Sugarcult “Palm Trees and Power Lines” Fearless Regardless of relying on every pop-punk convention ever conceived, Sugarcult’s new album, “Palm Trees and Power Lines,” might bring some needed credibility back to a genre that has been hijacked by tattooed boy bands and MTV in the past few years. Read more...

Correction appended For Frank Rudow,German-born multi-instrumentalist of the Spanish rock band Manta Ray, April 14 was the longest day in his life. After touching down from a 34-hour flight from Europe, Rudow found himself surrounded by the greenery and suburbs of Oregon, excited to be in the Western Hemisphere for the first time to begin the band’s first U.S. Read more...

For many people, the word retirement conjures up an image of a poolside house in Palm Springs where a game of tennis or bridge is the most important activity on the daily agenda. Read more...

These days, the first thing that strikes you as you wander into the tiny Little Victory Theater in North Hollywood is how authentic and confident John Williams’ set design for the venue’s current production, Keith Bunin’s “The Credeaux Canvas,” truly feels. Read more...

The idea of a student-produced production conjures up visions of frenzied performers, strewn together stages and power-tripping producers. But during the final few rehearsals before opening night, the vibe around the dancers of WAC Smash, a student-created undergraduate showcase, is one of professional cool. Read more...

In one of the rare instances where lip-synching is not only engrossing but also applauded, the child actors of the Belgium-based theater company Victoria proved captivating as copycats in last Saturday night’s performance of writer/actor/director Josse De Pauw’s “üBUNG” at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse, drawing to an end UCLA Live’s second International Theatre Festival. Read more...

Dilated Peoples “Neighborhood Watch” With a top 40 single already under their belts, Dilated Peoples ““ the hip-hop trio of Evidence, Rakaa and DJ Babu ““ is clearly looking to capitalize on the recent crossover success of acts such as Kanye West, Talib Kweli and Black Eyed Peas with the release of their third album, “Neighborhood Watch.” Unlike those releases, this album suffers from a lack of any real creativity or inspiration. Read more...