Monday
Monday Night Residency with Baron Von Luxxury, Hexohhexoh, Blondfire, DJ Peter Majors (Vacation Vinyl) @ Echo
Tremellow release party: Signals, Batwings Catwings, Stripper Pussy, Tremellow, Kid Infinity @ Pehrspace
Open Mic Night hosted by David & Jayson @ Tribal Café
Harriet, Chasing Kings, Pratley, Busy Living @ Bootleg Bar
Motown Mondays @ The Short Stop

Tuesday
Spirit Vine, Dead Dawn, Black Flamingo, Gothic Tropic @ Echo
IHEARTCOMIX, Media Contender, The Echo & Spin Present: Check Yo Ponytail 2 With Light Asylum, Tearist, Chelsea Wolfe, Violet Tremors @ Echoplex
Isabella Brent, Lou Jane, Jayson Landon Marcus, and Ugly, Ugly Words @ Lot 1 Cafe
Summer Darling, Silian Rail, Arms of Tripoli, Blonde Summer @ Bootleg Bar

Wednesday
Dub Club and Bluebeat Lounge present: 2-room musical blowout party @ Echo & Echoplex
The Heavy Guilt @ Origami Vinyl
Tic Tic Boom, Fartbarf, Y LUV @ Lot 1 Cafe
7th Ever Los Angeles Old Time Festival kickoff party: Daniel Hart, Hi Ho Silver, Oh and Paulene @ Echo Country Outpost
Wiklow Atwater and the Fallen Flame @ Taix Lounge
Open Mic Night hosted by Leo Margul @ Tribal Café
Yellow Alex and the Feelings, Gavin Turek, Maniac @ Bootleg Bar

Thursday
Echo & Soul in the Park Presents: Ana Tijoux With DJ Ethos, 2mex, Los Rakas @ Echo
Beach Fossils with Catwalk @ Echoplex
7th Ever Los Angeles Old Time Festival: Thomas Angell & Mike Lewinski, Snake Oil Stranglers, Cliff Wagner & The Old #7 @ Echo Country Outpost
The Fallen Stars, Burning Jet Black (Whiskey Saints) @ Taix Lounge
Open Mic Night hosted by Avril & Christine @ Tribal Café
IHEARTCOMIX Presents: Hundred Waters, ESP, The Tenant, special birthday DJ set by Righteous Trash @ Bootleg Bar

Friday
Suckers, Vanaprasta, Young Man @ Echo
Dum Dum Girls, Tamaryn, Young Prisms, Sisu @ Echoplex
Norse Horse Release Party @ Origami Vinyl
NOT in the House, The Clutter Family @ Taix Lounge
L.A. Coyote @ Tribal Café
Chappo, Kitten, Red Circle Underground @ Bootleg Bar

Saturday
Plug Research & ArtDon’tSleep Present: Lee Fields & The Expressions, Cody Chesnutt (Live Band), Naytronix + more @ Echoplex
Funky Sole: Voodoo funk Frank Gossman (all vinyl African funk set) @ Echo
Reel Art (benefit for Echo Park Film Center): DJ Salinger, Slam Dunk @ 1650 Gallery
Alexandra & The Starlight Band @ Origami Vinyl
Echo Park PDA Artwalk @ Echo Park
Easter Everywhere presents: Mike Corwin, Maston, Junghaus, Some Sh  @ Pehrspace
Sotto Says @ Taix Lounge
Very Be Careful, Mexico68 @ Bootleg Bar

Sunday
Adam Shenkman Presents: The Breakfast Show @ Echo
Grand Ole Echo with Guest Curator Julie Richmond, open TBA, Bob Woodruff, Ben Vaughn’s Desert Classic @ Echo
Part Time Punks present: Rough Trade Records Nite @ Echo
Bright Beast @ Origami Vinyl
J-Logic, DJ Ala, Tommy Zones, Chuck Fry @ Los Globos
French Toast Comedy @ Taix Lounge
Super Soul Sunday @ The Short Stop
Nacional Records Artist: Monica Lionheart, El May, Daniel Ahearn & The Jones @ Bootleg Bar

Visit the venue websites for more information on the cost and times of shows. Feel free to add more events in the comment section. All events listed are subject to change at any time, and new events announced for the week after this posting may not be included. Visit our Weekly Events page for more neighborhood events, shows and specials.

Flickr photo by RexSteed

Our beloved restaurant The Park just recently launched Sushi Mondays as part of its weekly specials. The mouth-watering specials start at 5:30 pm, again on Mondays only, and are available in addition to their regular menu. It’s nice to have a little gourmet sushi option in Echo Park – we’ve never had a bad meal at The Park, and they do a spectacular job with the sushi options.

