Electric Avenue Wisdom for 2011

I just took a walk down to Electric Avenue ... and let it take me higher. Because as I was cruising along, reflecting on the great things that happened in 2010, and how I want it all to go in 2011, I came upon this brightly painted - and smart - garage door.


Much like on my last (and glorious!) beach walk of the decade (!) this morning, when my Ipod on shuffle seemed to be speaking directly to me and my thoughts/feelings about the year we're just wrapping up, and the epic one we're about to begin. From Jimi to Jeff Buckley to Rage to Nick Drake to Bjork to Simon & Garfunkel to Ben Harper to Gabby Pahinui to Jimmy Cliff ... and on and on ... it felt like I was receiving messages straight from the Heavens via an Apple product.

Then I later happened upon this garage and it reiterated the vibe I'd already been floating upon ...

Smile.
Your feelings are just your feelings and your feelings are a choice.
We are who we are and that is that!!!
Be the change you wish to see in the world. (of course)
Courage.
Grace.
Compassion.
Trust.
Expression.
Forgiveness.
Joy.
Balance.
Dance!
Sing!
Love is the shift.
Let your heart guide you.

And above all ... PEACE to you in your heart, your soul, and your world, as we take another spin around in it together, in the already magical feeling 20ELEVEN!

Happy New Year to ALL!

{Noisemakers! Yells! Champagne corks popping! Lips smacking!}

Santa Lists & Holiday Re-Runs

I was at my friends' house the other day and saw their son's Christmas list for Santa on the table. I was so pleased to see that kids still do that, and nearly welled up at the sweet innocence that it all is (and the purity of spelling things like they sound to a kid).


I was talking to his Dad about it, and he said dryly, "Oh, it's a new list every day". Ha! My favorite is "and maby a stuftanamal". I hope young Cash gets a bunch of stuff on his list, as he really is a good boy ... but not all of it. Spoiled kids grow up to be jerky adults, and we don't need any more of those around. The excitement on the faces of every kid I saw out and about today (and the near constant threats to be good or Santa wouldn't come!) reminds us that Christmas is best when experienced through the fun and belief in good that is preserved in young children. Awesome.

And in another holiday tradition, I share with you a Re-run of a story I wrote this time last year, that I still smile at remembering ...

The Del Taco Super Special Show!!

Apparently there really is something called The Del Taco Super Special Show (I saw a commercial), but that's not what I'm talking about. This is a little story that happened amid the mad frenzy of holiday fun and getting ready to leave town, that I wanted to share then, and just remembered now (when I saw that commercial).

A few days before Christmas a bunch of us were at The Red Garter to see Shooter Jennings, Carter Falco, and Dan Coakley play. When the Garter closes, there aren't many late night dining options, so we walked down the street to Del Taco. I'm not proud. Once inside the garishly lit establishment (which I'd never been inside of ... it's more of a drive-thru venue), we were delighted to be met with the beautiful strummings of a Mexican man on his guitar. He didn't care if anyone was listening or not, he was completely immersed in his own special vibe.


Now I'm not gonna lie to you, we had all partaken in some holiday cheer of a whiskey nature, and that may have contributed to our festive camaraderie, but I'd like to think it would've happened anyway. When he finished one lovely song, I said, "Gracias! Feliz Navidad!" He smiled and began playing "Feliz Navidad".

The whole place started singing along. The guy (I think his name might have been Pablo, but that part's hazy, I'm embarrassed to say). Us. The entire Del Taco staff - all the way back to the fry area). The Drive-Thru customers. We were in full-throated unison when some gangster-y looking guys came in and cracked up. They didn't exactly sing, but I heard one of them humming.

It was adorable, and kinda special. I said to the guy ringing us up, "I didn't know you had entertainment here!" He replied with a grin, "Um, this is the first time." Classic.

Sometimes the best musicians (or best people, period) are the ones without any glory or acclaim, who are just doing what they love, for the love of it. This was clearly the case with this wonderful, warm and open fellow, sharing his gift just for the heck of it in a fast food restaurant.


We started chatting, and in the guy's limited English, he explained that he was Michoacan, he loved giant belt buckles, and that his guitar was 26 years old, and has been his very best amigo. My brother, Paul (also sometimes referred to as Pablo) said that he played guitar too, and Michoacan "Pablo" held out his beloved guitar for him to play. Paul started strumming one of his own songs, and one minute later, Pablo started singing along perfectly, down to the exact pauses, and creating perfect harmonies with the chords. It was all in Spanish, but I recognized "Corazon" and "Te Amo", and that's all I needed to know. Both men had huge smiles on their faces the whole time, as did everyone listening.

After much clapping and laughter, we all shook hands and went off into the chilly night, warmed to the core by one of life's perfect moments that we'd all just shared. It could have happened anywhere, but it happened in Venice.


Ahh, yes. It's that time of year again ... magical and bright. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I ran around a lot with a gang of cool guys, in kind of our own little Rat Pack of Swingers, who you may know now too - Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Peter Billingsley, etc ... I've been thinking of them a bunch this week, as Vince just became a father (Congratulations V.V.!), Jon's Elf is on t.v. on nearly a loop, as is Peter B's A Christmas Story. One night at a holiday party, I was getting ready to leave, and said, "Happy Holidays, Vince!" I never forgot him looking me in the eye, and saying, "Carol, we both know it's 'Merry Christmas'."

I laughed then, I laugh now, and I wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Glogg Fest 2010!

