Last Friday night I drove out to Hollywood with my friend Veronica to see one of my film´s editors perform at the Roxy with his brother. The show was scheduled to start at 9 pm. After lounging on the comfy chairs and having a vodka grapefruit, we kind of couldn’t figure out what was going on (we were basically the only people there). I have to clarify that this was The Roxy upstairs, so not quite the busy scene, though a beautiful setting and probably not a hard gig to get; you just have to bring in your own audience; but that’s not what I wanted to talk about.
Anyways, after mistaking my editor and his brother, watching their friends slowly fill up the place and their guitar & drums show, we headed out to Frankie and Johnny’s for a pretty good Margherita pizza and a glass of Chianti. The place looks very much the same as the decor of the Pacino-Pfeiffer movie, for that matter.
One diet rule down (I am on a no flour plan…) and one full stomach later, I convinced Veronica to take me to the Viper. Over the years, I had been hearing all the time about the Neurotic Outsiders concerts, the random appearances by the coolest rock stars, and, of course, the unfortunate events that lead to the death of talented River Phoenix on the premises. The stories about the good music happening there overcame the sadness of that tragic memory, and I simply couldn’t wait to check out the place.
We had to walk about two blocks in the cold Hollywood night, dressed in rather summery clothes and looking pretty rock-ready to tell you the truth. The streets and the entrances of all the bars, including the Roxy, were very lively as we walked by. This must have been around 11 pm.
We paid 10 dollars to get into the Viper. My God, how good did I feel as soon as I stepped into the place. Everyone looked cool, like they REALLY cared about music, and not so much about all the superficial stuff that LA is famous for. But the people were not the most important factor in this feeling I had of having found a place I could truly call home. What was causing that sensation was coming through my ears, and it has a simple name: PURPLE MELON. A mixture of Londoners and Californians, as far as I know, this band had an incendiary sound, a commanding stage presence, and a unique quality to it; of the kind that opens the possibility to stardom, namely, they had a SOUL. There are many people who can play great rock, at which these guys no doubt excel, they may have a good singer, some nice lyrics, a killer drummer and bass player, amazing guitars, the works. But few bands can clearly establish their unique personality after a few songs, in front of an audience which has never seen them before.
This was what PURPLE MELON can do. This became clearest to me when they did a fantastic and very personal rendering of MAYBE I’M AMAZED.
To top off a great night we met some cool people (Canadian Croatians: always a good combination) and the PURPLE MELON gig was followed by an incredible performance by THE BINGES, those two Asian chicks really know how to rock!
This was my favorite night in LA so far, but I am sure there are many more to come.
As we left the Viper and walked back to the parking lot, I realized the importance of what I had just experienced: Rock and Roll was still as alive as ever before out there at the Viper room in Hollywood.
I have been in touch with the band since and, apparently, they won’t be playing again till the day of my flight back home. Now, that is something worth changing your flight for.
