Hollywood Rock UpDate

Welcome to Wednesday, Hollywood. We are here with “Or Have Corners”, your guide to the underground nightlife of the glitz and glamor. We give you all the links to fill the empty void of music in your life. Our readers are created in our own image and the product is a pile of procrastination. So for the lazy kids at the back of the class, we once again and hopefully in a monthly column henceforth, offer you all the things to do in Hollywood when your social life is in need of a jump start. Or simply put:

Hollywood Rock!

Tommy Peacock

One of your first places to find excitement in Hollywood is to place your ear to the beat and get on the Sunset Strip. Keep an eye out  for the Rocker dressed in white leather. His name is Tommy Peacock and regular readers know him as the current beat of the Hollywood scene. Tommy has been away in the lab of rock gods, but the motor city maniac is back and he brings a new band. Check out the Viper Room on July 18th at 9PM, where the Sunset Strip will be set on fire with tasty licks and rock and roll kicks.

Before you gear up for Tommy Peacock, there is a show on the 13th you will want to check out. Many fans of ANF know Nick Anastiasi as one of our best writers but, while we know him as a super talented writer, Nick is also a kick ass wielder of the musical axe and plays for the room shaking band “Fat City Reprise”. On July 13th, we get to celebrate the day of Nick’s Birth with the “Fat City Reprise” and special guests. Check out O’Brian’s Pub, 2941 Main Street, Venice, California 90291, Paul Chesney’s Venice Beach venue of choice. Sure it’s outside the confines of Hollywood and there may be no bigger Hollywood hermit than myself, but even I am going to make the effort to get out to O’Brian’s for some music and merriment.

Fat City Reprise

The beach scene is blowing up. The Artie Vegas Review just wrapped up a show at the Whalers, “Venice Rox!”, the rock venue, has produced some decent noise on the music circuit, and who passes up a chance to wear Hawaiian shirts? Use Nick’s birthday show as a stepping stone to check out the beach music scene, I am willing to bet they ain’t got nothing on Hollywood but I’m bias.

And if you go to the July 13th show at O’Brian’s Pub, get ready to scratch your AME itch with a new band to hit the stage. American NonFiction’s favorite band, the Automatic Music Explosion, are on a short hiatus that we hope will end soon. But in the meantime, our favorite girl from the AME, and one of our top 5 members in the band, has a side project you want to hear. No not Max, he is not a girl. No not Chris ether. The girl dammit, Jodie, has a side project and the musical product is called “The Shakers”. Like every member of the Automatic Music Explosion, who have ROCK music embedded in their DNA, Jodie is no different. The Shakers come on strong with a hard set founded in a thumping back beat of pure rock and roll. Mark your calender for the 13th, get Nick a gift ( hey he is a rocker so you know he will appreciate just about anything), and show up to witness the Shaker element in our Hollywood house of rock.

Nice Peter

For a shows closer to home, you want to check out the Improv on July 16 for a free “Nice Peter” show. I have not gotten around to giving Nice Peter the review I’ve promised him, but don’t let my bouts of procrastination keep you away. Nice Peter is a talented riot. He is the modern day master of the acoustical act. Poignant and witty, Nice Peter belts out hilarious toe tapping songs like “50 Cent is a Pussy” and “Guitar Center” (it’s a shitty place to go). We got the chance to check out Nice Peter at our local watering hole, the Kib, and I for begged him to return. Want to see the letter? Sorry, I don’t grovel and tell. Don’t believe me, ask my mistress.

In any event, a free show at the Improv with Nice Peter is date fodder like you wouldn’t believe. Hit up OKCupid, find a member of the gender that pleases you, and, worse comes to worse, enjoy a fun and funny time with the musical styling of “Nice Peter” on Tuesday 16 July at the Improv.

And the ever irreverent Stephen Sigl is back with his band of merry miscreants, bridging the gap between the far away land of Silver Lake to the star lit Hollywood, from the rolling snow capped hills to the needle strewn shores, one scene to unite us all. The Happy Casualties have more than a few double dealings in the works. The progressive, coffee house rock, of “SleepTowel” has seeped through the ranks and is met by the rise of “The Schoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble”.

Two bands from one source of our hapless trio, the Happy Casualties. Will the great divide tear the mother band apart at the symbols? The world may never know, but we can enjoy the sounds along the way. Look for a Happy Casualties show on the 25th and keep an eye out for upcoming shows from both “SleepTowel” and “the Schoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble”.

Well that is your rock report Hollywood. If it ain’t here, then it is probably queer. Queer in a school yard sense and in no way reflects any negative bias towards any homosexual who might label himself queer. Until next time, keep it rock hard and pulsating.