Glogg Fest 2010! It was a dark and stormy night in Venice, California on Monday, but spirits were high, and warmth was yours the minute you walked in the door. For the uninitiated, Glogg (Scandinavian mulled wine) Fest was something I started a bunch of years back (I lost track and have to look it up, but I'm not attached to numbers ... ask my former math teachers) to share my Norwegian family traditions, and get my friends all smashed together with holiday cheer before we scatter around the world for the holidays.


It has grown in size and legend (one friend asked me in October what day it would be this year so she could take the next day off - ha!) over the years, but the crucial elements of coziness and friendship are what I believe makes it fun, and perhaps even a holiday staple for some by now.

There was a change in venue this year to my brother, Paul's, house, as, well, I got new carpeting and it's a maroon beverage. He also has a fresh rooftop deck that was bedecked for the season with all sorts of bright lights - that unfortunately shorted out in the pouring rain. That same storm forced us all to remain inside, roof-less, but that just made it all the warmer. I thought people might blow it off as it was on a busy holiday Monday in a downpour (Glogg does not compete with other holiday jams, which is why it's not on a weekend night), but nope! Some came on bikes in rain ponchos, holding umbrellas. Some walked. Some took cabs. Some actually found parking near the beach! Even Knuckles, the funniest dog in Venice, came out for some holiday belly rubs and adoration.


Each year, my dear friend Brigette and I bake hundreds of cookies, in a now 15 (!) year tradition. We give them away to our friends and colleagues, and then what's left become the treats for the Glogg Fest.


This year, the lefse (Norwegian tortilla type thing made out of mashed potatoes) for the party arrived on my doorstep from Minnesota just a couple of hours before tip-off! Very perfect.


It was appropriate that we were all drinking the Viking beverage, as our beloved football Vikings were playing this night in Minnesota OUTSIDE for the first time in like 29 years, after the Metrodome collapsed under heavy snow a couple of weeks ago. They lost, but we won, each time a glass was refilled and SKOL!!! was yelled, with increasingly more gusto. Viking style.


Hugs, kisses, Christmas carols on the hi-fi, holiday sweaters, cookie crumbs in beards ... all made for a warm feeling as we ultimately departed back into the dark night, (where somewhere buried in the clouds, a lunar eclipse was going down - another reason the rooftop would have been radical, alas) unless that feeling was actually a buzz ... but still.


Every time I glanced around from my post ladling the steamy Christmas potion into another cup, I could only beam at the fun and revelry swirling all around me. THAT is the point after all ... not the stress, not the stuff, not that there's one poor guy working at the Venice P.O. on the busiest shipping day of the year, not telling people what you want for a gift ... it's KNOWING that you already have such unbelievable gifts in your life, and recognizing that with fierce gratitude. Every single day, but especially now.


We came together to share and celebrate our warmth, laughter, friendship and love ... and wrap up another year feeling super blessed to have each other in this crazy world.


TUSEN TAKK! SKOL!! GOD JUL!!! ... To you and yours!

A Christmas Miracle - London the Cat is Back!

No way! Just yesterday we talked about my little pal Amelia's missing kitten, London, having gone missing. For two weeks. With this crazy storming out, it didn't look good ... but for some reason we felt positive about it when discussing it during a night of revelry together last night (we'll get to that in a bit). TODAY, Amelia's Mom, Christina, texted me to say coincidence or no, London was coming home! A neighbor had found her and taken her in, and as London wore no collar, and is an indoor cat, didn't know it was a neighbor's, and hadn't been home when they'd gone knocking around the area.

She took it to the Marina pet hospital, as London and they scanned her over and got the info off her futuristic cyborg style microchip and BAM! London was on her way home.

They surprised Amelia with her return, and I think both their faces say it all:


How great! Just in time for Christmas!! AND today is her brother, Truman's, birthday!! Christina just sent this email out:

KITTEN FOUND!!

London has been returned home.

She was residing with a neighbor

(who I guess did not see our signs or come to the door when

we asked around)

Thank you all for taking note and spreading the

word.

BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER for Amelia!!

Awesome!

xoxo

I mean, really. Another wonderful Venice story, that makes you truly believe in the power of positivity ... and Christmas miracles.

Fa la la la la, la la la LAAAAAAAA!

Please Help Find Lost Kitten For Christmas!

Oh, man. My young friend Amelia's little kitten, London, has gone missing. It's raining Londons and Dogs out there, and it's real sad to think about the little thing all soaked and alone. Hopefully someone brought her in, but Amelia would be so happy to get her pet back for Christmas!


Here's the info her Mom sent out:

Amelia's little kitten escaped over the weekend and we still have not found her.

We called the shelters, posted on craigslist, put up signs, asked the neighbors, etc...

I just want to put the word out, maybe you know someone who just found a cute little

grey kitten?

She's about 5 months old. No collar, but she has a microchip, and was spayed a few

weeks ago and still had a little stitch on her belly. Her name is London.

I've attached a picture.

She escaped from our house on Flower Ave. just East of Lincoln near the Smart and Final.

C'mon, Venice! Let's find London! Email Blogtownbycjg@yahoo.com if you have any leads.

Thanks, Merry Makers!

A December SUNday in Venice

Sunday (yesterday) was to be our hard core Christmas baking day, a verrrry serious annual tradition. Things began to fall apart even before I awoke on Sunday morning to find that SUMMER had actually finally arrived in Venice! It was a perfect 80 degrees and sunny out. Now I love Christmas, but I'm not a masochist. This had to be at least in part a Beach Day. The baking would have to come after the kitchen wasn't too hot to turn on the oven!


