Our pals The Insect Surfers who we released a 10″ vinyl record with years back will be playing at La Luz de Jesus Gallery as part of an art opening featuring Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker and Damian Fulton (who illustrated our Redondo Beat LP), with free rum courtesy of Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum  Here’s the details:

Come out and get creepy with Creepxotica at the San Diego Bali Hai Monthly Monday Meetup group. They are throwing a party to celebrate our first year of meetups. You know you’ve been wanting to come down and meet with them, now here is the one meetup you don’t want to miss. They will be taking over the South Pacific room downstairs for this special event. There will have full bar and food service available for us this evening.

Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:30pm, first come first serve. A small donation for the band is all they ask.

Bali Hai Restaurant 2230 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106

This is an RSVP event, so post your RSVP on the Monthly Meetup’s Facebook invite page

Pipe Smoking Goblet Drinking Retro Painter Magazine Album Poster Pin-Up Kitsch Shoe Illustrator Retro Fun Loving “Prince of Pop Art” Guy, artist Mitch O’Connell has a new career spanning book out via Last Gasp called Mitch O’Connell: The World’s Best Artist.  This marvelously massive (and heavy) book, wrapped in a thick embossed glittery squishy cover that’s every bit as fun to touch as it is to look at, will keep Mitch O’Connell fans as well as those curious, busy for hours. This “tome” collects everything from Mitch’s school book doodles to his sold-out art pieces, illustrations from Playboy, Mad Magazine, The New York Times, poster art, CD and album covers, and his illustrations in comics and fanzines.  The book contains enough text to give you the low-down on the images and there is a very cool section where Mitch names off and talks about his inspirations such as artists and illustrators Bernie Wrightson, Burne Hogarth, John Romita, J.C. Leyendecker, Ivan Albright, Frank Fruzyna and Mitch’s mom and dad!  – fewf… It’s seriously eye-popping and well worth the totally fair $35 suggested retail price.

Mitch is doing a short book tour including a stop here in Los Angeles at La Luz de Jesus Gallery which will also feature a slide-show of his art. Come by, say hi, and get a book signed!

Mitch O’Connell signs Mitch O’Connell: The Worlds Best Artist
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
Sunday, February 24, 2013, 3-6 PM
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-666-7667

4th Annual FERAL HOUSE / PROCESS MEDIA WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION
Book Release, Signing and Sale – Saturday, Dec 8, 2012 7-10 PM

Drink & Snack with:
* Adam Parfrey discoursing on Secret Societies, Cults and Conspiracy!
* Sean Tejaratchi previewing his coming Craphound / Feral House book on Unhappy People!
* Shambhalla Institute talks about Shamanic Gardening (their long-anticipated Process Media book).
* Erik Knutzen and Kelly Coyne will talk about new Urban Homestead inventions and discoveries!
* Mark Edward reveals cold-reading scams that gave him Psychic Blues.
* Hear ’60s French Pop Girls, the subject of an upcoming Feral House book!

Get a 20% discount on all Feral House and Process Media books.

The Martini Kings “Palm Springs Serenade” vinyl LP release, closing party for Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker and Miles Thomspon and Tiki Oasis pre-party!

Sunday, July 29, 2012
4 – 7 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com

Come have one more look at Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker’s “Tales from the Tiki Lounge” and Miles Thompson’s “Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies“ show and celebrate the release of The Martini Kings’ “Palm Springs Serenade“ LP on Dionysus Records at this combination record release, show closing and Tiki Oasis pre-party.

The band will be playing a set and signing their new album, their first on vinyl – 180 gram vinyl with cover art by SHAG and a free digital download code.

Trader Vic’s
9 Anchor Drive,
Emeryville, California 94608

On Thursday, July 19, Trader Vic’s and Tiki Oasis present a Classic Fashon Show, with clothing provided by Retro Diva. Models include members of The Devil-Ettes and their groovy friends! All clothing and fashion items will be available for purchase. Hang out in the bar or make dinner reservations. The models will walk through the dining room during the fashion show – it’s old school style!