Tonight’s menu includes:

1. Spicy tuna with cucumber and avocado $5
2. Dragon roll with grilled eel, tempura shrimp, avocado and unagi glaze $5
3. Smoked salmon and crab with cucumber $5
4. Rainbow roll with crab inside, sliced tuna, salmon and avocado outside $5 (worth a try – not the best rainbow roll ever but good)
5. Fried calamari roll with avocado, cucumber and unagi glaze $5
6. Spicy cauliflower with cucumber and avocado $4 (cauliflower has a kick, highly recommended by EPN)
7. Vegetarian California roll $4
8. Tempura asparagus with avocado $4 (highly recommended by EPN)

Enjoy!

Singer Meg Myers has taken on hipsters in Los Angeles in a recent music video for her song “Tennessee.” Armed with a toy gun, she takes to the streets of Silver Lake and Echo Park blasting all the hipsters. A transplant from Tennessee, the song lyrics say it all:

Oh my god
Is that a mustache tattoo on your finger?
I’ve never seen that before
Psych
Wait what
You wanna go to Little Joy on your vespa?
I don’t think so
God I miss Tennessee

You’ll recognize some Echo Park spots like the Brite Spot in the music video.

Leftover gun parts at La Fonderie in Echo Park hat were used for the 2011 Peace Angels Project award

The fourth annual Gun Buyback Program takes place today at six locations across Los Angeles. Held the day before Mother’s Day each year, the program promises “no questions asked” for turning in guns in exchange for a gift card. Assault weapons are credited $200 worth of Visa or Ralphs gift cards; shotguns, rifles and handguns receive $100.

In past years, local art studio La Fonderie in Echo Park has participated in the program (along with other at-risk youth programs), helping kids melt down the guns from the buy-back program into a sculpture for the 2011 Peace Angels Project award.

The nearest drop-off location in Echo Park is at the LAFD Training Academy located at 1700 Stadium Way. The drop-off is happening today until 3:00 pm. Click here for a list of other locations.

You wouldn’t know it from the outside, other than a vinyl banner and a couple of colorful but crudely-drawn signs on the windows, but Señor Fish’s new location in Echo Park had its soft opening today. It still smells like fresh sawdust inside, the walls are bare, and there is likely a bit of furniture yet to be moved in – but the kitchen is 100% ready!

We snuck in not too long before the 9:00 pm closing tonight and snagged a couple of Ensenada Fish Tacos with mayo spread and guacamole. At $3.50 a piece, it’s not your cheapest deal in town. But the tacos are so freaking delicious that it’s worth every penny!

A+ for crispiness, the tangy mayo, a smokey salsa, and super fresh cabbage and guacamole. We honestly left wishing we had ordered about 10 more!

Señor Fish is open at 8:30 am tomorrow morning for breakfast and close at 9:00 pm. Although Echo Park Patch reports they are not serving any alcohol, our server behind the counter confirmed our inquiry by pointing out a display of beer including Corona, Modelo and Negro Modelo. Perhaps some day they’ll get a full liquor license for some margaritas to go along with those delicious fish tacos!

Señor Fish is located at 1701 Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park.

A more realistic portrayal would show the characters taking up resident parking along Echo Park streets, and returning at 3 am shouting obnoxious things like, “I could have TOTALLY gotten her number!” Not that we have any experience with this kind of thing…

The Echo Park Craft Fair is just around the corner! Taking place both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, the event is put on by an Artist Collective including over 25 location artists including Beatrice Valenzuela, Kathryn Bently, Anne Costello Brown, Rachel Craven, jewelry designer Kathleen Whitaker and artist Brit Browne.

Echo Park’s Juice Maids will be serving up their delicious cold-pressed juices alongside “blue corn quesodillas.”

Echo Park Craft Fair
May 12 & 13, 2012 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm
1461 Carroll Ave.
www.echoparkcraftfair.com
email raqstars@mac.com for more info

Last chance for artists, musicians, and venues to sign up for the Echo Park Art Walk – sign up online as soon as possible if you’d like to participate in this great neighborhood event!

Echo Park Public Displays of Art’s (PDA) annual art walk started as a small event involving businesses and artists along Echo Park Avenue. Now it’s expanded to Sunset Boulevard, as far as Alvarado. The Art Walk is a community event filled with music, art exhibits, store sales, film screenings, food trucks, workshops, and even sidewalk chalk and bubbles for the kids.

Echo Park PDA Art Walk
Saturday, May 19, 2012 from 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm
www.artneedsfreedom.com/pda

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, time to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage with some beers and margaritas! There are a ton of great spots you can walk to in Echo Park, here’s the low-down:

Echo Park Merchant Association’s Cinco de Mayo Event

There will be beverages, tasty snacks, music, and a raffle to benefit The Wall Las Memorias Project. The raffle prizes will include a gift certificate from The Warehouse LA and a terrarium from The Classroom LA.

