L.A experience

bass_steak · #1 06-06-2011, 06:41 PM

Hi Justin,

Hope you're doing great and that everything runs smoothly with the finishing of M83. I wish you massive success it deserves.

I'm writing you since you're a L.A. local as I'm planning a trip there with my girlfriend in a couple of months and I want to experience L.A., music scene wise and food wise, the way the local professional musicians do.

So I would appreciate, if you have the time and if you don't find me out of place using you a bit as a trip advisor, if you could give me some suggestions of places to go out to see cool bands (indie rock, alternative, underground, happenin' stuff etc... maybe even catching you on stage with a project you'll be collaborating on at that time), cool places to hang out and have a beer in the daytime, to eat some great food and ultimately, if you could recommend me a cool, reasonably priced hotel located not too far from the action.

Forward thanks,

Take care

Mark

P.S. : Other L.A. Locals from the forums, feel free to chime in.

vegas532 · #2 06-06-2011, 11:06 PM

If you dig Indian food, make it a point to take a trip to Samosa House in Culver City. For a great coffee experience, LAMill in Silverlake rules. It's a bit pricey, but WONDERFUL!!

iceberg · #3 06-07-2011, 03:58 AM

Frequent as many taco trucks in silverlake/echo park/glassell park as you possibly can. Don Paco on Fletcher near San Fernando Blvd is my jam (al pastor there is AMAZING, other meats are marginal). also hit Alegria on sunset (found that one through JMJ). 101 cafe (get a nut 'n honey shake) or swingers for late night non-taco options. Coffee lovers really dig intelligentsia but i like silverlake coffee better. +1 on lamill sentiments. for lunch check out pure luck on melrose, vegan spot but ridiculous good.

showlistla.com in advance for some rad shows or scenestar the day of. ideally something at the fonda, echoplex, el rey, satellite, maybe the smell.

don't forget to grab some more tacos for the trip back!

vegas532 · #4 06-07-2011, 06:30 AM

Almost forgot...Arc Light theater on Sunset is a great place to catch some of your more unique theater fare and as an added bonus, Amoeba Records is right next store. Ever spent three hours in a record store? You will here.

jmjbassplayer · #5 06-07-2011, 10:24 AM

Well, thank you for the well-wishes Mark! Very nice of you.

Venues for good stuff:

Bootleg
Satellite
Echo
Echoplex
The Smell
Silverlake Lounge

Food:
Cafe Stella
Cliff's Edge
Allegria
Barbrix
Cactus Taqueria
Lots o' food trucks
Juicy Burger
some nice K-town Korean BBQ
Beverly Soon Tofu House
Nozawa for sushi

Bars:
Bar Marmont
The Roosevelt
The Bar
Bar Lubitsch
Spotlight on Cahuenga
Bigfoot Lodge
Jones

Hotel, not sure. Try Yelp.com. Lotsa bands stay at the Magic Hotel near the Magic Castle, that's pretty fun. Or the Standard, The Roosevelt, or the Beverly Laurel adjacent to Swinger's restaurant.

The only gig I have planned is the Gainsbourg tribute at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug 28. Other than that, I'm in studio/writing/producing mode all summer.

Have fun!
JMJ

micahbell · #6 06-07-2011, 04:15 PM

As a bassist living in a small-ish Canadian city, when I was in LA I found it really cool to go into The Bass Exchange and check out a bunch of basses I will probably never be able to afford.
It is right by my girlfriends old apartment, so I came across it by accident when I was trying to find a record store and walked too far. I stepped in and my jaw dropped... I said something like "I have no money or intention of buying anything in this store, but I've never seen anything like it. Would you guys mind if I plugged some basses in?" and then proceeded to play $5000+ basses for about an hour.
But, it was actually at this time that I discovered I hated most of those basses. I had an idea in my head of what they sounded like because somebody big played them, and when I picked them up it just wasn't right... give me a beater p bass with flats and I'm happy.
Never-the-less, it was fun and the staff was really cool.

...I also tracked down where the outside shots of Paddys Pub from It Always Sunny in Philadelphia are taken, and got a picture of the building... kind of tourist-y, but hey - it's my favourite show.

KeithKlaxwell · #7 06-07-2011, 04:37 PM

Justin, you frequent Bigfoot? Did you ever hit the sister bar Saints and Sinners that just closed two blocks east? That place was great.

noahw1 · #8 06-07-2011, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeithKlaxwell

Justin, you frequent Bigfoot? Did you ever hit the sister bar Saints and Sinners that just closed two blocks east? That place was great.

saints and sinners closed? That's a bummer because it used to be a real dive bar called Sarno's that had been there a long time. First time I went there two people staggered out the door, promptly threw up and kept walking. Classy.

My guess is that Justin's talking about the original Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz.

As far as places to check out you should try to go to Umami Burger. Amazing. Or Father's Office for a great burger and beers.

BigOldHarry · #9 06-07-2011, 05:06 PM

to the OP: One thing to get your head around is that LA is a HUGE place with mondo traffic; If you're staying on the "West Side" (Santa Monica, etc) then trying to got to dinner on the "East Side" (Eaglerock/Pasadena/etc) is a real hassle; Plan accordingly.

When I'm in LA, I'm mostly an East side guy (sad to say) so the only club that I go to where I know there's some music is Jax in Burbank - Strictly Jazz. Good food. Cool vibe, reasonable prices. I've been told that The Baked Potato is *the place* for Jazz - I haven't been. Two good places have closed in the last few years - the Jazz Bakery and the Jazz Institute of Pasadena - both great places, both sorely missed (by me, at least!)

Good luck and get ready to BE PATIENT. Getting around LA can really bite.

bass_steak · #10 06-07-2011, 05:40 PM

Big thanks for the suggestions so far! This will come in really helpful.

As far as commuting, I think we'll stay close to the Silver Lake area based on the locations of places suggested so far.

Anyone know of some jam nights if I decide to lug my bass around?

KeithKlaxwell · #11 06-07-2011, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noahw1

saints and sinners closed? That's a bummer because it used to be a real dive bar called Sarno's that had been there a long time. First time I went there two people staggered out the door, promptly threw up and kept walking. Classy.

My guess is that Justin's talking about the original Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz.

As far as places to check out you should try to go to Umami Burger. Amazing. Or Father's Office for a great burger and beers.

Saints and Sinners closed yea. Those bars are under new management.

Ah yes, I forgot about the Los Feliz as I'm over in Santa Monica.

KeithKlaxwell · #12 06-07-2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_steak

Big thanks for the suggestions so far! This will come in really helpful.

As far as commuting, I think we'll stay close to the Silver Lake area based on the locations of places suggested so far.

Anyone know of some jam nights if I decide to lug my bass around?

Try Harvelle's in Santa Monica for jam nights. Most nights are cool to jump in second set.

If you make it over to Venice/Santa Monica one night try :

The Yard
Gjelina
Baby Blues BBQ
Library Alehouse

vegas532 · #13 06-07-2011, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_steak

Big thanks for the suggestions so far! This will come in really helpful.

As far as commuting, I think we'll stay close to the Silver Lake area based on the locations of places suggested so far.

Anyone know of some jam nights if I decide to lug my bass around?

The Baked Potato hosts an open jam night on Mondays. If you get lucky (because it does happen occasssionally), maybe ole' Danny Carey will man the drums.