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The quick fix to serious Coachella 2012
withdrawals last weekend was the 2nd Annual Hudson Block Party,
hands down! Classy-casual restaurants, The Hudson and  | Band- Saint Motel |
The Churchill, united to
house the best little all day music and eats fest this side of the 405. What
you missed if you weren't there: a 21 and over
event with a kick-ass lineup of up-and-coming musicians, 30 local
vendors, gourmet eats, and 4 full bars. It's basically a less sweltering mini
Coachella on concrete, with some added bonuses: a solar eclipse and a photo
booth! What more could you want?
It
takes a lot to get the highly fashionable out of bed before noon on a Sunday,
but the Hudson Block Party attendees were more than willing to make an
exception. Doors opened at 11 a.m. and within a few hours the party was going
strong, with all guests meeting the unspoken dress code: head-to-toe style.
Half the fun is soaking in the fashion forward energy, and a little day
drinking always pairs nicely with any outdoor concert... or so I hear.
Time
sure flies when you're block partying and it does tend to get crowded as the
day charges on, but there are plenty of vendors to stop and chat with when
you're caught between traipses from stage to stage. The Hudson Block Party most
certainly brings together an amazing group of new musicians to the scene, but
let's not forget that this event is also showcasing genuine support for local
artists and businesses. Take über-friendly designer Rick Villa of Rik Villa
Atelier for example. His designs
incorporate mixed fabrics with jean skirts and shorts in a navajo and 80's
inspired line. My personal faves were the rocker-chic bandana patterned skirts,
and the rich colored bandeau tops. Another friendly designer was Stephania
Ayiotou whose modern glam designs fit right in at this L.A. affair.
The
lineup the Hudson puts together is beyond belief in contrast to the price of
admission. The monetary equivalent of 3 frappuccinos, or 1 martini plus tip at
The Standard  | Lead Singer for the band- The
Neighbourhood |
Hotel, gets you all day access to a 20+ lineup of the best new
bands around. Heed my advice my music loving readers, this is not an event to
be missed. If you can manage to get there before 2 p.m., for ten dollars you
can watch artists who will be at Lollapalooza and music festivals across the
country. The caliber of bands that play the Hudson Block Party are most likely
Coachella bound in 2013. Yellow Disco, The Neighbourhood, Saint Motel, L.P.,
and the evening's closer White Rabbits are all names that you'll be hearing
more of in the coming months.
For
now my music hungry friends, let me fill you in on some moments of festival
glory. Yellow Disco achieved what is hard to come by these days- sounding
better live than in their own YouTube videos. Choreographed dance moves and a
funky style set to “Lisa Lisa Lisa” was the perfect amount of fun to get the
crowd dancing. Magic moment numero uno has to be Saint Motel performing through
a solar eclipse. They also at one point had the crowd stealing dance moves from
their parents during a cover of the sixties hit “Runaway,” by Del Shannon.
Saint Motel's debut album Voyeur is due out July 10th of this
year. Singer-songwriter L.P. Performed second to last but finished first as
most interesting new female artist that you probably haven't heard of. Doesn't
really matter because her voice is so unique that you wouldn't be likely forget
it again. She started her set with “Levitator” and had everyone singing the
chorus by the end of the song. Once she got her most recent hit started, “Into
the Wild,” it was like a giant wave of
“oh that's how I know her” rushed over the crowd. The coolest moment award
definitely goes to L.P.'s ridiculously good vocals and impromptu rendition of
the Jefferson Airplane classic “White Rabbit,” which she dedicated to the
nights closing band- White Rabbits.
Last
and certainly most important... the eats! A girl gets hungry bopping around to
such good music and partaking in dangerous levels of Sunday fun. Let's just say
the food was so tasty that I had to choose between my perfectly Mac lipsticked
lips or enjoy grilled corn on the cob with mixed spices, herb butter, and fresh
cotija cheese. The corn won... and so did a heaping of fresh garlic fries and a
chicken sausage sandwich with grilled red onions. I couldn't eat the entire
menu, though I did try, but I did ask
around and there were also some very appealing fried chicken sliders on the
menu getting rave reviews. Alas, I'm only one person and had to cut my feast. I
opted to save my future appetite along with my wrist band for The Hudson's
festival deal promoting a weekday brunch which launched May 21st. Attendees who
return to The Hudson with their festival wristband during weekday brunch will
get half-off their second entree. The Hudson Block Party is quite literally the
festival that just keeps on giving! This is definitely a great kick-off to
Summer that should be in your annual festival rotation. Think must see music
fest where you can chat with the band before they become unaffordable Coachella
stars, and another place to wear that outfit you spent all year planning. It's
a win-win.
**The
Hudson Block Party is an annual event that you can look for on their main site
under special events at http://www.thehudsonla.com/
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