Just got back from Wendy's birthday bash down in Long Beach, where my team got its ass kicked consecutively three times in Laser Tag. This makes me sad, and I will now commence crying a little on the inside. Be strong... be strong... okay, I'm better. This Friday's L.A. Blogs meme thing was all about music, and I missed it. Well, hell, I'll just do it a day late, I suppose... 1. What's the best venue in Los Angeles for live music, and why? Personally, I like the El Rey (when I can get upstairs, otherwise you're just in the mass of people and can't see the damn stage) and the Wiltern, because I usually can see the stage from the floor there. The Roxy is also pretty good, and I don't mind the Whisky, but only when the bands don't have the system cranked up to 14. 2. What's the worst? Universal Amphitheatre. Horrible, horrible acoustics. And it's way too damn hot inside. 3. Where do you go most often to catch a gig, and how often? Well, this month, I'm heading to the Wiltern four times. Last month, I was at the Troubadour four times. It's been a while since I've been on the Strip. And I guess it kind of averages out to me seeing a show a week, though I do have some weeks when I see two and some when I see none. 4. What L.A. band, DJ or performer would you walk over burning hot coals to hear? Maroon 5 (I can't believe that I missed the fact they were playing here last week!), Van Halen (my first ever concert) and Stone Temple Pilots (who are technically from Orange County, but I'll let that slide). 5. What's that playing on your MP3 player/car stereo, home audio system or tinny computer speakers right now? Right this very second is "Freakin' Out" by Graham Coxon (he used to be in Blur). Oops... now it's "Brooklyn is Burning" by Head Automatica -- I highly recommend that album. 6. Who's the most overrated musical act in Los Angeles? Where do I begin? The White Stripes. Christina Aguilera. Avril Lavigne. Britney Spears. Anyone who's getting famous off doing cover songs. 7. Who's the most brilliant? Ozomatli has an incredible sound. Hopefully, with them getting a spot in an iPod ad, people will begin to notice them... even though they've been around for years. And I knew 2 1/2 years ago when I first heard the Maroon 5 album that they would be a huge success. 8. Who are the three greatest Los Angeles bands/DJs/musicians of the past 50 years - and why? Sorry, I have to go over three here. One cannot even begin to start the list without the lineup of the long-lost KMET (now 94.7 The Wave) and the circa-1980s people at KROQ. Van Halen is on that list. STP is on that list. Kevin & Bean on KROQ for being one of the only morning shows I've ever been able to tolerate.

There are times when I can't stand this city. Like when I'm driving to work and I can't see Century City's buildings from a mile and a half away because the smog is so bad. And the fact that it took me over half an hour to drive less than 5 miles tonight. And then there are those moments when I realize why I'm here. Like tonight, when I went to a really cool jazz club owned by Herb Alpert (see Brass, Tijuana) and hung out with some co-workers and music-industry people, and then I went over to a private meet-and-greet/art exhibit where I got to mingle with the guys from Interpol. The lights of the city twinkle for me on nights like this.