Saturday, May 5 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Warehouse is located at 1197 West Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park

Mayberry Elementary School Fiesta

This family-friendly event celebrates with a Fiesta. Mayberry Magicians, Live Mariachi, folklore dancers, Mayberry student dance performances, Glee Club, and more. Booths, prizes, obstacle course jumper, Sumo Suits, Fac epainting, and other great activities will keep the kids going! All day game wristbands are $15 (proceeds benefit programs at the school). And of course, Cinco de Mayo appropriate refreshments.

Saturday, May 5 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Located at 2414 Mayberry Street in Echo Park

Barragan’s

This is definitely a go-to spot for a lot of locals and non-locals – cheap margaritas are the name of the game and they’ve also got something special for the Cinco de Mayo holiday. Just make sure to arrive early, snag your spot on the patio (usually open after 7:00 pm), and order a bucket of Coronas for a discounted price.

Barragan’s is located at 1538 West Sunset Boulevard

El Compadre

They don’t usually have any specials going on for Cinco de Mayo, but the Echo Park location has the BEST margaritas and a fabulous mariachi band to keep you in the mood. Valet parking is available in the back, and sports on the television.

El Compadre is located at 1449 West Sunset Boulevard

Beyond Echo Park:

The Pub at Golden Road Brewery in Atwater Village: Cinco de Moustache

Cinco de Moustache is a “poquito” celebration of the holiday with food specials and two taps (one at 11 am, one at 5 pm) of the limited release “El Hefe Añjeo” - a hefeweizen aged in añejo tequila barrels (say what?!).  Food specials include $2 tacos (carne asada, pollo, and vegetarian), vegan & non-vegan tostadas, and ceviche.

Saturday, May 5 at 11:00 am
Golden Road Brewery is located at 5410 San Fernando Rd West in Atwater Village

La Cuevita grand opening in Highland Park

The Little Cave is now reformed into a tequila/mescal bar called La Cuevita, opening up this weekend. $2 tecate, free tacos starting at 9:00 pm, and of course their selection of agave spirits and specialty cocktails. Enjoy your libations on one of the two patios at the new bar.

Friday May 4 and Saturday May 6 at 7:00 pm
La Cuevita is located at 5922 N Figueroa Street in Highland Park

The Biggest Margarita at Big Bar in Los Feliz

The mother of all margaritas are on Los Feliz this weekend: A 957.44 ounce margarita will certainly match your Cinco de Mayo expectations; that’s bigger than my head! Served all day on Saturday for $10 a piece (that can’t be premium tequila in there) and enter your chance to win tickets to a Dodgers vs. Giants game.

Big Bar is located at 1929 Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz

Just make sure if you do go out and drink some adult beverages, have a designated driver, or take the BUS! The LAPD does have plans for some DUI checkpoints around Los Angeles this weekend.

Calling all artists – Stachka (a grassroots fundraising organization) is accepting donations for an art show benefiting the Echo Park Film Center. Donations can submitted by Saturday, May 5, 2012.

1650 Gallery in Echo Park is hosting the “Reel Art”  fundraiser on May 19, featuring a silent art auction and film screening. DJ Salinger and Slam Dunk are DJing, and O.N.E. Coconut Water refreshments provided. All proceeds benefit the Echo Park Film Center.

Click here for more information, or email Jacqueline Davis or Nicole Paulus at picketlinekids@gmail.com to donate.

Last year we attended the first Taste of the Eastside and had a blast – beautiful weather plus tons of great Echo Park restaurants made it worth the ticket price. We enjoyed some incredible bread pudding from Delilah’s, vegan ceviche by Elf Cafe, Farro salad from Cookbook, Pho Beef Tacos from Xoia, and savory rhubarb galette from The Park. A memorable cup of coffee from Silver Lake’s Intelligentsia made us realize why the coffee shop is so packed all the time. Click here for our photos from last year.

This year we can expect some of the same restaurants from last year plus a couple of new additions from Echo Park, including The Park, Cookbook, Mohawk Bend, Xoia, and Pazzo Gelato. We know Xoia is serving up some homemade ice cream, which will be perfect for the wonderful 74 degree, sunny weather we can expect!

Tickets are a little more expensive this year, but includes unlimited tastings from the 30+ restaurants from the area. With each $35 ticket you get a unlimited food tastes, a $45 bar ticket adds a wine/beer flight, and a $65 VIP ticket a bunch of other goodies like seminars . Kids 2-12 are only $5, two and under are free!

