heidicuda's Blog

Say hello to H-E-I-D-I-W-O-O-D…. Cuz that’s what you’re gonna get here each week. A delectable sampling of the finest highbrow, lowbrow and in-B-tween brow T-town has to offer…. Since being a writer for a living ain’t a get-rich quick scheme am super excited about bands giving us sumin for nothing. Radiohead did it, Pennywise did it (with the bands latest MySpace Records release, which you can still grab for free) and now Dave Matthews is giving us something we can feel: a free, live concert digital download on iTunes for anyone who buys tix to the band’s North American tour (tix go on sale manana).… The wunderbar band hits Staples Center on August 19 & 20…. Last time we saw producer Rob Cavallo (who is producing DM’s new album and has worked his magic with Green Day and My Chemical Romance), he was backstage with TSAR at a weensy Hollywood nightclub. In a business, where you throw a rock, hit a narcissist, Cavallo’s a humble God fo’ sho’….

Speaking of humble Gods, Pennywise blew the roof off the Key Club last night, Thursday, to celebrate the release of “Reason to Believe,” the Hermosa Beach punk icons latest album. And since the foursome is among the few, the proud, who always throw down for good causes, they couldn’t pass up the op to raise money last night for muscular dystrophy research. They gave what they made to www.cooperscure.org, a group helping out their pal’s son Cooper (Cooper below; photo credit Jared Milgrim), who suffers from the disease…. I remember a few years back when no “name” bands would step up to help out Steven “Crabby” Cabler, the only American to survive the Al Qaeda bombings in Bali nightclubs in '02. So natch PDub stepped up to help raise money to offset Cabler's medical costs.…

And how does Randy Jackson look so fly? He shops at the new Studio City hotspot, Royal Dutchess, which opened over the holidaze and is already being touted as the Kitson-of-the-Valley. Dutchess is the hard work of my pal Ivory O’Rourke, the daughter of rock star hair icon Michael O’Rourke. The Moroccan-themed Dutchess bows to such fashionistas as Frankie B, William Rast, Temptation and Stiches. While browsing its mondo jeans bar, shoppers can snack on free cupcakes and an array of DJs (on some Saturdays)…. Place to be seen on the scene in the ‘bu is Sunset Café in Zuma. Along with a bucketload of thespians, its happy hour is loaded with hotties….

On April 9, don’t miss young, black punks Whole Wheat Bread at the Knitting Factory (you butter not!). The Jacksonville, Florida, band is collaborating with Lil Jon and is a fave of Rancid’s…. And seasoned drummer alert: the band, Black President, is looking for a new skin slapper….

Following in the footsteps of fab local teen bands like Orange and the Diffs comes Drive A, which is showcasing its talents at the Key Club on the Strip every Tuesday in April. Drive A just knocked out an album with Cheap Trick producer Julian Raymond and among the sweet-16 band’s fans are Tommy Lee, Dave Navarro and Don Henley. Could be the new boyz of summer…. xoxo hsc