Concert Review: J*Davey

This is going to be a short post, but the J*Davey concert was so good I had to do a review. Like most LA club concerts, there were several opening acts and the headliner got on stage late (midnight-ish). We were early enough to catch The Brains, and if you like eclectic indie artists that mirror J*Davey’s love of genre-hopping, I’d recommend getting to their concerts early enough to see at least one of the opening acts. That said, if you take your time getting ready, have dinner (and a drink or two) and get in by 10-10:30, you’ll be fine.
J*Davey is awesome live. Really awesome. Their concerts contain very little production or artifice. There’s no one on stage but them and a drummer. With no backup, Jack makes singing in front of a live crowd seem effortless. And between her slinky dance moves and her flirtatious and funny quips between songs, she keeps the audience captivated. When they left stage I couldn’t believe over 90 minutes had passed.
I’ve been to two J*Davey concerts, and in both cases they brought people from the crowd onstage. Bree & I were lucky enough to get pulled onstage by Brook D’Leau (the duo’s quieter half), and it was so much fun. That sort of fearless interaction with the crowd is part of what makes J*Davey amazing in concert. Trust me. The next time they’re in town, get a ticket and go.

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Upcoming Event: J*Davey Concert

This is most definitely a band you need to know about. If you don't, glad we're the first to put you on their sound. These two create ART for your ears. And lucky you, they are coming to LA for a concert. Best part? Tickets are only $10 if you buy presale ($12 at door).  I'd check it out since they sound great in person and it will be a fairly intimate setting. Good for mingling with others who have excellent music taste.

Their sound is pretty unique, a hypnotic mix of  alternative, jazz, Hip-Hop, electronica, funk, afro-punk, new wave, futurism, soul, and alternative R&B. Yeah, all of those elements squeezed in for masterpieces. Check out the video link below of one of their new releases Quicksand.

Come see them perform Live:

J*DaVeY

with DEF SOUND , The Kid & Funk The Fresh & The Brains

Thursday, Apr 12, 2012 8:30 PM PDT
Echoplex (below the Echo), 1822 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
18 years and over

Click to Buy Tickets Here

(Source: jdaveybaby.com)

Venue Review: Playhouse

Name	Playhouse Nightclub
Date of Review	Saturday 2/11/12
Address	6506 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Area	Hollywood
Size	2 stories, medium
Cost	Free-$20
Parking	Paid Lot ($10-$15)/ Valet
Music	Top 40, R&B, Rap, House
Ambiance	Typical Hollywood
Decor	Small-ish sunken dance floor, two DJs, four bars, VIP sections with lounge seating. Small dance floor, couches and retractable roof on second floor.
Clientele	Diverse crowd, lots of the industry types. Playhouse can be good for celeb spotting, if that’s your thing.
Seating	None, unless you have bottle service
Food	None
Drinks	Full bar
Best Nights	Friday/Saturday (Special events)
Dress Code	Trendy
Wait time	45-60mins. If you show up after 11 on a Saturday, you may not get in. If you’re on a good guest list (there are several), and get there before 11, you’ll be inside in about 10 mins.
Restroom	One bathroom on first floor with one row of stalls, and another smaller, less crowded bathroom on the second floor.

Pros: Playhouse is a Hollywood hotspot with an attractive and fairly well-dressed crowd. Most of the people look gathered, regardless of their actual status. Saturdays are always crowded, but occasionally the club will host celebrities as special guests. The night of our most recent visit, Jermaine Dupri was there for their Pre-Grammy Party. Around midnight he hopped on the mic, and after a small rant/tribute to Whitney Houston, he showed the in-house DJs a thing or two. The dance floor was quickly flooded, and we had a great night. If you come on the right night, and are on a guest list (to bypass the heavy security), you won’t be disappointed.

Cons: The roughest part of any evening at Playhouse is the start. The lines tend to be long, and security can get gruff. Try to be in line before 10:30. CPT could leave you stuck outside, unless you’re on a guest list, and even then you’ll wait a while. We left at 1:45 a.m. (it was still poppin), and there were a TON of people still trying to get in. Don’t let this be you. That aside, there is a definite lack of seating that most ladies will find problematic by midnight. Don’t expect to sit unless you (or a friend) has bottle service. Drinks are Hollywood-high, and not spectacular, but you’re probably not going to Playhouse for the high-quality drinks. Dancing, however, is likely to be a top priority, and you’ll quickly become grateful for the two DJs. The music is typical, more radio hits than club bangers, and the DJs tend to be streaky. If you’re lucky, at least one of them will be playing good dance music most of the night. Basically, don’t get too attached to the awesome piece of dance floor real estate you just scored--he’ll be spinning Madonna in a couple of minutes. Oh, and we got flashed by an artificially-enhanced blond (nevermind the live appearance by Elmo). Awkward.

