Read
about FUNERAL in the L.A. TIMES,
L.A. ALTERNATIVE PRESS &
ROCK CITY NEWS:
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NEWS & EDITORIAL
08.01.14:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHGGH!!!!!!!!!!!
Have your attention? Awesome. Well.. I've packed up FUNERAL and moved it YET AGAIN (!!!) to a different night. Same location in Baldwin Park. FUNERAL will be held on the 3rd Friday of every month starting September 19. Why? Here. Read this:
"It does NO good to anyone to make the scene CHOOSE which Gothic/deathrock event they're going to support. I wholeheartedly believe every event should have it's OWN night. Due to all the overlapping, FUNERAL is fixing to make a SMART MOVE to a night that is NOT already occupied by ANOTHER recurring event. I would hope that all the promoters and would-be promoters out there would follow suit, do their homework and MAKE SURE another event is NOT already going on when they decide to open up another new club OR throw a "one night" event. IT DOES NOBODY ANY GOOD TO DILUTE THE SCENE MORE THAN IT ALREADY IS. Unity, people. Let's support one another and continue to have one of the BEST Gothic/Deathrock scenes in the WORLD.
For the Music,
Veronika
Thank you for reading, all your love and support.. and see you at the next Funeral (Saturday August 16)! ~xov
05.07.14: The Black Castle...
On Friday May 23, FUNERAL will be held at a rad all ages venue called THE BLACK CASTLE. I've been asked if this will be FUNERAL's permanent home and the answer
is quite simply 'No' - I'm only using the hall to put on this special live showcase of music. It has a wonderful stage with pro lights and sound which
I feel all the bands deserve on this evening...in memorial of Ian Curtis. I do plan on trying to have a showcase of bands there monthly or every other
month as a supplemental to the monthly FUNERAL in Baldwin Park. SO... FUNERAL in Baldwin Park once per month (as usual), with a band and mainly dancing..
and FUNERAL in L.A. at the Black Castle once per month with a few bands and some dancing...Hope that clears it all up! Til then...
04.01.14: Remembering Rozz today...
16 years ago, a friend rang me on the phone...I don't even remember how the conversation went or who it was, but he told me Rozz hung himself in his apartment. I thought of Eva immediately. I also remember thinking he must have been devastated over his best friend's (Erik) death just months previous and decided to follow suit. I saw things for this great man go downhill after I booked his project 'Heltir' in '97, but he was too high to perform. Erik had to drag him off stage and my club was shut down by the management (I'm not sure if he performed again after that incident). Then Erik took his life....then Rozz.
His fans and legacy have grown steadily since his departure. I oftentimes wonder if we appreciated him as much as we do now when he was still with us.
You're remembered today and every day, my friend. Love to you. ~xov
FUNERAL UPDATE:
We are working on a set schedule for FUNERAL... we will stick to one Saturday per month and hope to lock in the 2nd Saturday of Every Month starting in June. For now, the next FUNERALs are on April 26 and May 31. Many wonderful things planned for everyone.. til then... stay real.
02.15.14: Post Bloody Valentine Massacre...
W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L.!.!.!.! Absolutely, hands down our best FUNERAL YET!!! MANY huge THANK YOUS to everyone who made it out last night to the Bloody Valentine Massacre! What a night... intense, loud and SEXY. Grinding dancers REALLY made a floorshow; Happy Valentine's Day INDEED! HUGE congratulations to our Gary Numan ticket winner Matthew! Enjoy the show courtesy of FUNERAL and our friends at Goldenvoice.com.
Also, the boys of Untoward Children wish to thank everyone for the incredible response (and for convincing us to pull our new song out on encore)! Please purchase our debut album HUNT here on facebook, iTunes, cdbaby and just about everywhere else!
.....AND FUNERAL IS NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH!! You requested it, we listened. Starting March 1 (THAT'S RIGHT! FUNERAL IS BACK IN JUST 2 WEEKS!!) So we hope to see you then! As always, we have tons of goodies and freebies planned for you including FREE FUNERAL BUTTONS TO THE FIRST 50 through the tomb doors..
Again, the FUNERAL crew and I wish to thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of our BLACK, BLACK hearts for your UNDEAD SUPPORT!
Til Death Do Us Part,
~xov
VERONIKA SORROW
& THE
FUNERAL SKELETON CREW
Adriel, Sal, Debbie, Louis, Jose & Liz
01.11.14: FUNERAL...the saga continues...
