LA Weekly
Oct 24 2005

Arlo Guthrie, The Mammals at UCLA Live/Royce Hall

Arlo Guthrie is on the Alice's Restaurant 40th Anniversary Massacree
Tour after a decade of declining to perform his classic shaggy woof yarn
that combines wit and protest while hoisting the proud freak flag. His
last studio album of original material, Mystic Journey in 1996, was an
overlooked visionary masterpiece, as vital as (yes...gasp) B. Dylan's
last two.  As he infrequently releases recordings, it's a rare gift to
dig him live.  The Mammals are the finest young bluegrass/old-timey band
in the country, the country-branch house band for the new weird America.
They perform total energy, off-kilter folk that more resembles the
twisted quirk of the Holy Modal Rounders than the clean jeans or
alter-ninnies currently clawhammering banjos.     8 pm. Royce Hall,
Sunset Blvd./Royce Drive, UCLA Campus, Westwood. 310-825-2101.
www.uclalive.org. (Michael Simmons)