From 3pm onwards, we had a bit of a party in Caseys Irish Bar on Grand Avenue.
Our event page on Facebook showed we would have about 10 or 12 people join us - a "drop in whenever you want" kind of get together and we were flabbergasted that so many LA friends came along and seemed to have a really good time too.
It was all day Happy Hour too.
Ed Roach announced his entrance by roaring "Where's that Scottish man" before engulfing The Beeb in a big bear hug. Considering they had never met before, that was some welcome.
Rory Litonjua brought along an acoustic guitar, so The Beeb, not being stage shy, did a few songs despite there being no amplification. He started off with "Be My Baby" which is a staple in his open mic repertoire in the UK, but brings different memories to some, one being Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford, who had a "oh no, not again" moment as the song started. Understandable, given that Brian Wilson used to play it non-stop!!!
The afternoon was filled with conversation and music and we will let the pictures tell the story. It was a bit surreal to have so much Brian Wilson and Beach Boys connections in the same room!!!
Our thanks to every one who made this afternoon/evening so special:
Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford, Daniel Rutherford, Bobby and Joanne Figueroa, David & Carrie Marks, Rex Broome, Christina Bulbenko, Domenic Priore, Becky Ebenkamp, Rory & Lina Litonjua, Ed Roach, Jenny & Scott Bennett, Alan Boyd,Valerie Despre, Evie Sands, David & Rina Bash, Glen Laughlin, Deborah Gee. What a party. Hope we get to "Do It Again" some time.
Ed Roach & The Beeb
Christina Bulbenko & Rax Broome (The Armoires) and The Beeb
The Beeb and Carrie Marks
The Beeb on stage
Rex Broome & Christina Bulbenko - The Armoires from Burbank
Jo Jo Figueroa & Ed Roach
Bobby Figueroa & Ed Roach
Bobby Figueroa & Ed Roach
Minty with Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford and Daniel Rutherford
The Beeb and Valerie Despre
Rex Broome & The Beeb
Minty & Jo Jo Figueroa
Jo Jo & Bobby Figueroa
Bobby & Jo Jo Figueroa re create their photo from the 80's
We were back down at L.A. Live again to meet Bobby and Jo-Jo for lunch. We got there a bit early and wandered around to see it in daylight.
The Beeb laments the loss of Trader Joes
When we were in L.A. in 2011, we had been to a Tiki bar called Trader Joes on Olympic Boulevard.
It has long since closed down and on the site now is a Mexican restaurant.
As an aside ,we did not actually get to any Tiki Bars we had planned to see in L.A. as they were closed.
Re-creating a photo we saw that Paul had taken of Ashley
Lunch was at The Yard House, a burger/steakhouse place where they also serve some beers in a yard long glass. Minty maintained dignity and just stuck to Bud!
Bobby and Jo Jo had arrived before us and had left a detailed description of us with the maitre dee that the second we walked in, the staff knew who we were. We felt like superstars! Apparently Bobby and Jo Jo described us perfectly. We are not sure if that is good or bad and we never found a out as we restrained ourselves from asking how they had described us!!!
It was a lovely lunch and even better to be able to spend time on a one/one basis with Bobby and JoJo. Their story is a fairy tale, ending in marriage and they are such a cute couple.
Time just flew past and before we knew it, it was 3pm and we had to be heading up the road to Caseys for the big get together.
The Beeb's torn tendon was a bit tender today and although our destination was only just under a mile away from the hotel (and downhill) in the L.A. Live area of Downtown L.A. we got a taxi to the Microsoft Theatre, which was hosting the Brian Setzer Orchestra and their Christmas Rocks! Tour.
Setzer does this tour with his Big Band every year and we very much doubt it would ever finds its way to our UK shores, on cost alone. Having the opportunity to see this show was, for former Rockabilly Minty, a dream come true. There was not enough time to sculpt a rockabilly quiff/beehive style hairdo though.
The actual show is reviewed in our gigging blog which you can see HERE but here are some photos to whet your appetite.
The Theatre itself is a big venue and is fairly flat although there is a bit of a slope that gives you half a chance to see the stage. However, with Brian Setzer, we found the US fans like to stand and watch the show so we spent the majority of the time on our feet (which was hard on The Beeb with his torn tendon).
The Theatre was also like a freezer, with the air-con turned up to 11 (and beyond) and we were absolutely frozen. The Beeb even put on the Brian Setzer T Shirt he had bought at the merch table to try and get a bit warmer!!!
Had it not been for the fact we had been seeing Brian Setzer, we would probably have left early.
L.A. Live was all Christmassy
We tried to get a taxi back to the hotel afterwards and picked the first cab in the line outside L.A. Live. The driver asked where we were going and when we told him the Omni, he quoted us $20. He was told to get lost as we had only paid $8 to get here so there was no way we were paying $20 for the same journey. The $8 had included the tip as well by the way!!
Eventually he caved in and we agreed a $10 fare and he got that with no extra tip. We noticed he did not run the meter either so he is obviously on the con.
Back at the hotel we spent the rest of the night in the hotel bar, The Noe.
The bar staff / servers are a bit scatty at the best of times, and it is pot luck once we ask for drinks if they actually arrive without needing to chase up on them. The number of times one server walked into the bar area, and looked like a rabbit in headlights as she remembered she was supposed to be getting us some drinks, was unbelievable!!!
We have been spending time here, getting a couple of beers as a nightcap on most nights and on occasions there has been a piano player / crooner Rik Bones and The Beeb has been having some good chats with him and comparing notes on songs they do.
Tonight he got up and accompanied Rik on a few songs. Check out the short videos below.
Two parts of Witicha Linesman, Proud Mary and Can't Take My Eyes Off You.
The fares are paid on a TAP card like our own London Oyster cards and every single trip on the same line costs $1.70, no matter how far you go (which is better than our oyster cards!).
We met Mike Schnee at 7th Street/Metro Centre and jumped on the Blue Line to Santa Monica.
We headed out of the subway station and down the hill, turned left and we were at Chez Jays. Since we were last in Santa Monica, it has been built up a bit and the open space that was once alongside the infamous bar among Beach Boys fans has been built on.
2011 and you could see the whole side of Chez Jays - today this area has been built on so you can only get photos at the front (below)
We spent a good couple of hours in the dimly lit Chez Jays, drinking beer and eating peanuts, throwing the shells on the floor. Such an enjoyable afternoon, where conversation never dried up.
Our booth
Here is the booth we had sat in, and the barman revealed to us that Bruce Johnston, from The Beach Boys had sat in the same booth just a couple of days before. Although we didn't think of Bruce as a bar person, Minty checked the Beach Boys tour dates and found they had finished their Christmas tour at the beginning of that week, so it is plausible timing wise as he would have been back in the area.
Afterwards, we wandered back to the pier area.
The pedestrian crossing area is manned by traffic cops, blowing their whistles and directing traffic - a first for us.
We had something to eat in a bar called Independence before we had to hit the road (or metro as it was) to get back to downtown and the Brian Setzer gig.
What a wonderful afternoon spent.
Before we got back on the Blue Line Metro back to DTLA
Chez Jays is an infamous Beach Boys linked location because it was the regular haunt of drummer Dennis Wilson, especially just before his untimely death in 1983. Hung on the walls are loads of photos of the stars who frequented this bar, and at the back there is a list of the celebrities. the bar has also been used recently as a film location for the American TV series "Goliath".
In the bar area, just next to Marilyn Monroe is this big print from Two Lane Blacktop, starring Dennis and also James Taylor
Table 10 at the back by the loos, offers a bit more privacy.
