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it’s a weekend for picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, pulling the nails out of your palms and hunkering down for Mel Gibson’s eagerly awaited sequel, The Resurrection: They Don’t Make Jews Like Jesus Anymore. Isn't that a Kinky Friedman song? Also featuring "My Stigmata," the Knack’s new version of their classic, "My Sharona."

THIS WEAKEND PLANNER INCLUDES WHAT CONDOLEEZZA RICE DIDN’T TELL THE 9/11 COMMISSION

Dylan, Patti Smith, Wilco, Firesign Theater, Indigo Girls Offer Shoes for Industry, While New Kerry Hiring Zack Exley Provides Some Online Power for the People on a Not-So-Good Friday
Now that we’ve got your limited attention span, let us count the reasons to be cheerful this Easter weekend. The classic Masters tournament will present the most coveted green jacket in golf, the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin to heat up and baseball moves into high gear… Are you sleeping yet? Anyway, it’s a time for picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, pulling the nails out of your palms and hunkering down for Mel Gibson’s eagerly awaited sequel, The Resurrection: They Don’t Make Jews Like Jesus Anymore. Isn't that a Kinky Friedman song? Also featuring "My Stigmata," the Knack’s new version of their classic, "My Sharona." Yes, folks, we’re a quarter of the way through 2004, and the best album of the year is one recorded 40 years ago on Halloween night 1964 at New York’s Philharmonic Hall. Legacy’s release of Bob Dylan Live 1964 is testament to what a guy can do with just a harmonica and a guitar and some songs cribbed from Woody Guthrie and Robert Johnson and others that go off to another place entirely.

POPCULT TOP 10
1.Bob Dylan Live 1964 (Legacy): Robert Zimmerman has long since passed into icon status, the subject of fawning Robert Hilburn "think" pieces, but this glimpse of the artist as young folk singer captures the man before he plugged in and tuned out. Shyly basking in the growing acclaim, and itching to break out of his carefully learned roots and create his own legend, Zimmy’s underrated sense of humor comes out in the telling between-song patter. The audience laughs audibly when he stresses the word "paranoid" while announcing the title to "Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues." He introduces "Gates of Eden" as a "sacrilegious lullabye in D minor." And his joke about wearing his Bob Dylan "mask" for Halloween is telling for the series of guises he’d try on for size in the years to come. A document made remarkable by the sheer novelty of hearing songs soon to become classics for what seems like the first time. Dylan launches into an 11-minute "It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)," calling it "It’s Alright Ma, It’s Life and Life Only," before acknowleding the audible guffaws by agreeing it’s "a very funny song." (Roy Trakin)

2. Patti Smith, trampin’ (Columbia): The N.Y. punk poetess’ label debut is by far her most accessible since at least Easter, though not without the fist-pumping populism and "people have the power" moves that these tumultuous times require. There are exhortations for "revolution" and to "awake from your slumber" in the 9-minute-plus "Gandhi," a worthy successor to such past calls to action as "Horses" and "Gloria," as well as the timely "Radio Baghdad," La Smith’s post-9/11 take and the obvious spiritual heir to "Radio Ethiopia." But Patti also evinces a softer side—and an increasingly expressive vocal range—on "Mother Rose," a ballad with a Merseybeat twang that recalls Skeeter Davis’ "The End of the World" and the Carter Family country folk in "Trespasses." The amazing grace of the closing title track spiritual features daughter Jesse on piano helping Patti "make heaven my home." With all the death that has surrounded her in the past, Patti Smith seems to have found an inner peace, without sacrificing her cultural edge. (RT)

