NASHVILLE |DATE: AUGUST, 23 2012
FROM: TODD BRODGINSKI/ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/ANGELA VILLANUEVA
SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL 2012
MARKS FIFTH YEAR
MORE THAN 15,000 FANS FILL SUNSET BOULEVARD
AND SUNSET STRIP VENUES DURING AUGUST 18 STREET FEST
The fifth annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF) wrapped on Saturday (August 18) with standing-room-only performances on the closed-off Sunset Strip for more than 15,000 fans by headliners Marilyn Manson, The Offspring, Steve Aoki, Bad Religion and more than 70 artists throughout the day and into the night and early morning hours.
The festival kicked off Thursday, August 16 with an all-star tribute to 2012 SSMF honorees THE DOORS, with the group’s Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore on hand for the occasion. In the tradition of the festival, the honorees received the Elmer Valentine Award, presented by Sunset Strip alums Mikeal Maglieri of the Whisky A Go-Go and The Rainbow and Nic Adler of The Roxy. DJ Jim Laddintroduced City of West Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang, Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, X’s John Doe and SSMF headliner Marilyn Manson who shared their memories and praise for THE DOORS. To close out the celebration, an all-star band with Manzarek andKrieger along with guitarist Billy Morrison, drummer Matt Sorum and bassist Paul Ill were joined by special guest vocalists Franky Perez, Mark McGrath, Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara and Linda Perry, to perform classic Doors songs.
Following the celebration event at the House of Blues, SSMF patrons were treated to the sounds of Quiet Riot (Key Club), Peter Murphy and Ours (The Roxy), Jack Russell’s Great White (Whisky) and Future Villians and Lady Sinatra (Viper Room).
THE DOORS’ members Manzarek and Krieger kept the good times going the following evening, attending the star-studded Virgin America SSMF party at the Mondrian Los Angeles hotel. Among those in attendance were SSMF headliner Marilyn Manson, Nicole Richie and husband Joel Madden, Joe Manganiello, Malin Akerman, Kellen Lutz, Audrina Patridge and more. Later that night, music continued all over The Strip with performances from X with special guest Ray Manzarek (The Roxy), RZA (Key Club), Hank III (House of Blues), Robby Krieger & Rich Robinson (Viper Room), James Ingram (Whisky) and Mickey Avalon (Viper Room-late). Free entertainment was also provided by Jack Daniel’s with an outdoor stage open to the public.
Saturday’s street festival had its fair share of special surprises. Beginning at 1 p.m., festival attendees were treated to sets from more than 70 bands throughout the day. Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger surprised crowds throughout the festival with multiple performances. Kriegerjoined Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society for “Roadhouse Blues” in the late afternoon and both Manzarek and Krieger performed “Love Me Two Times,” “Five To One” and “People Are Strange” during Marilyn Manson’s set. DJ Steve Aoki also brought along surprise guests including Lil’ Jon, will.i.am, Travis Barker and Miss Palmer before crowd surfing an inflatable raft and jumping into a massive 400 pound cake on stage.
“With the support of our amazing sponsors, the City of West Hollywood, artists, music fans and volunteers, the Sunset Strip Music Festival delivered a full day of high-energy performances that celebrated the boulevard’s rich musical past, present and future,” noted SSMF CEO Todd Steadman. “Once again SSMF produced unique moments – from Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger performing The Doors songs with Marilyn Manson to Lil’ Jon and will.i.am joining Steve Aoki on stage – that have defined this signature annual event. We were happy to welcome thousands of fans to the boulevard, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year.”
Here’s what the press is saying about SSMF 2012:
“Now in its fifth year, the SSMF has blossomed into one of Los Angeles’ biggest outdoor music festivals…”—Randall Roberts, Los Angeles Times(8/20/12)
“…Honoring the past is part of it, but this year’s SSMF bill made it clear that new forms of music flourish here too.” – Lina Lecaro,LAWeekly.com(8/19/12)
“The big-bash conclusion of the annual Sunset Strip Music Festival, held for the fifth time Saturday in West Hollywood, always benefits from the most authentic setting of just about any single-day blast in Southern California: a sealed-off stretch of Sunset Boulevard, from the Whisky a Go Go at the east end to the Key Club (once the site of Gazzarri’s) up a slight incline toward the west…Indeed, as landmark rock ’n’ roll locales go, this one’s among the most legendary on the planet, its condensation of clubs, with Lou Adler’s Roxy at the heart of it all, making the event an agreeable experience even during muggy weather. Can’t take the heat? Then duck into one of the world-famous venues that the Doors, this year’s iconic honoree, turned into regular stomping grounds by the time the Summer of Love arrived.”
– Ben Wener, Orange County Register (8/19/12)
“‘Soul Kitchen’ was the Doors song the band covered on their Ray Manzarek-produced debut, and with the keyboard man himself rejoining them for his first L.A. concert with X in over three decades, there was joy as well as roasting in repetition…The Roxy show, the first half of which consisted of the band playing 1980’s Los Angeles album in its entirety, was the middle event of this year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival, which began Thursday and ends Saturday with Doors-themed tributes.”
–Chris Willman, The Hollywood Reporter (8/18/12)
“Once again from Manson’s potent metallic punishment to Aoki’s blissful dance party, the Sunset Strip Music Festival proves to be one of the most eclectic and best fests out there, honoring the area’s history and its future.”
–Rick Florino, ArtistDirect.com (8/20/12)
“Where else can you find Marilyn Manson fans crowd surfing to the music of the Doors? Only in Los Angeles. Long live the Sunset Strip.”
–Crystal Larsen, Grammy.com(8/20/12)
SSMF 2012’s proud supporting sponsors include Virgin America, Jack Daniel’s, Gibson Guitar, Bud Light, Monster Energy Drink, Los Angeles Hornburg Range Rover and Land Rover on The Sunset Strip, Glaceau Vitaminwater, Mondrian, Jakprints, KTLA, 98-7fm, TicketWeb, Whole Foods West Hollywood, City of West Hollywood and West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau. Special thanks to Clear Channel Outdoor, CBS Outdoor and ACE Outdoor. Street fest/event production provided by Swing House Hollywood. Festival creative provided by Signature Creative.
IMPACT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT CENTER was the charitable partner for SSMF 2012. A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit Impact, which has been treating individuals struggling with the powerful force of addiction since 1969. Impact is a residential treatment community for men and women from all walks of life and has outpatient clinics, transitional housing and in-custody programs throughout L.A. County. Impact offers programs to everyone from the roadie to the rock star, with their simple and effective no-nonsense approach to substance abuse treatment. For more information, please visit www.impacthouse.com.
For the latest SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL news, visit:
www.facebook.com/sunsetstripmusicfestival
For photos, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/ssmf.
For more information about the SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL, contact:
MSO 818-380-0400
Todd Brodginski x239, toddb@msopr.com
Alexandra Greenberg x223, agreenberg@msopr.com
Angela Villanueva x232, avillanueva@msopr.com