Meanwhile, in Minnesota it had snowed so much that the Metrodome caved in and the Vikings game had to be relocated to Detroit to be played today. I know this because I talked to one of my hometown BFF's while laying on the beach in my bathing suit. Surrealism. While hearing tales of my friend's kids bundled up to brave the -30 degrees to sled in Minneapolis, I watched the Venice kids sliding down the winter sand hills on those round disc sleds. While talking, it was clear that we were both a little jealous of each other. But really ... I was pretty happy to be right where I was.


I was even more happy to be here in the evening, when we went to the cutest thing in the entire world, the Venice Canals Boat Parade. All the lovely homes were lit up for the holidays, the bridges were lit with lights and words like JOY.


That emotion was written all over the faces of every single person we passed ... even the little kid in a Spidey costume who insisted on spraying imaginary web stuff on me for blocks. (I egged him on though. Imagination is grand).


It appeared that every Canal dweller was having a big, fun party, and as we strolled past, we felt the Christmas spirit in full effect ... even though we were wearing flip-flops and the night air was balmier than it's been all year long.


If all that didn't warm your heart, my friends texted me a number that you can call and get real live college kids to sing you a Christmas Carol for free, and for fun!


Really, call up #217.332.1882 and have a song you love in mind, and those guys will whoop it up for you right then and there. That's the thing to remember amid all the madness of the Season - and believe me, I'm feeling that part of it all - that the whole idea behind it is to come together, celebrate, and be united in the feelings of peace and goodwill.


Enjoy it all, wherever you are, and whatever the weather.

PEACE!!!


Daytime photos by Jennifer Everhart. Nighttime by PaulGronner.com.

Venice Beach Closed!

The Shore Erosion project to fix up the beach near the Breakwater is underway, and totally jacks up our morning walk. The entire area from about Rose south to the main Lifeguard Station at Venice Blvd. is closed to anyone other than "Unauthorized Personnel", so they have guards posted at each entrance to the red construction fence to keep you out. This depresses me greatly, but I also get why they have to do it. (A big dip in the beach from erosion needs to be shored up with sand from north of the Breakwater). It's going to take a MONTH!

Yesterday, I walked right past the guard, as I am wont to do in lieu of a hassle in any situation. He said nothing. Today we approached the fence opening, and a new guy said, "Sorry, the beach is closed." I said "What about all those surfers down there?" "It's closed to everyone but the surfers." After trying to trick him that someone was already down there with my board and wetsuit and I was meeting them, I told him that I was here every day, and I was going in, just like the surfers, or he was discriminating blah blah ... (in a nice way, of course). He didn't take much arm twisting at all, shrugged at me, and we sailed on through the fence for our superfog walk.

A band of regular Dawn Patrollers were sitting on the wall watching the waves as best they could in the dense mist, and they hooted and hollered at the guard for being so lenient with us. It was awesome, and we laughed all the way to the shore.


The trucks came out of the fog towards us down the beach, and looked spooky and rather military-esque, like Close Encounters or something. I don't like it. But it's just for a month, I guess. The guard on our return passage was not as much of a pushover, so we had to go the long way up and along the bike path. The silver lining here was that we heard the Native American store blasting its usual soothing soundtrack of R. Carlos Nakai style flute music, only it was Christmas songs! I'm going back tomorrow to get that thing. It was just as surreal as the morning itself.

So be careful down there ... if you can get past the guys, that is. (It's worth it).


*Foggy photo by Jennifer Everhart.

Venice Village

Venice was a real village this past weekend. A real small town vibe permeated all the proceedings, beginning with First Fridays. The Abbot Kinney merchants finally banded together to get a No Parking permit for the evening, so no cars - or Food Trucks - were allowed to park on the Boulevard from 4-11 pm. It was SO much better, I can't begin to praise the businesses enough. I could actually MOVE down the sidewalks! I could see friends ACROSS the street and wave to them, unblocked by massive food peddlers and their lines. The stores were PACKED - with actual shoppers doing shopping! - proving wrong anyone who thought the dang trucks brought more business with them.


The sole defiant business, touting "We Support Food Trucks" right on their windows was Trim, who must have their reasons, but everyone else I spoke to were SO much happier with the night, and the business they did (and I suspect Trim might change their tune as well if it were a mobile hair salon parked out front of their space).


There were still food trucks if you needed to eat off a grill that has no health regulations whatsoever, but they were all parked at The Brig - per usual. The mist made it feel like you were inside a snow shaker the whole night, as we toasted marshmallows for S'mores at a decked out for the holidays Zingara. We got delicious chocolate at Elvino, who were toasting the season with a fun wine tasting. We stood around the fire pit at Robin's Sculpture Garden where we heard live music again at First Fridays (also at Trim! Also Carolers!). We saw MOSTLY people we knew for a change - some of whom said they hadn't been to a First Friday in months (if not longer), so turned off were they by the trucks. It felt great, and neighborly, and VENICE vs. Carny Fair. I even returned to my bike at the end of the night to find not ONE piece of trash in my basket. For that alone, I hope the Merchants chip in every month for the First Friday parking ban ... because it once again ruled.


Also ruling this weekend was the Holiday Stroll fun that was centered at The Brig. With REAL SNOW! Perhaps feeling some heat from the locals for all those food trucks normally parked there, Brig Dave lent out his normally packed with trucks parking lot to become a Winter Wonderland - complete with snow!


They took a pile of hay bales and covered them up with man-made snow to make a little sledding hill, that the kids super dug (especially since they could be in short sleeved shirts while riding!). One young whippersnapper, who appeared to be about two, kept following me around throwing little icy snowballs at me. I let it slide, as it was pretty exciting.