3. Wilco, A Ghost is Born (Nonesuch)/ Radiohead Com Lag (EMI Toshiba/Japanese import): Sometimes bands get more and more middle of the road as they progress. Not Wilco nor Radiohead, two bands who have a lot in common in terms of following their own path. The latest Wilco, coming June 22, but widely available if you can find your way to the Internet, is a wandering, ambient set of songs that are largely devoid of hooks, choruses and structure. Think Neil Young and Crazy Horse meets Pink Floyd. The second track is 10-plus minutes long and the second-to-last song goes 15 minutes. That’s a lot to ask of listeners, but if there’s one band worth following wherever they want to lead, it’s Wilco. If there are two bands worth following, the other one is Radiohead. Their Japanese-only odds and sods is pretty much a collector’s-only piece worth tracking down if you’re really a completist or a Radiohead snob. Guilty on both counts. Remixes, demos and experiments showcase the weirdest of the weird from Radiohead. (David Simutis)

4. Geza X: The L.A. punk icon and producer proves himself a true renaissance man with a display of his "digi-pop" artworks, which will form part of the April 17 Art Attacks show at Culver City’s Black Cat Gallery. The evening begins at 7 p.m. and will feature live music from Sea Spider and turntablism from DJs Xian and Oizys, not to mention refreshments. A $4 donation is requested; a portion of the event’s proceeds will go to the LACMA program for underprivileged youth. Email Lisa Pardini for more info. (Simon Glickman)

5. Brian Wilson: The music legend will be honored as a BMI Icon at the org’s May 11 Pop Awards banquet. He’ll also give his fans a chance, later this year, to experience the near-mythical lost album Smile performed live for the first time. (SG)

6. Air America: Liberal talk radio hits the ground kvetching. Sure, some of it’s whiny and pedantic—but even that’s kinda refreshing. At its best, the network is a powerful antidote to the Fox-Limbaugh nexus. And The O’Franken Factor is positively addictive. (SG)

7. Firesign Theater tribute at Royce Hall, UCLA: Organized by musicologist Hal Wilner, an impressive line-up of actors and musicians, including John Goodman, Chloe Webb, Todd Rundgren, Stan Ridgway, Pere Ubu’s David Thomas, Loudon Wainwright, Mark McKinney and George Wendt, reprise some of the zany, head-tripping '70s countercultural comedy troupe’s greatest hits, backed by a carnival-styled, Zappaesque brass band led by one-time Tin Huey member Ralph Carney. Riffing madly through their hand-held scripts, sometimes losing their way completely, the aural recreations work like a radio show, recalling snippets that haven’t been heard for 40 years, but are indelibly etched upon our stoned consciousness. The ensemble looked to be having a grand old time sinking their teeth into bits like "Beat the Reaper," the classic "High School Madness," with its immortal Porgy Tirebiter line, "More Science High… It’s disappeared." Not to mention such catch phrases as "hold the anchovies," "shoes for industry/shoes for the dead," "Who you think won the second World War, you so smart?" all topped off by Todd’s soaring rendition of the mock evangelistic "O Blinding Light." At the end, the four principles in the group, Phil Proctor, Phil Austin, Peter Bergman and David Ossman, are brought on stage from the audience to bask in the adulation. All in all, conclusive proof that smoking marijuana does not destroy your long-term memory. (RT)

8. Li’l Cap’n Travis, ...In All Their Splendor (Glurp): This Austin quintet’s latest is one hip record—the kind that shares an envelope with reams of free-associating indie-scribe ululation on PR stationary. But it’s also smart and highly musical, lacing rueful alt-country melodies (reminiscent of Uncle Tupelo and its offspring) with a spaced-out eclecticism. Multi-instrumentalist and sometime singer Jeff Johnston is a key asset, as is Gary Newcomb’s emotive pedal steel. Highlights: "3.2 Beer of Love," "Bar Full of Fans," the bittersweet squall of "Throw Off the Reins" and garage rocker "The Grizzled Ones." (SG)