8 months have gone by...with Facebook being my main portal of communication, promotion and updates...my old bubastis.com has really fallen by the wayside.
I would redirect you there, but I feel the need to come back here from time to time and breathe a little life into the embers of this website. How can I recap the last several
FUNERALs? I cannot. I've been doing this for so long it's now all so automatic...this is a rough location (the American Legion hall) because it's literally just that. A huge
empty space I must somehow transform into something that resembles a nightclub. It takes 2 nights to set up..we start on a Wednesday night, come back Thursday and finish up the hours
just before the doors open at 9pm. I am the sound person, Dj and host.. I set up the entire PA and DJ system from scratch, decorate, set up tables, candles, candy, toys, flyers....
prime the fog machines and it's ready to roll. And in the wink of an eye..it's all over.
2014 marks 20 years ago that I opened my first club, WAKE. We were the only other Gothic night aside from Helter. Yes: before RTB, before Mal', before Bar Sin, before the Goth DJ craze
(yeah, they all came and danced in my clubs first), before the DRCA craze, and before any Gothic night you (possibly) can think of in Hollywood/L.A. in recent years. Yes. With an occasional
short break, I have run Gothic clubs every year since then. Have I worn this proudly as a badge? Not necessarily - it's just a fact.
I can mark events in chunks of 10 years now and its a strange feeling...because it really doesn't seem like it's been all that long. The countless shows, encounters, parties and dreams.
I kind of chuckle at the whole recent "DRCA" and Rozz craze. It used to mean something else...I think it was more sincere then. Rozz was another original artist, poet...he wore his pain
on his sleeve and it was genuinely palpable at his shows...I booked him once as Daucus Karota. He couldn't perform because he came back after disappearing for 2 hours completely smacked
out. Soon thereafter his manager friend killed himself. Things were falling apart. I remember he was singing on stage at Eric's memorial show in Hollywood and nobody knew the words and
he was upset, crying...he looked at me like "don't YOU know the words???" and I didn't. Following suit, he, too, soon thereafter hung himself.
Which current artists do we live for today? It makes sense newer generations would latch on to something long gone by, like another winter gone by.
With Passion,
~xov
05.24.13: FUNERAL...WE'RE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!
..and just like that...May 18 has passed and I'm already gearing up for the next FUNERAL: Friday July 12.
Slight change of heart, change of plans. Always changing, rearranging...redirecting, circumventing...venting and reinventing.
The music...well, the music will never die. My whole life has been completely dedicated to music, in some form or another.
In the end, the drama, the fears, the utter B.S. and tears, every last drop of every last aspect...
was all worth it because I evolved alongside an eternal art. It has never been about the cliques or the fads,
the incestuous nature of an ugly and beautiful little town named Los Angeles, the breakups nor the disappointments.
It's only ever been about the MUSIC. After having received a few letters over the last 4 1/2+ years (since the last FUNERAL ever on August 16, 2008),
I had no choice but to think about what I walked away from. But, I needed that break. I needed to venture forth with my own music (VSoRROW & Untoward Children),
and my shop (MEOWMEOWZ!). I needed to step away from the bitter people, jealous fakers, perpetually immature, and envious hangers-on. Delouse, rape shower, shake
it all off, dry off and go dance in the sun for a while.
I think it was a letter I received this year from a gentle soul from the Bay area that really pushed me to do something again. The October reunion in 2012 was sort
of inevitable...the feeling was flawed and felt forced. I believe that's why it didn't go as I half-heartedly planned it. There wasn't a full-heart on board with it.
So, when I recieved this letter, I wrote back I'd never do it again. I'd never do anything "Gothic" again because I wanted nothing to do with the L.A. "Scene".
The letter proved cathartic. It wound up being a sort of analytical worksheet I never asked for. Almost immediately after editing my words and hitting "send"...
I took it all back. I realized I had walked away for the RIGHT reasons, but that a return to hosting FUNERAL again after a break
was taproot-deep with even more RIGHT reasons. It all made sense and I was compelled to do it again. I just couldn't leave it at that 10 year reunion
in October of 2012.
May 18, 2013 FUNERAL was breathtaking. So many new, passionate faces. So many old friends and grown-up baby bats. It was THE REAL reunion! Close to a couple hundred
black-clad souls marched through those doors, danced and swayed the night away in their finest Gothic accoutrements, full regalia and glory. Goths can smile. Dead can dance.