Carolers caroled, there were holiday arts & crafts projects, and even face painting. The very spare room left over in the lot did allow for a couple food trucks to get in and vend some hot pink chocolate snowball things, and hot dogs. Overall it seemed that everyone pretty much had their socks charmed off. "This is so great" ... "Adorable" ... "This was so nice of them" ... "My kids have never seen snow!" "It feels so small town!" ... were snippets of many conversations I overheard, and that is exactly what I love and try to promote about the special place we live.


The good FAR outweighs the bad. Whatever beefs you have in your corner of the town, about whatever small picture thing, when you see kids of the community beaming with red cheeks from hustling up the slippery hay slope, and people still arriving despite the rain that began to fall (and melt the snow) - in easy strolls, like "who cares about a little rain, check out how fun this is!", and coming out in droves just to enjoy each other and some frivolity, well, you just get it.


It indeed takes a village, and last weekend proved that we have that, in abundance.

Ho Ho Ho!!!

Willem de Kooning in Venice

I am a lucky girl. I just had a chunk of time to kill and remembered that the Willem de Kooning exhibit Figure & Light is up now through January 15, 2011 up the street at my neighbor's place (L & M Arts).


The show covers a wide time range, from his more realistic Women series of paintings of the 1950's on up until he got a lot more abstract in the 80's (and some say a lot more crazy). Val Kilmer played de Kooning in Pollack, but after you read up a bit about de Kooning himself, you want to see the movie about HIM.


This picture of de Kooning is joined by his quote, "Just because you're getting older doesn't mean you're getting any better but I have a feeling I can do it better now." Decide for yourself.

I can't tell you how nice it is to just zip on my bike or stroll a half block to see world class art - for free - and escape the whirlwind of Venice Boulevard by staring at paintings from another time in the total silence of the Gallery. We were the only people there ... maybe the best way to view art, uninfluenced by any other factors at all, save for your own thoughts.


I intentionally kept the photograph I took inside far away so you can go in there and conjure up your own thoughts about it, letting your mind wander where it may.

Enjoy the head trip.

And Happy First December Friday!

GQ Props For Venice

Just when I was breathing this ALL in this morning ... GQ Magazine came along and gave it up for our beloved community.

"When most of this country closes its eyes and thinks of Los Angeles, it pictures palm trees and beach volleyball, beautiful people walking unusual dogs, skateboarding teens, oddball bohemians, the occasional movie star—all bathed in golden light reflected off the Pacific. In other words, it is imagining Venice ..."


Read More http://www.gq.com/food-travel/travel-features/201009/guide-to-la-coolest-city-on-the-planet#ixzz16itbXVd3


They're not wrong.

Give. Thanks.

I am absolutely thankful every single day in Venice. I'm grateful to live in a place where our community cares for each other, for our surroundings, and staunchly supports human rights. Which is why I'm so extra bothered that this year's Feed The Beach, a Thanksgiving feast for the homeless, put on outside at Westminster for the last several years by Nina and James Merced of The Fruit Gallery, and pot-lucked by the entire neighborhood, was cancelled. CANCELLED!


Why? Because red tape and bureaucracy appear to be more important than humanity. The LA Health Department reared its head this year (Why? Neighbor complaints? Silly rules? General Grinch-ness?), and made it too difficult for the Merced's to overcome, with threats of fines, liability in case of someone getting food poisoning or something, seemingly impossible to get permits, and the usual governmental scare tactics. When James went to the Park & Rec to inquire about the permits, he was actually told, "It's illegal to feed the homeless". Now how anyone can even get their vocal chords to vibrate in such a manner to form those words, I'll never know. ILLEGAL to FEED the HOMELESS?! On THANKS - GIVING?!? Simply appalling.

There are plenty of opportunities to get out there and share what you have with those less fortunate. I strongly encourage you to do this at all times of the year, not just when these obvious holiday times roll around, but it's deeply sad that the uniquely Venice Feed The Beach won't be happening, just because our society has become so scared and litigious that we've lost sight of helping the hungry without homes. I keep hearing Einstein's quote in my mind these days, "Remember your humanity, and forget the rest". Perhaps the best advice ever.

All of this had me thinking, just WOW. REALLY?! as I did my daily beach walk the other day. It reminded me of an encounter I had a while back, rocking along the sand, totally immersed in Prince (Controversy), when I saw a Homeless Guy shuffling towards me, and in between us was a weird bird, one I've never seen before. It was in some kind of distress as it wasn't taking off the closer the Guy and I got to it. It had webbed feet like a duck, but normal bird black and white body, but then BRIGHT red eye circles around beady black eyes. The Guy and I nodded our chins at each other, and then passed on by.

A few feet later, we both turned around and looked back at the bird. He saw me turn and said something, that was drowned out by Prince. I took out my headphones and said, "Sorry, what?" He said, "I think he's hurt". I said, "I think so too". We both walked back and looked closer. The bird stayed put. A wave would come and push it along the sand, one time spinning it around so hard it was difficult to watch. The Guy said, "Maybe if I push it up a little bit with my shoe it won't get washed away?" As I was walking barefoot, I said, "Yeah, try that". He did, and it worked a little bit, but after some hissing and craning of the neck, the bird was still not moving. "I don't want it to peck at me if it's sick", said the Guy. "Yeah, me neither", I answered. "Maybe I should go tell the Lifeguard and they can call the Marine Animal people?" We pondered that while watching some more.

