Dispatches from Sunset Junction

It wasn’t even that big a flub. Poppy boy/girl group Castledoor had a slight musical miscue during “The Birds and the Fleas,” their opening number at Silver Lake’s Sunset Junction street fair Saturday afternoon, and lead singer Nate Cole wasn’t having it. “Normally, I would just roll with it, but this is Sunset Junction,” Cole said as he brought the music to a halt. “And we’re going to give it all we’ve got.” Heck, they even brought a bubble machine.

What began 28 years ago as a free neighborhood mixer, an attempt to connect longtime Latino residents and their newer gay and lesbian neighbors, is now, well ... let's just say its official schedules came festooned with logos from the likes of VitaminWater and Season 4 of "The Office." This year, tens of thousands crowded into the five block stretch of Sunset Boulevard to avail themselves of three stages of nonstop bands, a handful of carnival rides, shooting galleries and, of course, many, many opportunities to shop.

The fair, which started Saturday morning and ends tonight, still draws heavily from the surrounding area, but Toto, we’re not in 1980 anymore. To wit, the Sotheby’s Realty booth and ATMs dotting the landscape. Friends found each other by screaming into cellphones, “I’m under the Red Bull tent. I’M. UNDER. THE. RED. BULL. TENT,” and a buzzing plane dragged a banner declaring Coors the world’s most refreshing beer over festival airspace.

Grumblings over the $20 entrance fee appeared to have thinned the crowd slightly, but many came in the spirit of the old days. Ricky Enriquez, Scott Peck and Daniel Poynter, beating the heat decked out in shorts and matching shirtlessness, drove up from Signal Hill. Thirty-one-year-old Enriquez has been coming on and off since he was 18. “Long Beach has gay pride, but not like this,” he said. “This is a carnival.”

Indeed, there were flamenco dancers, artists concocting live paintings and one pirate on stilts. There were African masks, vintage clothes and Ricky Martin bags really selling the time travel theme of the store for 826LA, the nonprofit founded by author Dave Eggers. The Hep Team did a surprisingly brisk business doling out free hepatitis A and B vaccines. In fact, healthcare providers were out in force, tackling crystal meth addiction, offering Narcotics Anonymous, addressing AIDS or simply getting the word out on any number of clinics, leading one to conclude that Silver Lake is one of our healthiest, most aware communities ... or that you might want to stay out of the port-o-potties.

Meanwhile, families pushed strollers or chaperoned adolescents sporting unnatural hair colors and Obama pins (political diversity, the one variety not so much on display). In this part of town, though, even the most innocuous little darlings turn out to be shilling for the Derby Dolls. Then there was St. Mother Mary, a lovely bearded gentleman in a nun’s costume, on hand to spread the good vibes. “Have fun, live in the now,” he explained. Later, another pair of souls mingled encased entirely in slick black leather, dog collars and canine masks, graciously stopping to take photos with all who asked. Like Hollywood Boulevard's superheroes, but so much more locally appropriate.

The costuming didn't stop there. The Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce's green committee took turns dressing up as the Bag Monster, a braided mass of plastic bags. “I heard it needs to be aired out a little bit,” committee member Michelle Yahn said as she gave it just a moment before donning the get-up. Still, it’s a cause important enough to stink for. “Why is this not a green event?” Yahn lamented. “There’s 100,000 people drinking beer out of plastic cups here.”

As much as the beer, however, they came for the music. “Twenty dollars to get in, $10 to park and $7 for beer. It’s hard because I don’t make a lot of money,” said Kelly Lavery, 24, who came for headliners Cold War Kids. “But I love my music. I’ll just buy one less pack of cigarettes next week.”

As the event progressed Saturday, the crowd flowed freely, in a sampling sort of mood.

Word must have spread about Arthur Adams’ gold lame shirt and shiny purple pants. That or his funky blues down on the R&B-driven Hoover stage, because by the time he got around to covering “Land of a Thousand Dances,” he’d summoned listeners from all corners, some in cocktail dresses, some in oversized T-shirts and couldn’t be bothered shorts.