Aside from the usual, amusing technical difficulties here and there, the crowd took it with a good cheer and beer toast. When the lights were suddenly flicked on for
last call and closing, everyone kept dancing and the songs still went bump well into the wee hours of the morning. FUNERAL has finally returned after a temporary slumber.
So here we are....
FUNERAL - L.A.'s only all ages gothic club. Gothic Ethereal Death Rock Danse! A monthly phantasmagoria...starting Friday July 12. Showcasing the best live talent and artists,
featuring major concert ticket giveways and...more. Much more. As always, I will endeavor to keep this going as long as humanly possible...all forces permitting.
Hope you'll spread the word and come out for old time's sake....
03.04.13: FUNERAL Party Reunion, 2013....?
After last year's FUNERAL reunion...I had a few months to sit and contemplate the pros and cons...what was different, why, what was lacking, what could be done differently,
what could have been done better....and I finally have all the answers. It's simply not FUNERAL if I'm doing it with another club..it simply didn't "feel" right. It's not
FUNERAL if I allow DJs to come and play music that was not a part of our usual format, or guests who never spun there before. The fact was, I was supposed to have it at
another venue and have the ENTIRE spot to myself. Unfortunately, after it had been announced, the owner told me there was a mistake, that he had another event booked but
that FUNERAL could be held at his other venue along with an 80's club. It seemed like a good idea at the time....and for the most part was a good move. It just comes back
down to the 'feelings' I have invested in this whole venture..and the feeling simply wasn't right. Since that night, I've been kicking myself over various points of the
evening...examining what really worked and what didn't and why. SO! All that being thoroughly thought-over, I have decided that I'll be bringing FUNERAL back for another
night this year, 2013! "This time for real..." With that comes another Fun idea.. to have FUNERAL when the feeling is right, when there's a special occasion and some
dancing needs to be done...most likely once or twice a year. This year, my lover is celebrating his birthday in May and we decided it would be lovely to hold a FUNERAL party in his honor: afterall, we did
meet at FUNERAL over 8 years ago! Now this feels right...I'm looking to rent out an old Elks Lodge like I used to 'back in the day' and completely transform it into a gloomy, dank
graveyard of grim delights....I still have all the metric tons of 'foofer' art, candles and lace used at the old FUNERALs...I'm genuinely excited for this night.
The exact location and date are not confirmed as of today...but will be soon...you can bet on that. See you soon...
03.01.13: Some letters just come at the right time...
Here's one from my inbox just a few days ago...a cosmic pull or push to do something again this year:
"Just a friendly mention....I've had quite the crush on VsoRRoW for ooh soo many years, lol..I grew up with FUNERAL and always looked back at your posts/blogs on "bubastis.com" throughout the years, reminding myself to ALWAYS stay true to the essence of the music.
Despite the fact that someone associated with London A.M ruined your chance at having an ongoing night at: "Theater Gallery" I still agree with alot of what both of you (Veronika and Sean Brennan) say as far as what the scene has become, both then and now..I do miss the theatrics at clubs and stage shows these days but I also miss the integrity that seems to be lacking in ALOT of both yesterday and todays music scene..it seems like I'm only one of very few people left in the scene that feels this way because many have decided to either give up and run with whatever seems to be "POP" these days or let go of the scene and decide it's dead and carry on with whatever lives they thought were "normal" to them..I think the scene needs you again, V..I'd really like to see you open up another club sometime in the near future..now that I live in the bay, it would be a hassle to attend a club in Los Angeles but I would try my hardest to either promote or attend whatever it is you decide to do..
With love;
Dazzle"
"Dazzle -
I just can't - and just won't. What I believed in years ago is, in fact, dead. The only thing that ever mattered or remained pure, of course, was the music. The factor that killed it for me was the denizens of Los Angeles. Its become a festering cesspool of negativity, incest and oppression. You can't grow if your life revolves around who dances the best at a Goth club, or who's screwing who this month. I miss the pageantry and being able to have one of LA's only clubs with integrity, but those are ancient memories. I've attempted over the last couple of years to attend or revive and unfortunately, there aren't enough of "us": good-hearted individuals like you who simply want to hear the music they love most, dress up and dance to pay homage to a great era of music long gone by. Its 2013 - nothing new is going on - and when a band tries to claim they"re "gothic" they are certainly not.
