Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
I’d forgotten what a great venue The Whisky is. Big stage but small room with decent sound and a balcony means that pretty much every spot is good. So it’s cool the once proud venue (I saw the Ramones, Sonic Youth, Descendents, Scratch Acid, SNFU, Guns ‘n’ Roses, and so many other awesome shows there in the ’80s and ’90s, but before that the likes of The Doors, Love, and Jimi Hendrix would play there) is booking some of its most loved bands to celebrate its 50th anniversary. With a storied headliner like X on the marquee, I don’t know why anyone would feel the need to hire tatted up go-go dancers to entertain us, though.
First up was The Crowd. Who knew that one of the earliest and best HB punk bands was opening? I had no idea but as soon as they started off their set with “Living in Madrid” (off the essential Beach Blvd. compilation) it all came back. Geography and perhaps a last-second booking meant the five-piece was cut to four but the band had no problems going for the gusto. Great set, and yes they played “Modern Machine.”
X is one of my favorite bands, and I’ve seen them a lot since their New World Tour stop at Magic Mountain. Over the last few years, I’ve seen them more than ever and it seems like they keep getting darker, from the extra combative vocals to the dueling axes. I was trying to figure out if Exene was struggling since she was nursing a plastic cup for the first few songs and rested on the stairs during the drum solo of “Hungry Wolf,” but she powered through the set as otherworldly and awesomely as always. John Doe did most of the rocking and the talking, saying that if it were a few years ago the band would invite everyone over for a house party. Later on, Exene said that she thinks of Johnny Rivers, and not X, when she thinks of the Whisky. (Of course, Billy Zoom just smiled.) Cool to have people talking about excellent shows at the Whisky (and playing them) instead of lame pay-to-play shows, and I hope it stays that way after the 50th anniversary run is over.
I used to like attending ASR at the San Diego Convention Center. It was a great chance to see friends in the skateboarding world trapped under the same roof, and we got a couple of Giant Robot articles that way. Of course the action sports retail trade show was famously ditched by vendors who refused to be gouged by the show’s organizers, but these days it’s been somewhat replaced by a streetwear version. I’d never attended an Agenda show, but my friend Sophia Chang suggested I check out this week’s Long Beach event since she had curated a group exhibition for it. The Babe Show was totally worth the registering, driving out, and braving the crowd. It was a cool mix of familiar favorites (Deanne Cheuk, Esther Pearl Watxon, and Sophia) and artists that are new to me (Eri Wakiyama, Chocomoo). If you’re attending on Wednesday, definitely visit it at Booth E37.
Right around the corner from Sophia’s show is Keep Company. Can’t miss the puppies and kittens at my friend Una’s indie vegan shoe booth. She says the new kitten print (above, right) is her most-liked Instagram subject ever, but I kind of like the desert boots.
So cool to see pals like Una and Sophia ruling at what they do at the trade show. But I have to say Agenda is largely a sausage party in the ASR tradition. And it’s one of the best. I caught Justin, Mike V., and Drew at the Resource Distro booth. Buyers were pretty stoked on the gnarly new Elephant decks and Paris trucks.
I used to like attending ASR at the San Diego Convention Center. It was a great chance to see friends in the skateboarding world trapped under the same roof, and we got a couple of Giant Robot articles that way. Of course the action sports retail trade show was famously ditched by vendors who refused to be gouged by the show’s organizers, but these days it’s been somewhat replaced by a streetwear version. I’d never attended an Agenda show, but my friend Sophia Chang suggested I check out this week’s Long Beach event since she had curated a group exhibition for it. The Babe Show was totally worth the registering, driving out, and braving the crowd. It was a cool mix of familiar favorites (Deanne Cheuk, Esther Pearl Watxon, and Sophia) and artists that are new to me (Eri Wakiyama, Chocomoo). If you’re attending on Wednesday, definitely visit it at Booth E37.
Right around the corner from Sophia’s show is Keep Company. Can’t miss the puppies and kittens at my friend Una’s indie vegan shoe booth. She says the new kitten print (above, right) is her most-liked Instagram subject ever, but I kind of like the desert boots.
So cool to see pals like Una and Sophia ruling at what they do at the trade show. But I have to say Agenda is largely a sausage party in the ASR tradition. And it’s one of the best. I caught Justin, Mike V., and Drew at the Resource Distro booth. Buyers were pretty stoked on the gnarly new Elephant decks and Paris trucks.
We get to see some pretty rad shows here in Los Angeles. Of course, the thing is that you have to leave your house on cold (about 50 degrees, for us) winter nights and sometimes it even drizzles. Yeah, it’s rough. But how can I not see a rare show by The Muffs when they’re playing about two miles away just on the other end of the Silver Lake Reservoir?
We get to see some pretty rad shows here in Los Angeles. Of course, the thing is that you have to leave your house on cold (about 50 degrees, for us) winter nights and sometimes it even drizzles. Yeah, it’s rough. But how can I not see a rare show by The Muffs when they’re playing about two miles away just on the other end of the Silver Lake Reservoir?