At the world music-flavored Sanborn stage, everybody was induced to move by Cava’s very L.A. mix of salsa, Afro-beat, ska and rock. “If you live in Los Angeles, you can’t help but be influenced by all these sounds,” said frontwoman Claudia Gonzalez. “I knew people would be open-minded and relate.” As if to prove her point, some of her most ardent salsa dancers scampered directly over to the main stage to sway and indie newcomers the Entrance Band.

Even though co-headliners Broken Social Scene had a few technical snafus — dead mics, screeching monitors — as far as their crowd was concerned they could do no wrong. Though Canadian in many ways, they were welcomed like local boys made good.

“Our first gig ever was at the Silverlake Lounge,” singer Kevin Drew told the crowd. “So this means a lot.” And so it went, from “Pacific Theme,” their big horn-laden instrumental, to their closing catharsis.

“This is about letting it all go. It’s called therapy,” Drew said from the stage. “I know you know about it -- you’re from California.” In response, a crescendo of deafening screams rang out. And then he got the crowd to do it again. And again and again.

Backstage, Drew said the group had turned down touring Europe this summer so they could travel the U.S., playing festivals and encouraging audiences to vote. “I personally think that’s why we’re a band,” he said. As for Sunset Junction's balmy SoCal-style intimacy, "It's beautiful," he said.

-- Mindy Farabee

Photo of Dylan Nolte of Costa Mesa and Rebecca Baker of London at the Sunset Junction street fair by Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Fredster]

Who cares what random people were wearing at the festival? more music, less fashion, please.

[Golden Gate resident]

I say keep raising the prices. The traffic was the best I've ever seen it. And not a lot of drunk fair goers yelling below my window at 1 am. I didn't even have to leave town. There's just not as much foot traffic as previously.

I won't support it because of the ticket prices and direction of the fair. I use to go every year but not anymore.

[Music Fan]

Definitely NOT worth the money this year--Sister Nancy was 40 minutes late and then performed (not very well) for a grand total of 20 minutes. I realize that the fesitval is for a good cause--and I hope and assume that most of the funds do go for charitable purposes--but I was definitely disappointed. They will have to have a stellar lineup next year to tempt me to return--preferably with performers who take their opportunity to appear at the festival more seriously.

[Terrance S.]

I've been going to the SJ festival for nearly 20 years and I can say, without a doubt, this was definitely my last one! The ridiculous $20 entrance fee aside, the "volunteers and cashiers" were just plain rude and extremely unprofessional. Nazis I tell you! The layout was baffling to say the least. I guess in an attempt to collect every possible dime, several of the business along Sunset Blvd. were cordoned off from the festival by a covered fence. Were they afraid that a few patrons would enter the stores at the rear and then file out into the fest? Hmmmmm. The musical acts were hit and miss. Jean Carne, bless her heart, was quite dreadful. Kim Hill on the other hand, was a revelation. The festival has lost it's uniqeness and flair. Where were all the tattooed cholos that you were sure to see? Drag queens? Nary a one in sight. I saw maybe one or two spiked hair punk rockers when in past years there would be hundreds. I think that the $20 admission fee is far too steep. And the help should be trained to be more professonal and friendly. Until that happens, SJ will have at least one less attendee.

[DPW1227]

As a Silver Lake resident of more than 20 yrs and remembering the original theme and premise of the Sunset Junction, I am dismayed that it is no longer a neighborhood event, bringing together the diverse Asian, Latino and Gay/Lesbian populations. How many young families in the 'hood can afford $20 for a street festival? Yeah the music was good but $7 for a gyro? $4 for water?

Who is celebrating what?

[Erik]

Sunset Junction is almost officially dead.

[StevieZ]

Is Mindy Farabee an example of the level of reporting we're going to be treated to now that Chicago owns the LA Times?

There is something so profoundly sad about what has happened to Sunset Junction. When Rodney King said "Why can't we all just get along?" we were already doing it every year at Sunset Junction. It was a small miracle the way everyone just walked side by side, ate bad food, and bought stuff they didn't need. It wasn't a music festival. It was a block party that had music; the music helped bring us together.