9. Johnny Horton, Live Recordings from the Louisiana Hayride (Seena): The folks what brung ya that hot collection of George Jones tracks present another killer live-on-the-radio compilation. Horton, best known as the man behind story-songs like "The Battle of New Orleans," "When It’s Springtime in Alaska," "Johnny Reb" and "Sink the Bismarck," shows off a raw vocal electricity on these cuts—taped for KWKH Shreveport’s Louisiana Hayride show between 1956 and 1960—that gave me goose bumps. He wraps his edgy yet supple chops around his signature songs as well as the wonderful "Honky Tonk Man," "One Woman Man" and standards "Rock Island Line" and "John Henry," among others. The curators of this series are doing a real service to music history—snag a copy while you can. (SG)

10. Zack Exley: MoveOn.org kid joins the John Kerry campaign as Dir. of Online Communications and Organizing. This is a big deal for MoveOn, but it will be a bigger deal for Kerry. An example of MoveOn’s creative appeals to the cyber-grassroots: the upcoming "Bake Sale for Democracy." Bake pies and cookies, and sell them at existing events or have your own sale; "sell 100 items at your bake sale and be a MoveOn Pioneer. Sell 200 and be a MoveOn Ranger." Let ‘em eat cake, right, George? (SG)

GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS
Indigo Girls at the Carefree Theater, West Palm Beach, FL

What was heartening about the Indigo Girls concert was that everyone wore "Beat Bush" buttons, which were being sold at the door by a 95-year-old woman using a walker. What was disheartening about the concert was that the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers appeared rather listless, wooden and perhaps a bit tired from their gig the night before during the first half of the show.

The 19-song, 90-minute set started to a restless crowd after a very entertaining and funny set by singer/songwriter Richard Julian, who sang one song called "Alone in a Boca Raton Hotel" about a guy abandoned after a one-night stand. Instead of being filled with self-pity, this singer/songerwriter was quite witty in the Loudon Wainwright tradition.

The Indigo Girls opened their set with "Hammer and Nail" and the crowd immediately responded. It was an intelligent and sophisticated audience, mostly female, of course, but with heterosexual and gay male couples as well (take that Bruce Springsteen, who recently remarked that Jackson Browne attracted more females "than an Indigo Girls" concert while inducting him into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame). The faithful respectfully responded to new songs from the duo’s most recent Epic Records release All That We Let In, with almost the same enthusiasm as classics such as "Kid Fears." However, it wasn’t until Suzy Shoemaker and Julian sang back-up on "Closer to Fine," that the duo exuded enough energy and emotion to pay back the crowd’s devotion. After that, they gained some momentum, and completed the set with a two-song encore, including "Galileo," which was met with some well-earned delirium from their fans. (Janet Trakin)

YOUR WEAKEND QUESTION
It’s a time for redemption and rebirth. A time to contemplate the cycle of life, as the flowers bloom and blossom. Whatever. More importantly, what happens when nobody shows up at the HITS cesspool on Friday? Don’t email me at [email protected], I won’t be in the office. (DS)

NEW YORK MINUTE
It’s all about New Jersey this weekend. On Friday (April 9), Sayreville’s Starland Ballroom (570 Gmee Mill Rd.) hosts Sevendust, Cold, Atomship and Apartment 26. On Saturday (April 10), "Toxic" wonder Britney Spears touches down with her NC-17-rated tour at East Rutherford’s Continental Airlines Arena (50 Route 120). "Milkshake"-loving Kelis opens. For those city dwellers not celebrating Easter, Savion Glover and Jimmy Slyde get jiggy at B.B. King’s Blues Club (243 W. 42nd St.) on Sunday (April 11). (Valerie Nome)

YOUR WEAKEND WEATHER
Get out there and hunt some Easter eggs. In Los Angeles, home of the godless entertainment industry, it will be partly cloudy all weekend, with temps ranging from the mid-50s to the mid-70s. All of you New Yorkers will be jealous, since highs there will only be in the mid-50s and lows in the mid-40s. And on Sunday, it’s gonna rain. So stay maybe you should stay inside and hunt those eggs. (DS)

