All to Avoid Those Doughnut Holes

The Scene: It could take no less than a cause of mammoth importance to bring the rock ‘n’ roll cave dwellers out on a heated afternoon. But the opportunity to help save the financially ailing Millie’s restaurant--a Silver Lake landmark built in 1926 that has disappeared and reappeared on the map as many times as Poland--served as a rallying cry to gather the cream of L.A.’s nocturnal underground to Downtown’s grungy rock mecca, Al’s Bar, for a barbecue and benefit Sunday.

Behind the Scene: The idea was launched by Millie’s employee Daniel Keenan, who, when he’s not slinging hash, plays guitar for the Geraldine Fibbers. “We just thought that there are so many musicians that come to Millie’s and a lot of other entertainment-type people it would be so easy for us to put a benefit together,” he says. “Being that L.A. is the city of tear-it-down and rebuild--a snap-together Lego house--I think it’s important to keep these types of establishments around.”

Who Was There: The lineup, which played from 3 p.m. till 2 a.m., included the Geraldine Fibbers, Glue, Pop Defect, the Abe Lincoln Story, Polar Goldie Cats, Possum Dixon and Hotsy Menshot, and was hosted by MC’s Gaylord--known, with justification, as the Duke of Cornball.

Chow: The pickings were a tad more refined than you would expect in a rock dive--sausage, glazed chicken and, for veggie palates, plenty of grilled peppers and eggplant and salad.

The Unthinkable Alternative: “I really feel for this cause,” said Abe Lincoln Story’s singer-guitarist Steve Moramarco. “I mean, without Millie’s, we would be at Yum Yum Donuts with, like, a cup of coffee in one of those Styrofoam things and like Sweet’n Low and that non-dairy creamer and some doughnut holes with the little sprinkles on them that kind of fall off. And we’d be in a bad mood.”

Money Matters: About 400 people showed up over the course of the day and evening. $1,850 was raised. In addition to the money collected at the door, the restaurant plans to put out a CD of the event, dubbed “Milliepalooza.”