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The second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF) is confirmed for …

Before trucking down to The Roxy Theatre to catch the next Chelsea Girls show (Thursday, May 7), get to know the band a little better. It’s the closest you’ll get without a backstage pass.
How did the band come together? How did you meet the other members?
Chelsea Girls was kick started by bassist Corey Parks (Nashville Pussy), with a little help from Thor, God of Thunder. CP set her sights on drummer Samantha Maloney (Hole, Motley Crue, Eagles of Death Metal, Peaches), and guitarist Allison Robertson (The Donnas). I was brought into the project by my pal Allison, whom I call "Mistress of the Shred." The girls call me their "Secret Weapon" because I’m the least famous and the deadliest.
 

It was the third show of Chelsea Girls ongoing monthly residency at The Roxy Theatre and judging by the line down the block, word had spread of the band’s blistering performances.
Comprised of some of the most talented ladies of rock, it’s no surprise that the droves have been turning out for this super sexy all-star cover band. Hosted by Carmen Electra and DJ’d by Riki Rachtman of “Headbangers Ball” fame, the night kicked off with a raucous set by local Hollywood buzz band and flat iron friendly youngsters Prima Donna.
The band set the tone for the heavily drinking patrons as lead singer Kevin Preston continuously doused himself with tall cans of Miller Light in a shameless effort to get a rise out of the crowd. By the time Chelsea Girls hit the stage the audience was definitely “in good spirits.”

It was an exclusive event Thursday, March 12, one synonymous with The Sunset Strip energy. The event was hosted by GQ magazine and Burberry at Sunset Strip mainstay the Viper Room. While a small but anxious pack of paparazzi jockeyed for position along the black carpet, a slow and steady stream of RSVPs made their way from check-in, through the velvet ropes and into the club.
Upon entry, invitees were treated to an open bar featuring freshly muddled mojitos and passed hors d’oeuvres. It was the type of crowd you’d expect for a GQ and Burberry hosted event: sleek model types in their flowing boho chic attire, male models in sharply tailored suits, publicists and fashion execs.

When people ask me to define the sound you might hear at a club on The Sunset Strip, it takes a little while. Not as easy as it used to be – The Strip used to be home of rock and roll, with a little soul, hip-hop and reggae thrown in as well. This was the way for many years, and largely the reputation of The Strip, both musically and image-wise.
It’s still rock and roll up here, as anyone who takes the curve from the Beverly Hills segment of Sunset Boulevard onto The Strip and drives east toward Crescent Heights will see. On any given night, the people walking (where else are people walking in L.A. besides the beach and a mall?) from the many world-class restaurants to the bars, clubs and even late night retailers show you the style that still reads rock after many decades. It’s tried and true.

It promised to be an event for true breakheads at the Viper Room in West Hollywood. World-class breakbeat artist Evil Nine was scheduled for a rare L.A. appearance along with opening act Destructo. On a cool and unassuming Wednesday night on the Sunset Strip, some serious entertainment was about to go down.
The evening began on a solid note, with Destructo dropping smooth and solid electro breaks and funky remixes for a crowd that clearly needed a little time to warm up. Sometimes that’s how it goes on the dance floor. Beginning in the nines for a show that would go past 1:30 a.m., you may have the crowd on your side even though they’re not prepared to show it…yet.

Legendary Sunset Strip haunt the Hyatt West Hollywood unveiled a revamped look and a new name on January 8, when the hotel reopened as the Andaz West Hollywood. A boutique hotel brand from Hyatt, the Andaz West Hollywood has completely re-imagined the 14-story former Hyatt on Sunset, or as it was know in its rock and roll heyday, the “Riot House.”
While guests may still find subtle hints of its heritage from its earlier days, the new hotel focuses on unique details and the special locale of West Hollywood. Andaz hired New York based architecture and interior design firm Janson Goldstein who developed the many facets of the hotel.
“Our mission has been to make each [Andaz] property unique to the surrounding area,” says Janson Goldstein principal Hal Goldstein. “We highlight both the contrasts between the modern and the mid-century, as well as to offer transparency. We break down barriers between inside and outside space.”

Seven celebrated dining establishments along the Sunset Strip are …

January is proving to be a busy, glittering month for the Key Club. On Friday, Jan. 9 music fans lined around the block to see up-and-coming indie bands perform at the Sunset Strip venue.
Director Jason Reitman’s DJ act Bad Meaning Bad performed with Mitchell Schaffer and the evening featured Ginger and the headliner of the night — The Cool Table, a rock group that performs mash-ups live without the use of DJs.
George Clooney, Keanu Reeves, Katherine Heigl and the cast of the hit series “The Office” were spotted in the audience at the sold-out Key Club show.
Mitchell Schaffer, who coordinated the concert, plans to bring the show back to the Key Club in the spring.
Another event that is sure to drive high wattage star power to the Key Club is the 10th Anniversary of the Carnival Choreographer’s Ball, which will be held Wednesday, Jan. 28.