I can't hear you

Question

Solve on Penpa+

Across
3. Honda vehicle unaffected after U turn (5)
8. Nick who sang "Into My Arms" and "Surrender" (4)
9. Broadcast contains no salmon (3)
10. Send home "specialist" after mistaking left for right (5)
12. Friend from church, endlessly dumb (4)
13. Charles from old action convention in the end separating two close relatives (7)
14. Maybe Derringer Place is to split up (6)
15. Coconut liqueur made out of rum in African country, but not entirely (6)
17. Cryptid is seen cryptically (6)
19. Shepherd for cattle (5)
20. Metal band to broadcast with Kid Rock initially onboard (4,3)
21. Play some instrument (5)
23. Places for eating and drinking and messed up nonsense (4)
25. Ignoring diet at its extreme – Panda eats bananas in Houston suburb (8)
30. Apart from one, are Vilnius crackers enjoyed by all? (9)
32. Greatest lover not heartlessly abandoning Romeo (9)
35. Spaghetti monster worshipper's fellow leaves previous affair in shambles (9)
36. Hard action director John harassed Lloyd Bridges in Miami suburb (9)
37. Scot of old sure to shuffle photos (8)
40. Wash the cooler (4)
42. Mike Pence is in constant struggle, leading flamboyant dressers? (5)
45. Star power – it resolves many sticky spots (3,4)
47. State capital with a Methodist origin (involving Lee, for the most part) (5)
49. Source of oil (that comes in container) with lowered acidity, to begin with (6)
51. Friend's nickname misheard (6)
52. Spoiled crybaby, mostly in a bad mood (6)
53. Marvel race film unexpectedly does away with fourth wall (7)
56. Colonist struck single dock (4)
57. A child-loving magical being, Satan cast... (5)
58. ...one by one out of eternal fire (3)
59. Distance from Mars is long... (engine starts) (4)
60. Arthur, Charlie and Henry wash ashore (5)

Down
1. A lot of blood was spilt on her from pigeon with clipped tail (6)
2. Noodle is an ingredient in many vegetarian dishes (4)
3. In two different ways, leader of China describes angel number? (3)
4. Very European city on the Mediterranean coast (6)
5. Captain and key attacking player in hockey team (6)
6. Possesses means for attacks (6)
7. Halo surrounding Sol and boy lover, in oral tradition (6)
9. As temperatures drop, stolen goods shipped for release (6)
11. Problem: Piranhas swallowed bread in Central America (7)
12. A little bit of energy that's chaotic approaches entrances near unending Elven realm (7)
16. Grade for cognac thus consumed by Mike Pence? (4, abbr.)
17. Rapper is on Mars, regularly (3)
18. Greek princess visits attractive men's apartments (7)
22. Invent a little trick with weird baby seal? (5,2)
24. Losing face, liberal wrecked Chevrolet vehicle (3,3)
26. Rival organisation for follower of Mars in France (5)
27. Behaved poorly, throwing a lot of duct tape (5,2)
28. Film character Vincent, as played by John, age 5, brought up (4)
29. Increases in consequence (6)
31. Sol is part of it, and it's part of a sole? (5)
33. Perhaps start of polite request for Lei Day? (3,1)
34. We hear you assert dominance over writer Fleming? That's highly optimistic! (7)
38. Comparatively sentimental setter is in predicament (7)
39. Mensroom fixtures in part of Switzerland and northern half of Alsace (7)
41. Heavy knockers excited Mars (4)
43. Spoken language developed by Ritchie Waters (3)
44. Writer in exhausted state has to plagiarise (6)
45. One is named for Cancer researcher ultimately in question (6)
46. Another CD one's produced (6)
47. Seal, charm; chiefly Egyptian, perhaps (6)
48. Trinidad town home to the Pitch Lake, with large area, inhabited by bishop (2,4)
50. I can't hear you thrice repeating the theme here! (2,2,2)
54. A queen is in the lead of my ants, as a group (4)
55. I am not impressed Montreal player is making comeback (3)

