Desert Daze 2024 Cancelled and the Hardship of being Independent

 

SASAMI was to play on Saturday

Desert Daze announced on August 30th that their four day festival that was to be held from October 10th - 13th was being cancelled "due to rising production costs and the current volatile festival market." There was also an emphasis in their announcement that Desert Daze is one of the few independent festivals.

I've never gone to Desert Daze. It is just not my type of festival. I like being able to return to my home each night and sleep in my own bed. That said, I'm sad to see this independent festival having to call off their event. There is a special place in my heart for independent festivals. I just recently spent back to back weekends hanging out at Echo Park Rising and Happy Sundays Long Beach. Earlier this summer I attended No Earbuds Fest. 

Since venues re-opened in mid-2021, we've seen Highland Park Bowl and Little Joy shift away from live bands. Oracle Tavern shut down. The Silverlake Lounge was sold to different investors and who knows if live music will be featured when it reopens. Resident and The Goldfish have significantly reduced their nights of live music. The Resident is only doing the twice a month Alphabet Soup and acoustic sets out on their patio (which I'm not necessarily seeing happening during the winter months). As for The Goldfish, I only see one night of live bands for the month of September. 

I shouldn't be all negative about the indie music venue scene. Healing Force of the Universe, a record store and music venue, opened up recently in Pasadena. There is also Scribble that has regularly scheduled music. I visit Hotel Ziggy a few times a month, which is a hotel and music venue. I am potentially missing other venues, as well. But to be honest, those venues don't necessarily replace the previously listed venues. They simply replace the venues that permanently closed during the pandemic such as The Factory, The House of Machines, The Satellite, etc.

At the moment, it seems to me that the Los Angeles indie music scene is at a low. That, hopefully, means that an upswing is about to occur.

 

PAGOTO Celebrates Record '7989' by Blasting Ear Drums at Licorice Pizza Records

PAGOTO, a project of L.A. Witch drummer Ellie English, had their record release at Licorice Pizza Records. Knowing that connection, one might expect a sound somewhat similar to L.A. Witch, a bit psychedelic mixed in with blues and rock. That would be totally incorrect. This band is a hard core industrial band. Vocals are screamed at jet engine levels and drums are slammed with the intensity of the flames coming from a rocket booster engine. Their 8 song album, 7989, is 7 songs of industrial with the final song “Ancestor” taking one on a meanderingly chill drug trip – got to let the listener take a breather. The band played the album in full at Licorice Pizza in front of friends as many a long conversation was had prior to the band hitting the stage. Members of L.A. Witch also arrived to show their support for their band mate. 

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

As for Licorice Pizza Records, it can be found at 12230 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. The location has a nice collection of records. It also sells band t-shirts and music concert posters. The location also dabbles in movies with a small collection of DVDs and motion picture memorabilia for movies such as Reality Bites and Garden State. And if you were wondering, the store name is a shout out to the original chain. On their website, they write, “The boutique record store of the same name continues the legacy of the original, famed Southern California chain opened by James Greenwood in July 1969.” 

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

PAGOTO setlist: Undercut, I See Static, Winter White, Archaea, Worker From Afar, Arithmos, Red, Ancestor 

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records