Welcome to Ask Willie D, where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, "funny, serious or unpredictable." Something on your mind? Ask Willie D!

Photo courtesy of Peter Beste

LONG DISTANCE LOVE FADING

Dear Willie D:

I'm in a long-distance relationship with a good man, but the miles are starting to wear on my patience -- not to mention my pocketbook -- from traveling back and forth. We met at a business seminar two years ago in Miami where he is an architect for a reputable firm. Since I live and work in LA, we don't get to spend much time together.

I've been under a lot of stress lately with my job. When I come home it would be nice to actually see, touch and talk to the man I'm in love with about my issues and how my day went. I have wonderful friends, but it's depressing when I hang out with them and everybody but me is all snuggled up and smooching on their significant others. I don't want to break up with him, and neither of us wants to move. Please advise?

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Andrew W.K. - Wednesday, May 22 @ The Firebird

Next weekend looks pretty awesome, though anything does when an extended weekend awaits most of us thanks to Memorial Day. Keep that extra sleep time in mind while slogging through the work week and affording yourself some time to enjoy visits from acts like Andrew W.K., Soundgarden and El Ten Eleven. More recommendations await after the jump.

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Courtesy of Louis Kwok

My Brightest Diamond, Post Performance 2011

Luminary Center for the Arts makes a comeback on the show scene this summer -- well, not at its pending new physical space on Cherokee Street, but with the return of the Post Performance Series, featuring live music and one-day-only art installations at the Old Post Office Plaza (Ninth and Locust streets).

The inaugural show on Saturday, May 25, with Thelonious Kryptonite, DJ Nune, and Mikey Wehling and the Reverbs, is the first concert the Luminary has put on since the final show at its original Kingshighway location in November 2012.

See also:
- The Luminary Is Finally Coming to Cherokee Street (Though Not Where Originally Planned)

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Ian "Parisian" Jones

In this week's print edition, RFT Music writer Evan C. Jones interviewed local electronic artist Ian "Parisian" Jones (no relation), whom some may remember as one half of the now-defunct, locally acclaimed duo Safety Words. Since splitting and pursuing music solo, Parisian has repeatedly turned toward darker, more emotional themes, as opposed to the simple joys of 8-bit video games and Wu-Tang verses.

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Shock rocker Marilyn Manson joins forces with shock rocker Alice Cooper on what might be the most obvious pairing ever seen on a bill together; that show is at the Family Arena on June 25. Mysterious Mad Decent EDM artist UZ will perform at 2720 Cherokee on May 22. Florida stone-metal kings Torche bring heavy riffs to the Firebird on June 2. Oh, and apparently Pauly Shore is coming to town, so there's that! More after the jump.

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Lindsey Best

Andrew Youssef

[Editor's Note: Long-time concert photographer Andrew Youssef found out two years ago that he had stage IV colon cancer. In that time, he has continued to shoot tons of music events, on top of other freelance work and working a day job at a hospital, of all places. As he continues to fight for his life, this series allows him to tell his story in his own words.]

One of my favorite bands in the world is Hum. You may remember the band's alt-radio hit "Stars" from the mid-'90s. As I get older, I have realized that the music I listened to religiously during my late teens and early twenties left an indelible mark on my music tastes. Hum's combination of heavy space-rock guitars, unique bass parts and complex drumming had me listening to the albums You'd Prefer an Astronaut and Downward Is Heavenward on constant repeat while I studied organic chemistry in college. I had seen Hum a number of times in the '90s and even serendipitously in London while on vacation after seeing a flier in Tower Records.

See Also:
- Last Shot: A Concert Photographer's Battle With Cancer

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via | Bill Streeter

Lo-Fi Cherokee 2013 Video Release Party - Friday, May 17 @ Blank Space

It's beautiful out -- what more do ya need? Get out there and see some stuff. There are plenty of excuses to hang out outside including Harvest Sessions and the Webster Grooves Festival. Check out our Out Every Night post from earlier this week to read about great shows over the next few days including Mvstermind's CD Release, Little Big Bangs, the Bo-Keys, Eagles of Death Metal and Shiny Ribs. More after the jump.

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Keith Fujimoto

Ticket scalping has been an issue for major events ever since selling tickets began. From the venues to the bands all the way down to the fans, nobody likes scalpers. Make that, especially not the fans: Fast-fingered scalpers snatch up tickets en masse, leaving many fans disappointed and empty-handed.

Enter the growing trend of "paperless tickets," the practice that requires fans to supply the original purchaser's credit card and photo ID at a show's venue in order to gain admittance. Though "paperless tickets" have been adopted by some big-ticket vendors, ostensibly to combat scalpers, they have drawn criticism from some groups that feel the tickets limit the rights of legitimate ticket holders and fans.

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Jon Gitchoff

Imagine Dragons and Owl City both performed at the Pageant last night as part of the Yahoo on the Road tour. The Yahoo! logo was plastered everywhere, as the bands tore through their sets to the delight of the excited crowd.

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Credit: Timothy Norris

Broadly speaking, if you're an electronic music fan over 40, you probably dig Danny Tenaglia more than Skrillex. And chances are, if you're a Skrillex fan under the age of 30, you're like, "Who the hell is Danny Tenaglia?"

Coachella 2013 exemplified the generation gap in the world of dance music. On one side of the field, the modern-EDM-focused Sahara tent was a thrill ride tricked out with lasers, lights and LEDs designed to blow kids' minds, with acts like Knife Party, Dog Blood and Wolfgang Gartner playing hyper-aggressive sets full of drops. Your parents would hate it.

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