Sunset Strip Amped Up for Fourth Annual Street Fest

Sunset Boulevard is buzzing with the arrival of the fourth annual Sunset Strip Music Festival, which starts today and runs through Saturday.

Glorified rock bars—Viper Room, the Roxy, Whisky A Go-Go and the Key Club—have handpicked their lineups, which include Buckcherry and local legends Semi Precious Weapons and . And headlining the festival is the glam metal band that got its start on the Strip, . 

“We have been very fortunate to grow this festival organically year by year," said Nic Adler, head organizer and  owner. "Bigger bands, bigger stages, more food trucks, more activations, and oh, a little 360 roller coaster drum kit played upside down by Tommy Lee himself."

The three-day fest kicks off with an awards ceremony at the . Motley Crue, celebrating its 30th anniversary, will receive the annual Elmer Valentine Award (past recipients include Ozzy Osbourne, and Lou Adler) at the invite-only red carpet event. The city has designated Aug. 18 "Motley Crue Day."

“So many of us native Angelenos consider Motley Crue to be our ‘home boys,’ ” West Hollywood Mayor John Duran said in a city press release. “It will be an honor to recognize the ‘Saints of Los Angeles’ in our hometown and thank them for the incredible contribution they made to hard rock, glam and Southern California music."

Food trucks will be rolling through town, serving up delicious eats. Restaurants and bars along the iconic 1.6-mile stretch of Sunset will be dishing out specials, and beer gardens will serve ice cold refreshments in a relaxing open-air setting.

Thursday's lineup sees The Veronicas at , Nico Vega at the  and The Faceless at the , with Motion City Soundtrack at the  and indie rock band Dredg at the  on Friday.

"We aren't sure what to expect," vocalist Gavin Hayes told Patch earlier this month. "Honestly, I am not a huge fan of festivals, but being able to expose your music to new listeners is a definite perk." 

The Strip shuts down Saturday to host an all-day street festival of outdoor performances and indoor bar shows, featuring more than 70 bands—Motley Crue, Bush, Public Enemy, Matt & Kim, Cobra Starship, She Wants Revenge, Black Veil Brides, Voxhaul Broadcast, and more.

"As in years past, we have a sampling of LA's best new artists like Sabrosa Purr, , Jordan Cook and 50 more great bands that make up the local scene here," Adler said. "It's all about experiencing one of the most storied streets in the world in a way you can only do once a year."

Sunset Boulevard will be closed between San Vicente Boulevard and Doheny Drive starting at 4 a.m. on Saturday, and will re-open by 7 a.m. on Sunday. SSMF organizers are encouraging residents to utilize other westbound-eastbound streets, including Santa Monica Boulevard, Melrose Avenue or Beverly Boulevard over the weekend.

Tickets are $250 for the three-day VIP, $55 for Street Fest only, and $120 for VIP Street Fest. Individual bar shows tickets range from $15 to $35 depending on the show. See website for set times and participating venues.

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