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HARD LUCK WOMEN

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PRISS

YOU WANTED THE BEST (KISS TRIBUTE BAND), YOU GOT THE BEST: PRISS AT VIPER ROOM, NOVEMBER 14

PRISS-BASSHey, Iron Maidens, we’ve found the perfect band should the female Maiden cover group ever decide to start its own Metalpalooza festival: PRISS, a face-painted, leather-costumed, hard-rockin’ KISS tribute band that is fronted by four fierce female rockers.

The L.A. band, which certifiably kicks ass — check ’em out here — will be heading to the Sunset Strip on Friday, November 14, to bring the hits from one of the greatest rock bands on the planet to the Viper Room. The 21-and-over show also features two more really good local bands that are definitely worth checking out: Spirit in the Room and Breaking Arrows.


Even the “God of Thunder” himself, Gene Simmons, has given PRISS a seal of approval, featuring the band on Family Jewels last year, when Shannon Tweed joined PRISS on stage as “Queen Simmons.”


The ladies of PRISS not only prove that KISS’ famous costumes — and various incarnations of them — look even better on a sexy-edgy all-female band, they are also remarkable musicians that rock just as hard as the ground-breaking, multi-platinum group that inspired them.

PRISS-3PRISS is comprised of starry-eyed guitarist-vocalist Doll Stanley (Moa Henriksson); darling demon bassist-vocalist and “Goddess of Thunder,” Jean Simone (Andrea Zermeno); spacey lead six-string slinger Lace Frehley (Jennifer Paro); and foxy feline drummer Luda Criss (Judy Cocuzza).

Viper Room is located in the heart of West Hollywood, at 8852 Sunset Boulevard at Larrabee. Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are only $10. (Seriously, $10!) Get tickets and more information here.

The only reason you can possibly have for missing PRISS on the Sunset Strip is that you’re laid up in a KISS Kasket! See you at the show!

Photos: prissarmy.com

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SAINTS OF SUNSET

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Warner-Drive
WARNER DRIVE TO HEADLINE CITY OF ANGELS RECORD RELEASE SHOW AT SUNSET STRIP’S VIPER ROOM NOV. 8

Warner DriveAs far as Hollywood buzz bands go, they don’t get much better than Warner Drive. The hard rocking fivesome has been tirelessly shaking up the Sunset Strip for a couple years now before recently taking some time off the club scene to record new material.

Local fans will get a live taste of the new stuff when Warner Drive hits up the Viper Room on November 8 for a headlining gig at the iconic rock club. The band’s return to the Sunset Strip is to celebrate the long awaited release of WD’s new album, City of Angels.

As expected, the band does not disappoint with City of Angels, which includes 10 solid tracks featuring WD’s newer club staples and brand spankin’ new material.

City of AngelsCity of Angels, which officially dropped September 9, kicks off with “Rising From the Fallen,” a full-throttle, Sabbathy hard rock anthem that Disturbed would have killed to have recorded. We think the late, great Dio would give this track two devil’s horns up.

The album starts off very strong and never lets up, seguing to the title track, “City of Angels,” which is the coolest L.A. anthem to surface from a Sunset Strip-launched band since Motley Crue‘s “Saints of Los Angeles.”

“Radio Love Song” echoes with ’80s-metal-style harmonies and is the most radio-ready and badass sing-along track since WD’s signature jam “The Scarecrow.” Likewise, the band’s new single “Boys N’ Girls” is another killer original rock song that would have fit comfortably on any early Skidrow or Dokken album.

SAMSUNGAlso on the new release, frontman Jonny Law and crew — guitarists Candice Levinson and Ryan Harris, bassist Elvis James and drummer Jonny U — switch gears from party rock to get political and bust some strings on the catchy, hard-rocking “West Memphis Three.”

“King of Swing” is standard Warner Drive: mercilessly melodic chorus, scorching guitars and a solid rhythm section that kicks this tune into overdrive and should blow the roof off of the Viper Room on November 8.

Also, considering that WD has already immortalized Viper Room in one of its best songs, expect Warner Drive to deliver a particularly scorching version of “Viper Room.”

