photo credit: alea christine

Oh Florence Welch, I hope that when I die the angels sound as lovely as you did this past Sunday at the Wiltern. I hope they sing with the same sort cinematic grandeur because the only way to sum up her performance is other worldly.

I arrived around 7pm  and stood in a line that wrapped around the block like floppy shoelace loops. I had reserved seats in the Mezzanine and settled in to the tiny (even for me!) seats of the theater.  Grouplove was the first opening act. They reminded me of the Polyphonic Spree and played the kind of music you associated with candy and childhood.  They were high energy and very entertaining (much like children on a sugar high).

Hanni El Khatib followed, a dark grunge jazz duo (I don’t know if that makes sense, but imagine seeing a two piece band in a seedy bar). Although I couldn’t really understand what the guy was singing about (the reverb was a bit too much), I definitely got the feeling it had to do with lust, loss, and maybe some booze. I think they should have actually been the first opening band, since Grouplove’s high energy would have been a better fit for Florence and the Machine’s larger than life set.

The curtain raised and there was Florence standing in the middle of the stage, banging a single drum with such force that it echoed off the walls of the theater.  “Drumming Song” was a fantastic opening song choice, the rhythm pushed through my veins and made my heart race with excitement and anticipation.

At one point, the back of Florence’s dress came undone. She giggled while her bandmate helped fasten her back up again and then said, “well, if I can’t fix my dress, it’s okay. You all will get your money’s worth!”  Between songs she gave sweet, quiet thank yous to the audience–it was hard to believe this was the same woman who, moments before, had the kind of control over her voice that I associated with singers twice her age. She is a beautiful force of nature, a singer whose talent and presence completely engulf you while she’s on stage.

Florence and the Machine is definitely a band you need to see live.  I’m listening to the album now and, while it’s fantastic, it doesn’t have the same sort of energy as the live show. In concert, Florence Welch is able to exercise those vocal chords without restraint.

It was an amazing thing to witness.

I learned two things this Halloween: 1) make sure to bring my external flash to properly shoot in WeHo  and 2) be prepared to deal with the repercussions of dressing up  my cat in a halloween costume.

I thought the area was going to be better lit (and way more crowded), so I left my external flash at home, thinking I could just use existing light. Wrong. Many LAers told me that West Hollywood for Halloween is THE thing to do. I’m thinking the LA equivalent of Waikiki on Halloween. They all warned me that it gets crazy busy there, so I went down early at 5pm to snag a parking. I’m not sure if it got crazier after I left (around 9pm), but it actually wasn’t that bad. Sure, it was crowded, but there was room to hang out, take pictures, and admire everyone’s costumes.

I’m so extremely sad that the Halloween season is now over. But, as a plus,  I can use the uncarved pumpkin on my dining room table for Thanksgiving decoration now.

As you can probably tell, I’m really excited about the volume of Halloween-themed activities here in Los Angeles.  I’m completely set on doing as finding as many Halloween things as possible (or as my budget allows). So far, I’ve checked out the LA Halloween heavyweights: Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights, Knott’s Scary Farm, and the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor.

I was in the mood for something different this night, so I decided to check out Nightmare at the Museum in Burbank.  This is an amateur haunted house of epic proportions! When I got there around 9pm, the line was thick and stretched a few houses down. It’s all street parking, but make sure to read the street signs carefully. I was able to find a spot on California Street about ten houses down, but I think I just missed the crowd because while waiting in line, I saw tons of cars on the street.

I won’t give too much away about this maze, but I’ll say this: it’s cute. Super cute. Not like Hello Kitty cute, but creative scary cute. I was surprised by the amount of detail in each of the rooms. I did let out a scream more than once. This maze is great for old and young alike if you’re looking for something different to do this Halloween.

This event is free, but donations are accepted (and suggested, in my opinion). The proceeds from the event are donated to a charity and this year’s pick is the Family Service Agency of Burbank, which I think is pretty awesome. I tried to take a few pictures while hanging out in line, so be sure to check it out.

