We're pathologically social. We're professional leisurists. We're burrito lovers, bar flies, art whores and music nerds. We dish the good dirt, and we'll risk a parking ticket for a cheap sample sale. Sometimes, we blog drunk.
Sunset Junction 2008: Hot, loud and hot
Wha happened? Sunset Junction blew through the east side like some earth-scorching hurricane of Red Bull girls, funnel cake and burritos, oh so many burritos…
Musically, Day 1 felt like one big build-up to Broken Social Scene. The brave early birds that braved the punishing sun rays were treated to rousing sets from Castledoor, but it was obvious that a majority of the music heads were waiting for the cooler evening hours before venturing down Sunset.
Broken Social Scene did not disappoint, although the rumors of former member Feist making an appearance were greatly exaggerated. But for your expansive, orchestral pop melees, BSS definitely delivered for the indie nation that packed the Bates stage area.
Day 2 came with even more extreme heat, which coupled with the citywide hangover from the countless after-parties on Saturday night, found even fewer bodies roaming the streets in the earlier hours of Sunday. When local indie pop party boys The Henry Clay People took to the Bates stage right at noon, there were maybe a dozen people in attendance. Still, the band played it like a headlining show at a packed club, with the singer running out into the crowd to big-up his grandmother in the middle of a song. They amassed a nice audience by the time they were joined by notorious L.A. man about town Jeff Miller on guitar for the big finale (lots of choreographed jumping was involved). Other hot (literally) daytime sets came from Vauxhaul Broadcast and Oliver Future.
The big surprise act of the weekend was a reformed Germs, the L.A. punk legends fronted by actor Shane West (that's him rocking the abs in the photo above). The punks were ready as Mohawks and boots were flying throughout their set. The Pat Smear show is as entertaining as ever, and punk’s still not dead, y’all. Yee-ha!
What happened next? Sorry, I was at the Hollywood Bowl being astonished by the genius that is Radiohead with more than 17,000 other lucky souls, including a just-married Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi, Justin Timberlake (with Jessical Biel in tow), Ryan Phillipe and so many more...
—Scott T. Sterling
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