Answer 1

Filled-in grid

Explanations (definitions are in italics):

Across

3. Honda vehicle unaffected after U turn = CIVIC, palindrome
8. Nick who sang "Into My Arms" and "Surrender" = CAVE, double definition, Nick Cave and a synonyms for surrender
9. Broadcast contains no salmon = LAX, homophone ("broadcast") of LACKS (contains no)
10. Send home "specialist" after mistaking left for right = EXPEL, EXPERT with rt. replaced by l.
12. Friend from church, endlessly dumb =CHUM, CH+(d)UM(b)
13. Charles from old action convention in the end separating two close relatives = BRONSON, (conventio)N separating BRO and SON
14. Maybe Derringer Place is to split up = PISTOL, PL. split up by IS TO
15. Coconut liqueur made out of rum in African country, but not entirely =MALIBU, MALI+BU(t)
17. Cryptid is seen cryptically = NESSIE, anagram of IS SEEN
19. Shepherd for cattle = STEER, double definition
20. Metal band to broadcast with Kid Rock initially onboard = SKID ROW, SOW (broadcast) containing KID and R(ock)
21. Play some instrument = STRUM, hidden word
23. Places for eating and drinking and messed up nonsense = PUBS, UP reversed + BS (nonsense)
25. Ignoring diet at its extreme – Panda eats bananas in Houston suburb = PASADENA, anagram ("bananas") of PANDA EATS ignoring T (last letter of diet)
30. Apart from one, are Vilnius crackers enjoyed by all? = UNIVERSAL, anagram ("crackers") of ARE VILNIUS apart from I (one)
32. Greatest lover not heartlessly abandoning Romeo = PARAMOUNT, PARAMOUR + N(o)T abandoning R
35. Spaghetti monster worshipper's fellow leaves previous affair in shambles = PASTAFARI, F (fellow) leaves PAST + anagram of AFFAIR
36. Hard action director John harassed Lloyd Bridges in Miami suburb = HOLLYWOOD, H (hard) + WOO contained in anagram of LLOYD
37. Scot of old sure to shuffle photos = PICTURES, PICT + anagram of SURE
40. Wash the cooler = STIR, double definition ("the cooler" and "stir" are both old slang for prison)
42. Mike Pence is in constant struggle, leading flamboyant dressers? = PIMPS, MP inside PI (constant) + S(truggle)
45. Star power – it resolves many sticky spots = TAR PITS, STAR + P (power) + IT cyclically shifted
47. State capital with a Methodist origin (involving Lee, for the most part) = SALEM = S(tate)+ A + M(ethodist) including LE(e), &lit! 49. Source of oil (that comes in container) with lowered acidity, to begin with = CANOLA, O(il) comes in CAN + L(owered) + A(cidity), &lit!
51. Friend's nickname misheard = MONICA, a character in Friends, homophone of moniker
52. Spoiled crybaby, mostly in a bad mood = CRABBY, anagram of CRYBAB(y)
53. Marvel race film unexpectedly does away with fourth wall = MIRACLE, anagram ("unexpectedly") of RACE FILM, doing away with F(ourth)
56. Colonist struck single dock = PIER, PIONEER (colonist) with ONE (single) removed
57. A child-loving magical being, Satan cast... = SANTA, anagram of SATAN
58. ...one by one out of eternal fire = AXE, A (one) + X (by, in the sense of "multiplied to") + E(ternal)
59. Distance from Mars is long... (engine starts) = MILE, starts of "Mars is long... (engine)"
60. Arthur, Charlie and Henry wash ashore = BEACH, BEA + C (Charlie in NATO phonetic alphabet) + H (Henry, as in the unit)

