Saturday, December 1, 11:30 p.m.
On the Strip, clubs one-up each other at every turn. Each fiscal quarter brings with it the next “premier” venue, something either much bigger or much smaller that will—sorry, friends in the PR industry—“redefine” nightlife or (I shudder) “raise the bar.” If the bar has been raised as many times as ad copy writers say it has, then by my calculations, the next big thing is on the moon.
And if it’s not much bigger or much smaller, then it’s way harder to get into. Someone once told me that the goal of VIP status is to go where others cannot, and that eventually one ends up alone in a room with a smirking Jack Nicholson who chides, “Well, what took you so long?” If that’s the ultimate in VIP status, I think I’ll just take my chances Downtown where the indie-rockers and hipster kids spit on velvet ropes and laugh at VIP hosts’ wide ties and pointy shoes.
No, no, I’m not saying down with the chic nightclubs. On the contrary, there’s a person for every club, a club for every night and a night for every mood. And tonight, my mood is saying, “Downtown!”
“The Canyon, where music meets the soul.” I have no idea what that means to whoever put the signs up above the door and stage, but I have a feeling religion will play no part. The usual entrance, the one that leads from the Four Queens’ self-parking lot almost directly into the club, is blocked off, so we scramble around the back and, in a very LA fashion, enter from the street door. A tiny box office confirms my suspicions that the Canyon is primarily a live-music venue rather than a nightclub, but at tonight’s corset fashion show we’ll see much more than just live bands. Oh yes, so much more ...
A combination of a Hard Rock Café and the Foundation Room, the Canyon is a dark, sprawling one-story concert hall with a raised VIP section, dance floor and stage, which is flanked by bars. Though dusty and a little worn, the ornate bars have charming Hindu and Buddhist details on the fronts, and similar dancing gods and goddesses can be found elsewhere in the club. Ah ha! I think I found the “soul” reference. And where music meets the soul is all around in the many guitar display cases hung throughout the space. The glass cocktail tables even contain valuable guitars and memorabilia. I think I’ll congratulate my sleuthing with a cocktail.
At the bar, I am greeted by a familiar face. Dillon pours me a stiff drink—punishment, perhaps, for having waited so long to come visit him at the Canyon. “I’ve been here for months!” he pouts, then smiles and keeps on pouring. In my defense, I’m not the hugest fan of tribute bands which, in addition to a lot of ’80s and ’90s comeback acts, the Canyon has a lot of. But tonight, Fusion and M.A.D.a.M. Event Productions are collaborating on an event complete with burlesque performances, bands, DJs and of course, corsets. Starting this week, they will showcase all manner of live rock bands followed by DJ Shred at their Pandemic Fridays.
“From the bowels of Las Vegas, bad fashions for good girls, and good fashions for baaaaad girls!” The night kicks off with Bad Attitude Boutique owner Tushell Lieberman disciplining her submissive to a soundtrack of Britney Spears, continues with a little sword-swallowing, vampirism and cat-fighting, and ends with performances by burlesque dancers Anabel of the Ball and Bad Attitude 2007 spokesmodel Jenn O. Cide. And all are impressively cinched up by Lieberman’s naughty corset creations.
When local band Hang ’Em High takes over, the girls in the front giggle from under their hoodies and bangs in praise of neck tattoos, spit and blisteringly loud rock. Yes, the Canyon has a darker side to it. Their old weekly lineup may have consisted of mild-mannered and distinctly un-hip tribute bands, comebacks and the like, but thankfully, a new breed of promoter has discovered the little spot and declared it cool. Wait. Does “cool” sound too conformist?
Xania Woodman thinks globally and parties locally. And frequently. E-mail her at [email protected] and visit thecircuitlv.com to sign up for Xania’s free weekly newsletter.