Classic Coifs by Glama-Rama
Hats provided by House of Nines Design
Music by DJ Otto from Tiki Oasis

This event is also a pre-party for the Tiki Oasis weekender, an event produced and coordinated by San Francisco Bay Area couple, Baby Doe and Otto von Stroheim, taking place in San Diego, CA August 16-August 19

Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker Tales From the Tiki Lounge
Miles Thompson Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies

July 6 – 29, 2012
Opening Reception: Friday, July 6th; 8-11 PM
Closing Party: Sunday, July 29, 4 pm – 7 pm

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667

Tales from the Tiki Lounge is the rarest, hardest to find, and most collectible, Pulp-Adventure publication never made. It existed only in the Mai-Tai light Zone of Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker‘s imagination. These paintings are the cover-art of the most desired and sought after issues. So precious that they are nearly beyond price, and believability.

“Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock.” – Honolulu Magazine, “The Best Of 2012 “

“My art is my personal celebration of a creative reinvention of a foolish misinterpretation of an ancient mythology that sought to solve the mystery of the “breath of life” that eternally and precariously surfs the complete expanse between the bottomless sea and the floating shadow land of preexistence in the inconceivable heights of the sky. Not just to live. But, to ‘live aloha’.” -Brad Parker

Preview Brad’s show here

Miles Thompson’s Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies, a show created with Gouache on illustration board, reflects on what makes life both a beach and a bitch. It is an epitaph for the oceans and forests, once abundant and fecund (look it up, it is the root of the F bomb), now only a ghostly reminder of what an infinite life giving power they once were. There is more than just an environmental message here, Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies is also a joyful reminder for us all to frolic around and about the impermanence we all face day to day while we are blessed with a heart, body and mind. Life happens between the lullaby and the nightmare, having and losing. Everything in-between is either a memory that we don’t want to fade, or which is sadly indelible.

Thompson, whose influences range from the ephemeral world of comics, animation and album cover art to centuries of fine art and sculpture, is a native Californian residing in Hollywood who draws, paints, reads, writes, hikes, runs, surfs and meditates. He is most inspired by his daughter who he calls his butterfly.

Preview Miles’ show here

Martini Kings Martini Kings Palm Springs Serenade vinyl LP release and closing party for Tales from the Tiki Lounge and Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies – Live performance by The Martini Kings
Sunday, July 29, 2012, 4 – 7 pm

Come have one more look at Brad and Miles’ show and celebrate the release of The Martini Kings’ Palm Springs Serenade LP  on Dionysus Records, featuring cover art by SHAG, at this combination record release and show closing celebration. Click here for details about the album and event

This Friday: LA’s 60s / mod dance party – The Blackeyed Soul Club in Downtown Los Angeles DJs Howie Pyro and Jason Pandora are joined by Lee Joseph from Dionysus Records who brings some amazing records to the turntable. FUN FUN FUN!

The Blackeyed Soul Club happens every Friday at The Monty Bar: 1222 West 7th Street  Los Angeles, CA 90017, (213) 228-6000, www.montybar.com

Before the club, come to La Luz de Jesus Gallery  for the opening of Scott Hove’s “My Private Apocalypse” and Joe Sorren’s “When The Rains Come” exhibitions, opening at 8PM.

Dave Foley hosts Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry and Community Social

Thurs., March 29, 2012
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
FREE – No Age Limit!

Wacko / La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
phone: 323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com
info@laluzdejesus.com

Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall, NewsRadio, A Bug’s Life, Celebrity Poker Showdown and The Late Late Show) will be the Master of Ceremonies at Wacko / La Luz de Jesus’ monthly music and performance salon “Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry and Community Social”

This Month’s Fish Fry Features Dave Foley as Master of Ceremonies introducing these fine acts:
Gitane DeMone
Pinky Turzo
The Dick & Jane Family Orchestra (with Dionysus Records’ Lee Joseph on bass)
Eli Presser presents an Untitled Puppet Show
Projections by Gio Toninelo
of The GI Joe Stop Motion Film Festival
Michael Rozon on pedal steel
Francois and John (Motorcycle Boy) outside
plus other special guests TBA!

On the last Thursday of each month, Southern California’s axis of underground pop culture, Wacko / La Luz de Jesus Gallery hosts Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry & Community Social. The monthly event presents a diverse multi-media mixed-bag variety show of acoustic based music, spoken word, unusual performance and more. Billy Shire calls the night a “21st century salon” and aims to re-connect the local creative community with a free, two plus hour “in the round” show, with the performers in the center of the gallery. The show is open to all ages and there is no cover charge!