The Best of 2002, The First of 2003

by Tomm Carroll

Friday, January 3-Thursday, January 9--Happy New Year. But let’s ring the old year out first. So, without further adieu, let’s get to the best CDs and live shows of 2002, as I saw/heard ‘em.

These are my favorite CDs of 2002, in the order they are as I am typing this:

1. Cornershop, Handcream for a Generation (Beggars Banquet)
2. Kinky, Kinky (Nettwerk America)
3. The Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Warner Bros.)
4. Solomon Burke, Don’t Give Up on Me (Fat Possum/Anti-)
5. Moorcheeba, Charango (China/Reprise/Sire)
6. Luka Bloom, Between the Mountain and the Moon (Bar/None)
7. Luna, Romantica (Jetset)
8. Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch)
9. Tom Waits, Alice/Blood Money (Anti-)
10. Elvis Costello, When I Was Cruel (Island DefJam)

Honorable Mention: Starsailor, Love Is Here (Capitol); Faultline, Your Love Means Everything (Blanco y Negro/Elektra); Various Artists, One Giant Leap (Palm Pictures)

And these are my favorite live shows of the ones I caught during 2002, in the order that they still resonate as I am typing this:

1. Graham Parker, McCabe’s Guitar Shop, November 15; and Santa Monica Pier Twilight Dance Series Concert, August 1
2. The Blasters (first L.A. reunion show), House of Blues, March 8
3. Luka Bloom, Olympia Theatre (Dublin, Ireland), May 19
4. Kinky (Sounds Eclectic Evening benefit performance), November 23, Universal Amphitheatre
5. El Vez (Quinceneria show), Watercourt Plaza, August 16
6. Lucinda Williams, Neil Finn, Aimee Mann, Rosey, Joe Henry, John Doe (Step Up Benefit); Wiltern Theatre, November 5
7. Sigur RÛs, Wiltern Theatre, November 19
8. Jonathan Richman, El Rey Theatre, February 1
9. Shane MacGowan and the Popes, Electric Factory (Philadelphia, PA), May 11
10. Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Ackerman Ballroom, May 28

Honorable Mention: Christy Moore, Forum (London, UK); The Who, Hollywood Bowl, July 1; Black 47, House of Blues, April 29

BACK TO 2003: Welcome to the annual doldrums of live music in L.A. The club and nightlife action is scaled back during this post-holiday as well. But that is not to say that NOTHING is going on here on the Westside. Here’s seven days worth of shows to consider this first week of the new year:

Friday
Blue Collar (the new band featuring Peter DiStefano of Porno for Pyros fame) gigs at 14 Below in Santa Monica. Bilbo is also on the bill-bo.

Saturday
The voice of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Chris Thompson, makes a rare appearance at Johnny Foxx’s in West L.A. Bottom-loading the bill are The Soules, Woo, Warsaw and Sally’s Gap.

Sunday
One Way at Zanzibar in Santa Monica conti nues to be THE Sunday night hang. DJs Garth Trinidad (of KCRW’s "Chocolate City") and Mr. French man the turntables.

Monday
Santa Monica’s Temple Bar hosts a double bill consisting of a tie for the first Band Name of the Week of 2003, Elephonbic and Subthunk.

Tuesday
There is sax at 73, when septugenarian saxophonist Benny Golson brings his Quartet to the Jazz Bakery in Culver City tonight for a six night stand (through next Sunday).

Wednesday
Rusty’s Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier gets back to its namesake music when it welcomes Chum and The Lava Rats.

Thursday
Orna and his Trio jazz things up at Lunaria, the Century City supper club.