Viper Room is located in the heart of the Strip at 8852 West Sunset Boulevard. The show starts at 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, or $15 with a copy of City of Angels. Lose Control and Kicking Harold are also on the bill. Get ticket details here.

LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN' NEWS

GET THE PARTY STARTED

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VIPER ROOM FINALLY REACHES DRINKING AGE

Viper RoomLandmark Sunset Strip rock club The Viper Room celebrates its 21st anniversary this month as one of the city’s best venues for live shows. To mark the milestone, from August 11 to 16, The Viper Room, at 8852 Sunset Boulevard, is hosting a week of special shows featuring an electric and eclectic mix of music, including an all-star salute to classic rock. Check out the details here.

Great acoustics, fantastic sight lines from anywhere in the club, comfy vibe and an always awesome roster of diverse rock-oriented artists has kept Viper Room one of Sunset and Clark’s favorite hot spots on the Strip since we first stepped foot in the club not too long after it first opened its doors. Here’s some of our favorite Viper Room moments from the first 21 years…

Warner DriveFAVORITE SHOW BY A LOCAL ACT:

After randomly stumbling upon Warner Drive one night during a multi-band bill a few years ago, the Hollywood rockers immediately became–and remain–our favorite local band. And we made that decision before the band was done with its first song.

 

Big B

FAVORITE SHOW BY A NATIONAL ACT:

Bryan “Big B” Mahoney in 2012. The hip-hoppin’ white trash renegade rocked the Viper Room hardcore with nothing but a mic, a kick-ass three-piece band and an arsenal of redneck party anthems. The set still has us baffled as to why B isn’t bigger than Kid Rock yet.

 


Extra FancyBEST VIPER ROOM MOMENT:

Checking out a multi-band bill in the mid-Nineties and watching singer-songwriter Brian Grillo (right), frontman of legendary, in-your-face, Silver Lake-launched homocore band Extra Fancy, literally drop his mic mid-show and jump off the Viper Room stage before a packed crowd to chase a heckling homophobe right out of the club!

 

 

anthony-kiedis

 

FAVORITE ROCK STAR SIGHTING:

The time we turned and noticed that the guy standing next to us at the back of the club nodding his head to the music at a random show was one of our all-time favorite artists, Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis.

 

 

 

GN'R

COOLEST VIPER ROOM SHOW EVER:

In what was probably the hardest rockin’ show since Guns N’ Roses used to rock Sunset, Viper Room regulars the Lonely Drunks Club Band celebrated the 25th anniversary of Appetite for Destruction in 2012 by inviting the vocalists for some of L.A.’s best bands, including Brando’s Island and GN’R tribute band Hollywood Roses, to front the mic on a track-by-track cover set paying homage to the hits-packed metal classic. Axl would approve.

 

 

Viper Room - David FloresMOST INDELIBLE IMPRESSION:

In addition to bringing in some of our favorite national acts and introducing us to great local bands like Warner Drive and Lonely Drunks Club Band, The Viper Room has also helped to hype some very cool visual artists whose original work has adorned the club’s exterior over the years, including our faves David Flores and Becca.

 

never-the-brideMOST SURREAL ROCK MOMENT:

If we weren’t there to witness it, we wouldn’t have believed it when then-newly signed Atlantic artists Never the Bride performed a record release show for the British band’s 1995 self-titled major label debut that included a powerful cover of “Going to California” that was indisputably on par with Led Zeppelin‘s untouchable original.

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‘BETTY’ TURNS 20

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HELMET HIGHLIGHTS ’94 CLASSIC AT VIPER ROOM JULY 11

Hard rock fans will be getting a healthy serving of “Milquetoast” on July 11, when Helmet hits up the Sunset Strip to rock Viper Room with a special performance of Betty in its entirety.

The New York hard rockers are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Helmet’s critically acclaimed 1994 rock classic, which also includes the timeless tracks “Vaccination,” “Wilma’s Rainbow” and “Biscuits for Smut.”

In addition to performing Betty track-for-track, Page Hamilton and crew will likely crank out some of the band’s other amp-shaking killer classics, like “Exactly What You Wanted,” “Unsung,” “Gone,” “See You Dead” and the title track to the band’s latest release, 2010’s Seeing Eye Dog.