Taste of the Eastside
Barnsdall Art Park, located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd
Sunday, May 6 from 1-5:00 pm.
Click here for the website

Flickr photo by Max Santa Cruz, May 2010

Around this time of year, our email inbox gets flooded with questions about if there’s going to be a Cuban Music Festival at Echo Park Lake. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we’ve confirmed with official organizers that there will not be a Cuban Music Festival this year.

The Cuban Music Festival is usually held annually at Echo Park Lake – this year would have been its 18th year. It celebrates Cuba’s Independence from Spain on May 20, and Cuban poet José Martí (you may have notice his statue at the corner of the park).

Last year’s festival was canceled due to funding issues. A representative from Duval Productions says they hope to come back next year when the lake rehab has completed.

Screenshot from echoparklake.com

Tonight, the city is holding an Oversight and Odor Monitoring Committee meeting for those interested in getting updates on and ask questions about the Echo Park Lake rehabilitation project. Only 11 months left of the project – we’ll find out if things are moving along as planned.

The meeting is today, Monday, April 30, 2012, at 6:30 pm, at the St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral in the “Joseph and Child” room.

St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral is located at 840 Echo Park Ave.

Monday
Tanlines, Rewards, Gothic Tropic @ Echo
Jon Benjamin Has a Tour @ Echoplex
Melpo Mene @ Origami Vinyl
Open Mic Night hosted by David & Jayson @ Tribal Café
The Fold NIght Market, The Downtown Train, Cuckoo Chaos, Gangi, Reighnbeau, Corridor @ Bootleg Bar
Motown Mondays @ The Short Stop
John Carpenter, Sketch Monster, The Crystelles, Dead Dawn @ Los Globos
Juke Joint Blues Duo (Tevis Hodge Jr. and Christopher Yarrow) at Stories Books & Cafe

Tuesday
OUTERNATIONAL @ Echo
Open Mic Night hosted by John Schneider @ Tribal Cafe
Ocha La Rocha, Gwendolyn, Dallas Don, Magic Mirror @ Bootleg Bar
Betty White, The New Room, Adult Books, LOLcats @ Lot 1 Café

Wednesday
Aquarium Drunkard Presents: Willis Earl Beal with Emily Kokal @ Echo
Dub Club Presents: 2 Rooms Of Musical Madness With Peaking Lights, Secret Circuit, Deadly Dragon Sound System, Carl Meeks, Screechy Dan @ Echo & Echoplex
Carolina Chickadee @ Taix Lounge
Open Mic Night hosted by Victoria @ Tribal Café
Sophie Barker (Zero 7), The Janks, White Dove (formerly Monster) @ Bootleg Bar
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Café
TV girl, wildcat wildcat, pageants @ Los Globos
DJ David Delano, Newage Dave, Jake Peterson, Sammy Max, Oscar Gerard, Mikey Made + more @ Los Globos
Tic Tic Boom! @ Lot 1 Café

Thursday
Origami Vinyl and Hit City USA present: Papa, LA Font, Busy Living @ Echo
Iheartcomix, Media Contender, The Echo & Spin Present: Check Yo Ponytail 2: Tiga, Damian Lazarus, Light Year, Franki Chan @ Echoplex
Cave Country EP Release, RT n the 44′s, Haroula Rose and Levi Strom @ Echo Country Outpost
Carina Round @ Origami Vinyl
Morris Tepper, 5 Track @ Taix Lounge
Joke Juice Comedy Night @ Tribal Café
Greenhorse, Tha Boogie, Planet Booty @ Bootleg Bar
Psych Garage Night @ Lot 1 Café

Friday
Noah and The Megafauna @ Echo
Friends of Friends present: ‘Salton Sea’ Release Party with Tomas Barfod, Shlohmo, Salva, Groundislava, Suzanne Kraft @ Echoplex
Le Couturier @ Origami Vinyl
Abe Lincoln Story, Spain @ Taix Lounge
Sinceras Collective Art Show @ Tribal Café
Ian Cooke, Shenandoah Davis, David Shane Smith @ Bootleg Bar
Boats and Birds @ Los Globos

Saturday
Allo Darlin’, The Wave Pictures, Yellow Red Sparks @ Echo
Bootie La @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Omar Perez, Jose Promis @ Taix Lounge
Open Mic Night @ The Fretted Frog
Stone Soup @ Tribal Café
The Pentimento Campfire Tour: Toh Kay (feat. Tomas from Streetlight Manifesto), Sycamore Smith, Dan Potthast @ Bootleg Bar
Drinko de Mayo Fest @ Los Globos
Colin Ambulance, Danny Bobbe, Amanda Frances, Nora Keyes art show @ ecos gallery

