Come check out LitFest Pasadena on May 2 & 3. Justin will be on a panel at 4 p.m. on May 3, discussing "Pasadena as a Character" and his latest book, Paradise Springs.
Justin Chapman writes, produces, and hosts an award-winning monthly TV talk show on Pasadena Media's TV channel, called "Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman," formerly known as "NewsRap Local with Justin Chapman." The twenty-seventh episode aired Friday, March 28, 2025, and featured a discussion with Daniel Rossman, the new executive director of the One Arroyo Foundation. Watch the full episode below:
Justin Chapman writes, produces, and hosts an award-winning monthly TV talk show on Pasadena Media's TV channel, called "Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman," formerly known as "NewsRap Local with Justin Chapman." The twenty-sixth episode aired Friday, February 28, 2025, and featured a discussion with Union Station Homeless Services CEO Katie Hill, former member of Congress. Watch the full episode below:
Read the February 2025 issue of Justin Chapman's free Substack email newsletter, featuring reflections on and news about the Eaton Fire, his new Pasadena Now article about Bright Eyes, the two latest episodes of “Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman” featuring interviews with Altadena Town Council Vice Chair Nic Arnzen and former Congressmember and new CEO of Union Station Homeless Services Katie Hill, news about Justin's three video award nominations for his two TV shows, book recommendations, and more.
https://justinchapman.substack.com/p/justins-newsletter-february-2025
By Justin Chapman, Pasadena Now, 2/27/2025 (Photos by Mercedes Blackehart)
This month, 3-time Grammy Award winning indie rock band Bright Eyes joined the chorus of musical acts putting on performances to benefit those impacted by the LA fires. On February 8, the eclectic band performed three songs at the “I Love LA” Eaton Fire Relief 2025 show at the Glendale Presbyterian Church, alongside many other musicians including actor John C. Reilly, whose Altadena home burned down in the Eaton Fire. Proceeds will go to Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, to benefit musicians affected by the fire.
Many bands have stepped up to help in the wake of the devastating LA fires, which damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 homes and other structures and claimed at least 29 lives. Pop punk band blink-182 also held a benefit concert at the Hollywood Palladium this month, with proceeds going to the Pasadena Humane Society, the California Fire Department, LAFD Foundation and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition Firefighter Fund.
Bright Eyes was also back on stage at the Wiltern in Los Angeles this month following the cancellation last fall of a large chunk of their 2024 tour due to singer/guitarist Conor Oberst’s “vocal problems,” for which he underwent multiple tests.
“It’s come to light that he has developed a condition that is exacerbated by excessive singing, requiring both treatment and recuperation,” the band said in a statement at the time. “We are confident that with a successful regimen, and continued medical attention, we will be able to return to the road next year.”
And return they did. There was no sign of those vocal problems as Oberst led the band through an electrifying 22-song set featuring crowd-pleasing oldies and several brand new songs from their latest, self-produced, 11th studio album, Five Dice, All Threes, released by indie label Dead Oceans on September 20, 2024.
Originally scheduled for October 12 at the Bellwether, a fairly new downtown LA venue that has featured or will soon feature such powerhouses in the alternative/indie scene as Modest Mouse and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Bright Eyes moved their act to the Wiltern at Wilshire Blvd. and Western Ave. in LA on February 7 instead. The Bellwether has a capacity of about 1,600 and the Wiltern of about 2,300, but the Wiltern was still packed that night.
At the Wiltern, after the solo opening act of singer/guitarist Christopher Owens, a large, literal sign behind the stage informed the crowd: “You are now at a Bright Eyes concert.” Six band members (Oberst, Mike Mogis, Nate Walcott, MiWi La Lupa, Alex Levine and Conor Elmes), several of whom played multiple instruments, tore through the 22 songs from at least nine different albums. They brought the house down with crowd-pleasers “Road to Joy,” “First Day of My Life,” “Method Acting,” and “Let’s Not Shit Ourselves (to Love and to Be Loved),” which closed out the show on a raucous, inspirational note. The songs from the new album were also well received by the crowd.
Fans of Bright Eyes typically have a deep, personal connection to the band’s music. Perhaps part of the reason for that is that Oberst is one of the great lyricists of his generation. He’s a poet, weaving different topics together seamlessly with beautifully written lines that put his unique way of viewing the world on display. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Part of Bright Eyes’ message is finding beauty in the broken, imperfect things in life.