The Guy said, "I think he's exhausted from just trying to survive". We exchanged a glance that kind of felt like, "I know how he feels". It was an interesting understanding, and felt pretty heavy. He asked if I had any food to give the bird. I shrugged "Nope", as I didn't have much on, and no pockets. We stood silently for a moment, just watching the poor thing. Finally the Guy said, "I think I have a Vitamin E capsule in my backpack". Kind of random, but it was worth a shot. Energy, maybe? He dug the pill out of his bag, and walked over to place it on the sand in front of the bird.

All of a sudden, the thing went bezerk, flapping its wings and squawking like a maniac. It lifted off the ground and flew to the top of a wave, and then duck-dove under it like a surfer and was back in its element, like nothing ever happened! The Guy and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows and frowns, like "Hm. What do you know about that?" We watched the bird swim along for a moment, making sure he was cool. Once that seemed to be established, I shrugged and said, "Well ... Good Luck to us all!" The Guy smiled and said, "Yep, good luck to us all".

And on we three went. I think about that exchange often, but especially today, as we all prepare to gather and feast for the holidays, and hopefully, to share it all. In times like these, when feeding the homeless is "illegal" ... Well, Good luck to us all, indeed.

One more time ... Remember your humanity, and forget the rest!

Mmmm ... VeNICE!

I swear I think I had a true moment of enlightenment this morning (whatever that really means). The beach was SO beautiful as I walked along that I had to stop with my feet in the water, and just listen to the waves roll in, feel the warm sunshine on my face, and rejoice internally. I shut my eyes. The shape that took form on the inside of my eyelids from the sun was a neon pink heart. In that moment I realized, once and for all, that the only point at all to the time we spend alive is Love. And all the many shapes and forms that takes: Human, animal, musical, edible, readable, tangible, intangible, and on and on. Giving it. Accepting it. Searching for it. Finding it. Sharing it. Understanding it. Recognizing the beauty in it. Remembering it. Love. That is the only answer to it all.

I think we can lose sight of that sometimes, as the world beats you down a few times, and you get some walls built up, and you doubt, and you distrust, and you fear. That is so sad, and so contagious, and so rampant in these weirdo times, both locally and globally. Our innate ability to love begins to tarnish, and hate sees those openings and gets in there, and War.

Then you have a perfect moment on the beach, truly not thinking of the past or future at all, but just completely soaking in the NOW, feeling only gratitude for it, and you REMEMBER. Then later on, your little homie, JZ, comes to visit from NYC. We go to the park at the beach. He hangs from monkey bars. He sees surfers. He eats a very mature palate for a two year old slice of mushroom pizza at Abbot's. He was just chilling, perfectly parroting everything we said, and making us laugh constantly. The kid deserved a cone at Nice Cream. Now you see this face and want only to preserve that innate love and inner joy, at the littlest things.


Preserve it for him, renew it in myself, and spread it all over.

Love,

Your hippie friend, CJG.


*Note that young JZ's shirt says "Stop Global Warming". THAT is what our World should be throwing rallies and tripping out about, not anything else you hear about on the nightly news. Please wake up. Thanks.

Fistful Of Mercy At Hollywood Forever!

Sunday night found us trekking over to Hollywood to see the beyond sold-out Fistful Of Mercy show at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery's Masonic Lodge. We parked among the grave sites and walked in the moonlight to join the extra-loooooong line waiting to get inside. And waiting ... and waiting ... so it's a good thing people REALLY wanted to see this band, as it is not usual for L.A. people to hang out late, especially on school nights. Listening to people around us made it clear that these were BIG fans ... some drove down after seeing F.O.M. play in Seattle the other night, and just had to catch them again. A whole slew of people would walk by with the "Got an extra ticket?" pitch, which no one did. After the wait stretched on and on (for no apparent good reason) I was amazed that everyone was still super polite and in high spirits - which I would attribute to the fact that they love this music, and that's the kind of fans these musicians draw.

These musicians ... Fistful Of Mercy is Joseph Arthur, Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison. The term "Supergroup" keeps being thrown around, which I'm not sure applies until you don't have to explain to people that Dhani is George Harrison (Yes, the Beatle)'s son, Joseph Arthur sings that beautiful "Honey and The Moon" song from a bunch of years back (among many others, but that's the one people seem to know), and Ben Harper is ... well, Ben Harper. They are Musician's Musicians all, and super, for sure ... so ... there you go!

The Masonic Lodge is a lovely old place, with red walls, a wood beamed ceiling, with dim chandeliers and candles casting shadows all over. Old movie one-sheets hang around (Hollywood, remember, even in a cemetery), and there is an overall spooky-in-a-good-way vibe. Another long line for the bathrooms had strangers making friends, discussing other shows they've seen (like the same one here the night before - I told you, FANS), holding each others' places in line, one lady bouncing her two month old baby that HAD to hear Ben, and even she, standing for hours with her very well behaved infant, said, "The lines are totally worth it to see them in such a small venue". Which (almost) everyone seemed to agree with, happily chatting, until one guy said, "There's such a warm feeling here, isn't there?" Yes, Sir. There was. Which I think comes from that elusive but crucial element of RESPECT. For the band, sure, but also for each other, since we shared that love of the music, and therefore, must all be cool.


Cool would aptly describe opening act, Alain Johannes. He has played with Eleven (founded with his late wife, Natasha Schneider), Chris Cornell, Queens Of The Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, Desert Sessions, to name SOME. He took to the moody stage with his cigar box guitar, with its wholly original sound, and his deep, confident voice, and frankly, nearly stole the show. Each song was lushly arranged, and with the resonant sound of the Lodge, would build to an otherworldly sound that was hard to believe came from just one guy. The songs from his album Spark - a tribute to Natasha - particularly "Speechless", "Make God Jealous", and "Gentle Ghost", were so lovely that I came directly home and ordered that thing. They also earned him a standing ovation from the same people that were previously impatiently wanting the main event to begin, saying "Who is this guy?" Well, now they know. Very impressive.