Sunday
Grand Ole Echo with Angela Bruyere, Brian Spence & The T.H.H., Grant Langston & The Supermodels/Hot Club de LA @ Echo
Part Time Punks @ Echo
Kick Everything @ Origami Vinyl
French Toast Comedy @ Taix Lounge
SoCal Hip-Hop and Electronica Showcase @ Tribal Café
The Pentimento Campfire Tour: Toh Kay (feat. Tomas from Streetlight Manifesto), Sycamore Smith, Dan Potthast @ Bootleg Bar
Super Soul Sunday @ The Short Stop
The LockWest @ Los Globos

Visit the venue websites for more information on the cost and times of shows. Feel free to add more events in the comment section. All events listed are subject to change at any time, and new events announced for the week after this posting may not be included. Visit our Weekly Events page for more neighborhood events, shows and specials.

In conjunction with The Day of the Child, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and International Spank Out Day, the festival promotes parental self care as well as an understanding of child development:

The message of the Festival of Childhood is that violence is something that is learned. When we raise children with kindness and compassion, they grow to be kind and compassionate adults, who aren’t likely to use violence as a tool. It’s a day when families can experience the possibility of nonviolence in the world!

The event will include a rock climbing wall, face painting, gardening, clay play, button-making, music, story time, street painting, and more.

Live performances include Bob Baker Marionettes, Eco Hero Kids, Birdie’s Playhouse, Children’s Nature Institute, Tierra Blanca and expert parenting speakers.

The free festival will be held in the basement of the Echo Park United Methodist Church Building at 1226 N. Alvarado Street.

Email aortiz@echoparenting.org with questions.

Contact us if you know anything about this pup!

Got any plans for Saturday? Cancel them! This weekend is the 23rd Annual La Gran Limpieza: The Great Los Angeles River CleanUp.

The community, family-friendly event is on April 28, 2012 from 9:00 am to noon. To entice you a little more, there will be gift giveaways, raffle prizes, entertainment and refreshments at each site. The event is part of Keep America Beautiful’s (KAB) nationwide Great American Cleanup™ day of service,

There will be 15 river clean-up sites, it looks like the closest one to us in Echo Park might actually be the Arroyo Seco cleanup site.

Each year going back to 2004, FoLAR publishes a trash report of what they find and how much in the LA River – from clothes to plastic film, metal, styrofoam, beverage containers, molded plastic, and glass. Some of the strangest items they’ve found include phone booths, cars, swords, and even old saunas. They expect 25 tons of garbage to be removed. Check FoLAR’s website for maps and more information.

Echo Park Trash Abatement Project (TAP) will have a small table at the Echo Park Farmers’ Market on Friday, April 27 from 4-6:00 pm with information and sign-up sheets. Otherwise, click here to sign up online!

This adorable munchkin was found on Saturday, April 21 near Fix Coffee at Echo Park Avenue and Baxter. The owners must miss this one – don’t you just want to pinch those cheeks?

Contact us if you know anything about this found dog.

We’re thoroughly looking forward to yet another successful Echo Park Art Walk this year – taking place on Saturday, May 19 all around Echo Park. Planning stages are in full force, and organizers are asking for the community’s help. This event wouldn’t happen without the participation of the community – it takes a village!

Echo Park Public Displays of Art’s (PDA) annual art walk started as a small event involving businesses and artists along Echo Park Avenue. Now it’s expanded to Sunset Boulevard, as far as Alvarado. The Art Walk is a community event filled with music, art exhibits, store sales, film screenings, food trucks, workshops, and even sidewalk chalk and bubbles for the kids.

Get involved by going to a community meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, April 24 at 7:00 pm. Share your ideas for the Art Walk, and just learn more about how to get involved. Meet at the Echo Park Time Travel Mart at 1714 W. Sunset Boulevard. RSVP here!

Monday
KXLU and KSPC Present Monday Night Residency: So Many Wizards, Batwings Catwings, Moses Campbell, Body Parts @ Echo
Sean Carnage presents: Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk, Vehicle Blues, Kevin Greenspon, Bachsung @ Pehrspace
Monday Night Open Mic Night hosted by David & Jayson @ Tribal Cafe
Grace Woodroofe, Busy Living (feat. Mike Moonves of Chief), Lucy Schwartz, COYOL @ Bootleg Bar
Motown Mondays @ The Short Stop

Tuesday
Pageants, E.S.P @ Echo
Check Yo Ponytail 2: Hype Williams, Gatekeeper, James Ferraro, White Car, Slow Motion DJ’s @ Echoplex
Victoria Cordova’s Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
State to State, Palace Ballroom, Echoes De Luxe, Battles Tapes @ Bootleg Bar
DJ Thergood, Yukmouth, Big Kush Jay @ Los Globos

