Doors open at 7 p.m., Top Shelf Brass Band hits the Sassafras stage at 10 p.m., and there’s a champagne toast at midnight.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a dance party at Lilly Rose, the whimsical underground bar at Wayfarer DTLA. A complimentary photo booth opens at 8 p.m., while DJ Tomas Moves spins disco/deep house/afrobeat (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.) and DJ Libra plays disco/new wave/soul & hip hop from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Ring in 2023 with 2 drink tickets and tray-passed apps from 8 to 10 p.m. Until midnight, VIP ticket holders will also enjoy an open bar, which includes Helix Vodka, Beefeater Gin, Cruzan Rum, El Jimador Blanco Tequila, Legent Bourbon, Maker’s Mark, Rosaluna Mezcal, Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Beer, Wine, and Non-Alcoholic Beverages. Tickets can be purchased here.
Put on your most glam attire and head to MAMA Shelter for MAMA’s Disco Ball NYE Party! Come experience live magic, tarot readings, burlesque dancers, DJs, a photo booth, a drag show, disco balls, special prize giveaways, champagne towers, a midnight Prosecco toast, and more. There’s an open bar from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and food will be served from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. You can purchase tickets here.
Jon Geiger is certainly one of the most talented guitarists, writers and composers to come along in recent memory. Part of it comes from the mix of music genres in his background—he can incorporate jazz, classical, funk, rock and soul into his blues base. Part of that comes from his musical background. Jon grew up in on the East Coast, playing guitar in his native New York City. However, a defining moment for him was getting accepted to the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he was exposed to and ultimately taught a good dose of jazz guitar. With a staff that included some of the top East Coast musicians, Jon learned from some of the best in the business. Jon will be talking to the Los Angeles Beat in an exclusive upcoming interview.
Jon’s next major move was to Austin, where he immersed himself in the city that Stevie Ray Vaughn lit up with hard-driving blues. Jumping ahead, Jon relocated to Los Angeles and the South Bay, where he’s been playing steadily at top-notch clubs like Harvelle’s and the Lighthouse Cafe. Besides his headlining shows, Jon Geiger has also opened for Robben Ford, John Mayall, Charlie Sexton, Doyle Bramhall, and Joe Ely among other greats.