More waiting was finally rewarded with that main event, as Fistful Of Mercy walked through the crowd to take the stage, each guy (and gal, violinist Jessy Greene) taking his spot on a stool among a vast array of guitars. "Howdy", said Joseph Arthur, giving the night a casual feel right from the get-go. They opened with "I Don't Want To Waste Your Time" (to which one near me said, "Then you shouldn't have made us wait for 3 hours from Doors open" - true enough), which shows off their harmonies, but gets a bit repetitive when they keep repeating the title over and over. They might want to open up with something a bit more up-tempo to rile up the up late audience, but then, most in the crowd would listen to them chant the phone book and be thrilled.


The banter and camaraderie between the guys is tangible, and sort of makes you feel like you're on a couch watching them jam together in someone's living room. Ben threw out a little Ghostbusters theme chorus, considering our surroundings, and the jokes and cracking up all further endeared them to the audience of true fans. "In Vain Or True" and the title track of their debut album "As I Call You Down" were next, and as lovely as they were, they seemed a little loose, or unsure, when it came time to end them, which surprised me, considering who we're talking about.

Ben and Joe looked at Dhani for a beat, prompting him to ask "Why are you looking at me?" Joe replied, "Because you're the Counter" ... so Dhani counted down the 1,2,3 for the first cover of the evening, a spirited hoe-down of Bob Dylan's "Buckets Of Rain", which elated the entire room. It was like a kick in the pants to the night, and had everyone happily bouncing in their chairs from beginning to (tight) end. After Joe (Cowboy-like) and Ben (Mountie) traded hats (somehow causing feedback - Loose Spirits?!) the sublimely gorgeous instrumental track from the album, "30 Bones" was next. It's tied for my favorite, and clearly also had a fan in Alain Johannes, who was now sitting in front of me, nodding his head appreciatively throughout. The guitar talents of these guys is a wonder to behold, and swept you up and away, only to be jolted back to reality by the thunderous applause that met its end. Simply beautiful.


The tune that gave the band its name, "Fistful Of Mercy" followed that, and sounded a lot heavier than as recorded. Ben was BEATING on his signature Weissenborn, and as the guys harmonized, and the violin wove it all together in such a lovely fashion, it was no wonder they went for naming the band after it.


Joe then said, "I don't know about these people but I'd like to hear a Ben Harper song right about now", which freaked the crowd out, and started a little comedy routine between the guys, joking that they sounded like an old time-y country act, ala "Wanna play one with me?" "Why sure, I'd love to!", like they didn't already know they were going to. Then Joe cracked, "What's the last thing you want to hear after sleeping with Willie Nelson?" "I'm not Willie Nelson." Once the laughs died down, Ben started the opening notes of his classic, "Please Me Like You Want To". Love. It. Dhani and Joe might need to practice that one a little more, as their guitar parts were somewhat scattered, but overall, Wow.


Also WOW (as exclaimed by the guy behind me) was Ben's a cappella intro to "Restore Me". Like many of their songs, its lyrics feature references to ghosts and death, making it all the more fitting to be played in a building smack in the middle of tombstones. As slow and plaintive as this one is, the end featured a ROCKOUT, with hands flying over guitars so fast they blurred. The crowd leapt to its collective feet, clapping their heads off, until they went back to the slow, gentle part and finished the mind blow. Which rewarded them with another well-deserved Standing O.


Joseph took the spotlight next with his beautiful song, "In The Sun", which features the chorus, "May God's Love Be With You ..." and had these brethren singing together like they have all their lives. Really, really moving, to where I'll admit to a lump in my throat from just listening. Phew.

Then Dhani took the lead with a song from his other band, Thenewno2, called, "Another John Doe". He switched to the piano for this one, and it was haunting (you can't get away from the graveyard references at this show, at this place, sorry!) and really showed the talents that led these three to find each other and unite as a trio.


After a little skull tossing (you had to be there), Joe switched to a little drum set, and they played "Things Go 'Round" next. This is my least favorite one on the album - I feel like the harmonies are too high and it bugs me - but I liked it much better live. But not nearly as much as my other tied-for-favorite - and everyone else's too, as nuts as they went for just the opening notes - "My Father's Son". It's a complete barn-burner, and they completely threw it DOWN. BadASS style. (They played it last week on Conan, with guest friend, Tom Morello, and you need to take a break now and just GET IT here.) Another, wilder, standing ovation, and that was it for the regular set, and the guys walked back through the tripping out happy audience to await their encore.


And await ... so long that the clap-along died down and astoundingly, I saw three people actually asleep around me. They finally returned, and when the noise died down, Ben thanked his long-time mentor, Bernie Larsen, who was down front, and cited him as one of the most influential people on his music, after his own family. Cool. They began the encore portion with PJ Harvey's "To Bring You My Love". Which brought them MY love, as I adore PJ, and have missed her lately. They did it bluesy jam extended style, which I adored, but might have been too late on a Sunday, particularly for the head in her lap asleep girl in front of me. (Her loss).

Alain Johannes returned to join them ("By the end of the tour, hopefully he'll be IN the band" - Joseph Arthur) for The Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes". Ben played bass on this one, Jessy had a shining moment with a violin solo, and Alain again impressed with his textured guitar solo. Complete symbiosis was attained with this one, which made it the perfect lead-in to the night's last song, "With Whom You Belong".