Some of Bright Eyes’ lyrics seemed to hit differently, and perhaps a little more relevantly, after the fires:
“The world is on fire, California is a crucible
We’re running out of water, they already stole all the gold”
—“El Capitan”
“Hot in LA tonight, real feel 105
If the grid don’t give out, maybe we will survive”
—“Real Feel 105°”
“And you’ve got a lot to learn
Living on planet Earth
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
It was the worst
It was the worst
In Los Angeles
It was the best
In LA
I love her soul”
—“Bas Jan Ader”
Bright Eyes, founded in 1995 by a 15-year-old Oberst in Omaha, Nebraska, has nearly 60 more shows on the docket this year through July, all over the United States and Europe. Hopefully Oberst’s vocal chords got enough rest. His unique, crooning voice betrayed no sign of distress at the Wiltern. Considered one of the most influential indie rock bands of the 2000s, Bright Eyes utilizes a wide range of instruments beyond guitars and drums to produce its unique sound, including pianos, organs, keyboards, banjos, mandolins, pedal steels, dulcimers, dobros, synthesizers, trumpets, flugelhorns and more. Five Dice, All Threes is a worthy contribution to the band’s impressive canon, and the recent local shows show that Bright Eyes has still got it.
Starting February 26, Bright Eyes launched the Poison Oak Project, named after one of their songs, in which they are partnering with PLUS1 and Propeller to raise money for local LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in every city they play for the rest of their U.S. tour, as well as for the LGBT National Help Center nationwide.
“Our friends, families and neighbors are under attack,” Oberst said in a statement announcing the project. “The actions of the current administration’s sole purpose is to dehumanize and terrorize the most vulnerable populations in our society. Today in America we are witnessing a heartbreaking march towards authoritarianism and what could end up being the most powerful fascist state in human history.
“While many of us are shocked by these developments, it is not without precedent. They are working from a well-trod historical playbook. It is an attempt to scapegoat the defenseless to hide their own misdeeds. To use cruelty to make things incredibly difficult for anyone they deem unworthy of living free as their true selves. And to push the marginalized so far into the shadows that they cease to exist. Though it is tempting to despair or disengage, now is the time to organize and fight back against this wholly un-American and dangerous ideology.
“That is why we are asking you to join us in demanding equality for our transgender citizens and an end to this targeted bigotry. We recognize the basic human dignity of all people on this earth and will not stand by as a small group of billionaire extremists attempt to dismantle and destroy our way of life. Now is the time to lift each other up above this tidal wave of ignorance and hate. We will walk together, unafraid, toward brighter days.”
Pasadena Media’s award-winning local TV talk show “Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman” continues this Friday, featuring guest Katie Hill, former member of Congress and the new CEO of Union Station Homeless Services.
Hill is the former executive director of People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a non-profit organization developing affordable and supportive services for unhoused Californians. She also helped pass a ballot initiative that provided $1.2 billion in funds for homeless services in LA County. She served as the U.S. representative for California’s 25th congressional district from January to November 2019. She was recently appointed to the LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commission, where she will be working to reform policies and systems, to ensure effective utilization of increased public resources.
“Pasadena Monthly” airs at 5 p.m. PT on the fourth Friday of every month on Pasadena Media’s Arroyo Channel and streaming apps, available on channel 99 on AT&T U-verse, channel 32 on Charter Spectrum, YouTube, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The show is written, hosted and produced by Chapman, directed and edited by Jeffrey Stanfill, supervised by producer Jasiri Jenkins-Glenn, executive produced by Chris Miller and chief executive produced by George Falardeau, CEO and executive director of Pasadena Media.
“‘Pasadena Monthly’ is must-watch television each month for everyone who cares about this city,” Falardeau said.
Last year, “Pasadena Monthly” won a 1st place award in the Talk Show category at the Alliance for Community Media West’s WAVE (Western Access Video Excellence) Awards. Chapman also won a 3rd place journalism award in the Talk/Public Affairs category of the LA Press Club’s 66th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards, for hosting “Pasadena Monthly.” He has won a dozen LA Press Club journalism awards, including three 1st place awards.
Guests on “Pasadena Monthly” (and its previous iteration, “NewsRap Local”) have included Congress member Judy Chu; Congress member Adam Schiff; Assembly member Chris Holden; Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo; Pasadena city manager Miguel Márquez; LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; JPL director Dr. Laurie Leshin; and many others.
Chapman was the youngest elected official in LA County when he served on the Altadena Town Council at age 19. He has served on a number of local boards and wrote hundreds of articles for dozens of print and digital publications, including KPCC/LAist, Alta Journal, Huffington Post, LA Weekly, Irish Post, Berkeley Political Review, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena Now and many others. He is the author of Saturnalia and Paradise Springs. He was a professional child actor who starred in dozens of movies, TV shows, commercials and plays. He previously served as Communications Officer for USC Annenberg’s Pacific Council on International Policy think tank and currently serves as the District 6 Council Liaison/Field Representative to Pasadena Councilmember Steve Madison.
Learn more at justindouglaschapman.com and pasadenamedia.org.
Two episodes of Justin's other TV show, "Well Read with Justin Chapman," have also been nominated as finalists in the WAVE video awards! (Alliance for Community Media West's Western Access Video Excellence awards). Winners announced in March.