The Gathered Grade: C+ Playhouse is far too unreliable to be recommended as a regular spot for gathered people. The crowd itself is a bit of a mixed bag, from real celebs (a rarity) to “actors” and “rappers” and other industry types. There are also some young professionals and students (of all races) in attendance. Playhouse is a club a couple of years removed from it’s heyday as one of the hottest clubs in Hollywood. You can still find its official website proudly proclaiming that Playhouse was rated the 4th hottest club in the world by Reuters, but that was back in 2010. Now, some of the upholstery is in need of repair, the decor is few years old and the DJs are not consistently awesome. Not to mention that both dance floors feel uncomfortably small when the club is full. That does not mean this is a place you should never go, it just isn’t the right choice for a random night of fun in LA. Playhouse is at its best when there is a special event taking place (like the pre-Grammy party). These nights are almost always a good time. On normal nights, you’ll spend a fair bit of money, but you probably won’t have nearly as much fun.

Venue Review: Cafe Entourage

(source: pubcrawls)

Name	Cafe Entourage
Date	Friday 2/10/12
Address	1600 Vine St., Los Angeles, CA
Area	Hollywood
Size	2 stories, medium
Cost	Free
Parking	street or  paid lot ($7-10)
Music	R&B, HIP HOP, Rap, Top 40
Ambiance	Old Hollywood glamour with contemporary spin
Decor	Medium sized dining area, upstairs lounge area, VIP sections with lounge seating
Clientele	Mixed crowd of gathered ladies, gathered men, and some getting gathered individuals, Standard age mid 20's - early 30's
Seating	Tables for dining, reservations recommended. 10 bar stools, chaise lounge seating with reserved parties
Food	No major complaints
Drinks	Full bar
Best Nights	Saturday
Dress Code	Trendy casual
Wait time	10 - 45 mins
Restroom	2 stalls

Pros: Cafe Entourage is a unique mix of restaurant and lounge atmosphere. The food is typically priced for Hollywood and satisfying, but not spectacular. I’ve had the shrimp pasta and the ribeye, both of which were a 6.5 on a scale of ten. The crowd is the main attraction for this spot. There are definitely some dime pieces and handsome black men who frequent this place. However, there is a bit of Ratchetness mixed in (roughly 20%). One other major bonus for Cafe Entourage is the DJ and music. A good mix of R&B, Top 40, Hip Hop, and Old School. Entourage is conveniently located in a hot zone of other gathered venues, so getting there is convenient as an after hours spot.

Cons: This place promotes that it’s poppin Thursday through Sunday. That remains to be seen. I’ve stopped by various days and have only seen huge lines and long waits on Saturday. If you are on CPT and get there after 11pm, expect a wait, possibly rude security guards, and the typical Hollywood club act. Apparently once the spot is in demand, you need to have VIP pull or a entourage to get in. The restaurant experience is inconsistent, definitely a hit or miss. They are often out of the types of wines many of the honeys favor: white, Moscato, Riesling, Zinfandel, etc.. That’s a boo.  As for the food quality, it’s certainly not bad, but it’s nothing to rave about. My guess is food is not there 1st priority and selling point, so they get by on making food people won’t complain about. That’s not a very high bar in LA.

The Gathered’s Grade: B- for effort  Cafe Entourage is definitely trying to offer something I can appreciate: a mixed crowd of gathered, getting gathered, industry people and young black professionals from early 20’s to late 30’s, a entertaining dining experience, good music, and a less flashy and high maintenance social experience in Hollywood. I say yes. My personal preference on a Saturday night is a full lounge/club experience, but there is a definite need for more lounge/restaurant combo venues that gathered people can frequent. Cafe Entourage is a place to check out. Dress well, appearance matters. You’ll probably pay $7-10 for the car lot parking. No cost to get in, but if you order food  and at least 2 alcoholic drinks (reservations suggested on Friday/Saturday night) you’re looking at  bill of at least $40 per person. Beware of the bathroom, there are only 2 stalls in the downstairs unit and the attendant may ASK you for a tip. Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently tips are expected even if you don’t use the amenities. Yes, that’s a bit bold for me too. Despite the minor offenses, I believe if you are a part of thegatheredLA you’ll enjoy yourself. Like the name suggests, get your entourage ready and go get it.