Click here for more info!

Nightmare at the Musuem
907 N California Street
Burbank, CA 91505

Dates/Times:

-Friday 29th & Saturday 30th (7-10pm)
-Sunday 31st (7-9pm)

(this lovely monster told me I was a disgrace, but said thank you when I said I liked her tattoo! haha)

Have I told you guys how much I’m loving Halloween time in Los Angeles?  This past Wednesday I went to Knott’s Berry Scary Farm for a work outing. I had A BLAST. Overall, the mazes weren’t as detailed and high tech as the ones at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, but they weren’t overcrowded (unlike Universal) which made for a better experience overall.

First of all, make sure to buy your tickets ONLINE. It’s significant cheaper online and you don’t have to wait in line at the box office. Going during the week will probably be less crowded than the weekend, but seeing as Halloween is next weekend, it might be crowded all week. We made sure to come right at 7pm when the park opened. It wasn’t very crowded and the monsters were “fresh” so to speak, so we got some of their best moves/scare tactics. Towards the end, my co-workers and I saw some monsters slacking, standing around and talking with others while  still in the mazes.

Unlike Universal Studios, there are no “scare zones” at Knott’s Scary Farm. The whole park is one damn scare zone, so be ready for zombies, evil clowns, ugly trolls, and all kinds of monsters jumping out to scare you. There was at least two times when I was bombarded with monsters yelling, grunting, and squealing at me. I think I’m a target because of my size (and maybe because I jump and run away when I’m startled). The girl pictured above really scared the crap out of me because she flapped a hand fan in my face and then kept yelling at me that I was a disgrace. She also made some weird snorting/grunting noise that freaked me out.  In the meantime, this huge I-don’t-know-what grunted in my ear and the rest was a blur.

There was also a scary looking girl dressed in black who had white contacts on. She came right in my face and contorted her body in a really messed up way and made a really guttural noise. I had to put my hand in front of her face and say, “I’m really sorry, but I can’t look at you. You’re just too scary!” I think the monsters at Knott’s Scary Farm were actually scarier than the ones at Universal Studios because they were really in your face. The ones at Universal Studios had to work a very large crowd, so they had to work quickly, but the ones at Knotts Scary Farm took their time harassing each person.

There are 13 mazes, tons of shows, and rides, so make sure you plan accordingly. I went through all 13 mazes, one roller coaster, one log ride, and one train ride and was at the park from about 7pm-midnight. As I stated, the mazes weren’t as detailed at the ones at Universal Studios, but scary nonetheless.

Overall, I highly recommend Knott’s Scary Farm if you are a haunted house enthusiast. This place has the most bang for your buck. Plus, it’s open until 1am during the week, then 2am during the weekend.

I scanned the map to give you an idea of where all the mazes are.  After the jump I’ll give you a breakdown of each maze.

Here’s a Quick Summary of the Mazes:

1. Slaughterhouse – I actually laughed when I got to this maze for some reason. It seemed a bit cartoon-y outside.

2. Fallout Shelter – Strange things are produced when there is nuclear waste, I will just tell you that.

3. Lockdown: the Asylum – I think this was my favorite maze in the park.  The crazies have escaped and you’re going right where the chaos is.

4. Club Blood – This maze is actually right next to Lockdown. Like, as soon as you finish with the previous maze, you’re pretty much right in line for this one. This one was loads of fun too. At one point, I felt like I was at a vampire rave/strip club/whichever you prefer.

5. Terror of London -I loved the backdrop for this one and how you actually went through the streets and buildings of London. At one point, I think you see Jack the Ripper or some equally creepy looking guy.  Unfortunately I went to this maze towards the end of the night and a few of the monsters did not give us their “A” game. I mean, I understand it’s late and you’ve been screaming all night, but still a bummer.

6. The Doll Factory – This was my second favorite. I will warn you now there is a girl doll in there that will make you say, “WHAT THE F*CK?!” I think the security guard yelled at us to keep going because we were just standing in the room staring at her and swearing.

