They're from Silverlake, but have been on the road since I moved to Los Angeles. I recently purchased tickets to several of their local shows in April which I'm very much looking forward to. On Saturday I became aware of a contest that a local radio station was having. The station, 98.7, has a penthouse apartment and patio at the Hollywood Tower where they occasionally have private intimate shows with different bands. In the past they have had Cage the Elephant, Linkin Park, Mumford & Sons and Vampire Weekend. You can win tickets to these events by listening/calling in or by entering the contest online. I entered online and received an e-mail Monday morning letting me know I'd get to go!
I arrived to the Hollywood Tower and was greeted by free valet parking. (Parking in Los Angeles is nearly impossible / very expensive so this was fantastic) I had to sign in and received my credentials. I entered the hotel lobby and rode the elevator upstairs. The elevator is the one that the Hollywood Tower of Terror ride at Disneyworld is based on!
I rode up to the fifth floor and walked out onto the patio which was very attractive. They had an open bar set up as well as catering. To the north you could see the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory and to the south you could see many Hollywood landmarks including Capitol Records and the Roosevelt Hotel. There were only about forty other people so it was a very intimate setting!
The band came out and performed "Don't Gotta Work It Out," "Breaking the Chains of Love," "L.O.V.," and "Moneygrabber." There was an MC who asked the band questions provided by audience members in between songs. Some of the questions were serious ("Who is your greatest musical influence?") and some were more fun (To Noelle: "What's the best pickup line you've ever gotten?") After the show fans could pose with the band for a picture. Since there was a line I didn't get to talk to them long, but made a point to tell Fitz (lead singer's real name: Michael Fitzpatrick....hence the name Fitz) that I had seen them at Red Rocks and how fun it had been to watch them grow in popularity and really develop. That for them had been a very memorable show and he seemed impressed that I saw them "way back then." He made a point to tell several other band members that I had been at that show. I'll be seeing them at small bars April 1 and 2 and will hopefully have a chance to speak to them more then! (Some of the pictures are mine and some were taken by the radio station)
I took video of the intro to "Moneygrabber." I've also attached videos of several other songs they played (from other live performances)
What I like most about them is their different sound and the dynamics between Fitz and Noelle. They not only perform the songs, but they truly are entertaining to watch. Fitz had a vision of what he wanted his band to be and it's not like every other band coming down the pipeline. They truly have created something special with a fusion of funk/motown/indie-pop. Even though I love the guitar, I very much respect them for creating a full sound as a band without using a guitar (only a bass). They've just announced spring tour dates, and if you ever get the chance to, I highly recommend going to see them! Since the show was over I headed back downstairs.
I wanted to grab a cup of coffee so I went across the street to the 101 Coffee Shop which I've heard of, but never been to. It has the vibe of an old-school diner. I got French toast with fresh berries which I hadn't had in years, but was quite good!! Fun fact: Fitz has a menu item named after him here. The "Mikey Fitz" is two eggs, two pieces of bacon, and three silver dollar pancakes or a piece of French toast. Apparently, he used to live around the corner from here and ate at least two meals a day here. When the band is in town they still frequently come out to eat here afterwards!
Love this blog entry and the photos! Will watch the videos later. Your French toast looks awesome!
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