Theoretically, love thy neighbor is a good thing and a noble aim, but it's difficult when your neighbor is Los Angeles. Traffic, aggravation, smog, overcrowding -- why is it so expensive to suffer so much? All we know is that we don't want it here and the best part of visiting L.A. is leaving. But then again, there are certain attractions -- the Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, Bruins or Trojans and all those bands playing somewhere every night.
The best new band you've never heard of, Shovels and Rope out of Charleston, S.C., will provide the reason to go south on a work night when they perform Thursday at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. Too bad they couldn't get an 805 gig. Try not to get towed.
