Echoes of a Saturday Night

Date:  December 13, 2014

Destination: The Echoplex, Echo Park

Cost: $30.90 plus gas

Thank goodness the room was so dark. Standing near the stage, you could barely tell if the person next to you was man or woman, so I felt less insecure about being older than my fellow patrons by about 35 years. The Echo Park club scene has stirred my curiosity, but I usually found an excuse to avoid it. Learning that Gardens & Villa was headlining at The Echoplex moved me to action.

I’d heard this Santa Barbara band when they opened for The Shins a few years ago. Any group which adds a wooden flute and didgeridoo-like textures to their synth-beats has my attention, so I mustered up some courage and bought a ticket in advance, knowing I’d wimp out otherwise.

Saturday night traffic was blessedly light, and I found free parking a few blocks from the club next to Echo Park Lake. The Echoplex is a large, minimally appointed venue – the black walls surround banquettes and cocktail tables. There are television screens near the back bar, so you can watch the show from the rear lounge if you don’t feel like standing up front. Drinks aren’t too overpriced and are quite strong. The club is described as a hipster den, but to me it just seemed like a place where a lot of kids go to hang out on Saturday night, the crowd mostly attired in jeans and hoodies. Besides being the oldest person there, I was also overdressed. Way to blend in.

But, like I mentioned, it was dark, so I got over it and focused on the music. TV Girl started the evening with sunny electronic surf pop. Next up was the performance-art inspired musical stylings of Geneva Jacuzzi (the former girlfriend of Ariel Pink), who I found pretentious. She’s probably great at Burning Man if you’re on crazy drugs. Finally, at 11:45, Gardens & Villa took the stage.  It was worth the wait – their self-proclaimed “coco-vibes” were as chill as I remembered. They put on a poignant performance, since they were losing their founding drummer, Levi Hayden, and this would be his last show. Frontman Chris Lynch has a cool energy which carried the evening as the audience sang along.

The crowd spilled out onto Glendale Blvd after 1:00 a.m., so there was no traffic on the drive home. I was happy to have conquered the Echo Park club scene and won’t be afraid to return, although I’ll dress a little grubbier next time.

Ho Ho Ho

Date: December 14, 2014

Destination: Sierra Madre Playhouse

Cost:  $49.45 plus gas (theatre ticket and two meals)

We can usually use a little push to get us into the holiday spirit. An easy path to December jolliness can be found by attending a live holiday performance, whether it’s a ballet school’s The Nutcracker, a community chorale singing carols or a local play. My friend, Jim, had been cast in the Sierra Madre Playhouse production of “A Little House Christmas” which provided the perfect chance to head to this San Gabriel Valley burgh for some holiday cheer.

With tickets in hand for a Sunday matinee, I arrived early to snoop around and grab a bite to eat. Sierra Madre was founded in 1881 and incorporated in 1907, so the main shopping district is historic and reflects on a gentler time, free from chain stores and drive-ins. The village sits at the base of the rugged San Gabriel Mountains and its insular quaintness reminds me of Ojai. On this warm afternoon, the restaurants were buzzing with outdoor diners and shoppers browsed the hip boutiques in search of Christmas gifts. I was struck by the friendliness of the locals, who greeted me with smiles and hellos. I picked up a tasty pre-made ciabatta sandwich from Bean Town Coffee House and sat outside so that I could people watch.

As curtain time approached, I met my friend, Mirth, and we queued up at the playhouse box office with the stylishly-attired patrons. Once inside the well-kept theater, I was struck by the high quality of the stage set, rare in many tightly budgeted community theater productions. “A Little House Christmas” is based on the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and the script, adapted by James DeVita, honors those works, taking the dialogue verbatim from the printed page. The director, Emily Chase, made the smart decision to add music – so there are scenes with Christmas carols, fiddle playing and even a whirligig dance number. The production has the lightness of a holiday divinity candy, well acted by a multi-talented ensemble.

Midway through the first act, I thought it unfortunate that there weren't more youngsters in attendance. What an effortless way to introduce children to the joy of live theater! As the house lights came up at intermission, I noticed that nearly half the audience was kids. They were so enthralled that they hadn't made a peep!  

Post-show,  Jim and two castmates joined me and Mirth at Lucky Baldwin's Pub, where I quaffed a brew and enjoyed a sausage roll in Merry Olde England style. It was great to watch the actors light up as we lavished praise upon them, a fitting holiday gift. Mission accomplished: the afternoon in Sierra Madre got me in the Christmas mood. 

Musical NoHo

December 5, 2014

Destination: Kulak’s Woodshed

Cost: $10.00 plus gas

It was Friday night, and I found myself sitting in a very funky room which looked like a cross between a thrift shop and a garage apartment, hidden behind an old storefront on Laurel Canyon Blvd in North Hollywood. There was audio and video equipment everywhere and an assemblage of old Topanga Canyon hippies. My childhood neighbor, Linda, turned me on to Kulaks’ Woodshed and I was there to check out their monthly $10-by-donation First Friday event. 

Linda’s been coming here for years, and knew most of the audience members and performers. The room contained an assortment of mismatched chairs, sofas and even a bed, to settle in comfortably to watch the show, which is broadcast via a live, high quality webcast. Besides the First Friday gigs, Kulak’s hosts Monday open mic nights, regular performances and “Rent Club” when they need to raise money to keep the doors open.

I came to hear Severin Browne and Friends and opening act Janeen Rae Heller. Janeen was intriguing; a skilled guitar player with a beautiful voice (“She sings like an angel,” remarked Linda). Janeen played musical saw accompanied by piano in one number, which could have been background music in Star Trek heaven. Severin Browne (Jackson’s brother) and his group had that feel good, folksy, bar band vibe. They weren’t pushing any limits, but the talented musicians served up a satisfying show for their listening friends. 

Kulak’s isn’t exactly a music venue; it’s more like a community. It seemed like everyone knew each other and I was quickly welcomed into the fold. Linda explained that after her third or fourth visit, she was ceremoniously inducted into the “tribe.” I look forward to returning to the Woodshed, to hear non-threatening music in a quirky, warm environment.