Down

1. A lot of blood was spilt on her from pigeon with clipped tail = CARRIE, CARRIE(r)
2. Noodle is an ingredient in many vegetarian dishes = BEAN, double definition, in the sense of "head" (noodle) and "a vegetable"
3. In two different ways, leader of China describes angel number? = CXI. CXI is 111 in Roman numerals, an angel number (a number with the same digit repeated); Leader of China can be C (leading letter of China) or Xi. Clever!
4. Very European city on the Mediterranean coast = VENICE, V + E + NICE (city on the Mediterranean coast), &lit!
5. Captain and key attacking player in hockey team =CENTER, C + ENTER
6. Possesses means for attacks = SPELLS, triple definition!
7. Halo surrounding Sol and boy lover, in oral tradition = SUNBOW, homophone of SON BEAU
9. As temperatures drop, stolen goods shipped for release = LOOSEN, T's (temperatures) dropped from LOOT SENT
11. Problem: Piranhas swallowed bread in Central America = LEMPIRA, hidden word in probLEM PIRAnhas
12. A little bit of energy that's chaotic approaches entrances near unending Elven realm = CALORIE, C(haotic) A(pproaches) near LORIE(n)
16. Grade for cognac thus consumed by Mike Pence? = VSOP, SO consumed by VP
17. Rapper is on Mars, regularly = NAS (or as I originally had in mind, NAS), alternate letters from ON MARS
18. Greek princess visits attractive men's apartments = STUDIOS, IO visits STUDS
22. Invent a little trick with weird baby seal? = TRUMP UP, T (a little trick) + RUM (weird) + PUP (baby seal)
24. Losing face, liberal wrecked Chevrolet vehicle = BEL AIR, anagram of (l)IBERAL
26. Rival organisation for follower of Mars in France = AVRIL, French for April, follower of Mars, French for March; anagram of RIVAL
27. Behaved poorly, throwing a lot of duct tape = ACTED UP, anagram ("throwing") of DUC(t) and TAPE
28. Film character Vincent, as played by John, age 5, brought up = VEGA (character in Pulp Fiction played by John Travolta), AGE V reversed
29. Increases in consequence = UPSHOT, UPS (increases) + HOT (in = popular)
31. Sol is part of it, and it's part of a sole? = SCALE, double definition? Sol is part of the musical scale, and a sole fish has scales
33. Perhaps start of polite request for Lei Day? = MAY I, cryptic reference to Lei Day on May 1
34. We hear you assert dominance over writer Fleming? That's highly optimistic! = UTOPIAN, homophone of YOU TOP IAN
38. Comparatively sentimental setter is in predicament = CORNIER, I in CORNER
39. Mensroom fixtures in part of Switzerland and northern half of Alsace = URINALS, URI + N + ALS(ace)
41. Heavy knockers excited Mars = RAMS, anagram of MARS
43. Spoken language developed by Ritchie Waters = SEA, homophone of C (language developed by Ritchie)
44. Writer in exhausted state has to plagiarise = SCRIBE, S(tat)E contains CRIB
45. One is named for Cancer researcher ultimately in question = TROPIC, (researche)R in TOPIC
46. Another CD one's produced = SECOND, anagram of CD ONE'S
47. Seal, charm; chiefly Egyptian, perhaps = SCARAB, S(eal) + C(harm) + ARAB, &lit!
48. Trinidad town home to the Pitch Lake, with large area, inhabited by bishop = LA BREA, L(=large) AREA inhabited by B (bishop in chess notation)
50. I can't hear you thrice repeating the theme here! = LA LA LA, which is LA, the theme (see below) repeated thrice!
54. A queen is in the lead of my ants, as a group = ARMY, A + R (common abbreviation for Queen Elizabeth) + MY
55. I am not impressed Montreal player is making comeback = BAH, reversal of HAB

Theme

As alluded to in 50 down, the theme is things in and around Los Angeles, appearing in the entries BRONSON CAVE, LAX, MALIBU, SKID ROW, PASADENA, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, PARAMOUNT PICTURES, HOLLYWOOD, LA BREA TAR PITS, SANTA MONICA PIER, and VENICE BEACH! There's a few more I missed, courtesy OP in the comments: BEL AIR, CIVIC CENTER, MIRACLE MILE and RAMS. Very pleasant crossword.