TRAKIN’S PICKS TO FLICK
The Alamo (Touchstone)
Premise:
You know the story: Texas output under siege, with historical icons Davy Crocket and Jim Bowie lasting for almost 13 days against an army of Native Americans.
Stars: Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric, Billy Bob Thornton, Wes Studi
Director: John Lee Hancock
(The Rookie), with John Sayles screenplay.
Thumbs Up: All-star line-up, large canvas, big budget, good writer, Disney’s big hope.
Thumbs Down: Moved out of Christmas slot, the subject of much negative gossip.
Soundtrack: Hollywood Records album features original Carter Burwell score.
Website: www.alamo.movies.go.com

Ella Enchanted (Miramax)
Premise:
Fantasy about a young woman given the gift of obedience by a fairy, but soon learn it’s more of a curse that threatens to separate her from her true love, a Prince.
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes, Patrick Bergin, Minnie Driver
Director: Tommy O’Haver
(Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, Get Over It) with a screenplay by the Legally Blonde team (Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith)
Thumbs Up: Hathaway always good, a film for the entire family on a holiday weekend
Thumbs Down: When was the last good fairy tale movie you’ve seen aside from The Princess Bride?
Soundtrack: Hollywood Records album features several songs by Hathaway, including one with Jesse McCartney, Kari Kimmell, Raven, Kelly Clarkson, The Beu Sisters, Andrea Remanda/Bryan Adams
Website:
www.miramax.com/ellaenchanted/

The Girl Next Door (20th Century Fox)
Premise:
An ambitious high school senior with ambitions in politics falls in love with his new neighbor, though the relationship is put to the test when it is discovered she’s an ex-porn star.
Stars: Elisha Cuthbert (Kiefer Sutherland's daughter in 24), Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, James Remar
Director: Luke Greenfield
(the Rob Schneider vehicle, The Animal)
Thumbs Up: Cuthbert looks headed to stardom, and it’ll be interesting to see how the porn angle is handled in a major release.
Thumbs Down: Has a chance to be really offensive.
Soundtrack: Lake Shore Jazz album features tracks by Filter, Thunderclap Newman, Monster Magnet, Paul Haslinger, Methods of Mayhem, Sneaker Pimps, Jose Rouse, Nilsson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ralph Myerz & the Jack Herren Band, Pop Deluxe, Echo & the Bunnymen, Fantastic Plastic Machine

Website: www.thegirlnextdoormovie.com
The Whole Ten Yards
(Warner Bros.)
Premise:
Continuing adventures of the wacky hitman who lives next door to a mild-mannered dentist, now married to the thug’s ex-wife, who is kidnapped by the Hungarian mob. Sequel to 2000 comedy hit, The Whole Nine Yards.
Stars: Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Natasha Henstridge, Kevin Pollak
Director:
Veteran hack Howard Deutsch (Pretty in Pink, The Odd Couple II, The Great Outdoors, The Replacements)
Thumbs Up: Talented farceurs doing their thing.
Thumbs Down: It wasn’t that amusing the first time around.
Soundtrack: None
Website:
www.thewholetenyards.warnerbros.com/

Shade (RKO Pictures)
Premise:
Set in the world of high-stakes poker hustlers, the story of three conmen looking for the one big take they can all retire on, so they pull off a sting with someone called "The Dean" (Sylvester Stallone) and end up being chased by a ripped-off gangster bent on revenge
Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Thandie Newton, Stallone, Stuart Townsend, Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith, Hal Holbrook, Bo Hopkins, Dina Merrill, Charles Rocket
Director:
First-time screenwriter/director Damian Nieman is a real-life sleight-of-hand artist and casino regular.
Thumbs Up: Could be a Cooler-like sleeper, especially with a veteran cast doing the indie thing.
Thumbs Down: Stallone looking for credibility a la Travolta in Pulp Fiction.
Soundtrack: None
Website: www.shademovie.com

Thanks to Roy Trakin, Simon Glickman, David Simutis, Janet Trakin and Valerie Nome for helping this Weakend Planner get by with a little help from its friends.
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