The theme of the party was controversy. Of course there was a guy there with a bloody rubber glove and a coat hanger but the costume that impressed me was this boxy airplane flying into both flaming towers of the World Trade Center. These girls have balls as well as skills to wear these costumes. This party was on Devil’s Night; they told me they had a different costume for Halloween, one a bit less offensive. But they didn’t tell me what. Not much really offends me anyway…besides Kirk Cameron.

Do you think those girls feel bombed? I think PBR was an inside job.

You know how I know that The Sunset Strip is BACK? Because I’ve seen sooo much amazing live music this week! Between The Sunset Strip Music Festival and all of the other fantastic shows that happen on the regular out here, as a live music fan I don’t think I’ve ever felt more at home.

And of all this amazing music I’ve seen lately (honestly 4-5 nights a week), the best act I’ve seen in a while to really, genuinely impress me has been the “Indie Gospel” that comes from NICO VEGA. I’ve seen them 3 times this week alone and everytime feels completely new; but this is not a new band by any stretch. Dan Expand (drums), Rich Koehler (guitar+) and Aja Volkman (vocals) have certainly been making a name for themselves in the indie scene around Los Angeles for years now, but I think very soon this will be a band that will illuminate a lot of peoples’ worlds. Their Self-titled album has been available on Myspace Records since February and what absolutely mystifies me about it is how versatile the sound is while at once being such a cohesive collection. Each song is so different yet such a complete part of a sonic narrative. And an expansive narrative it is for one that comes from just ONE melodic instrument onstage! The way that dancing maestro Rich mixes his guitar sound through Octave and Delay pedals is that of a psychedelic mad scientist whose found the cure for having a bassist or synth player to clutter Aja and Dan’s stage. And believe me, there may never be a big enough stage to hold Aja; within the first minute of seeing them live, you will be in love.

Read the rest of this entry »

Perhaps the only shameful thing about this encounter is that when explaining it to people who I met I have to actually act it out. But I think my Eagle Eye was out considering I wasn’t even thinking when I asked the guy if he was in fact the lad from this commercial. But then again, who else could it be?