7. Dia de los Muertos – Didn’t opt for the $1 3-D glasses, but had fun anyway. It was very neon-y.

8. Black Widow’s Cavern – this is a modified ride. It’s a the mine ride with monsters hiding in the shadows. And spider stuff. I hate spiders.

9. Sleepy Hollow Mountain – this is also a modified ride. It was the log ride. I really enjoyed this one, lots to look at.  Make sure you protect your phone, though. I got drenched from sitting in the front.

10. Uncle Bobo’s Bigtop of the Bizarre – Another 3-D maze where I skipped the glasses. It was clearly very outdated and probably my least favorite in the park. That’s saying a lot since clowns scare the crap out of me. Sorry Uncle Bobo.

11. Virus Z - What can I say, I’m a sucker for the infected. Before we went in to this maze, there was a zombie guy outside and he stole my co-workers map, threw it away, and then gave her a half torn up map.  Then she made him fish it out of the trash can and give her back her original map. That was the best part.

12. Cornstalkers – This was a fun one. Those damn cornpeople hid pretty well, so there were quite a few times when I screamed and swore.

13. Labyrinth – A maze for the girly girls. It was very disorienting because a really pretty nymph would swirl around me and then look at me and make some really messed up noise. I vaguely remember seeing a lot of ugly goat looking things, but that might have been my imagination.

One of the things I loved about DC was their music scene.  I would discover a band, fall in love with their music, and soon after they’d be passing through for a concert.  I never had quite the same luck in Hawaii and I was excited to see what kind of concert possibilities being LA would bring me.

The Troubadour is an interesting venue. It reminded me a bit of the 930 club in DC, intimate and historic. You never really get over your first show at the Troubadour if you remember past musicians who have shared the same air as you. The walls of the tiny venue were definitely worn, decorated with staples like a telephone pole with tiny poster edges left behind.

My friends and I had great seats balcony level for Garrison Starr’s set.  When she performed “Beautiful in LA”, it felt like hearing a song you love for the very first time.  It had become sort of my anthem after moving to LA a couple of months ago, so when I heard it live for the first time, it was an amazing feeling.

When the Rescues took stage after Garrison Starr’s set, I could feel the balcony floor rumbling under my feet. There was a surge of energy that pulled me back to one of my first concerts in DC and I was overwhelmed with emotion.  It’s amazing how music can transport you to such specific moments in your life.  As many times as I’ve listened to the Rescues’ studio music and youtube videos (which are fantastic, too), they are so much better live. Their harmonies…they floor you. Each of them separately is such a strong musician and vocalist that when they sing together, you suddenly feel so small, as if tucked away in one of their instruments.  And even cooler, for many of their songs, they’d rotate positions and play a different instrument.

After the show, I let myself get swept up in the sea of people leaving the Troubadour. With the Rescues’ newest album in hand, I ripped off the plastic before even reaching my car, and then listened to it at the highest volume possible for the long drive home.

They ended their set was an awesome cover of “Shout” originally done by Tears for Fears (posted below).

My apologies, I’ve been neglecting this blog lately.  I have not forgotten about you, but I was busy preparing for my big move to LA. I’ve just made it through my first week up here and things are starting to settle down, so I’ve finally had time to go through my pictures.

This month’s DowneTowne party, Golf Out-ing, was the perfect way to celebrate my time in Hawaii and say goodbye. Thank you to all the awesome people I got to hang out with that night. It’s always nice to see friendly familiar faces and then meet new people as well.

Since I am no longer in Hawaii, the scope of this blog will change a bit. But no worries, I’ll still be updating regularly!

Happy,  happy birthday, DowneTowne! Damn, can you believe it’s been THREE YEARS already?  It’s crazy to think how much DowneTowne has grown in such a short amount of time. I remember hearing about the parties while I was still in DC and when I came home during the summer of 2007, I bought a DSLR and began shooting at the parties.  The thing about DowneTowne that I love is that it always strives to outdo itself which, I think, pushed me to photograph the parties better.

