CLUBS

Grammy afterglow

It was a night of Geisha kisses and flirty margaritas Sunday night as stars toasted the musicians who rock. As if L.A. doesn’t have enough star wattage, the Grammys brought all the heavy hitters out to play. Usher’s bash at Hollywood’s Geisha House attracted such cool cats as Eve, Quentin Tarantino, Kid Rock, Janet Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, Mos Def, Paris Hilton, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi and Jamie Foxx. Geisha Kiss martinis were the toasting libation of the night and rapper Nelly grabbed the mike and got jiggy with DJ Samantha Ronson.... Across town her brother, DJ Mark Ronson, was entertaining the masses at a Miracle Mile bash hosted by Boost Mobile & Dave Meyers for Kanye West, who partied down with such luminaries as Ludacris, Christina Milian, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, Joss Stone, Jay-Z and Beyonce. Some of the guest made both bashes, of course, and counted the cha-ching from gift bags that contained MP3 players and cellphones.

Hillbilly country

Bad to the bone: Shelton Hank Williams III, a.k.a. Hank III, worked it all out at the Whisky last Thursday, blazing through a fierce set of hillbilly country before inviting his speed-metal alter-ego to the stage. And for the record, he’s still wearing his “country chrome” cowboy boots, decade-old, duct-taped thrashers that are so twisted, they curl up at the end like the witch’s kicks in “The Wizard of Oz.” ... A star is born: The Key Club’s Plush Lounge was the site of last Thursday’s debut by Video Star, a new ‘80s cover band featuring the bass player and drummer from Metal Skool, the Roxy’s Monday-night head-banging staple. Video Star covers everything from Rick Springfield to the Cure. Give me a dose.... Actor Balthazar Getty and pal Scott Thomas showcase their edgy pop-rock band Ringside tonight at the Viper Room.... Scenester Sean Sweeney, an actor-DJ whose recent Super Bowl commercial was banned from airing (it was a Budweiser ad that had him damaging Janet Jackson’s costume) tells me he’s DJing Wednesday nights at the Bar in Hollywood and shooting an indie film titled “Potheads” ... And we hear Rocket Video in Hollywood is where it’s at. Among the Rocket regulars are Keanu Reeves, Faye Dunaway, Matt Dillon, Bridget Fonda, Billy Zane and Anne Heche.

Down for a party

So Vertigos, the downtown nightclub at Temple and Figueroa, is kicking it up a notch. The two-room venue has added some Friday shows featuring local indie rock bands (on Feb. 25, Indy 500, Punk Bunny and Ctrl Alt Delete) and this Sunday night will throw a party featuring DJ Richard Blade and a Cure cover band.... Those Kona kids, Pepper -- a three-piece dub rock band -- release their new live DVD March 8 on Volcom Entertainment (the record label side of Volcom, the popular skate-surf wear company). Shot over a two-night stay at the Troubadour in WeHo, Pepper, which is now living in SoCal, makes its way to the El Rey Theater on March 26.

-- Heidi Siegmund Cuda