Sunset Strip Music Festival

Music No plan B: Imagine Dragons

August 24, 2011 - 10:49 am

It turns out that not everything in the desert is dead, dying, or on its way there. (Shocker, I know.) Based out of the Vegas desert, up-and-coming band, Imagine Dragons, rehydrates the indie pop-rock genre with its synth-driven pop-rock sound.

Its members pulled from all over the states, Imagine Dragons’ lineup now includes Ben McKee (bass), Wayne Sermon (guitar), Theresa Flaminio (keys), Dan Reynolds (vocals), and Daniel Platzman (drums). Some of them have been classically trained (McKee dropped out of Berklee College of Music less than one semester shy of graduation), while others have honed skills on their own. In the end, each element (and member) offers something solid to their sound as a group. There is nothing lacking or overflowing.

ChinaShop was able to steal the band for a bit (no gags or rope required) before they went on to play another show during the Sunset Strip Music Festival.

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Gallery Music You Reap What You Sow: Tribal Seeds

by Nicole Pajer and Dustin Downing

August 23, 2011 - 9:01 am

What happens when you rant about federal banks and we happen to have a stack of fake $100 bills nearby? We give them to you to hold, and decide that it would be a fabulous touch to light them on fire. All in the name of a good photo, of course!

Tribal Seeds wandered into their interview with us sweaty, thirsty, and fresh from their outdoor set at the Sunset Strip Music Festival. Thank goodness we were there to provide them with refreshments and take the edge off. And thank goodness we took the edge off because that really facilitated us being able to engage them in some goofy antics.

Based out of San Diego, Tribal Seeds have become the band to watch in the reggae rock scene. The six member group, which features sibling duo Steven Rene and Tony-Ray Jacobo, has created a buzz with their spiritually driven and refreshing roots, rock, and reggae vibe. The guys sat down with ChinaShop to discuss the inspiration behind their controversial lyrics and explain how they were destined to be a reggae band.

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Gallery Music Bridging The Gap: Whiskey Six Gets Their Turn

by Nicole Pajer and Dustin Downing

August 23, 2011 - 9:00 am

Most of the bands at this year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival were of a Los Angeles origin, but Whiskey Six made the trek out from Phoenix. The band, which consists of Chriskey Strickler on lead vocals/guitar, Dave Lansing on guitar, Raf Garcia on bass, and Matt Indes on drums, is known for avoiding corporate rock and taking a raw and gritty approach to the music scene; they combine a dose of hard rock and metal while sneaking in elements of the blues.

Whiskey Six was all over The Sunset Strip this past weekend and hard to miss – Chriskey with his signature southern locks, Dan in a skull and crossbones cowboy hat, Raf sporting a Batman t-shirt, and Matt towering in height over many a festival goer. After chatting with the guys, sharing beers, and shooting some fun photos along Sunset Blvd, we decided they were the perfect candidates to involve in a social experiment.

There was no doubt an endless array of talent at this year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival, however, the line up erred on the uneven side. There were extremely established bands like Motley Crue, Bush, Public Enemy, and Buckcherry, and a plethora of up and coming rock bands – not much in between. In order to bridge the gap of the generations, we brought Whiskey Six backstage to pick the brains of Josh Todd, Keith Nelson, and Jimmy Ashhurst from Buckcherry.

Each Whiskey Six-er came armed with a question and a cowboy hat. Introductions were made and the games began. The conversation included everything from Kobe Bryant to driving around in a smelly van but all questions were answered, new friends were made (aww) and everyone left happy.

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Gallery Music Buckcherry on Pornstars,Tattoos and the Mayan Calendar

by Nicole Pajer and Dustin Downing

August 22, 2011 - 2:26 pm

Upon walking backstage at The Roxy on Friday night, Buckcherry front man Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson paid their respects to the recently remodeled – thanks to the powers of ChinaShop – dressing room. The guys took a seat on the blue leather couch while Keith joked about liking what we did with the place. “When Josh walked in here he was like, ‘Last time I walked in this was a shithole. It looks good now!” said Keith.

Buckcherry, who is currently in the middle of the Rock Allegiance Tour along with Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, POD, RED, Crossfade, and Drive A, rolled into town to perform a Friday night show at The Roxy for this year’s Sunset Strip Music Fest. Prior to their energetic set, Josh balanced my recording iPhone on his foot while he and Keith discussed porn stars, tattoos, and releasing an album in 2012 pending we don’t all perish with the termination of the Mayan calendar.

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Gallery Music High Kicks & Coffee Mugs: Nico Vega

by Nicole Pajer and Dustin Downing

August 22, 2011 - 11:27 am

When we joined Nico Vega backstage prior to their Sunset Strip Music Festival performance, Dan Epand was attempting a conversation with his girlfriend on the phone, Rich Koehler was relaxing on the couch, and Aja Volkman was mulling over whether or not to steam her ruffled stage attire prior to show time. Several minutes later when steam irons were abandoned and cell phones disengaged, (Dan’s patient girlfriend did at one point stay on hold during a portion of our post interview photo shoot) we dove into the inner workings of the gifted rock trio.

Important topics were discussed such as the inspiration for Aja’s vivacious stage energy, the band being serenaded at a tiny airport in small town Laredo Texas, and Vince Neil tucking a Nico Vega newspaper article under his armpit while boarding an airplane.

When it came time for photos, Rich drew a Sharpie portrait of one of his “signature” coffee mugs on the couch while Aja engaged in some photo worthy high kicks — after we got the green light on her wearing bloomers underneath her outfit, of course.

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Featured Gallery Music Mötley Crüe Day in West Hollywood

by Nicole Pajer and Dustin Downing

August 19, 2011 - 3:55 pm

To kick off this year’s Sunset Strip Music Fest – a three-day ordeal featuring an array of rock bar performances, as well as an all day street fest on Saturday – the House of Blues hosted a Thursday night invite-only soiree. The guests of honor? The rowdy, longhaired, police record-bearing glam rockers Mötley Crüe.

As the official honorees of the 2011 Sunset Strip Music Festival, The City of West Hollywood presented the rambunctious rockers with the “Elmer Valentine Award.” During a ceremony that Tommy Lee considered to be more of a “Mötley Crüe Roast,” August 18^th was publicly declared “Mötley Crüe Day in West Hollywood.”

“Is it an honor or is it like an honor roast? I don’t really know what it is. And I’m not really sure what we’re being honored for – most stumbles down The Strip?” joked the notorious drummer while walking the red carpet prior to the ceremony.

Lee wasn’t too far off.

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