A SCATTERED LIFE

In a curious case of imitation imitating imitation, the Fab Four (the Beatles tribute band) will perform five shows as the Rutles (the Beatles parody band). Yes, it’s a bit kooky, but what better way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “All You Need Is Cash,” the deliriously funny spoof film by Eric Idle and Neil Innes? It gave us the Rutles, a “Prefab Four” with memorable tunes such as “W.C. Fields Forever” and “I Am the Waitress.” There are also two screenings of “All You Need Is Cash” on Monday night at American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre ([323] 461-2020), where the “real” Rutles will be on hand. The Fab Four, meanwhile, will perform their Rutlemania at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre (1615 Vine St., [866] 468-3399 for tickets] on Saturday and Sunday nights, with three more shows there next week. . . . South by Southwest is underway in Texas, and a wave of acts will head this way afterward, which is why you can check out the underrated Shawn Mullins at the Troubadour ([310] 276-1158) on Tuesday night or the revitalized Vines on Wednesday in their first L.A. gig in four years. . . . Our L.A. date in history: Sunday is the 59th birthday of Erik Estrada, our man Ponch on “CHiPs,” who never stopped smiling (except maybe during that salary squabble in 1981, when he lost his bike to Bruce Jenner). To celebrate, let’s all be sure to signal our lane changes this weekend.

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-- Geoff.Boucher@latimes.com