Pig and Whistle, Hollywood
Hollywood Palladium
Eric and I ventured out last night to see Wilco at the Hollywood Palladium. We stopped by the Pig and Whistle for a quick bite and drinks before the show. The Pig and Whistle and the Palladium are not necessarily bad places. Both have a rich history. The P&W's past dates back to the 1920s when it was a haunt of Hollywood's elite like Clark Gable, Carol Lombard and Clara Bow to name a few. At one time, LA had two downtown P&Ws, the Hollywood landmark and one in Pasadena. Only the Hollywood location remains. The last time I was there, I remember it was so busy, I could barely walk across the room. Last night, it was practically deserted. Our meal was served to us by a quiet waiter whose pants were too short.
Eric and I both share a personal history of the Palladium of shows attended long before we knew each other and way before we had kids. Eric was at the legendary Black Flag show where the crowd broke down the doors. Sixteen year old Eric watch D Boon fly over the stage fronting the Minutemen. The floor was empty, only to be flooded the moment Black Flag stepped on stage.
Even then, I think I would choose a different venue to see a band than the Palladium. The sound was so-so and I couldn't see any of the chord changes by the infamous Wilco frontman. Really, how am I supposed to develop my rock and roll chops if I can't steal from the source? From here on out, it's the Wiltern or Troubadour. Sorry Palladium. Of course, I'll be back in a second if my kids form a band and play there. I'll just bring one of those canes with a foldable seat, so I can rest in between stage dives.
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When I lived in Highland Park I never, ever would have gone to any venue on Sunset, simply because of the traffic and parking. But once I did a midnight bike ride with a large group, and we -- all 300-400 of us -- rode down Sunset Blvd. It was magical, seeing all the bright lights from the road but without being in a car. It was strangely quiet, too, considering the crowd of people walking on the sidewalks.
ReplyDeletefucking hell best post ever
ReplyDeletecant believe eric was at that black flag show
soooooo jealous
bastard
As I have gotten older I have come to realize that general admission shows are really a pain in the ass. I guess I didn't care as much about my personal space when I was 16. I think my favorite venue in LA is the Greek now, though I am still willing to deal with general admission for shows at the Troubadour. That place is amazing.
ReplyDeleteChase, I didn't realize you live in Highland Park before. I've not been on one of those midnight bike rides. Sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteMr. Lentini, high praise. Thank you. Encourage your trio to practice. Maybe our kids will do a double set. We will cajole Henry Rollins into attending. If we are not kicked out mid-point in the second set, we must try harder.
kraken, I think general admission shows are doable, provided you have a back stage pass, which I sorely lacked on Tuesday, or a place to sit on the kick drum.