Your letter came at a good time - I read it the day after I swore off "L.A. Goth clubs" forever. I'll attend, DJ and perform in any other city than this place - its a re-hash of all the nasty stuff that has sat rotting for the last decade or more - "all my dead friends come to harm, haunt and linger, never letting go, here to drag me down to Hell. Just say Goodbye." In short - L.A. doesn't deserve my devotion and passion for the music any longer. I gave them my time. The people who "lead" the goth scene now in L.A. are spineless scavengers - they're not real leaders. They're puppets, clowns and mimes.
I'm actually trying to put together something in San Francisco for my band to perform at - I might do a set with the Siouxsie tribute act up there (Spellbound) for fun as well..even though I haven't had big black hair in a few years!
Thank you for your sincere and kind letter - it really did mean a lot to me. I think I'm going to update bubastis.com with a link to my shop, band and maybe update my news blurb with your note - people who care still check in and want to know how I truly feel. This is all.
Hope to meet you again some night,
Veronika T. Sorrow"
Thanks to Ceasar "Dazzle" for writing that...again, it came at such the perfect time. That pivotal time we all come to at various roads in our life where we take all lessons learned, take a look at the hand we were dealt, and lay all the cards on the table. This is how I feel. I do want to pull together FUNERAL once a year, time permitting. It is the music that matters most, always did and always will. Every day is a step away from
the crap left behind...like a fart in church: open the window and keep on preachin'....Amen!!!
...
02.28.13:
The One Year & One Month Update...
OH
Please forgive and excuse the exasperated tone of this news entry. I wrote this very passionately...
I guess I didn't come back and update the news after the event actually passed...woops! It really did come and go rather quickly. The year 2012 itself flashed by in the wink of an eye.
So goes every year, it seems. The much anticipated FUNERAL 10 year reunion was on October 19, 2012. As I write this, I am already in making plans for a FUNERAL reunion this Spring, so stay tuned!
And now on with the Editorial....Well, as with most events,
there were major pros and major cons...
PROS: I saw a lot of devoted, sweet friends
from the FUNERAL days. My newest band, Untoward Children, received an incredible, enthusiastic, energetic response and we put on a near flawless show. Everyone in attendance
seemed very happy with the night. We split the night with another club so we had a couple hundred partying the night away (which borderlines the cons). CONS:
I wore WAY too many hats that night: I had my shop (MEOWMEOWZ!) set up a booth in the back patio (huge thanks as always to Sal), I was slated to open the night and
DJ (which I wasn't able to), decorate the whole club with the old FUNERAL gossamer and lace AND sound-check for my band all before opening at 9pm sharp. It was
too much and highly stressful. I hardly danced and when I began, I was interrupted with an important question pertaining to one of the above mentioned hats.
Coming up for air...end of rant? Time for a rave...
I have actually been more active in gothic scenes out of town...although it's somewhat of a
mockery of what the L.A. scene used to be, it's still pretty passionate. There sure are a hell of a lot more cooler and creative folks outside of Hell-A. It's refreshing
not knowing people and just dressing up to dance with my lover once in a while!
I'm going to be doing another FUNERAL reunion this year (2013) for those I love and care for...for
those who weren't able to make the last one! An intimate, all ages night close to home for a rad, fun time.
“I used to dance before the Discos came.” - Andi SexGang. Yes, I was there – busting my ass,
spending my resources and pouring my heart and very soul into putting on a kick-ass event full of the best music in the world. And I'll do it again. 100% on my own terms, as always.
Thanks for reading and see you soon....
Read about my background here: http://www.bubastis.com/history.html (written by a long dead friend).
01.11.12:
The Four Year Update...
OH
HAI!
I never thought I'd be doing this shite again... updating the
“LATEST NEWS” section of the FUNERAL page, that is.