Joining band founder and frontman Hamilton in Helmet’s current line up is guitarist Dan Beeman, drummer Kyle Stevenson and bassist Dave Case.

Viper Room is located at 8852 Sunset. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Check Viper Room’s calendar for ticket details.

 

 

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CLASSIC METAL

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BULLET BOYS, L.A. GUNS TO ROCK SUNSET

We were walking down Sunset this evening sulking from neglecting to get tickets to see metal gods Metallica play L.A. in May when we spotted the Whisky‘s marquee and two words made us feel better right away: Hollywood Roses, the best GN’R tribute band around will be rocking the Whisky ion February 9.

Then two more words smacked us upside the head: Bullet Boys – on February 15! That, naturally, was followed by another two words: Hell yeah!

The best of late ’80s/early ’90s metal is slicing its way right back to the Sunset Strip and to that we raise our Bic lighters high!

Fellow L.A. rock refugees James Hetfield and Metallica will also be playing L.A. soon, when the iconic band rightfully receives the Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award at rock mag Revolver‘s Golden Gods Awards Show at Downtown L.A.’s intimate-sized Club Nokia on May 2.

Also set to perform is Five Finger Death Punch, Dillinger Escape Plan and a bunch of other awesome bands. Tickets to this rockin’ once-in-a-lifetime event, unfortunately, are astronomical — plus, they’re general admission!

Catching Hollywood Roses and Bullet Boys at Whisky is definitely an awesome backup plan. Plus, with all the ca$h we’re saving by skipping the Golden Gods event, here’s all the other Sunset Strip shows we’ll be checkin’ out in the next couple of months:

Warner Drive @ Viper Room • Feb. 6 (and 13, 20 and March 1)

Fall Out Boy @ Roxy • Feb. 7

Lonely Drunks Club Band @ Viper Room • Feb. 8

Fan Halen (authentic down to the spandex Van Halen tribute band) @ Viper Room • Feb. 9

Buckcherry @ Viper Room • March 7-9

L.A. Guns @ Whisky • March 23  

Lizzie Borden @ Whisky • April 13 (Celebrating 30 years of metal!)

Dizzy Reed @ Hookers &a Blow @ Whisky • May 7, 14, 21 & 28

We’re also lookin’ forward to checking out Buckcherry’s support act Cherri Bomb again at Viper Room. OK, we admit we initially cast them off as a Runaways knock off awhile back…but that was when we were drunk and before catching them live and seeing the ladies rock the hell outta the Strip at last summer’s SSMF. Check out some rockin’ anthems below from the band’s that will keep alive the Sunset Strip’s enviable rep as the global anchor of authentic kick-ass rock and roll.

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SUNSET DRIVE

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WARNER DRIVE TAKES OVER VIPER ROOM

Sunset Strip rock refugees Warner Drive are returning to the Viper Room in February and March with four shows that are sure to officially rock the roof off the joint.

Awhile back, when Sunset and Clark first stumbled — and we do mean stumbled, following drinks at Rainbow — upon Warner Drive at Viper Room and witnessed, through bloodshot eyes, the band crank up its signature jam, “All by Myself,” it took us all of 10 seconds into the addictive rocker to proclaim them the best Sunset Strip band since Guns N’ Roses.

Now, as Warner Drive —  JonnyLaw, Candice Levinson, Ryan Harris, Jonny Udell and Elvis James — are steering their way back to the comfy confines of the band’s unofficial Sunset Strip home base, it’s hard to believe that these arena-worthy mofos haven’t yet headlined Staples considering that the VR shows are celebrating these local legends’ 10-year anniversary.

Warner Drive, however, is working on its follow-up to the band’s fantastic full-length sophomore release of original songs, 2011’sK-Go!, and considering that the band debuted a dynamite new tune, “King of Swing,” at a recentHouse of Blues show (right), you can likely expect to hear some more cool new tunes!

The band’s Jan. 30 warm up show at the Viper Room in anticipation of WD’s month-long Wednesday night residency sold out quickly. Get tickets and more deets about WD’s Feb. 6 to March 1 takeover of Viper Room here. Plus, advance tickets are only $10, but a still-cheap $12 at the door. (But trust us, there likely won’t be any left!)