As Joe said to start it off, this song is about friendship, community, and love, and all of that is plain and clear, from the glances they all exchange while playing it, to the lyrics that exemplify those qualities:

Make sure you stay
When you find love in your heart
And as it lights up your way
Don't let your friends fall apart
I said I hope you find friends with whom you belong
I said I hope you find friends with whom you belong

People shared their own glances, singing along, feeling special to be there, among friends of their own, and in the presence of Fistful Of Mercy, who reflected every word of what they said was the last song they wrote in their 3 Day (!) writing/recording marathon for their first album together.

Everyone in the band (and in life) has their own stuff going on, and their own ways of loving and being. It's a tribute to the quality of the band members themselves as humans, and of course, their music, that they can come together to be more than the sum of their parts. But more importantly, that they, and subsequently, WE, can lift each other up to that abstract but tangible feeling of belonging together, in a moment.

Mercy, me!


*Photos by PaulGronner.com

Stoked On Venice.

Reach out and bring all the energy floating out there closer to your heart -- it's key to enjoying this magical day for all it's worth ...

So read part of my horoscope this morning, and how absolutely true! Walking along the beach this morning, my heart just swelled with gratitude, at how truly magical this day is. The bluest water (If you've seen The Road, you know how special this is), sparkling in the WARM sunshine. The family of dolphins swimming by slowly, like they were on a Sunday (Friday) drive, teaching the baby one how to cruise. Tons of surfers out at the Venice Breakwater, each one pretty good, doing fancy walking moves up and down their boards. (Which you can't really see here, but just trust me, it was all cool):


At one point, I just stopped and sat down on the sand to soak it all up, to appreciate our belated Summer. Strangers walked by, all smiles. Familiar faces giving a two-arms-raised greeting as I rode by them on the Boardwalk, in a mutual understanding of the VICTORY of living that today simply IS.

I love it all so much. And so did an extra grungy guy down there, repeating my head thoughts almost verbatim. Glory. Beauty. Victory. Appreciation. These things tie us all together so much more than any force that seeks to divide us in our humanity.

I guess what I'm saying is sometimes we need to just turn it all off (News, Media, phones, drama, pettiness, blah) and listen to our hearts, and FEED them. All this positive energy really is floating all around us all the time, if only we draw it in close and acknowledge it. It then gets passed on, because your stoke affects the next person you bump into, who you stoke, and then they go stoke someone, and on and on ... Oh man, that sounds so hippie-style, which I suppose I am, but I also really mean it. A small dose of gratitude a day does crazy wonders for your spirit, and thus everyone's around you.

And today I am O.D.'ing.

Thank you, beautiful Venice.

Have a STELLAR weekend, beautiful People!

Street Sweeper Social Club - First L.A. Show at The Roxy!

Street Sweeper Social Club ... "We're not just a band, we're a Social Club!", exclaimed co-front man Boots Riley several times during the band/Social Club's BLISTERING rock show last night at The Roxy in Los Angeles. Meaning, they're gonna melt your faces off with the heavy tunes, the lyrics are going to be equally molten, but it's not just to sing and play about, it's also to live it, and try to improve social CONDITIONS at the same time.

New Orleans has music-based Social Clubs, and that's what the guys decided to name the band after plain "Street Sweeper" was already taken. It makes total sense. They've all spent time helping out in New Orleans, and their rock really is about in-your-face examinations of what's going on in society today. Boots and guitarist/friend Tom Morello teamed up a couple of years ago, when Tom just handed Boots a tape of music and said, "We're in a new band together. Add lyrics to these jams." and off they went. Their first tour was opening for Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails on the NINJA tour last year, but they had yet to play in 80% of the band member's hometown of Los Angeles (Boots lives in Oakland) - until last night's KROQ sponsored sold-out throw down at The Roxy on Sunset.

The fans were ready for it too. I arrived too late to catch the opening acts (Hollis and The Memorials - who I saw just ending, and featured a shirtless drummer playing backwards at the front of the stage. Hmm.), but it was already pretty frenzied in the small room. Especially as it was clear that the Superfans were out, and many had probably maybe only seen Tom play his Rage riffs from a mile away on a Jumbotron at some festival, but never in a place so small you could see the individual sweat beads pour off his face as he executed said magic.

It felt exciting in there, like that concert build feeling when you hear the bass tuning behind the curtain, a couple drum beats, the stray guitar chord, each met with a rising swell of noise from the crowd. Suddenly old school hip hop on the P.A. turned into the Storm Trooper anthem from Star Wars ... ominous ... heavy ... Oh, MAN - the guys (and the crowd was heavily guy) down front were salivating ... Guitar Hero AND Star Wars all in one space/time continuum ... LIVE?! They were real, real happy, and vocally expressed it. Loudly.


The curtain rose, and SSSC stood there in their matching military coats and FBI style shades, meaning business. Boots said, "Los Angeles! I'm Boots Riley, he's Tom Morello, and we're Street Sweeper Social Club!" and with that they launched into the heavily rocking title track from their new-ish EP, The Ghettoblaster EP. It's hard, it's loud, and the place was slam dancing from the first chord. Even this one old guy, who I promise didn't stop dancing - hard - ever.


Tom has described the SSSC genre as "Revolutionary Party Music", and I don't think there's a better way to describe it. From the sheer poesy spat out by Boots, to the legendary guitar prowess of Tom, and the rock solid backing team of Kid Lighting/Dave Gibbs on bass, Carl Restivo on backing guitar, and Eric Gardner beating down the drums, the fact is there is going to be a party every time it's played, and it's serious enough that it could definitely incite a revolution. All you have to do is observe the fans FEELING it to know that.


