FUNKMOSPHERE = Weekend Hangover Cure

Did you wake up with a case of the Mondays this week? Pining for the weekend fun that just ended? Wishing you had just one more night to kick it to some good music and have a few libations? If you did, you should have gone to Funkmosphere at Carbon last night. AND, we basically recommend you go there every week...

For 4 years, Dam Funk, the rising Stones Throw artist, has been holding down Carbon in Culver City, CA on Monday nights with a plethora of electro-funk boogie records. B-boys routinely show up to display their talents and battle with both friends and dance foes. 45 fans and electro-boogie-funk lovers line the bar with $5 or less beers and flat brims while they absorb the 70s sounding grooves and observe the flailing bodies on the dance floor. Once the clock strikes midnight, you're certain to see someone get served - and quite possibly by one of the spectacular b-girls that gracefully whip the competition into shape.

The night is always FREE, and on this particular Monday - the Funkmosphere crew was celebrating Egyptian Lover's birthday. As seen above, Peanut Butter Wolf was in the house and spinning the fire for the mostly 'regular' crowd along with Dam Funk.

What is remarkable about the Funkmosphere event is that it is an untapped resource of awesomeness; despite its 4 year tenure, the amazing music and ambiance - it doesn't get to capacity. It certainly gets crowded (usually by regulars) and it can get hot indoors if it weren't such a cool summer, but there is always enough space for the dancers to put the moves on.

So, if you are looking for something to cure your weekend blues or simply spice up the start of your week - we have no better recommendation than Funkmosphere. If you are looking to meet some cool people and possibly new friends who could teach you some amazing dance moves - go there. The crowd of 21+ electro boogie funk lovers are a friendly bunch; their love for the music is infectious and they are happy to share their appreciation with others. The DJs love for the scene, especially the host's, is infectious too. The dancing is absolutely breathtaking - it makes you wish you were remotely close to that good. Combine all those elements at a cool, relatively inexpensive bar and you just got one Damn Funky event.

Funkmosphere is a FREE electro-funk boogie event that takes place every Monday at Carbon on Venice Blvd. - 9300 Venice Blvd. FYI, If you were a fan of the old Starshoes bar on Hollywood Blvd. and the funky shows that would go down there with DJ Miles, this is a similar substitute BUT with better dancing.

PhotoJournal From Downtown Stage Summer Concert Series @ Pershing Square

Here are a handful of pics from Teen Inc.'s performance at Pershing Square to launch the first week of the Downtown Stage Summer Concert Series. In addition, got some pics of friends from Beta Records, Blue Sky Free and Sinning In LA all enjoying the concert series downtown. It goes until August 21, Wednesday-Saturday each week and it is FREE every night. This week's highlight is Fishbone and The Janks on Saturday!

Hard L.A. - NOT HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

Hard LA is no longer taking place this Saturday in Downtown Los Angeles and the news couldn't be more souring. Just days after M.I.A.'s third album, Maya, dropped, she will no longer be headlining L.A.'s version of the roaming electro party and not playing new bangers ("XXXO", "Teqkilla", "Born Free" & "Steppin Up") as well as old favorites ("Galang", "Paper Planes", "Come Around", "Sunshowers" and any Piracy Funds Terrorism mix up).

Although she remains as a headliner forHARD NYC taking place on July 24th in NYC, she will not be returning with the other HARD LA event taking place on August 7th. Not only does LA miss out on what certainly would have been a memorable M.I.A. performance, but other artists who were on the bill (like 12th Planet, Die Antwoord and N.E.R.D.) will not be at the event taking place on 7th.

For those of you that purchased tickets - your tickets are good for the August 7th event or you can learn about refund options here. As an additional consolation, there is now a Die Antwoord show at the El Rey; Destructo will also be playing.

HARD LA's website does not specifically state why the event was cancelled, but did explicitly mention that it was not amidst safety concerns - despite conflicting reports from many other websites. Other rumors have circulated that lackluster ticket sales and/or the recently established rave safety task force's concerns are reasons for the cancellation.