Rock out to “Viper Room'” Warner Drive’s sonic salute to the iconic Sunset Strip club, from the band’s debut, Loaded, below. See you at the shows!

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L.A. Woman

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Becca

STREET ARTIST BECCA MIDWOOD ART-BOMBS WEHO & LEAVES BEHIND SEXY HIPPIE CHICKS READY FOR THEIR CLOSE UP

Austin-based artist Becca Midwood has been busy over the past few months art-bombing her way across the country, gifting cities with some very cool original art, including the large, colorful painting above, which we discovered recently in West Hollywood. The colorful life-size foxy lady covers a door on a shop across the street from the legendary Troubadour, near Santa Monica Boulevard and Doheny.

SAMSUNGWe spotted another original piece by Becca earlier in the summer, when we posted about her smokin’-hot hand-painted art that still adorns the side wall of the Sunset Strip’s Viper Room. Other work — both street art and murals commissioned by the Viper Room — have covered the wall on Larrabee Street over the past few months, but Becca’s sexy image of a scantily clad rocker chick and her tattooed pink pal have remained untouched. Today, it sits beneath a huge mural of ex-Viper Room owner Johnny Depp. Check it out below.

See more of Becca’s L.A. area creations at Unearth Street Art and check out her interview with The Hundreds for the stories that influenced her hip and sexy pop art.

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Johnny, Are You There?

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Depp

VIPER ROOM ATTEMPTS TO LURE JOHNNY DEPP BACK TO SUNSET WITH FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN & ROCKIN’ RETRO MURAL

West Hollywood’s world-famous rock joint Viper Room is turning — wait for it…20 years old next year! Two decades! In L.A., 20 years practically qualifies you for the senior special at the local Denny’s. Where did the time ago?!

DeppTo celebrate the 2013 milestone, the Viper Room team is hoping to lure back the hot spot’s famous former co-owner Johnny Depp to partake in festivities and possibly break some strings again jamming on the VR stage.

Expectedly, a “Bring Johnny Back” Facebook campaign has been launched in hopes of getting the superstar actor-musician back on the Strip.

“The goal of this page is to bring back our beloved founder for a special ceremony honoring the Viper Room’s continuing legacy,” writes the VR crew on the page, where they promise “to celebrate with a year’s worth of amazing shows and special events highlighting the best of the best bands and artists who have graced our stage.”

As of Nov. 30, the Facebook page had approximately 750 likes, including SunsetandClark’s. Let’s hope it happens!

Check out Depp and opening night headliner Tom Petty talking about the Viper Room’s 1993 debut on the Sunset Strip, below.

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Vipertallica

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METAL UP YOUR…EAR?

Sunset Strip hot spot Viper Room plastered its side wall, on Larrabee, with a cool new Metallica-inspired graphic Friday night. We don’t know yet what the new Club Lee Roy event, happening at VR on September 28, is going to entail nor what type of music will be shakin’ the woofers. But judging solely on the logo’s salute to Metallica, it already sounds quite promising.

Check back to SunsetandClark.com for upcoming details on the new event.

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Bringin’ Out the Big ‘Guns’

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REVIEW: VIPER ROOM’S APPETITE TRIBUTE SATIATES GN’R FANS

Last night, it felt like the Viper Room froze July 1987 in time. The GN’R tribute show was far superior to the show Axl Rose and his GN’R Part Deux gave at the Forum a few months back. The Room rocked with a great house band, the awesome Lonely Drunks Club Band (right) and six different singers from L.A.’s hottest local bands.

It was also very cool to spot members of our favorite L.A. band, Warner Drive, including frontman Jonny Law and bassist Elvis James, checking out the show.

In addition to the kick-ass Lonely Drunks Club Band, Brando’s Island (left) really stood out in the night’s multiband lineup and had the place groovin’ to a fantastic set of original tunes before frontman Brandon Wardell later grabbed the mic during the GN’R tribute for a couple more powerhouse performances.

Throughout the tight set of spot-on covers of classics like “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Wardell and the various singers chatted between songs about how GN’R’s major label debut changed their lives, including one who said he was 10 when the album dropped! Another mentioned that he was 12 when Appetite debuted! Doh!

