Dailey Pike

Judith Hill In The Studio

​Before she was picked to sing back-up for Michael Jackson's ill-fated 2009 London shows, Judith Hill was a relatively unknown perfomer from Pasadena.

When Hill appeared near the end of Jackson's memorial service to lead the stage in singing "Heal The World," most of the Staples Center audience didn't know who she was, and her name wasn't listed in the program. A flurry of Google searches in the next 24 hours followed, and she was on her way to being discovered. This Is It shows Hill singing "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" with Jackson at their very first rehearsal together, with the show's dancers and supporting cast giggling in delight as Jackson is inspired to sing out for the first time.

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​See also: Our coverage of the bizarre Michael Jackson handprint ceremony

Some out there may believe Michael Jackson is still alive, but most of us suspect he'll never emerge from his coffin "Thriller"-style for a glorious comeback. Perhaps the next best thing, dance guru Jamie King has partnered with Cirque du Soleil for a new show, Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour, which starts tonight at Staples Center and runs through the weekend.

King -- the King of Thrill! (see page three) -- started dancing for Jackson in 1992, and says that his show gets into "Michael's head." That said, he went out of his way to omit the controversial bits, though that's probably to be expected. If you can leave your cynicism behind, you can expect a dazzling menagerie of dancers, costumes, and theatrics. We spoke with King about the performance and his relationship with MJ.

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Timothy Norris

​NOFX House of Blues Sunset Strip
1/17/12

See also: Our NOFX slideshow

Better than ...All of the other shows NOFX played this week

After nearly four hours of opening bands, NOFX finally took the stage in front of a packed house at House of Blues Hollywood last night. Lead Singer Fat Mike enticed the crowd: "Tonight is going to be the best night of your life." Judging by the exuberant sea of fist pumping moshers in the pit, this may have been true, at least for some.

Not only was this the only night NOFX played "The Decline," their 18 minute punk rock masterpiece and rant about the problems with politics and society, they also surprised the audience by doing a special (though sloppy) live recording of "Doornails," featuring opener Old Man Markley.

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Lina Lecaro

​See also:
*Ten Mystical Songs For Making Out With Your Hippie Boyfriend on New Year's Eve
*Top 10 L.A. Club Nights of 2011

We love L.A. We love the nightlife. We always will.

It was a tough year for a lot of us, but the sounds and sights we soaked in, the floors we tore up and the people we met continued to entice and excite us. We have a feeling 2012 is going to be even better, and we'll be covering it from the inside-out as always. LinA In LA will no longer run in LA Weekly, but it will continue on our own blog, LA Slush.com and via our radio show on Moheak.com, every Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

But we're not leaving the Weekly. We'll continue to spotlight a DJ-driven night via our "Club Pick of Week," and continue covering the city's most fascinating nightlife and music events regularly for the arts and music sections. Thanks for reading and raging with us. Happy New Year!

Now, on to our New Year's Eve events!

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Timothy Norris

​A drink- and dance-filled little Christmas is assured with these pre- and post-holiday happenings! Even if you don't get what you want under the tree this year, these parties will bring you cheer ... and beer and beats. Seasons groovings to all, and to all, some good nights.

Fri., Dec. 23

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Party has become a social staple in Los Angeles. We think there is no better place to participate than a downtown dive bar. At Bar 107's sweater soiree, you never know what you're going to see: random street characters in Santa hats or artsy loft dwellers in sequined Salvation Army finds. One thing's for sure. The serious drinkers will be rocking their reindeer wear; everyone in the hideous holiday gear gets to down drink specials all night. The more you drink, the uglier the sweaters look, too! Also stop by "Bar Won O'Seven" (as it's known on Facebook) the day after Christmas for their subversive ode to the baby Jesus' conception, the XXXmas Party, featuring '70s porn on the TV screens and free Chinese food. 107 W. 4th St., Dwntwn. www.facebook.com/events/182588155170800/?ref=ts

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Lina Lecaro

​It was another great year for nightlife in Los Angeles. Despite the economy, party vibes inside the clubs were as creative and crazy as ever. From hip-hop haps to gay grinders, electro-a-go-go's to arty parties, the energy was contagious. Sure, many of Hollywood's swankier spots struggled to sell enough bottles, but those aren't our focus anyway. The club nights that kept us coming back never rested on their laurels. They sought to book the best DJs and attract the most bodacious crowds. Here, then, are the ten best Los Angeles club nights of the year.

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Blackeyed Soul Club

​Our mixed bag of holiday treats this week features soul, art noise, Russian-themed revelry, Prince sounds and retro-electro raving.

Fri., Dec. 9

Blackeyed Soul Club moves to a groovy new locale, The Monty Bar, a wood-covered bar with spacious dance floor and great sound. Stomp all night to '60s sounds with the city's mods and rockers. Resident DJs Jackie Hoodoo and Jason Pandora, and special guest DJs Howie Pyro (Dgeneration/Danzig) and Frankie Alvaro (Secret Affair). Free. 1222 7th St. Facebook invite.

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John Stewart

Morgan Murphy, Aimee Mann, Nellie McKay, and Jackson Brown in 2009

​See also: Ho, Ho, Hoes? Garfunkel and Oates Have Our Number

The annual Aimee Mann Christmas spectacular is becoming a venerable Los Angeles holiday tradition. Now in its fifth year, it's a "Christmas show for people who don't really like Christmas," in Mann's words.

We'd call it a blend of comedy, music, and enough Christmas tunes to get the spirit flowing, but not so many they make you want to gag on your egg nog. We spoke with her about this year's incarnation, happening this Saturday, December 10 at the Wiltern.

In previous years you've done the show on multiple nights at Largo. How does it feel to be in much larger venue?
It is a little intimidating, I must say. There's something about Largo where you feel you can really goof around, and it's fine. It's supposed to be a little goofy anyway. But when people come to the Wiltern, they expect a real show.

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Lina Lecaro

​Club Runway
Circus Disco
11/19/11

Call it '90s club kid redux, compare it to the wacky, avant-garde fashion popularized by Lady Gaga, or simply marvel at the strange beauty of it all. But there's no denying that over-the-top, other-worldly self-expression in nightlife is back in Los Angeles.

L.A. may be the capital of flip-flop casual by day, but after dark, it's an entirely different animal. The new party at Circus Disco, called Runway, sure was a jungle Saturday, with two full catwalks on which anyone could pounce and prowl.

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Mark the Cobrasnake

Still Dim Mak-in it!

​Defying the flighty fickle tendencies of Hollywood nightlife for nearly 10 years, the second story club at Ivar and Hollywood Blvd. originally known as Cinespace has found unique ways to stay in the game. Last weekend we attended an invite only Details magazine event there that doubled as an unveiling of its latest incarnation, Room 86. We also talked with the club's co-owner Kimberly Roussel about what's ahead for the space.

Steve Aoki's Dim Mak Tuesdays has, of course, been the venue's biggest success story, prompting them to re-dub the back room Dim Mak Studios last year. The front of the building meanwhile, became home to Paul & Andre, a temporary pop up concept from New York DJ Paul Sevigny (Chloe's bro) and Andre Saravia, which featured a separate entrance on Cosmo street. That ended just last month.

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