The Sunset Strip Music Festival- Musical and Visual Nirvana

Entertainment — By Buddy Sampson on August 20, 2012 at 2:20 am

Cover photo- Marilyn Manson by Silvia Paveri. Inside Photo-Marilyn Manson and Ray Manzarek of The Doors. Both photos by Silvia Paveri. Visit her website at www.silviapaveri.com.

By Buddy Sampson

The Saturday offering of The Sunset Strip Music Festival was a smorgasbord of visual, sensual and musical delights. If you love music and partying, The Sunset Strip Music Festival was the place to be. Although I was a little under the weather and wish I would have felt better, even as a journalist, you had to marvel at everything the Festival had to offer. There were all kinds of food booths, a Gibson guitar signing booth, drinks and bars everywhere, mosh pits and more.

Although the primary focus of the Festival was rock, there was more than rock there. There was techno music, Soul, R&B and hip hop. De La Soul on the Monster Energy East stage was a big example of that and they turned it out, although they had to go against Bad Religion in the beginning of their set, who were performing on the West Stage at the same time. It presented a bit of a dilemma, super hard to make a choice.

Robby Krieger of The Doors performing with the Black Label Society. Photo by Silvia Paveri, www.silviapaveri.com.

Zakk Wylde-Black Label Society. Photo by Silvia Paveri, www.silviapaveri.com.

I caught Black Label Society, who were awesome! The guitarist, Zack Wylde dominated and did a few solo pieces that had the audience, including me, going crazy. In the middle of the audience, there was a mosh pit and I made careful pains not to get hit by the revelers. I did get paddled playfully, by a lovely stranger, but grabbed the paddle when it was getting close to parts that would have hurt. Ouch! I looked around for The Scoop LA’s photographer for the event, the lovely Silvia Paveri and finally found her. For a reason I can’t explain, she had a photo pass, but was not allowed in the photo pit where there was plenty of room. Despite that, she took some wonderful photos. We hope to work with her a lot more and hope that next year, she’ll be allowed in the pit, where we can get even better pictures of the amazing artists. Calls to the press people that handle the pit were not returned. What a shame.

Greg Graffin, lead singer, Bad Religion. Photo by Silvia Paveri, www.silviapaveri.com.

It was very hot outside and as I said previously, I wasn’t feeling too well, so after I found Silvia, I managed to catch the first part of Bad Religion’s set. The lead singer, Greg Graffin, took the stage and I have to admit, at first I thought he was another emcee. He looked as if he would be the moderator for convention in Vegas, with his polo shirt, rather than the lead singer of the popular group, but when he took the mike, he tore the stage down. They and he were awesome. By this time, I was feeling a little dizzy, so I decided to go to the Key Club and have that pizza and beer special they were advertising, so it would give me an opportunity to sit down. I caught Vicci Martinez’s set there, and she was nothing short of amazing. I also caught a little of True Press’s set, who started their set with a Rock/Reggae sort of thing. They were smooth, airy and interesting. But my back was killing me by that time and I still wasn’t feeling well, so I decided to make my way home.

Shelly Christine Scott and Misty. Photo by Buddy Sampson with a not so good camera phone!

Then I heard some more awesome music outside and decided to sit on the curb and just listen for a bit. Then the highlight of my night started. A lovely lady, model and designer, Shelley Christine Scott and her lovely friend Misty sat down next to me and as sick as I was, I decided to stay for a bit. While sitting with them, we people watched and saw the wonderful crosssection of all the different types of people there- ladies in corsets and wonderful outfits; guys so buffed they looked liked Incredible Hulks (the gym awaits me) and just an amazing visual treat. Shelly was elegantly dressed in a sun dress and lovely platform shoes. She and her friend Misty conducted an impromptu butt cheek contest in which they judged how much butt cheek was showing from all the ladies walking by, that were wearing tight shorts. There were many winners, trust me. Shelly had me laughing so hard, my stomach was hurting. She was a lot of fun and I hope she’ll consider being a Ms. Scoop so you’ll know more about her. But I had to leave- fever and chills took over. I hated I missed Marilyn Manson’s set, but he did a few songs with The Doors that seemed to be an unusual combination, according to Silvia Paveri. Silvia was impressed with Manson and said he changed his look and clothes many times during his 1 hour and 15 minute set. Among his songs were “Hey Cruel World,” “The Dope Show,” and “Pistol Whipped.” The songs he did with The Doors (with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger) were “People Are Strange,” “Love Me Two Times,” and “Five To One.”

The Sunset Strip Music Festival was organized well. There was so much to do, it was impossible to see it all and virtually impossible to not have a fantastic time. There was the West Stage, that featured Dead Sara, Black Label Society, Bad Religion, The Offspring and Marilyn Manson. There was the Monster Energy East Stage that had The Mowgli’s, T. Mills, De La Soul, Far East Movement and Steve Aoki. Then at the Roxy they had a ton of bands. At the Whisky they had Leif Garrett, the Untouchables, Beowulf and others. Then there was the Key Club with even more bands. Not to mention the Close To Home Stage and the Plush Lounge stage. Wow!

Readers, you must find a way to attend the Festival next year. You will be glad you attended. It’s an experience you won’t forget. True musical nirvana! Special thanks to the Sunset Strip Music Festival press and to the lovely Silvia Paveri for contributing and providing all the photos for this article. Visit her website at www.silviapaveri.com.