Despite how great all of the Axl imitators were, it’s doubtful anyone on stage can remember what Rose looked like before the Botox and cornrows.

But they all perfectly captured W.A.R.’s vocal inflections, held the mic the same way, whipped their hair back and forth like him and, of course, when the band did “Paradise City,” the ENTIRE ROOM broke into the serpentine dance. It was a very cool, fun Spinal Tap-like experience.

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Guns N’ Roses Return to Sunset…Sorta

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GN’R Return to Sunset…Sorta

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VIPER ROOM CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION 

If you’re a fan of the original Guns N’ Roses — you know from the Appetite for Destruction/Sunset strip days, when they were awesome — then there is nowhere else to be tonight, July 20, than the Viper Room! The iconic club is hosting a multi-band lineup to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Appetite! Yep, it’s been 25 years since Axl and the guys launched their superstar career from the Sunset Strip.

Tonight’s Viper Room lineup includes Inside the Black, Coma, Brando’s Island and, performing Appetite in its entirety, the Lonely Drunks Club Band. Plus, there will be special surprise guests. We’re crossing our skull-ringed fingers that at least one of those guests is either Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy or Steven! (OK, hell, we’d even be happy to see Matt and/or Dizzy. But please, no lame GN’R newbies!)

Guns N’ Roses’ full-length studio album debut actually dropped on July 21, 1987, but with the Lonely Drunks Club Band likely rocking past the midnight hour, it’s all good!

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and cover is a cheap-o $15 at the door. Tonight is gonna rock for sure.

And if you’re an L.A.-based diehard GN’R fan but don’t plan on being at the Viper Room tonight, well, you’re crazy, hey, hey. You know you’re crazy, oh my! You’re f**kin’ crazy, oh child. You know you’re crazy Ay,ay,ay,ay,ay,ay,ah,ah,ah,oooh, yeah!

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Livin’ It Up

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L.A.’S WARNER DRIVE IS ON CRUISE CONTROL TO ROCK STARDOM

Sunset and Clark is stoked to see that one of our favorite local bands, Warner Drive, is starting to get the rockin’ recognition they deserve.

The Hollywood band has rocked the Sunset Strip from one end to the other, supporting its debut, Fully Loaded, and 2011’s K-Go with headlining gigs at every hot spot from Viper Room to Key Club, along with last year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival. And frontman Jonny Law (right) and the group have tirelessly toured the country with popular artists like CKY, Hinder and Jet.

Law and bandmates Elvis James on bass, smokin’-hot shredder Candice Levinson, guitarist Ryan Harris and drummer Jonny U and their DIY drive have amassed a loyal L.A. fanbase with awesome Warner Drive originals like “Stand Up,” “All By Myself,” “Livin’ it Up,” and “Radio Love Song.”

The band’s SRO shows have become rockin’ sing-alongs, and as their fanbase continues to grow, their concerts are becoming loud audience participation events. The energy and sonic assault of WD’s club shows, including its recent stop at the Roxy earlier this month, are destined to soon push the band from the Strip into the global spotlight.

Warner Drive is giving locals another shot at catching their live show with a headlining gig at the Sunset Strip’s Viper Room on July 13, with the equally rockin’, Soundgarden-like Lady Sinatra opening the show. (We hope WD invite the stripper from their June 1 Roxy gig back to the stage!) The Viper Room show is among the final local concerts before WD embarks on its first European tour in August.

Check out WD’s rockin’ salute to the Sunset strip in the “Scarecrow” video.

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Remembering River

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Viper Room

SIDEWALK TALK

Nearly 20 years after River Phoenix died on the sidewalk outside of West Hollywood’s Viper Room, fans still leave tributes to the late actor-musician at the infamous site. The former Aleka’s Attic frontman and iconic young star of My Own Private Idaho and Stand By Me was 23 when he overdosed on Oct. 30, 1993.

Every year in late October, the walkway in front of the rock club is beset with candles, photos, hand-witten notes and other memorials. A fading graffitti message, shown above, is scrawled on the pavement outside the venue’s side entrance.