Welcome to L.A. & Boys and Toys

The August opening at the Late Show Gallery (1600 Cherry, 816-359-7174) features Rusty Leffel‘s photography exhibit, Welcome to L.A., and Christian Simms‘ Boys and Toys. “Simms is a graphic artist,” says Late Show owner Tom Deatherage. “He’s done these real hot, contemporary oil paintings of water pistols, missile launchers, hand grenades — toys for boys, basically.” And Leffel’s sepia urban photos zoom from wide-angle macroscopic cityscapes to moody, street-level detail, illuminating Los Angeles with a singular, humanistic viewpoint. The 6 p.m. opening will also feature performance work by Roman Maeder and Amanda Braden. “Roman calls himself Larry Bang Bang. He’s a Wild West character from Bumfuck, Texas. They’ll be joined by musicians, and it should be a wild night,” Deatherage says.

First Wednesday-Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Starts: Aug. 5. Continues through Aug. 30, 2009