Year Archive for 2008
ALTERATIVE CLOTHING SHOPS IN HARAJUKU: MARI'S ROCK, RICHARDS, TUTU SKIRTS.
Whenever I traipse down Takeshita Doori in Harajuku, I’m compelled to stop every few steps and yell: “LOCK AND LOLLL!” It must be because of the skull prints and chains and plaids…
The yen-deficient among us will love the little boutiques that sell no-name Goth/Lolita/Punk clothing. You’ll find a huge selection of alternative fashion – tutu skirts, skull-print purses, long vampire coats with chains – at Wal-Mart prices. But you get what you pay for; expect the fabric to fall apart in the wash…
Mari’s Rock and Richards specialize in rock T-shirts, studded leather accessories, and casual garments (especially for men).
Listen Flavor (left) puts a neon electro spin on street/punk fashion. AC/DC (right) has a wide selection – and as you can see, price tags are generally under $30!
Inside, the “No Picture” signs also tell you to “F** Off”!
Don’t bypass Takenoko: it’s full of campy, feathered, PVC drag queen goodies! I felt like I’d entered the closet of the transgendered lovers from Wild Zero (the garage band Guitar Wolf’s horror zombie musical). On that note…
Song of the Day 8: Guitar Wolf – Sky Star Jet
SHARE & COMMENT
MARK LANE @ M/R/X: MINIMAL WAVE, ELECTRO POST-PUNK SYNTHPOP, CAMPY FASHION.
A while back, I wrote about Goth lipsticks and shadows. Last Saturday, I caked on two of my favorites: blue eye dust from Medusas Makeup, and dark blue lipstick from Make Up Forever Professional. I only had an hour between the airplane photoshoot and the party, so I threw on a Sex Pot Revenge t-shirt and some odds and ends…
All dressed up – where to go? How about the Wolfpak + M/R/X club night, described as minimal-electronic-wave-synth-punk-Goth, or “dancing with tears in our eyes”? And could there be a more perfect venue than El Cid Cabaret in Silver Lake: a replica of a 16th century Spanish tavern (complete with flowering courtyard and antique brick fireplace), built around 1900 by D.W. Griffith and used in his controversial film “Birth of a Nation”?
With a cherry on top: minimal-synth pioneer Mark Lane, performing live in LA for the first time in 24 years! (You can read a fantastic article about him on LA Weekly.) He thrilled me with his strong vocals and somewhat-tongue-in-cheek delivery, set to not one, not two, but FIVE keyboards (Moog, analog synthesizers, toy machinery…) You never knew which one Mark would attack next!
The fashion at the party was the best I’ve seen in LA: a meeting of debonair and Gothic, 1930s Weimar Berlin and 1980s Vivienne Westwood.
The men out-glittered the women with Boy George makeup and fox fur scarves (with head and feet still attached). The dandy on the right wasn’t satisfied with studding his top hat – he extended the decora onto his face!
The boys were especially dashing on the wood dance floor. The DJ was Veronica of East Village Radio – and I was in analog synth heaven. I’ve been listening to her weekly show, Minimal-Electronik Plus, religiously for the past few years. It’s hard to describe the sound of dark/minimal wave… you’ve simply got to tune in!
Decora nail art, undead elegance… M/R/X felt a lot like a Tokyo nightcrawl. It was a pleasure to meet Gloom (right) and a few other Angelinos who read this blog. I only wish I had more time in LA to venture into the night… I certainly don’t want to miss the Modern Romantic club night that the organizers are debuting soon.
In lieu of the Song of the Day, check out the video footage I took of Mark Lane’s performance (above) and stream Veronica’s Minimal-Electronik Plus radio show.
LA CARMINA
