Sharing the Stage at the Festival of Books

Dear Patrons of the Arts,

The folks at the Los Angeles Times have inexplicably invited Murphy's Flaw to appear on the Festival of Books Etc. Stage for a fourth year.

We'll be on from 3 to 4 p.m. and at least 45 minutes of that will be spent tuning the banjo. But it's a solid entertainment value nonetheless, considering that it's free.

We jumped at this chance because 1) we don't get to hang with people who read books that often, being a Marvel Comics kind of band, and 2) it allows us to use one of the great chestnuts of showbiz hucksterism: "shared the stage with."

As in: "Murphy's Flaw recently appeared at the Los Angeles Times Festival of books where they shared the stage with the L.A. Opera."

And we will, you snobbish non-believers. L.A. Opera will be on at noon; we'll be on at 3 p.m. Same stage, though -- take that!

And it gets better: 

Murphy's Flaw is proud to be sharing the festival with Folk and Country Music Legends Peter Yarrow (Target Children's Stage, noon) and Trisha Yearwood (Cooking stage, 2 p.m.) We actually reached out to both, trying to get them to join the Flaw on the Etc. stage. No response. Curious....maybe the emails are slow. 

But the real outrage is this: Over at the Health and Wellness Stage is the Sun Protection Zone's Sun Safety Styles Fashion Show. They could have used some background music; all fashion shows need background music.

The Flaw, after all, was willing to share the stage.

---------------------

Next gigs:

• Sunday, April 25, 3-4 p.m.: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Etc. Stage

• Sunday, May 2, 8 p.m., Coffee Gallery Backstage, Altadena ($15, reservations at (626) 794-2424)

• Monday, May 10, 7:30 p.m.: Viva Fresh Mexican Restaurant, 900 West Riverside Drive, Burbank.

• Sunday, May 16: 50th annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest, Paramount Ranch, Agoura Hills.