Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale and others were on hand at the Museum of Contemporary Art here in LA last night to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the museum. The famous folk showed up to see a new exhibit honoring the MOCA’s 30 year existence and were seen meandering around the premises … behold:

L.A.’s art world was rocked less than a year ago when the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) was on the brink of financial ruin, facing the sale of some its masterpieces. It is a completely different picture today. The Museum of Contemporary Art previewed its new exhibit, “Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years.” A big exhibit celebrating big news: MOCA is out of the red. And on Sunday it will open a major exhibition of its collection, more than 500 pieces of art by 200 artists. Philanthropist and arts patron Eli Broad kicked in $30 million. The museum raised another $30 million to get out of the red. They brought in former UCLA chancellor Charles Young to run things. “No 30-year journey is without bumps,” said Broad. “Many of you, I’m sure, recall a year ago, MOCA had a financial crisis.” MOCA began in 1979 by acquiring one major collection, then adding to it. “This is a world-class institution, among the best anywhere in the world,” said L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. As big as this exhibit is, this is just a tenth of MOCA’s collection, which is showing its earlier pieces on South Grand Avenue, and work from 1980 to the present at its Geffen Contemporary space nearby. A shuttle takes visitors between the two. Even with two spaces, how did MOCA’s chief curator choose what to exhibit to celebrate its 30 years? “Quality; the unique vision of the institution; and to tell the history of post-war art from the standpoint of Los Angeles today,” said MOCA Chief Curator Paul Schimmel. The celebration continues with a gala Saturday night. A thousand arts patrons from around the world will be entertained by headliner Lady Gaga, backed by the Bolshoi Ballet. MOCA is not the only L.A. museum displaying contemporary art. Broad has his name on one at the L.A. County Museum. So where does his heart lie now? “It lies in Los Angeles; to make Los Angeles the contemporary art capital of the world,” said Broad. The exhibit will be on display through May.

Celebs aren’t the only ones able to celebrate MOCA’s 30th anniversary, LAist reports that admission to the museum will be FREE to the public all week long:

MOCA–the Museum of Contemporary Art–opened 30 years ago in Los Angeles. To celebrate the anniversary, the museum opens its largest installation tomorrow, featuring more than 500 works from more than 200 artists from its own permanent collection … The new exhibition features a comprehensive look at contemporary art history from the past 70 years, including pop art, abstract expressionism and photography. Highlighted artists and works include: Jackson Pollock’s Number 1, 1949 (1949); Willem de Kooning’s Two Women with Still Life (1952); Alberto Giacometti’s Tall Figure II and Tall Figure III (1960); Roy Lichtenstein’s Man with Folded Arms (1962); Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Six Crimee (1982) and Edward Ruscha’s Chocolate Room (1970-2004).

Amazing!! If you have not been to the MOCA and you live in the area, you must check out this exhibit. I’m hoping David and I can take advantage of this FREE offer sometime this week … the MOCA is a great museum. Congratulations on 30 years!!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source, Source]

A couple of weekends ago we got our first look at Garbage frontwoman & Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles actress Shirley Manson and Lord of the Rings Trilogy actor Elijah Wood in the new 2010 ad campaign for Oliver Peoples Eyewear. At the time, only one promo photo from their ad campaign had been released … today we get to see a few more fabulous photos of Shirley (and one with Elijah):

We are happy to share the initial imagery of our 2010 Campaign, to be launched on the Oliver Peoples website in November! After the beautiful job she did for the current season, we were excited to reunite with stellar photographer AUTUMN DE WILDE. Providing personality and a face to the frames is Scottish singing beauty SHIRLEY MANSON and Renaissance talent, ELIJAH WOOD. Easily recognized for his roles in Lord of the Rings, Sin City, Everything is Illuminated and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Elijah’s debonair personal style was an ideal fit for the campaign. Despite such success in his acting career, Elijah is also dedicated to photography and music, including the creation of his own record label called Simian Records in 2005. Stunning, scarlet-haired Shirley is best known as the lead vocalist of the Grammy-nominated alternative band, Garbage. In the last year, she assumed a role in the television series Terminator: the Sarah Conner Chronicles. Her edgy and dramatic sense of style lent a modern, mischievous air to the otherwise serious scenes of sunnies and spectacles. Orchestrating the imagery is internationally renowned photographer and director Autumn De Wilde. Her work has been featured on the pages of Vanity Fair, W, Elle, Rolling Stone, and V Magazine, and her most recent subjects include artists such as Beck, The White Stripes and celebrated fashion designers, Rodarte. Check back for additional photos and a short corresponding film, coming soon!