"Somewhere In The World It's Midnight" is a party rocker from SSSC's self-titled debut album featuring Boots dancing like he does - inimitably - and Tom doing intricate guitar tuner solo moves, but underneath all that is some dead serious subject matter and a lyrical microscope focused on social injustice that oozes from everywhere.


Like:

Somewhere in the world it's 3 o'clock Time to get out of school and think, Somewhere in the world it's 5pm And quittin' time means it's time to drink, Somewhere in the world it's 8 o'clock Let's get fly, man, and go to the gig, But somewhere in the world it's midnight And the guerrillas just shot two pigs ...


Whoa. From there they went right into their stellar cover of MIA's "Paper Planes", that is clearly a fan favorite. It ruled. Everyone danced along, and had their finger guns in the air shooting away at that part. Then "Scars" ... just as crazy, (as when Tom pulled out his guitar plug and played a solo with it on his hand) and just as lyrically smart and witty.


(But those words were not even close to crystal clear at The Roxy, and Boots' mike even went out a couple of times. The mix is often muddy. The Roxy could just use better sound all around, straight up. C'mon.)


A tip: You need to just put on headphones and go for a run sometime and listen to what Boots has to say, as from his original days as part of The Coup, to his solo spoken word performances, to Ghettoblasting now with Tom, his words are some of the socially wisest and most acidly funny as I've ever heard.

"The Oath" from the first album was up next, and had Tom blowing a referee whistle, and Boots urging Mofo's to FIGHT back ... I pledge to get their foot off my neck, instead, I shall demand my respect, I'll fight even if I won't win ... Again, serious as hell, but packaged in the rock fun that by now had the band stripped down to their SSSC T's, and the crowd surging like it might hurt in there.


The first song I ever heard from Boots and Tom together was in 2008 on The Nightwatchman's Justice Tour, "100 Little Curses". I wrote at the time, after hearing it just the once, that this group was going to kick the collective ass of the people all around the world. Hearing it last night, I believe that to be absolute fact. Tom opened it with an almost classical sounding sickly fancy guitar intro, that had fists in the air even before Boots lit up the chorus of,

"All my people in the place put your fists in the air, All my down mutherfuckas get up outta your chairs, All my real down peoples we got love for you here, 'cept for that muthafuckas right there, get 'em!"


Man, I love that tune. So did the entire place. All Tom has to do at the completion of one of his solos is raise his arm, and every arm in the room goes up in support. And he earns it. The sweat was pouring off his head and down his nose as he made his guitar speak just as eloquently as the rhymes put together by Boots. It's a truly incredible experience every time, and it's evident on his fans' faces that they are experiencing true awe. BadASS.


"Fight! Smash! Win!" and "Clap For The Killers" ("Double up for them gangsters, clap clap"!) was the next one-two punch. I swear I saw some NEW Boots dance moves, even as he struggled a moment with his mike inexplicably cutting out. These guys just BRING IT, every time. And you can see that they also MEAN it. Boots said then that nearly every show, someone says they really like the band, but the guitar player tries too hard to sound like Tom Morello. (Really, I've heard this a few times myself, hilariously.) To which Boots replies every time, "Our guitar player IS motherfucking Tom Morello!" ... and the house screamed in honor of that fact. To which Tom responded with his "Guitar Fury Remix" version of their song, "Promenade".


"Guitar Fury" is no hyperbole. This "Squaredance rap" song doesn't mince any words, and you really need to listen to them all, until they proudly wind up with, "My skin is black, my star is red!" But the real show stopper of this song is Tom's, indeed, FURY. His solo goes all over the place in gigantic Rage-y riffs, which last night wound up with the classic solo with his teeth that brought out camera phones, (and hankies for some, to weep with joy at what they just witnessed) and hoarse yells for more.


And they got one more, the conspiratorial, "Nobody Moves 'Til We Say Go", that builds from a whisper at one point, to the heaviest music mayhem riot imaginable. Or so we thought.

That was the last song of the regular set, but after they left and came right back, Tom picked up the mike and told the crowd how happy they were to be playing their first show in L.A. proper, for a hometown audience of whom Tom requested, "For this last song, I want to see everyone go absolutely apeshit from beginning to end!" Yeah, no problem there. Because the last song was their cover of LL Cool J's ever-dope, "Mama Said Knock You Out".

In this case, "Apeshit" meant that a full mosh pit swirled around the little Roxy floor in aggressive fashion, while Boots screamed "Oakland! L.A.!" over and over. Tom grabbed back the mike and just before his astounding feedback finale solo, said, "Everyone from my 87 year old Mother (Mary, who STOOD and rocked at the rail above the floor for the entire set!) to this Indie Rock kid at his first show down front, I want to see you all JUMP! ELEVATE!!!"


And ELEVATE is exactly what we all did in there last night. Not just physically off of our feet, which certainly happened, to a person. But much more importantly, we elevated in heart, mind, consciousness, and spirit. That's what great music, raw wisdom, eye-opening commentary, camaraderie with friends and strangers alike, and yeah, even some good mosh bruises reminding you that you LIVED hard last night, will do for you. Every time.

Street Sweeper Social Club is a club that's basic tenets are to:

1) Feed the poor.
2) Fight the power. And ...
3) Rock the fuck out!

Now that is a club everyone should want to be a part of. And as evidenced by the beaming faces streaming out of The Roxy last night, not just be a part of, but really know what it means to be elevated ... right off your feet.

Get involved. Get E-volved!


*Photos by PaulGronner.com