How does one give a Cliff Notes summary of what's gone on in the
last 4 years since my last update? I can't even recall the final
ever night of FUNERAL...my memory fails, once again. I did open
QUEEN MOTHER for a while at the Medusa Lounge – but decided
to wrap it up after a “fellow” DJ approached me behind
the booth and said “Veronika...what happened?” which I
interpreted as “you're not playing the same Christian Death
song again” - sure, it was supposed to be funny...but it was
really a preamble to the final chapter in my 15 years of running
Gothic Nightclubs. I was expanding to current and lost dark,
post-punk-influenced local music and b-sides – and, well,
when nightclubbers are expecting to hear Romeo's Distress, this
wasn't very welcome. So I just stopped after that event. Not
because of his ignorant remark, but because I was feeling the
difference in the audience. It was like extinguishing a candle
flame that had been burning for a decade and a half with a my
fingers and walking out of the room. In 2009 I opened up a Rock n'
Roll vintage clothing boutique in my home town of Pasadena called
MEOWMEOWZ! Http://www.meowmeowzrockshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/meowmeowz
- (too lazy to tack in the html to open in a new window, so just right-click the links to open a new one) - which is still Rockin' in 2012! I also started up a new band
(Untoward Children) Our music and shows will be coming soon http://www.facebook.com/untowardchildren
Over the years, friends n fiends of FUNERAL have kept in touch; I've
watched all my baby bats grow, graduate high school, even
college, some have come to MEOWMEOWZ!...and they always ask “are you still doing clubs? I
really want FUNERAL back; they were the best times of my life.”
And those sentiments have kept a little pilot light burning for my
passion towards Gothic Rock & dance.
So that brings us up to
2012 which marks 10 years from the first night I ever opened
FUNERAL in Pasadena (inside an Indian restaurant's banquet room)!
Beyond good times.. so...let's do it AGAIN, shall we? Yes! So, for
one night only in October of 2012, I will put on a night you will
not soon forget...with all the spider web trimmings for your
ghoulish delights. I love and miss you all...and am really looking
forward to closing out the fabled, ill-fated year of 2012 with
your...
FUNERAL.
Til then, I remain,
Veronika T. Sorrow.
PS I don't think I'll have it at the Indian restaurant, but it will be an Old
School FUNERAL tomb location...stay toon'd!
04.28.08:
No Whey...
An
update only one month later? You're kidding me. I happened to be
on this page for some updating, ie, deleting of a band I was once
a part of that I no longer wish to even associate myself with...
and decided to update this. Well, there you go. It's updated.
ON
a serious note...FUNERAL will be held in the beautiful city of
Santa Monica at the famous "14 Below" -- the CBGB's of
the Wesside. OOps, West Side. I say "famous" because
WHEN EVER I've answered the question "so when is the next
FUNERAL?" I say "14 Below in Santa Monica" and they
reply "Oh YEAH, I know that place, I saw....play there."
After that date, I'm giving FUNERAL a rest for a few months so I
can focus on my two bands, THE CHASTE and my new Siouxsie tribute
NOCTURNA. The next venue should be in West L.A. but I won't say
where. nyah nyah. NEXT FUNERAL IS FRIDAY MAY 30. See ya
there...
03.02.08:
I have a new song idea...
How
about something like "MySpace killed the website star!
MySpace killed the website star!" Yeah, sing it to the tune
of "Video killed the radio star.." I could put something
to the effect of "mention this passage and get in for free
forever and ever..." and nothing would happen. Pourquoi? you
ask me incredulously in French, dropping your salad fork on your
china plate. Well, because NOBODY READS FUCKING WEBSITES ANY
LONGER!!! It's all about getting your info quicker and easier on
MySpace! Holy FUCK I had NO idea it was going to be this insane.
I've held on to the domain BUBASTIS.COM for 8, 9 years? And ever
since the advent of MySpace, I feel like I'm shouting in a large
gaping hole in the universe. What's that..a black hole? How
appropriate.
I myself have fallen victim to this incredible
invention. I love MySpace, I really do. I neglect my own domain
because honestly..who notices? Really. All anyone seems to care
about now is an email in there inbox or a bulletin on MySpace
so... "MySpace killed the website star". I visited
myself here to discover I hadn't updated the news in 9 months and
hadn't updated the next event which is less than 2 weeks away.
Well, it's updated now. Much has changed since my last
update...but, FUNERAL has been a continuously evolving animal in
constant flux as it is. IT's the nature of my well-built beast.
Now I suppose I could "blog" all of this and get more
attention? I suppose I could add live journal links, etc. etc...I
don't know. I think it's quiet around here, but I like it,
actually. Shit, now that I think about it, I don't even think my
boyfriend Andy reads this. (baby, email me if you do...HAHA!!
gmk!)
