If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between Latino, Hispanic and Chicano, by golly, now’s your chance to find out. Authors David Reyes and Tom Waldman read from the new, revised edition of Land of a Thousand Dances: Chicano Rock ‘n’ Roll From Southern California (University of New Mexico Press), their exhaustive, essential chronicle of Chicano rock in SoCal. It’s stuffed to bursting with stories of the music from bands that include, among others, Question Mark and the Mysterians, the Stains, the Plugz, Thee Midniters (who did the song after which the book was named), the Impalas and the Mars Volta. In a time when so much about the recent past is neglected or forgotten — a trip down Whittier Boulevard past the Golden Gate Theater pretty much sums it up — the book exhumes an aural history that would otherwise stay oral, and is a great companion piece to the DVD of the Edward James Olmos–narrated PBS special that came out in February. If all this weren’t enough, Lysa Flores (pictured) performs songs from her new album, Immigrant Daughter, melting away your amygdala* with lush, moody music.

Sun., May 17, 5 p.m., 2009

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