Feb 11, 2014 Save Music in Chinatown 2 Recap
Top row photos courtesy of Ben Clark
Since yesterday’s gig was the second Save Music in Chinatown show, which I’ve been single-handedly been promoting for weeks on end, I have to admit that I’m getting worried about writing the same things over and over again. Thrilled to parlay my background in indie publishing into something that happens in real life that can help inner-city kids have access to music education. Stoked to collaborate with friends and personal heroes in music, art, activism, and entrepreneurship. Surprised to hep a neighborhood that my immigrant grandparents and in-laws have spent time–and someplace where my daughter now attends school. Blah blah blah.
So I’ll try to stick to writing about the show. Yesterday’s benefit gig was louder and looser than the first one. The old-school tone was set by DJ Adam Bomb, who played The Adolescents, Agent Orange, Weirdos, Redd Kross… It was like he broke into my brain and found all the songs that I wanted to hear. I thought it was cool when my friend Gabie (from KCHUNG, who took some turns playing records) said that she was a little starstruck because she listened to his show all the time on KXLU. Even better, my friend Sandy (from Red Krayola) told him, “Nice Brujeria sweatshirt,” and then I got to inform her that he is Fantasma, one of the bandana-wearing members of the infamous death metal band/alleged drug cartel from Mexico!
Actually, the lineup turned out to have a very cool Chino/Latino twist with Asian and Latino punks pitching in. Hector Penalosa from The Zeros, an early punk band from Chula Vista sometimes called “The Mexican Ramones,” played with his Beatles cover band, The Baja Bugs. They were awesome, picking the Fab Four’s most rocking songs and playing them in a raw, power pop manner like The Plimsouls or The Undertones. Or maybe a young, hungry Beatles going out of their minds making timeless music, I suppose. Fittingly, this was on the 50th anniversary of Beatlemania’s dawning on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Hector shared his thoughts on the importance of music in his life, as well as his affection for Chinatown, and followed up by previewing new solo material with a slightly shifted band. It sounded great. Raw, melodic, masterful. Fans of The Zeros will be especially stoked to hear it.
Co-headliners Channel Three were next, and they pointed the all-ages crowd’s attention toward the table where earplugs were being sold as part of the fundraising effort before blasting into a set that dodged songs with cuss words. But the band, which was on the renowned L.A.-based Posh Boy punk record label (TSOL, Agent Orange, Social Distortion, Red Cross), played a full-on raging set with full volume and guest stars (Maria Montoya for “You Make Me Feel Cheap” + 1, Tony Adolescent for a cover of The Simpletones’ “California”). At the end they changed words of “I’ve Got a Gun” to “I’ve Got to Go” for the impressionable ones who could handle the O.G. punk rock… I really love this band, which emanates friendship among its members as much as rebellious fun, and still can’t believe they played our benefit. It was especially cool when Mike Magrann recounted how he and Kimm Gardener learned guitar after school in junior high…
Back to Tony Adolescent. I was thrilled that one of the singer of one of my favorite bands not only ordered an advance ticket for the show but began promoting it with his Facebook account. How awesome is that? I made sure to play The Adolescents’ “Amoeba” when when I went on KCHUNG a couple of days before to plug the show.
Did I mention that we had a raffles to raise extra money? Some of the items included Uglydolls signed by creators David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim, shoes from Keep Company, autographed books by artist James Jean, a Shepard Fairey print signed by Henry Rollins, a goodie bag from Ooga Booga, an autographed monograph by Shizu Saldamando, gift certificates to Donut Frend, Kumquat, and Pho 87… The slices of cake and mounds of cookies (homemade) and coffee (courtesy of interTrend) were a big hit, too.
Co-headliner Money Mark went on last, and was forced to improvise when his band couldn’t make it. I’ve seen him do it before and he’s great at it. Mark’s assortment of gear, ranging from vintage electronics goods to tricked out microphones to keyboards, looks like a garage sale but he playfully picks up any piece, starts noodling with it, and spins musical gold. Effortless funk and masterful jams. He played an analog electronic “Happy Birthday” to the birthday girls in the audience, crafted a lo-fi hip-hop set with old cassettes, and had volunteers (including his DVDASA colleague Bill Poon) form a human keyboard holder. You had to be there.
Top row photos courtesy of Ben Clark
I know. I keep keep gushing about friends and music and how much I’ve enjoyed this rather spontaneous and somewhat amateurish project. But what about the benefit part? Are we getting closer to raising the $50,000 that the school has needed this year? The fact is that we can only make so much off $12 or $15 tickets with a 200 capacity that we haven’t reached yet. The addition of donations, raffles, and bake sales can only go so far..
But I think that bringing people and cultures together for a common cause and creating awareness counts, too. This time we got some serious press with an article in The Los Angeles Times and a piece on KNX radio. All that helps, and will hopefully build momentum as we look forward to a third show in May.
How far will this go? I admit that I’ve daydreamed about the project growing and culminating in a crazy show like OFF! at the school cafeteria or having a larger band like X or The Go-Go’s playing on a “real” stage in the campus playground. But for now we just need to concentrate on finishing the school year with another solid show at Human Resources in May. Can’t say enough about what a perfect venue we have, with the soul of a kung-fu movie theater and simple elegance of a contemporary art gallery. Plus great sound and the coolest staff.
Did you attend or help get the word out? Do you have comments or suggestions? Want a poster? Want to help? Let me know! I’m no expert at this but just want to help however I can–and maybe do something fun with friends in the process.
