SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL WRAPS UP FIFTH YEAR

The Sunset Strip Music Festival just celebrated its fifth year and proved it can always be counted on for a fun-filled weekend, even if the “music” in the festival isn’t always the main attraction. The Saturday weekend-closing outdoor festival, which shut down the famed Sunset Strip and puts two stages smack between Doheny Drive and San Vicente Boulevard, is reason enough for music fans to flock to the Strip.

This year’s lineup included headliner Marilyn Manson, along with The Offspring, Bad Religion, Black Label Society, and nearly 65 other artists playing venues such as the Key Club, The Roxy, and Whisky A Go-Go throughout the day and into the night. Sunset Boulevard was also filled with an artist autograph tent, food trucks galore, beer garden, and interactive fan experiences.

With so many bands to choose from, the music seemed almost lost to all the revelers escaping the heat and relishing every drop of shade to be found in the beer garden and Jack Daniels playground. Clubs were a place to find a full bar, darkness and, most importantly, air conditioning. While Bad Religion was bringing the “real deal” to a throng of onlookers and a few die-hards (in between some pretty witty banter), other festival goers were huddled at the Roxy’s bar trying to drink and ignore Brooklyn rap trio Das Racist. Meanwhile, on the other end of the Strip, one-time teen heartthrob Leif Garrett played to the cougar set at the Whisky A Go-Go.

A highlight of the fest oddly enough included rappers De La Soul reliving ‘80s hip-hop days of glory. Local quasi punk rockers The Offspring, a band that was last significant in the ‘90s, got some of the sun weary and toasted rockers going, setting up Marilyn Manson for his headlining set of doom and gloom, while DJ Steve Aoki, with special guest will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, played on the boulevard’s opposite stage.

Manson’s performance was high energy and delivered what ravenous fans wanted but it also proved someone disjointed and sloppy at times. Specials guests Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors, who were this year’s festival honorees at a kick-off event at the House of Blues Thursday night, joined Manson for the encore, which included Doors’ classics "People Are Strange," "Love Me Two Times," and "Five to One.”

Manzarek was also found playing with local legends X at the Roxy on Friday night as the band played its 1980 classic record Los Angeles in its entirety. In fact, it’s usually the shows during the festival’s first two nights where music is front and center. While many prefer the opening night VIP honoring ceremony with free Jack Daniels for two hours, Thursday performances included sets from Peter Murphy at the Roxy, Jack Russell’s Great White at the Whisky, and Quiet Riot at Key club. Friday concerts ranged from Hank III at House of Blues; X at the Roxy; RZA at Key Club; and Unwritten Law and Mickey Avalon at Viper Room.

During The Doors honoring ceremony, with Doors’ drummer John Densmore in attendance but not on stage with Manzarek or Krieger, the band recounted their “strange days” with legendary singer Jim Morrison, back when rock seemed dangerous and vibrant, and which for a moment they brought back to the Strip, the place where it all began.