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| Joker Five Speed The Roxy Hollywood, CA April 25, 2005 By Lucky (SugarBuzz Hollywood Reporter) SugarBuzz Magazine |
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| The night I had been looking forward to for weeks had finally arrived. Joker Five Speed had arrived from New York and was gearing up to play the historic rock venue called The Roxy. Tonight was Metal Skool night, which has become quite a weekly event here in Hollywood. Celebrities, rockers, punkers, and the sort all make it down. It’s the place to see and be seen. Sugarbuzz love goes out to my old comrade DJamie Scrape who once again hooked me up with guest list access and a backstage pass. Makes a guy feel important. The backstage pass enabled me to head up to the dressing room to meet the boys of Joker Five Speed, whom were doing the last minute preparations before hitting the stage. Let me tell you Shug readers that these guys are really cool. Thanks for the Joker Five Speed badge guys! |
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| Well the show was gearing up to start, so I headed down to weasel my way to the front of the stage for some badass pictures of the group in action. The curtain opened and the band started to launch into a fucking killer rendition of “So Bored”. My camera started to click away. That’s when shit hit the fan. This big guy with a Roxy security shirt grabs me and says, “You are out of here”. “What The Fuck? ” was processing in my skull. “No cameras allowed”. Ok, what the hell was going on? I have taken pictures zillions of times at this club before and never once had this situation occurred. So I tell the guy, whom by the way was just doing his job, to come with me outside and let’s talk this over. He directs me to the door guy, who in turn refers me to another in charge type dude. |
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| "No cameras are allowed in The Roxy,” I am told. So I shoot my spiel about being Lucky from SugarBuzz Magazine, how I worked for years as the DJ at The Rainbow Bar and Grill next door, and how I would never intentionally cause trouble in my home turf. “Man we got signs all over the place!” “Signs Signs everywhere a sign, blocking up the scenery, breaking my mind, do this don’t do that can’t you read the sign” was the soundtrack playing in my head. No I had not read the fucking signs.
I guess my spiel did pay off a little as I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse. Delete all pictures I had taken so far on my camera, put the camera back in my car, and then and only then, they would let me back in. So I complied. Crap. I already had some killer shots. Later I was to find out what exactly had happened to change the policy regarding cameras at The Roxy. Do you want to know? Good, cause I am going to tell you. |
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| It seems a certain person, whose name I will refrain from mentioning, took pictures several weeks ago of Jessica Simpson having fun at The Roxy. Then this person sold the pictures to a certain tabloid that printed them with a sensational story about “Jessica’s Wild Night In Hollywood” or some such rubbish. The Roxy was not pleased and has banned all cameras. That is unless you have a photo pass supplied to you by “knowing someone”. If I had known this in advance, I could have scored one easily, but instead I got caught with my ass hanging out.
So after complying, I returned to the club to catch Joker Five Speed in the middle of a red-hot delivery of “Take Me Home”. Shit, I almost was escorted there. The band was so tight and right on that even a non-music fanatic could realize that this band was the real deal. Seasoned Veterans. |
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Like a blast from a double barrel, “Shotgun” ripped the crowd with sonic impulses, blowing the heads off of the unsuspecting. The place was packed and everyone seemed totally into the bands show. It is a mighty impressive sight seeing a sea of people rocking their brains and eardrums out. It was here I got a little confuse as to the set list, as I was given one in advance by Joker Five Speed lead singer and guitarist, Tor. Seems to me they deviated a tad from it, but that was no big deal. I was not sure which song or songs I had missed due to my camera fiasco. But I do know what I did hear. |
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| We were treated to “Too Far Gone” which is a crowd pleaser if there ever was one. High energy projected off the stage like beams of pure magic. According to my set list, Joker Five Speed was going to play a brand new song (not on their album) entitled “Dirty Power”. I did not hear this. Was it because they had dropped it from the show, was that one I missed, did I have an acid flashback, you’re guess is good as mine. I did however hear a pre Under The Influence Of Rock N Roll song called “Everybody’s Alright” that was fucking cranking. Seems their early stuff rocks just as hard. “Destination Meltdown” was next to get the crowd’s rocks off. Chunky never sounded so good. An abundant and brilliant dose of rock and roll. To close up the show, Joker Five Speed did an incredible version of Grand Funk Railroad’s “American Band”. Damn right, they are an American band indeedy. Totally incredible is what came to mind. Good old rock and roll never sounded so fucking good. If you ever get the chance to catch this band live, DO IT! Also get their must have CD. |
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