The Music That Soothes Into the Night

As a proper citizen of the universe, I’m doing my very best to find the joy in life. (Wouldn’t be prudent to give in to fear.) So I creep ‘n’ crawl into the night and seek out the music.

Elemental killed it at the Troubadour on Monday, as did Metalshop, which proved during its stellar Viper performance that where there’s rock, there’s joy .... Got wowed by the Well, a sharp new bar at Sunset Boulevard and Argyle Avenue in Hollywood .... Got wooed by a view from Star Shoes on Hollywood Boulevard. Its second-level lounge has an open ceiling grate, allowing you to look through it to see the (real) stars and a romantic city view.

I also met a bloke in a bunny outfit who said he was Harvey. Nothing like a guy in a bunny suit to lighten the load ....Speaking of Harveys, PJ Harvey is performing at the Knitting Factory tonight .... And bless you, Torrance Jackson, for singing me some street blues in front of the Burgundy Room on Monday night. Shout-outs to Sal Jenco (Viper Room), Paul Devitt (Beauty Bar/Star Shoes) and Mark Mahoney (Tattoo Mania), each of whom took the time to discuss the meaning of life and dance a jig with me this week.... Handsome Steve (the doorman at multiple clubs) tells me the twin titans of clubland, Rick Calamaro and Josh Richman, are reunited and it hurts so good. The boys are bringing back the legendary dance club, Grand Ville, starting Saturday at Club 7969. Indubitably.... Benefits bulletin: Spaceland, Sunday and Sept. 30; and the Key Club on Tuesday.... After watching 80 hours of news straight, I was so despondent on Friday night, I gave up a fifth-row ticket to see Madonna with my best friend, who reported back that Madonna was fierce and fully righteous, reminding her audience to think “globally” .... Speaking of blessed hearts, the Fox news community lost a beautiful colleague, 32-year-old Scott Keeler, who died of an aneurysm the same day as the terrorism. He was a tremendous music lover with a compassionate Gothic heart. Last year, I got him in to see the Cure at the Palace and he was really happy that night.

In the words of Bob Marley’s “Trenchtown Rock” popularized by Sublime: “One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.”