Wednesday
Caveman, Henry Wolfe, So Many Wizards @ Echo
Dub Club with special guest DJ Rakkas Crew @ Echoplex
Automatik Eden @ Taix Lounge
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Café
Open Mic Night hosted by Leo Margul @ Tribal Cafe
Manda Mosher, Merle Jagger, Scott Bartenhagen, Ralph Torrefranca @ Bootleg Bar
DJ JL, Android Cartel @ Los Globos

Thursday
Black Flamingo, Spirit Vine, Raw Geronimo, The Dignitary Loss of Richard Roe, Exploding Flowers @ Echoplex
Vetiver, Big Search, Bouquet @ Echo
The Authentic Sounds of Silverlake, AK & Her Kalashnikovs @ Taix Lounge
Dr. Lou’s Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
Simone White, The Healing Machine, Brown and Blue, Sanglorians @ Bootleg Bar

Friday
Girl In A Coma, Pinta Protest, Sara Radle @ Echoplex
Aquarium Drunkard presents: Fruit Bats, Gold Leaves, A House For Lions @ Echo
Owls, House Boat @ Pehrspace
Fletchers Castorians, Creekbird @ Taix Lounge
Secure Sounds @ Tribal Cafe
The Bright Light Social Hour, Jonneine Zapata, The Violet Lights @ Bootleg Bar

Saturday
Footlong Development & Keistar Productions Present: The Original Prince & MJ Party Soul Slam 8 @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Electric Flower Group, Sleepy Owl, Last in Class, The Shrine @ Bootleg Bar
Mothers of Gut, Habits, Old Monk, Michael Rey and The Woebegones, Virginia Reed @ Pehrspace
Tim Russ, Artie Vegas Revue @ Taix Lounge
Edgar Ruiz & Friends, Juliett Rivas @ Tribal Cafe
Paul & The Kir, Fogelfoot @ Los Globos

Sunday
Adam Shenkman Presents: The Breakfast Show! @ Echo
Grand Ole Echo @ Echo
FYF & Iheartcomix Present: Tragedy, Nails, Skin Like Iron, Children Of God @ Echoplex
PART TIME PUNKS @ Echo
French Toast Comedy @ Taix Lounge
Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
Sweet Hearts with Priscilla Ahn and Charlie Wadhams, The Parlour Suite @ Bootleg Bar
Super Soul Sunday @ The Short Stop

Visit the venue websites for more information on the cost and times of shows. Feel free to add more events in the comment section. All events listed are subject to change at any time, and new events announced for the week after this posting may not be included. Visit our Weekly Events page for more neighborhood events, shows and specials.

A couple of candles and flowers decorate the Dick Clark mural on Glendale Boulevard, under the Sunset Bridge, in Echo Park.

Thinking about bringing home a new best friend? You’re in luck!

Fur Baby Rescue is hosting an all-breed adoption event at BlueCollar in Echo Park on Sunday, April 22 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Fur Baby Rescue is a non-profit, no-kill shelter located in Downtown LA. BlueCollar is located at 1533 Echo Park Avenue.

Hipsters rejoice! Tomorrow is the annual Record Store Day – where independently owned record stores across the country celebrate music with special vinyl and CD releases. Echo Park’s Origami Vinyl and Mono Records are participating this year with some special events of their own:

Origami Vinyl

Open at 8:00 am with coffee and snacks from Stories Books & Cafe. Shoppers will be allowed in ten at a time, and the first 300 people get an Origami Vinyl/Generic Surplus Record Store Day tote bag free with purchase. They’ll also have some more special give-aways, and you even go to The Echo patio to listen to your purchases or check in your bag at the “vinyl valet” while you enjoy the show.

Starting at noon on The Echo patio will be eight bands and guest DJs – but if you can’t make it to the show check out the live stream at radio.magicmonsterrecords.com. Bands include:

Big Black Delta @ 7:00 pm
Henry Clay People @ 6:00 pm
Electric Guest @ 5:00 pm
Races @ 4:00 pm
Zammuto @ 3:00 pm
Electric Flower Group @ 2:00 pm
Jenny O @ 1:00 pm
All Tiny Creatures @ Noon

Guest DJs spinning in Origami Vinyl:

Jason Kramer from KCRW
Shaun Koplow from Anticon
Jason from Dub Club/Punky Reggae
Matt & Patrick from Light in the Attic
Alyssa Bailey from KXLU
Angela Asistio from KXSC
Jen Ferrer from KXSC
Cristina Ramirez from KXLU
Chris Ziegler from LA Record

Check out the store’s Facebk page for more info.

Mono Records

This will be a great opportunity to finally get our butts over to the new Glendale Boulevard record store, which just opened a few months ago. They’ll have the STAX “Flipside of Stax” 45 boxes available, and of course a sale: All wax under $10 is 20% off, over $10 is 15% off the entire day. Store opens at 10:00 am.

