April 2011

Tonight, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera (founders of thrash-metal pioneer band Sepultura) take the stage at the House of Blues Sunset Strip, kicking off a brand new tour with namesake project Cavalera Conspiracy. Joined by not-so-newish bassist Johny Chow (former celebrity bartender/manager at the Viper Room), the band is set to unleash their most recent and most brash recording, Blunt Force Trauma, to ravenous metal fans around the globe. 
Taking time off from his hectic touring schedule, Chow returned to his former home — The Sunset Strip — and joined us at tasty Mediterranean eatery and hookah bar Pi On Sunset to smoke some watermelon flavored shisha, and share stories about the time invested in climbing the ranks to metal glory. Here’s what he had to say…
 
So you want to give us some background — how you came to join the band, that sort of thing?

Time traveling back to 1963 on The Sunset Strip!
Take the ride with us and check out The Viper Room (Melody Room) on the left, and the Whisky A Go-Go (The Party), The Roxy Theatre (Largo), RAINBOW BAR AND GRILL (Villa Nova) and Key Club (Plymouth Restaurant) along the right. Turner’s Liquor is still looking good!
 
[Video: YouTube dantanasgirl]

Tonight, one of rock’s most prized players, Duff McKagan, will take the stage with his band Loaded at the Viper Room. Celebrating the release of their new record The Taking, the band is also set to perform later this week at the third annual Revolver Golden Gods Award show, all this before embarking on yet another European tour. 

Driving home from a Deftones show in Seattle, McKagan was kind enough to phone in to TheSunsetStrip.com to discuss his current project, his storied career in rock, reality TV and the one musician who made him tongue tied.  
 

New York Restaurateur Adam Newton Overhauls Dukes on Sunset [The Feast]
Big Audio Dynamite @ The Roxy [LA Weekly]
Sheila Swift turns up all the knobs, rocks out on the Sunset Strip [Beatweek]
4.11.2011: Ceviche en El Standard de Hollywood [Standard Culture]
Updates on Duke’s, Jim Morrison Lounge Under Construction [Eater LA]

Legions of "metalheads," young and old alike, arrived early on Sunday afternoon to catch Metal Matinee at The Roxy Theatre. Presented by Scion, the latest edition of this free, all ages metal showcase featured performances by From Ashes Rise, Mind Eraser and Noisear.

Once that case of tinnitus clears up, plan for the next Scion Metal Matinee, scheduled for Saturday, May 14 at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.theroxyonsunset.com
-Photos by Brent X Mendoza
 

Remember when Wednesday was only memorable because it wasn’t Monday? Well, party promoter extraordinaire/musician/DJ Tuesdae and The Cutting Room are adding some much needed excitement to this underappreciated day with a new weekly night that celebrates the wild world of rock.
Brent X Mendoza checked out the inaugural event last week (April 6) and spotted drummer Samantha Maloney (Chelsea Girls, Hole, Motley Crue), photographer Genie Sanchez and a crowd of fans looking for a night of good old rock n’ roll.

The party kicks off at 9 p.m. on Wednesday nights. Entrance is free. The Cutting Room is located in The Grafton hotel.
www.thecuttingroomla.com
-Photos: Brent X Mendoza

A Chat With the Sunset Marquis GM of 20 Years, Rod Gruendyke [Huffington Post]
Kingston Rossdale poses next to giant electric guitar [Daily Mail]
Dakota Fanning’s Il Sole Night Out [Gossip Center]
New Cocktails at Eveleigh [EaterLA]
A Rocket to the Moon lands at the Roxy Theatre [OC Reloaded]