What's Going On in L.A.: Clifton's Revival, Surf Guitar Festival, Liquid Kitty BBQ, Das Bunker Massive
Plus review and reflection on LADY GAGA, who we covered before she had "The Fame," and huge thanks to our subscribers
Mayhem Ball, July 28 (Courtesy Getty Images/ Kevin Mazur)
Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin
It’s been just a couple of months since I started this newsletter, cheered on by supporters and past story subjects who said it was a great place to keep doing what I do as a journalist, which is primarily promoting others (event organizers, bars and clubs, artists, musicians) and their creative outputs in Los Angeles.
It’s growing each week and though I’m keeping it free, the monetary pledges I’ve received have sent the message that people appreciate what I’m trying to do here. Over 500 of you believe in it, and me, which is a great start, though I’d love to see the subscriber number increase more rapidly. My goal is 1000 subscribers by Fall so please click the link buttons here and share far and wide!
I’m still trying to figure what works best and what people want most. Is it perspective writing on cultural hot topics? Is it a guide to alternative events in L.A.? New music recs with videos? Zoom chats with local figures? I’ve been doing a little bit of everything here as my oeuvre has always been intentionally diverse and multi-faceted.
This newsletter is also about reflecting on a journalism career that I’m proud of, so linking to past pieces that provide insight and context has been a big part of it. After decades covering music, entertainment and culture in L.A. everything I do pretty much has a personal backstory or connection and/or a previous article that relates to it.
Born This Way Record Release party at The Belasco Theater with DJ Jason Lavitt- May 26, 2011 (Lina Lecaro)
Fame and Mayhem: Covering Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball, which I attended on Monday night, is a perfect example. I first saw Gaga when she was a young upstart back in 2008. Her debut album, The Fame, was just coming out and her record company invited a small group of music journos and taste-makers to check out a live performance in Weho, at what was formerly called The Love Lounge on Robertson Blvd.
It was oddly still daylight outside when the singer took the stage in a rhinestone-encrusted body suit and biker cap that looked very cheap and homemade. Gaga and two dancers went through some sexy choreography as she sang a selection of songs from the album, including “Disco Stick,” which stuck out to me because she had a cane encrusted with matching crystals that looked very DIY-crafty as well.
Regardless, she commanded that tiny club stage and was very committed to the performance. Plus, her voice was incredible. I wrote about the experience but sadly can’t find the story. (Sidenote: finding old articles on LA Weekly site is becoming increasingly difficult, but like everything else I do, I won’t give up! Photos are long-gone and that’s heart-breaking too, as I didn’t save many that I took over the years. But most of the words I wrote are still out there via hidden URLs and/or Wayback Machine. I also saved a ton of actual newspapers and will be scanning a lot soon to share here.)
Over the years I’ve covered Gaga many times for LA Weekly and Los Angeles magazine. Below, I share just a few fun links.
💃🏽 Born This Way Record Release Party - LA Weekly
💃🏽 Lady Gaga Party at the Abbey- LA Weekly
💃🏽From Lady Gaga to Gloria Gaynor: What We're Listening to Right Now - LA mag
💃🏽As Lady Gaga Announces New Tour Dates, 'Mayhem' Sparks Debate on the Dance Floor - LA mag
I also loved writing about designer Frank Fernandez for the cover of LA Weekly’s People Issue in 2010. Frank designed the infamous “meat dress” for Gaga’s appearance at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Monday night’s performance was an astounding theatrical and musical triumph. It was largely the show we saw on the Coachella LiveStream back in April, but with new elements, song selections and thematic moments.
In particular, I thought the change up on “Zombie Boy”— her “HollaBack Girl”-esque dance jam and one of my favorite songs from Mayhem, was a huge improvement. The dancing with skeletons choreo we saw at Coachella was disappointingly corny, but the new scheme, backdropped by a giant skull on stage, featured Gaga and her male dancers doing an Old Hollywood-style stage number that brought to mind her turn at the Olympics in Paris. It was splendid and gave the goth-pop bomp some ironic pizzazz.
Stefani Germanotta gives everything she’s got every single time and her gorgeous vocals and dramatic staging on other Mayhem material such as “Garden of Eden,” “Killah,” “Abracadabra,” and “Disease" were giddy and inspired. The overall aesthetic here is gothic and fantastical, while the narrative is deep, delving into existential duality, hedonistic obsession and the complex nature of desire. And of course, there’s also the explorations of celebrity, fame and fandom that inspired her first album to begin with.
Clearly Gaga was destined to be a star and I’m so glad I got to see her before the multi-million dollar production, costumes and mega-tour grandiosity that she commands today. I’m also grateful I got experience the eye-popping spectacle of her current show with my kid, who’s a fan. If you’re on the fence about getting a ticket, take it from me— this is a once in a lifetime experience that rivals recent performances by other pop queens we adore including Madonna and Beyonce.
Oh, and don’t forget to dress up in red and black. This is a “ball,” after all. Tickets are still available as of this writing for tonight and Saturday via the Forum’s website. Check out some of the looks from Monday (from one of my favorite Gaga Facebook groups) here:
What’s Going On - August 1-5
Clifton’s is swingin’ again; the Surf Guitar 101 Festival is on every L.A. musicians’ menu; ArtShare’s Block Party gets creative; CatCon is filled with feline fun; some “Mighty” duets are going down at The Barkley; Carnage Asada cooks up some chaos at The Escondite; Das Bunker goes big with a Summer Massive; and the legendary Liquid Kitty Punk Rock BBQ returns! Click hyperlinks for more info.
Marquis And the Rhythm Howlers at Clifton’s - Aug. 1
Surf Guitar 101 Festival - Aug. 1-3
Summer Block Party DTLA - Aug. 2
Prof. Mighty Manfred B-day Bash (featuring duets with some of our favorite L.A. ladies: Moana Santana, Sara Loera, Shayna Ross & Melanie Vammen) - Aug. 2
Cafe NELA Presents Carnage Asada and friends - Aug. 2
Das Bunker Summer Massive (8 clubs in one!) - Aug. 2
🪩 Read my first feature about Bunker from back in 2011 for LA Weekly, titled City of Industrial.
Liquid Kitty’s Punk Rock BBQ at Harvelle’s - Aug. 3
☠️ I interviewed Mike Watt at the original location decades ago! Sadly, can’t find the link, but this li’l writeup from my old “Nightranger” column captures the wild good times of this long-running event.