There are a ton of other Los Angeles record store locations celebrating the day, check out LAist for the details.

Poetry Collage program at Edendale Branch Library

The “Words That Inspire Poetry Collage Program” takes place on on Thursday, May 19 at 5:30-7:00 pm.

Teens are invited to discover the voices of diverse poets, and create their own collage of words and images. This event celebrates National Poetry Month at the Los Angeles Public Libraries. Email wickedlovelyfilms@gmail.com

Edendale Branch LA Public Library is located at 2011 W. Sunset Blvd.

LACMA art classes at the Echo Park Library

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Echo Park Library are providing free family art classes every Thursday evening from 4:00-5:00 pm. LACMA professionals will be on hand to help you find your inner Picasso! For more information, please contact the Echo Park Library at (213) 250-7808.

GED on Wheels at Edendale Branch Library

Every Thursday from 2:30-4:30 pm at Edendale Branch Library.

MFN is a non-profit organization that works to empower local residents with educational tools for economic success.  Our goal is to help as many high school dropouts become college and career ready so they will have the ability to earn a sustainable living wage. On January 14, 2012, MFN  launched GED on Wheels (SM) at the Edendale  Branch Library. GED on Wheels  (SM) is a free mobile GED service and we provide TABE Tests, Official GED OPTs, and workshops on the GED Essay or GED Math. The GED can be the first step to new  found personal success. Students prepare to succeed by learning helpful test taking strategies and becoming familiar with the format of the GED Test. They review and evaluate their abilities in English, Reading, and math. Instruction on the use of the Casio FX 260 Calculator is also included. Although this workshop is not intended as a substitute for an all inclusive GED Program, it can serve as an indicator of your their needs. The workshop is 2 hours.

This event is free and open to the public. Our program complements the library goals and interest of adult education in the community.

Free Drama West performances at Edendale Library

Drama West is presenting another wonderful and free series of original one-act play readings at Edendale Library on Saturday, April 21 from 2-4:00 pm. For more information, please call the library at 213-207-3000.

Apparently a lot!

Glendale Boulevard at Berkeley is getting a new 7-11, and a presentation at the last week’s neighborhood council Planning & Land Use Committee revealed plans for another location at Alvarado Street and Beverly Boulevard. The map above is a screenshot of several 7-11 stores in Echo Park and the immediate area, with the purple dots showing locations for the  twonew stores.

The Beverly Boulevard and Alvarado Street 7-11 location will be part of a larger demolition and rebuild of a service station at 2041 Beverly Boulevard. It sounds like the state of the existing building is pretty bad, and could use a serious boost. But even committee members at the Planning & Land Use meeting asked if there would be alternative vendors other than 7-11, especially since there’s one on Beverly Boulevard just down the road. A quick search on the franchise’s website for our zip code, and there are at least six 7-11 stores within a two mile radius (not including the new ones).

However, it looks like the deal is done, and the property owners have already negotiated the establishment of a 7-11 store at the revamped location. But permits still need to be granted, and the neighborhood council has asked for hours of beer and wine sales to be reduced just as the Glendale Boulevard location has done.

Time is running out to purchase your tickets to the Elysian Heights Elementary School Family Fun night!

In N Out burger will be serving up your pre-purchased meals at the school on Monday, April 23 at 6:00 pm as part of a fund raiser benefiting the 6th grade field trip to Catalina Island Marine Institute – a trip that costs about $7,500.

But it’s worth every penny – once in middle school myself, my 8th grade class took a similar trip and it was one of my best experiences growing up. A lot of kids never leave their neighborhood, and the trip is an educational program providing them with hands-on marine biology and island ecology lessons. They’ll get to hike around the island, snorkel, experience marine fish and wildlife, pet a shark, and even do a plankton tow along with dolphin excursions.

The cost of the trip includes the student’s camp fee, all activities, all meals, Catalina Express transportation, lodging, teacher chaperones, and supplies. 75% funds realized from this event will directly support the field trip. The remaining 25% of the funds go to the IN-N-OUT Child Abuse Foundation.

Tickets for the Family Night are $6 and gets you burger, chips, and a soft drink. There will be a demonstration by the students at 6:15 pm in the auditorium. Dinner will be at the school from 5-6:00 pm.

Get your tickets today! Tickets are only available until noon tomorrow, and can be picked up no later than noon on April 18 in the school office.

If you are unable to attend, but would you or your company would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact the school office at 323.665.6315

Instagram photo via applesauce9mm

Echo Parkians who crave the late-night diner food at The Brite Spot are out of luck for a couple of more days – filming continues on Stand Up Guys, a comedy starting Christopher Walken and Al Pacino. The Daily Mail describes the film as a comedy where “the legendary duo have come together to play ageing criminals on one last nefarious bender, with the tasty twist that one has been hired to kill the other.”

