Posts Tagged ‘James McBride’

Friday, June 22, 2012

An Evening with The Rock Bottom Remainders
a concert featuring Stephen King, Amy Tan, Dave Barry, Scott Turow,
Mitch Albom, Matt Groening, James McBride, Roy Blount, Jr.,
Ridley Pearson, Greg Iles & Sam Barry

with special guest, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

The El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036

6:30-7:30 pm — Reception
8:30 pm — Concert (doors open at 7:30 pm)

PURCHASE TICKETS
$40 — Concert (doors open at 7:30 pm)
$200 — Concert + Pre-reception (6:30-7:30 pm)
$295 — Concert + Reception + signed lithograph by the band (illustration at left by David Horsey)
*$150 — Signed lithograph (includes shipping)
*$300 — Signed books by all participating band members (includes shipping)
* These ticket options do not include concert tickets. Orders will be shipped after the concert. 

At Live Talks Los Angeles, we typically feature conversations, but we are excited to be producing a concert featuring some luminaries of the literary world.  The Rock Bottom Remainders — the all author rock band — will perform at the El-Rey Theatre, June 22.  Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, whom we featured in conversation in November 2011, joins as musical guest.

Marking the band’s 20th anniversary, the band has decided its 20 year run will mark the end and will host their final public concert at the El Rey  Theatre on Friday, June 22. The show is part of the band’s final two city concert tour –The Past Our Bedtime Tour.

Confirmed for the concert are Stephen King, who hasn’t performed with  the band since 2007; Amy Tan, Dave Barry, Mitch Albom, Scott Turow, Matt Groening, James McBride, Greg Iles, Ridley Pearson, Roy Blount, Jr,  and Sam Barry.  The band dedicates these two concerts to founder Kathi Goldmark, who passed away on May 24th after a courageous battle with cancer.

On the upcoming concert Stephen King, who plays rhythm guitar says, “A few years ago, Bruce Springsteen told us we weren’t bad, but not to try to get any better otherwise we’d just be another lousy band. After 20 years, we still meet his stringent requirements. For instance, while we all know what ‘stringent’ means, none of us have yet mastered an F chord.”
King adds, “I’m looking forward to reuniting with all my bandmates. We’re older but not dead. Some of us can remember all of the words; all of us can remember some of the words; but NONE of us can remember all of the music. That’s why they call it rock and roll.”

Dave Barry, co-lead guitarist, chimes in, “It’s not that we had a ‘creative  differences’ issue, or some in the band wanted to launch solo music careers, but the fact is that we can no longer play an entire set without aving to pee.” Barry adds, “We realize the Rolling stones are celebrating 50 years this year, but we don’t want to reach the point where our stage  moves involve motorized scooters.”

Since the band’s founding in Anaheim in 1992 — at a book convention — they have strictly performed to support causes, and have raised over $2 Million for various literacy causes. Proceeds from the El Rey show will benefit the Los Angeles Downtown Women’s Center, the Midnight Mission and the launch of an Emerging Author Series at Live Talks Los Angeles.