LOOOOOOVE these photos!! Shirley is a stunningly beautiful woman and Oliver Peoples was very smart to sign her up to model their eyewear. I don’t ever think about designer glasses but featuring Shirley Manson and Elijah Wood in this campaign is sure to get people to notice … people like me. In the photo above, Shirley is modeling a frame called Dannie. After the jump, check out two more photos of Shirley with one featuring her campaign cohort Elijah Wood …

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Shirley Manson, Garbage frontwoman and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles baddie, and Elijah Wood, star of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, have signed on to appear in a new ad campaign to promote Oliver Peoples eyewear this Fall … here is our first look at their promo photo which has already gone on display in Oliver Peoples boutiques and will show up in fashion mags this month:

SCOTS singer Shirley Manson has plenty of specs appeal – she’s fronting an ad campaign for upmarket American sunglasses designer Oliver Peoples. Shirley appears with Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood in the commercials. But fans who wish to hide their eyes from the sun like them will have to dig deep into their pockets – the sunglasses retail from around s182 up to s242.

What an odd pairing … a beautiful woman (wearing the Rees frames) and a hobbit (wearing the Riley frames with clip) … wearing sunglasses. I love that Shirley was chosen to appear in this ad campaign, the world doesn’t get nearly enough Shirley Manson anymore. While I’m bummed that her stint on Terminator: TSCC came to an abrupt and sad end (with the show’s cancellation) I hope it inspires Ms. Manson to get back into the studio to work on new music. While we await the release of a new Garbage album (if only) or Shirley’s much anticipated solo effort, we can content ourselves by playing as Shirley Manson in the new version of Guitar Hero. It’s a small consolation … but at least it’s something.

[Source, Source via ONTD!]

Awesome news for both fans of the band Garbage AND the Guitar Hero series of video games. Shirley Manson, frontwoman for Garbage, has been made into a digitized character and will appear in Guitar Hero 5. She is only the second female performer to get the Guitar Hero treatment. You may recall that just yesterday we saw video of Shirley surprising the No Doubt audience by coming out to do a surprise performance at the ND show here in LA on Monday night … and now we learn this amazing news?! Methinks we’re about to enjoy a Shirley Manson/Garbage resurgence very soon :) Here is our first look at what Shirley’s Guitar Hero character will look like:

Garbage’s Shirley Manson is set to feature as a playable character in the forthcoming ‘Guitar Hero 5′ computer game … “They did a scan of my face then I had to put on this weird suit, it was super-freaky,” the singer said of the process of appearing in the game … The game is expected to be released this autumn. Music by acts including Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Nirvana, The White Stripes and Coldplay is set to feature in it.

Holy effin’ shizz, y’all!! This is SO cool!!! I’ve been a huge Garbage fan from way back in the day and performing Garbage songs on Rock Band is one of my fave things ever (I rock on I Think I’m Paranoid) … now we’ll get to play with/as Shirley Manson in Guitar Hero 5? Hell yes, sign me up!! After the jump, check out a FUN video trailer for Guitar Hero 5 featuring Ms. Shirley Manson …

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How’s this for an awesome surprise … No Doubt played a concert here in LA last night at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City and brought out a very special surprise guest for their encore performance. During their cover of the Adam and the Ants song Stand and Deliver, Shirley Manson of Garbage came out on stage to duet with Gwen and No Doubt on the track! Here are caps from video of the performance along with a short review of the overall No Doubt concert:

No Doubt never get old. Their comeback jaunt could’ve easily been dubbed “The Forever Young Tour.” The Orange County pop rockers sounded better than ever at the sold out Gibson Amphitheater tonight. Gwen Stefani, Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal and Adrian Young were just as magical as they were when Tragic Kingdom took over pop culture back in 1995—maybe even more so. A white curtain covered the stage at the start of the show. Four shadows instantly came into frame. It was more like the beginning of a Stanley Kubrick film than a rock show. Instead of a big black monolith, the crowd got one of the most important musical acts of the 1990s. With as many hits as they have, they’re monolithic in their own right. The white ramp riser curled around the entire stage, and it gave Gwen and Co. a whole lot of room to bounce around … Gwen didn’t speak much, but when she did she was greeted with massive cheers. She smiled, “I can’t believe this is my life! This is incredible.” What makes Gwen great is she’s still “Just a Girl” though. She busted out a few push-ups really quickly and then jumped into her massive girl power anthem, even getting the boys to belt out the chorus. The ultimate girl power moment came during the encore though. Garbage’s Shirley Manson and openers The Sounds joined No Doubt for a rousing rendition of Adam Ant’s “Stand and Deliver.” Gwen and Shirley are icons to a whole generation of females, and seeing them on stage together was a momentous, once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Their voices volleyed back and forth incredibly, and the audience erupted.

You can click HERE to read the full text of this concert review (it’s actually quite good) but the real importance here is the surprise appearance by Shirley Manson. After the jump, check out video of Shirley’s duet with No Doubt last night …

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Yesterday afternoon, members of the principal cast of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles came out for an in-store meet and greet with fans of the series at The Golden Apple comic book store in Los Angeles, CA. Because I couldn’t be there in person, I sent my boy Darion to the in-store meet and greet so that he might be able to snap some photos of the event (and castmembers Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green, Richard T. Jones, Garret Dillahunt, Leven Rambin and THE STUNNING Shirley Manson) and write up a report on what went down. First, here are a few of Darion’s amazing pics:

OMG … looks like so much fun, I really wish I could’ve been there to show my support in person for this series but I know that Darion did that for me. After the jump, check out Darion’s report from yesterday’s in-store report …

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Woot! The second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles premiered on FOX last night, picking up right where season one left off. While that is all well and good, I am most excited that Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson has joined the series cast and was featured prominently in the season two premiere episode last night. Here are a few screencaps of Shirley in her role as the mysterious Catherine Weaver:

Seriously, y’all … I love Shirley Manson. I am the biggest Garbage fan (as is my good friend Darion) and it thrills me to no end to see her in The Sarah Connor Chronicles. As the episode starts, Shirley (not in her role as Catherine Weaver, I must add) performs an arrangement of the song Samson and Delilah. Here is some info about the song:

The song is an original arrangement of a gospel spiritual called “Samson and Delilah,” composed by the Rev. Gary Davis. The track is performed by Shirley Manson and arranged and produced by Bear McCreary. The song was arranged by Bear McCreary specifically for the premiere episode of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, designed to fit the episode’s opening sequence. Instrumental and vocal tracks were recorded in early August, 2008. The idea to incorporate the song into the episode was originally from Josh Friedman, Executive Producer, although he allowed McCreary and Manson complete creative freedom to adapt the material. The lyrics of the spiritual are relevant to story points within the episode.

The song is haunting and beautiful, I’m really hoping that FOX is able to release the song in some capacity. BUT, Shirley Manson was not added to the cast for her phenomenal musical abilities … she has been added to the series to play an integral character this season. It goes without saying that Shirley deffo plays a bad-ass … but I shant spoil the surprise for those of you who have yet to watch last night’s season two premiere ep. After the jump, check out a few screencaps that reveal the true nature of Shirley’s character Catherine Weaver, check out a new promo poster which features her character and, in case you missed it or just want to watch it again, find the link to watch last night’s season two premiere ep online in full …

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