December 12, 2016 — There was a time the mention of the words Los Angeles conjured images of rock ‘n’ roll. Somewhere along the way, it has since all just about gone away. They say rock has gone away as well; people only listening to the old. Sure, I have old bands and artists I love, but I don’t, indeed I can’t, live in the past. I know many people of my vintage who want to slow down, retire they call it; many are part-retired now. Me? I want re-invent, always. I suppose that’s why I get so excited when there’s new music. Sure, there are old bands with new albums out, huge bands, and perhaps I’ll get around to listening to those, but I really do listen, almost exclusively, to new stuff. My favorite rock band of recent years is no secret: The Pretty Reckless. So I was really excited and hopeful for the impact of Los Angeles since The Pretty Reckless’ last show of this leg of their tour in support of their third album was set to wrap on December 6, 2016, in Los Angeles. Come on, Los Angeles, host well – those were my thoughts.

I saw The Pretty Reckless in 2014 in a small Los Angeles venue sold at best to half capacity. The back-up band played their hearts out, mentioning the state of rock. They talked about how Los Angeles used to mean rock ‘n’ roll, how Los Angeles should still. They literally begged the tiny audience to get the word out, to try to reinvent the meaning of Los Angeles. But I doubted that would work because the audience then largely consisted of girls where were once fans of the band’s singer’s former tv career. I feared they would leave her, seeing as girls aren’t really the primary audience for rock, and The Pretty Reckless’ music is serious rock. And Los Angeles? Los Angeles radio never plays The Pretty Reckless. Indeed, I wonder how their songs ever reached number one on the rock charts; The Pretty Reckless have had four number ones, but nothing on Los Angeles radio.

Fast forward two years.

With a different warm up act also playing their hearts out, on December 6, 2016, a similar sized venue, the Mayan Theater in downtown Los Angeles, was at full capacity, the audience a mix of ages and backgrounds. My greatest hope was that this audience somehow would represent well, would make right what the 2014 audience lacked in capacity. I hoped we would give The Pretty Reckless a send-off they deserved. Come on Los Angeles, host well; those were my thoughts.

Mind you, the we needs some explanation. In addition to my city being a host to a band, she was also the host to one of our own. And by the way, it’s ridiculously nerve-wracking to have a visitor, so I feel for my city. As a part of a trip to Los Angeles, jhs visited me. Los Angeles. She has beautiful places I think everyone must see – Malibu, Sunset Boulevard from the Pacific Ocean to the Strip, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, even silly things like Guitar Center, after all, Eddie Van Halen’s hand prints are in the sidewalk, his pedal board is in the front window, somehow more important than Jimmy Page’s guitar which is in the side window. Los Angeles is a tough thing though. It’s full of cars, with a large population of Rovers, something that makes a pretty good joke, you now count the Rovers instead of the Beetles. It has vast areas that aren’t very attractive. You usually can see the air. It’s expensive, sometimes tough, in a way, corrupt even. But I believe, somehow, what it does well overcomes all, becomes perfect, the subject of this poem I like:

And so. from being created in his likeness

To being banished for wanting to be too much like him

We were cast out

And the Garden of Eden transformed into the garden of evil

Los Angeles

The city of Angeles

A land of gods and monsters

The in between realm

Where only the choices made from your free will

Will decide your soul’s final fate

Some poets called it the entrance to the underworld

But on some summer nights

It could feel like Paradise

Paradise lost.

I know the faults, but I really do love this place. Perhaps the bad, or making it despite the bad, or fighting to make it despite the bad, is what makes Los Angeles good. Perhaps we’re all crazy here; that’s what they say elsewhere, an impression, like the poem, that we really do live in the land of monsters. Indeed, I do know some monsters. So I’m never sure if Los Angeles, the way I see it, will translate to others, especially those who know I can barely afford my life here, and especially to people from places the world thinks of as better. Then there’s that first point; certainly, rock people think rock is dead, at least here, so perhaps the cache of Los Angeles is dead too. Yep, it is ridiculously nerve-wracking when one realizes she stands for a city, an entire city, a strange city. Come on Los Angeles host well – those were my thoughts.

Somewhere in the time off from work I had to drive my LA-Rover around touring, miraculously with so little traffic, and with amazingly blue skies, I turned the radio to the classic rock station, KLOS. The station’s mid-day show features the Sex Pistols’ guitar player Steve Jones as the host. During his show, he has acts on, talks, even plays guitar with them. And he plays what he wants. I like the show and listen to it often. On December 6, I heard an acoustic song, and instantly recognized the voice of Taylor Momsen, the singer for The Pretty Reckless. We listened to most of the program, The Pretty Reckless featured on Los Angeles radio! That boded well for Los Angeles hosting The Pretty Reckless. Could it be, Los Angeles would host well?

Interview:

Take Me Down performed on the radio:

A few hours later, the show was set to start at the Mayan. The Mayan is majestic. Imagine a place where you would expect a ghost to step out at any minute; that’s the Mayan. It’s circular, built to look like a temple, so every place in it is front and center. I knew it would be a good venue, I just knew. Rather than fight on the floor where there would be no way I could see over the people (and yes, I’ve been to the Mayan before and know), we went upstairs. We got seats on front row of the Mezzanine, and by seats I mean hard concrete bleachers that were not forgiving to one’s bottom end. We saw about one song of the warm-up band, and waited for about 45 minutes for The Pretty Reckless to take the stage. Because of the round shape of the venue, you could see the side stage where the band themselves gathered before they took the stage. I suppose my love of this band makes me feel like they are my friends, but from the first second I saw the guitar player, Ben, I knew they were going to kill this.

From the first note played when the band took the stage until the last note, they had the audience screaming, jumping and singing along. The same original girl fans were up front, Taylor Momsen occasionally, going over to touch their hands. The audience overall, however, was a mix of everything, all ages, all types, the memory of Taylor’s old acting career-past long gone, the words of their song I gave my soul to rock ‘n’ roll, now her reality. Taylor herself had a happy expression throughout. The set list was longer than the others, with the band playing about five songs from the new record. The middle of the concert featured songs from the first record, and the beginning and end were the same songs, and almost the same performances, from their prior tour. All in all, the concert was perfectly timed, the sound fantastic, all played to a crowd who knew every word to their songs. Los Angeles, Taylor addressed us. Los Angeles answered. Los Angeles, it seemed, hosted, and hosted well. This Los Angelino was proud of her home, her rock ‘n’ roll home.

Make Me Wanna Die, from the December 6, 2016 Los Angeles show:

The day after brought real life, the same challenges I have every day, the same traffic and … monsters. So I wish to thank j for the break from my reality, for the tickets and all that made this show possible, and for really good company, as it’s very challenging for me right now. I’d love to see the rest of you someday too. And while I can’t speak for Los Angeles, I hope both my guest and The Pretty Reckless thought of Los Angeles as a good host. Sure rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t mean the same thing in Los Angeles as it once did, but it’s fighting its way back. And the funny thing of all of this. I myself got to see Los Angeles as a host. Los Angeles. I wouldn’t the same without her. So I wish to thank my town, the very best host I’ve ever had in my own life. For sure, Los Angeles, you are my Paradise.

Interviews: KLOS, Steve Jones show

Poem: Lana del Rey, Tropico short film