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Smokin' Safari Sam's

by Caroline Ryder

August 26, 2006 12:08 PM

The Safari Sam's official launch party last week was smokin' – literally. A speaker exploded in to flames half way through the night during live rock karaoke band S.W.E.A.T's heartfelt rendition of something by Pink Floyd. "It was hot," says Chad Forello, Safari Sam's co-manager dude, who performed his own take on Elvis by singing "I Cant Help Falling in Love With Jew", a song he dedicated to Mel Gibson.

The open vodka bar came courtesy of New Zealand's 42 Below (the name supposedly refers to the southern latitude where it is produced and also to its 42% alcohol content). They supplied party goers - among them DJ Frankie Chan, Adam 12 of She Wants Revenge, scenester/make-up artist Giddle Partridge and local up and comers SaberTooth Tiger – with refreshment. We loved the passion fruit flavor and salute 42 Below for filling the sad gap left by Ketel One after we realized it is, in fact, lame. Angel City, a local brewery and winner of the LA County Fair Beer Competition, added to the inebriation with their crisp European style ales and pilsner. And American Spirit threw in a couple dozens packs of their healthy organic cigarettes (if its free, I'll believe anything you tell me). Special thanks to Elizabeth Chase for organizing all the refreshments!The Indie 103.1 and LA Weekly sponsored launch party came three months after the club actually opened – but hey, who's counting. Not The Dares, a trio of 16-year-old pop punk heart throbs, who assumed that because it was a launch, it was also the opening night. "We're so happy to be the first band to play this stage!" they yelled. We forgave them because they're unbelievably cute, as pointed out by co-Emcee Alexis Florio, who invited the boys to call her "in four years. Actually, make it two." The night started with my fellow LA Weekly Style Councilors Steffie and Lina behind the decks under their pseudonyms Miss Treat and DJ Double Elle. Chad, my only source for this story, was impressed. "They played basically my entire record collection. They started off with Raw Power by the Stooges and segued into Gang of Four and all kinds of punk and post punk music that has basically shaped the entire musical landscape of now." Effusive praise indeed from a man who has barely cracked a smile since ripping both biceps while lifting tables at the club two months ago.The party featured on-stage performances by burlesque impresaria Miss Kitty Diggins and her Dandy performers. One of them, Prince Poppycock, resplendent in a Louis XIV wig and china white powder face, opened up the karaoke with a divine rendition of Bowie's Rebel Rebel. Me and Alexis concluded the karaoke with a drunken interpretation of Fuck The Pain Away, before introducing the last DJ of the night, electronica guru and URB magazine cover boy Boom Bip, who recently toured with Interpol and opened for The Orb at Walt Disney Concert Hall. So drunk were we by this point, we entirely forgot to invite Safari Sam's owner Sam Lanni to the stage to talk about the club for a few minutes, as originally planned. But, as he told us the following morning, "I was trashed, you were trashed, everyone was trashed. Who cares – it was a good night."

Posted by Caroline Ryder, all photos by Rae/Threat www.threat.tv

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