Al Pacino and Christopher Walken sitings in Echo Park have been hitting Twitter, and we have to admit wanting to catch glimpse of the super stars ourselves. As our Twitter follower Marc Vieira tells us of catching Al Pacino, “Definitely my celebrity sighting highlight.”

The Brite Spot will reopen on Thursday, April 19 at 7:00 am.

Follow us on Twitter for film notifications when they come in.

The Echo Park Chamber Of Commerce is hosting a Spring Mixer on Thursday, April 19, 2011 at 7:00 pm.

Join fellow business-owners in Echo Park at the event at Taix Restaurant, bring your business cards to network and your happy faces!

We’ve suffered through Lotus Festivals without dragon-boat races, and the past few years without the lotus blossoms themselves – but a Lotus Festival with no lake?

Planned for July 14-15, this will mark the 34th Lotus Festival in Echo Park – the past couple of years have been “scaled back” versions of the festival (it was canceled completely in 2009). We didn’t expect to have on in 2011, until plans to start the Echo Park Lake rehabilitation project were pushed back until later that year and the fest went on.

This year’s Lotus Festival will not be held at the lake, which is currently empty and completely gated up during construction. Instead, the parking lots between Echo Park Avenue and Lemoyne, south of Sunset Boulevard, will serve as the grounds. This will definitely be a “scaled back” version of the event.

The details aren’t finalized, but one thing’s for sure – there won’t be any Dragon Boat races!

For the week of Monday, April 16 through Sunday, April 22

Monday
Ghiant, Kim Deal, David Mayfield Parade, Driftwood Singers At Outpost
KXLU and KSPC present Monday Night Residency: So Many Wizards, Wildcat! Wildcat!, Magick Orchids, Jon Barba @ Echo
Atari Teenage Riot, Otto Van Schirach, DJs Emu and Steady (Smog), Outer Source Rebellion @ Echoplex
Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
The John Francis @ Origami Vinyl
Karaoke @ Lot 1 Café
Grace Woodroofe, A House for Lions, Miracle Days, Brandon & Leah @ Bootleg Bar
Religious Girls, Radio Shock, Realization Orchestra, Kyle Mabson DJ set @ Pehrspace
Motown Mondays @ The Short Stop

Tuesday
Neon Indian, Housse De Racket, Friends @ Echoplex
We Were Promised Jetpacks, Chasing Kings, Tristen @ Echo

Wednesday
Wild Beasts, Superhumanoids @ Echo
Dub Club & Delicious Vinyl present: Marlon Asher @ Echoplex
Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Café
Emeli Sande, Coco Morier, The Child, The Donnies The Amys @ Bootleg Bar
Monika Santucci @ Taix Lounge

Thursday
The Big Pink, Io Echo, Ko Ko @ Echo
School of Seven Bells, Exitmusic, Tashaki Miyaki @ Echoplex
Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
CUBITS @ Lot 1 Café
Heywood, Vs Colour, Frank Lenz, Kim Free @ Bootleg Bar
The Cerny Brothers @ Taix Lounge

Friday
Lemonade, Bachelorette, DJ Ras Coco, DJ Blake Miller @ Echo
Bearracuda @ Echoplex
Kazha @ Tribal Cafe
The Mummy Jamboree @ Lot 1 Café
The Peach Kings @ Bootleg Bar
Starving Daughters, + TBA @ Pehrspace
Viki Hill, Creekbird @ Taix Lounge

Saturday
Bootie LA @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Wakarimaren @ Tribal Cafe
Record Store Day @ Origami Vinyl
The Ukulady & Friendsies PARTYShowFUN (free kids’ show) at 3:00 pm @ Lot 1 Café
Thurlow, Steffaloo, Rene Breton @ Bootleg Bar
Heroes and Heroines @ Pehrspace
La Picante @ Los Globos

Sunday
Grand Ole Echo @ Echo
Rum & Humble And Echo Present: The TourЀ-Raichel Collective featuring Vieux Farka Touré, Idan Raichel, Souleymane Kane and Amit Carmeli @ Echoplex
Part Time Punks Presents: Soft Metals, Silent Diane, Grapefruit @ Echo
Open Mic Night @ Tribal Cafe
French Toast Comedy @ Taix Lounge
Super Soul Sunday @ The Short Stop

Visit the venue websites for more information on the cost and times of shows. Feel free to add more events in the comment section. All events listed are subject to change at any time, and new events announced for the week after this posting may not be included. Visit our Weekly Events page for more neighborhood events, shows and specials.