Why couldn't Mindy have at least tried to answer the question: Where does the $20 fee go? Why did it go up so high? How many attendees actually were locals?

Mindy, go back to Journalism school. Sunset Junction, go back to being about Silver Lake.

[lanative]

I will never be going back after 20 years the last 2 have been the worst. The extortion I mean the entry fee is way to much. I did not see any neighbors or friends most boycotting what has become a divisive event which bills itself as inclusive only if you have$. Locals lets take back our fair by creating a new one which works with localshops and without hesitation willingly open the books to whichever non-profit is chosen. Sunset junction street fair is no longer it is strictly a cash cow for it's one and only one I am not talking about it's supposed non-profit org.

[Gnarls]

Thank God for the free vitaminWater, thanks Citybeat for the teeshirt - $20 is a bargain!

[Lucy]

I've been going to Sunset Junction for over 15 years now and simply cannot understand why they've crowded all the vendors and stages into about 1/2 the space while leaving blocks on Sunset (at least 3 or 4 blocks all the way up to Edgecliff) a complete wide-open no man's land. The crowds in & around the stages & vendors were just dangerous later on both days --- too many people, too little space. They started with this new (idiotic) lay-out last year & it sucked then & it sucks now. Spread the whole thing out, use all the space & it would be a much nicer experience. Like it used to be.

[Lisa]

I will never EVER go again to SJ. It was the worst festival I've ever been to. I dragged my poor husband to SJ in hopes that it would be fun like back in the old days. I was walking out of a beer garden with a cup of water and a security guard grabbed me by my arm and told me I couldn't leave the area with it. I explained to him that it was water and he yelled at me in spanish! I yelled back to him that it was "agua!" and he said, "so what!" I turned around and tossed my cup into the trash right next to him. It was WATER! Oh, and what was up with all the police officers standing next to the game booths? There were only two good things about SJ- the surprisingly clean port-a-potties(BECAUSE THERE WAS HARDLY ANYONE THERE!!!) AND walking back to our car after only being there for 2 hours. What a waste of money & time.

[Woody]

Rebecca and Dylan, the coolest cats in Miaow Town!

[dorit]

Contact Councilmember Eric Garcetti:

councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org

The Street Fair needs to return to its original footprint, include the actual Sunset Junction and work better with the community - or else the community should and will simply deny the organizers the right to hold the fair.

All or nothing. Period.

[Dan]

Sunset Junction is a joke. People...the simple reason that Michael reduced the fair to its current footprint is that it cut GOOD and all the other Restaurant/Bars out of the festivities....the current layout is the most efficient in limiting the number of food and alcoholic competitors.

I have a business in the junction...and I remember well when Ron first started his Beer Garden...Michael literally had Ron's Access fenced off and Ron had to threaten legal action to have entry to his OWN BUSINESS. Loosing that battle and the increased competition from the restaurant/bars cutting into Michael's funds is what led to this new layout.

We brought this point up at a "friendly" meeting that Garcetti's office arranged between Junction shopowners and festival representatives when it was first implemented. Michael didn't bother to show up at the meeting and had sent two young guys who buy into his bull "money for the community argument" and they freaked out when hit with the question of the elimination of the competing alcohol vendors. Garcetti's rep dumbly sat there...business owners went OMG....and of course nothing happened.

Until Garcetti and the council grow a pair and shut down this sham of a community festival....people outside of Silver Lake will continue to come over here and have a truly NOT SILVER LAKE "Silver Lake Bohemian" fair experience. The Junction is DEAD....the principles and purpose of the festival tossed in the trash for the benefit of the almighty dollar. There is no community representation at the festival....its a corporate sponser hell hole.

We just closed this year...we pay taxes - we are part of the group that rebuilt the Junction - we are here year round....and people cannot even drive to our business or park on the junction weekend...we don't even get the benefit of exposure to festival goers by being in the grounds....

Such BS.