Image, attitude and snarl at the Sunset Strip Music Fest

Last night the Sunset Strip Music Festival started off with a bang as Everclear, L.A. Guns, Soul Asylum and several other bands including Camper Van Beethoven rocked the House of Blues and the Whisky.

Tribune Co. sister Metromix was the co-sponsor of the brand-new three-night fest that continues tonight with the likes of Juliette Lewis, Hot Hot Heat, Slash and others playing at historic West Hollywood venues like the Roxy and the Viper Room, to name a few.

But last night there was a definite generation gap between the '80s pre-grunge acts at the House of Blues and the glam rock over at the Whisky. Regardless of how well Camper Van Beethoven switched gears from nostalgic to trippy to funny to Pink Floydian, or how well Soul Asylum blasted out their hits (some, like "Frustrated Incorporated," are sing-alongs today), the more fitting celebration of the Strip was in the quasi-metal screeching out at the Whisky.

It doesn't matter if you've never heard of Tattooed Millionaire or never seen L.A. Guns in person before: They were the epitome of the "hair metal" glory days of the Sunset Strip, back when the action was happening at Gazarri's, the Rainbow, the Whisky and the Roxy -- and most of it was covered in leather, fishnets or Aqua Net.

Last night Tattooed Millionaire with their pretty-boy guitarist, bare chests, sex-drugs-and-rock-n-roll lyrics and fawning fans in miniskirts exemplified the Hollywood scene that, thankfully, hasn't completely died yet. The lack of musical talent or prowess or inspiration mattered not. Like many things in this fine city, it was all about image, attitude and snarl.

-- Post and photos by Tony Pierce

Photos of night one...

Camper Van Beethoven :

Soul Asylum:

Sign at the Whisky's ticket window delivering bad news to some (and good news to others):

Tattooed Millionaires:

L.A. Guns:

Fans at the Whisky:

Comments

[Ali]

I like how the LA Guns were still "Healining" sans D.