Los Angeles Music

Cockettes' Movie

July 12 John Anson ford Theater

Cabo Verde Music at the Mayan Theater, Spring 2002

Smashmouth Home Page Smashmouth on Fanscape

http://www.theelrey.com/  El Rey Theater Info

ÜBERZONE and THE CRYSTAL METHOD (TCM)

Thursday, August 9, 2001 – The Mayan Theater in downtown Los Angeles

This was one of the best concerts I have been to in a while—but then maybe I don’t get out enough!  It was definitely the best I’ve been to this year, and I was particularly impressed with Überzone.  I plan to buy their new CD (I think they only have one) as soon as I see it in the store—hopefully tomorrow!  The first four songs they played made me think I was at a Fat Boy Slim concert—so if you like FBS, you will probably like Überzone.  They do have some mellower moments also, but I also enjoyed those as well.  The light show they put on (I forget who did it—I’ll look it up later.) was equally fantastic, and I was happy that I was in the balcony (first row) at the theater.  This is a very beautiful and wonderful theater, with intricately carved imitation Mayan motifs.  There were some very nice relief carvings on both sides of the stage—two on each side—and these were lit with strobes that grazed the reliefs to make them appear deeper, although the carvings were already very deep.  The center of the stage had a huge screen sort of above and behind Überzone, and this screen had psychedelic images projected onto it that reminded me of the light show from “2001”.

Speaking of which, I have decided that this decade should be called the “oh oh’s” because this will not occur again for a thousand years.  I mean, we can’t just keep calling it the new millennium, and we have to call it something because Fat Boy Slim claimed to be “The band of the 90’s”.  Of course, when someone talks about a decade like that, they are usually referring to only two or three years, but you still have to give those years a name in order to be able to talk about them.  No one remembers the beginning of a decade by the end of a decade anyway, especially here in Los Angeles, where archeologists are required to carbon artifacts found from the 1950’s and ‘60’s.  Even then, exact dates can never be confirmed.

And by the way, the DJ at this concert was not the best—that was the worst part of the concert.  He did play a few cuts that were good, and between bands did manage some old Hard Floor that I liked, but basically, I felt like I was at The Factory on La Peer.  I don’t think the crowd liked the DJ that much either, but it was a very nice crowd—the concert was sold out—but not the most fashionably dressed.  Needless to say, I did not take pictures.  The crowd was mostly male and mostly late 20’s early 30’s and up, and not very ethnically mixed, but I guess that’s what you have to expect with English bands.  And how much of a band is two people?  Is that a duet or what?  Do you have to consider the tapes and records they use as band members?  None of the vocals were live, it seems, but at least that way, no one was flat.

I wore a silver mylar shirt that reflects laser type rainbows of colors and some platform boots.  I always wear platforms to a concert where I have to stand so that I will be able to see better and so people cannot knock me over.  The shoes also help keep me anchored while I am dancing in place (I moved to the main floor in front of the stage for TCM.), and I do recommend wearing platforms for all concerts where you have to stand, whether you feel they are really in style or not.  They are simply practical, and I heard others near me at the concert say that they wished they had worn similar boots.

Next week, it will be Sunset Junction.

TCM (as they called themselves) was also good, but I felt that they were overshadowed by Überzone.  I also think that the new material from TCM is not as good as the earlier material, but I may change my mind about that.  The live performance was excellent and well worth seeing and especially hearing, and so that was impressive to me, but TCM did not have the visual impact of Überzone—nor the fresh new material.

AUGUST 1, 2001 or so or thereabouts

I went to see Boy George as DJ at Circus on Santa Monica Blvd last Saturday, and that was pretty good.  There was still a line to get in when we left after 2:00 a.m.  The music got a bit repetitious, and so I didn’t feel compelled to stay until the club closed, which was supposed to be around 4:00, I guess.  Anyway, Circus is not one of my fave clubs, although it has its moments.

Thursdays, there is always Perversion at The Ruby, 7070 Hollywood Blvd, and the music there is a bit better.  Plus, you have your choice of several styles: Industrial, cyber, eltro, ebm music @ the perversion dungeon, gothic @ the helter skelter room, 80's at the velvet lounge.