It’s going to be a great birthday party. DJ Amara from LA will be there on decks. I’m going to do a short interview with her hopefully (cross your fingers) before the party, so you can learn a bit about her beforehand! I’m extremely stoked.

Also, I hear there’s gonna be some awesome giveaways that night!

The $8 before 11pm guestlist is open right now, but will close on March 5th at 3pm. So get your asses over to Downetowne’s website and sign up! It takes two seconds, seriously.

More info after the jump.

I spent all last month trying to prepare you folks for DowneTowne’s latest event, Erotica. I told you that Indica was NOT to be missed and she did not disappoint. Never have I seen so many girls happy and so many guys trying to hold in their sheer delight.

The place was packed wall to wall by the time I arrived just before 11pm (just in time for the show, heee!).  Usually when someone performs at a nightclub, it’s expected that some conversations will still carry on during the performance. This was NOT the case for Indica, it was dead quiet with all eyes fixated on her. Amazing stuff.

First off, props to La Cutie (Ana) for this photo. I loves it!  So there’s a new thing going on at the Manifest tonight and it’s allllll about mash-ups! You know, when a DJ takes two songs (usually ones you never thought of playing together) and mashes it into a perfect audio orgasm.

So starting tonight, Friday January 29th, there will be a night dedicated to this craft at the Manifest! Major audio orgasm.  Hosted by Do Something Tonight, you know this party is going to be fun!

To stay up to date on their DJ lineup and to show your support, add Smash it Up! on Facebook.

UPDATE: Just found out from Ana that Smash it Up! will be a regular event (YAY!). Every last Friday of the month at the Manifest!

The people in Haiti still need our help! You can still donate to tons of different charities, including the American Red Cross.  Every little bit helps–so even if you just skip buying lunch for a day, it’ll make a big difference!

This Friday January 22 2010,   Rage 4 Haiti will be putting on a fundraiser at THREE Chinatown venues:  Soho, the Manifest, and Next Door. There will be auction items and a great line-up of live local musicians who have generously volunteered their time and talent.   100% of the proceeds will go to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.

For more information about the event, just read on.

Via facebook:

RAGE FOR HAITI is a way to raise awareness of the catastrophic earthquake that has killed thousands of people in Haiti. We’re just a group of girls who wanted to get involved in some shape or form to raise money for the victims of Haiti. Figured everyone likes to go out, so why not for a good cause?! Rage for Haiti is the perfect solution to get the community involved. 100% of door proceeds and money raised through a silent and live auction will be donated to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (http://clintonbushhaitifund.org).

At President Obama’s request, President Clinton and President Bush have partnered up to help with the relief efforts in Haiti.The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund will work to provide immediate relief and long-term support to earthquake survivor and channel the collective goodwill around the globe to help the people of Haiti rebuild their cities, their neighborhoods, and their families.

A silent and live auction will be held at Soho from 7-9pm with great items such as Zak Noyle photography, surf boards, gift certificates from local businesses, concert tickets, superb wine, and more!! An amazing live auction will be held from 9-9:30pm where a few lovely ladies have volunteered to be auctioned off for dates!!!!

ONE night, THREE venues, GREAT music, AMAZING auction items, and the gift of GIVING to a great cause for only $15!! 100% is going to ClintonBushHaitiFund. It’s a small gesture but a GREAT way to everyone involved and HELP rebuild lives in a country that desperately needs help right NOW!!

RAGE FOR HAITI: SOHO!! MANIFEST!! NEXT DOOR!!

With volunteered performances by:
- O’oe Carr (Soho @ 7:00pm)
- Oliver from The Jumpoffs (Soho @ 8:00pm)
- 82Fifty (Soho @ 10:00pm)
- Kimie (Manifest @ 9:00pm)
- Anuhea (Manifest @10:00pm)
- The Deadbeats (Nextdoor @ 9:00pm)

…plus a variety of DJ’s!!!!