AND WAIT, THERE’S MORE: The Variety Arts...

AND WAIT, THERE’S MORE: The Variety Arts Center, whose auditorium has been a sweat-drenched haven for dozens of stellar rock events, ranging from a blondes-only Police concert to a boozy Replacements marathon, is about to close its doors. If you’re looking for a last chance to hear the amplifiers hum there, stop by this Friday for a double-shot bill featuring the long-lost Gun Club and the Hangmen. . . . But here’s the good news: The Mayfair Theatre in Santa Monica (214 Santa Monica Blvd.) will host a Monday night pop music series courtesy of Solar Productions. The events begin April 11 with guitarist Alex de Grassi, who’ll do two shows, at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Subsequent shows will include Taj Mahal (April 25) as well as Ry Cooder and Bonnie Raitt in May. . . . And we love film buffs as much as anyone, but this is ridiculous. Mark Long, part of the hot Brit pop duo So, says he likes to populate his songs with references to his favorite movie thrillers. According to Long, the group’s current single, “Are You Sure,” was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1934 version of “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” One of his other songs alludes to “The Third Man” while a third one, “Villains,” incorporates dialogue from an old Michael Caine thriller, “The Italian Job.”