The Juliana Theory @ The El Rey

Since HC was my show companion, he didn't allow me to make just one stop throughout the night. 


Spitz
It was my first time eating a falafel and it was delicious.

Photo from The Happy Hour Tour

I couldn't believe how meaty (in a heavy kind of way) it felt even thought it was all vegetables...all tasty vegetables. 

The pita strips were so light and crispy, like a healthier version of chips.

Photo from The Happy Hour Tour

Then we had my favorite menu item, the Street Cart Fries, which was a bit too heavy on the dressing at the Eagle Rock location compared to the Little Tokyo location.   

Photo from The Happy Hour Tour

We tried a half order of fries and a half order of sweet potato fries.  HC put it best when he said the sweet potato fries weren't bad, but they didn't really add much to the side order either.  I had to agree that the regular fries went so much better with the toppings.  I always find that there's always a risk when it comes to ordering sweet potato fries:  they can be great or disappointing.


Colorado Wine Company
Fortunately, it was Sangria Saturday.  Yay!  They serve one of the best sangrias I've ever had. 


Luna Park
We still had some time before the start of The Juliana Theory show, so we stopped here for a drink.  Little did I know, HC meant a Scorpion Bowl.


The Juliana Theory

Photo from The Juliana Theory FB Page

We attended the fourth stop on their six-show anniversary tour for one of their best albums ever, Emotion is Dead.  We arrived around 9pm.  HC had an inkling that they were already them on stage, but I was in disbelief that they didn't have an opening act (and I admit, I didn't recognize the singer w/ his long hair).  Luckily, we didn't miss too much before we were on our way to the front.  I finally realized it was them when they started playing Don't Push Love Away.

Not many people seem to know what I'm talking about when I bring up The Juliana Theory, but you wouldn't have been able to tell if you had been at The El Rey; the place was packed.  When they started playing We're at the Top of the World, everyone went crazy and started singing along; a mosh pit started forming.  Poor HC had just gotten a massage earlier that day and he was rubbing his punched shoulders after the show.  I was surprised they even had a mosh pit going for such mellow music, but everyone just got excited.

Standout tracks for me were:
We're at the Top of the World (To the Simple Two)
Is Patience Still Waiting?
Something Isn't Right Here
You Always Say Goodnight, Goodnight (which was absolutely mesmerizing)
Closest Thing (from Understand this is a Dream album.  They played songs from other albums mixed in with Emotion is Dead)

I'm really glad I got to see them since I missed their shows during the height of their popularity in the late 90s / early 2000s.  I have to say they are still amazing.  Brett Detar's (vocalist) voice still sounds as good as it does on the albums. 


Emotion is Dead Track List

1. "Into the Dark" – 4:03
2. "Don't Push Love Away" – 3:17
3. "To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children" – 3:52
4. "We're at the Top of the World (To the Simple Two)" – 3:17
5. "Is Patience Still Waiting?" – 3:51
6. "Emotion is Dead Pt. I" – 2:04
7. "If I Told You This Was Killing Me, Would You Stop?" – 3:52
8. "We're Nothing Without You" – 4:14
9. "Something Isn't Right Here" – 2:07
10. "Understand the Dream Is Over" – 2:56
11. "This Is Your Life" – 3:35
12. "You Always Say Goodnight, Goodnight" – 9:30
13. "Emotion is Dead Pt. II" – 4:45

Luna Park

Yes, back again, this time for dessert (Make Your Own S'mores - the graham crackers broke too easily because they were so thin) and Mini Bar.  

Suehiro

Because the yakitori place a Colorado Wine Co patron mentioned looked pretty empty and suspect, we tried to go to Honda Ya, but got there right as the kitchen closed.  Ended up here because HC was starving.  I just wanted Spam onigiri, but HC added Hiyashi Rice, which was pretty tasty, kind of like a beef stew-type gravy over rice.  Very simple, but way too heavy for me to have as a late night snack.


More:
Yod BlogPublic Waste
The Void Remains
P.S.A.M.P.

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