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Arts & Entertainment

Best Bets for the Sunset Strip Music Festival

With three-days of music happening at multiple venues along Sunset Boulevard, Thursday-Saturday, you can't catch every show. Here's a guide to the best of shows.

West Hollywood’s annual outdoor concert series, the Sunset Strip Music Festival kicks off this Thursday night, running August 16-18. Weho Patch will be there chatting it up with rock stars, enjoying amazing tunes and soaking up the sunshine.

SSMF is a three day free-for-all, occupying Sunset Boulevard’s most historic music venues and paying homage to it’s roots. The Doors are 2012’s honorees, kicking off the festival with a tribute at the House of Blues on Thursday night.

After paying your respects to Jim, Ray, Robbie and John, your best bet is to catch Bauhaus originator and ex-frontman Peter Murphy at the Roxy Theatre. The godfather of goth’s solo career has been blowing away critics with stellar live performances of dark and complex songs, paired with that unmistakable voice.

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However, if 80’s hair metal better suits your palate on this particular night, opt for Quiet Riot at Key Club or Great White with Faster Pussycat and Bullet Boys at the Whisky a Go Go.

Regarding Friday’s line-up, your best bet is going to be X at the Roxy (with special guest, Ray Manzarek) performing the album, Los Angeles. Then be sure to catch Hank III and special guests at the H.O.B. for a rowdy hoe-down with this outlaw country musician as he rocks, rebels and embraces his legendary country and western lineage.

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Rza of WuTang will be taking over the Key Club and Mickey Avalon will have a sleazy late night appearance at the Viper Room. So it might be a late night, but pace yourself because the best is yet to come . . . .

Saturday is absolutely filled to the brim with great acts. The Sunset Strip will be shut down and two enormous outdoor stages will be erected to honor the rock gods. Your best bet is to pack your sunscreen and arrive early so you can catch The Mowgli’s at 2pm, then find a place to cool down because Black Label Society goes on in the late afternoon.

The grooves of seminal hip hop force De La Soul will grace the outdoor stage in the evening (I will be there with me, myself and I). Bad Religion will follow and The Offspring will ‘keep it separated,’ playing crown pleasers from their self-titled album and up to more recent works like Days Go By.

After which, electronic guru Steve Aoki will electronically alter our minds. Finally, once the sun has set and the moon is high, original sexorcist Marilyn Manson will take the stage and proceed to possess our sweaty hearts with shock and awe.

Remember, if you need to beat the heat, there are endless indoor shows hosted throughout the day and late into the night at the Whiskey, the Roxy and Key Club! Whatever your taste may be, once you have entered the festival gates, Sunset Boulevard becomes your audio Candy Lane, roam wherever you please.

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Editor's Note: This article was originally posted under the byline of "Chad Zachary," a pen name used by the freelance writer. Patch requires that all contributors use their true names. The byline has been changed.

 

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