Hmm. Come to think of it. I will
blog this....but you'll only read the below message here on
bubastis.com. So, ha. SO yeah, mention this itty bitty rant and
get in for life for free for being an avid reader and believer-in
websites. LOL. Oh and happy new year and sorry for not updating
this section for 9 months. LOL (part deux). Au revoir! And see you
at the next FUNERAL: Friday March 14.
06.29.07
TO: All my beloved Baby Bats...I miss you :(
I
truly am so very sorry for the age change at FUNERAL. It has been
heart-breaking reading your touching messages about it. Please
believe that I am always striving to bring back ALL AGES
again...truly. It was the very idea that spawned FUNERAL to begin
with 5 years ago. I have not and will not lose sight of that... I
have watched so many of my lovely little teen fiends grow to
graduate High School, grow to be of legal drinking age, grow and
keep the true soul of GOTHIC alive...I'm feeling a bit like your
Fairy Goth-Mother. ;) I have not forgotten any of you...and I do
hope we can see each other soon. Just for the time-being, FUNERAL
is 18+...but I am wanting every year's new gen. of GOTHICS dancing
on my floors.. Soon.. til death do us part, VERONIKA SORROW xox
05.24.07
FUNERAL IS REOPENING AT A NEW LOCATION!!
FUNERAL
will be reopening the tomb gates this Memorial Day Weekend:
Sunday,
May 27. We'll
also be welcoming one of my heroines, Gothic Rock Legend GITANE
DEMONE with The Crystelles. This is an amazing band..do NOT miss
her performance!
Yes, unfortunately for my tiniest Baby Bats,
FUNERAL, for the time being, will remain an 18+ over club until a
venue that allows all ages is conjured up (trust me, we're always
on the look-out!! and hell, if you've been to a venue that allowed
all ages, let us know!). So, keep your eyeballs peeled for us...
FUNERAL will be open on national holidays only...with no work
or school the next day! So on the 4th of July, come light up some
"fireworks" of your own accord at the bar (not
literally). Next
FUNERAL events:
Tuesday July 3 (Independence Day),
Sunday
September 2 (Labor Day),
more holiday dates to be confirmed
soon...
NO
SCHOOL OR WORK THE NEXT DAY FOR ALL THESE EVENTS!
BURIAL
has also returned! This is a 21+ club being held at the Old Towne
Pub in Pasadena starting Saturday June 16...and open the 3rd
Saturday of every month thereafter. Gothic, 80's Darkwave,
Deathrock, Old Industrial. Visit:
http://www.bubastis.com/burial for more info.
We're all
very excited about these new changes and events...so we shall see
you all very soon!
01.19.07
THE 4 MONTH UPDATE: FUNERAL IS MOVING TO A NEW
LOCATION...
Hopefully
this year is shaping up to be a better year than that blasted 2006
for you all! '06 brought many good things, it seems, but at the
high cost of blood, sweat and tears. And keeping with the march of
Time and Evolution in this dark, cold new year, along comes a
change for FUNERAL....
It's true! Friday January 19 will mark
our final night in Pomona. It comes as a shock to us all as we had
no idea the property was being sold. Luckily, we all enjoyed over
a year and a half of hauntings at this great venue, but alas, time
marches forward and apparently the building will be destroyed in
order to make room for "condos." Quite literally a
crying shame.
SO WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION! The
owners have opened an all new club much closer to many of you AND
us. They have graciously invited us to keep FUNERAL open. We won't
disclose the when and where we're opening up until late. But
please make sure to come out then and bid us a farewell from our
old stomping ground. And if you HAVEN'T joined FUNERAL yet, now's
the time!
One last thing that I am having a difficult time
absorbing: in order to maintain our nights and all that FUNERAL
has been providing for over 4 years, we are being asked to be an
18+ nightclub. When we reopen, we will no longer be ALL AGES. I
know this closes out a few of our devoted FUNERAL fiends and the
upcoming legions of baby bats to follow (and honestly goes against
some of the principles behind WHY I started FUNERAL to begin
with), but I can only offer my deepest apologies. I have weighed
my options: I just don't want to stop FUNERAL in order to scour
L.A. for a venue that is COOL enough to allow us ALL AGES with a
FULL BAR for the 21+ ghouls. It is extremely difficult for our
crowd; and with new laws being passed all the time, it's becoming
trickier, stickier and quite possibly illegal (think back to the
police raid on FUNERAL in 2005 where I was almost arrested)! I
would like to keep FUNERAL going STRONG. Still, I will talk to the
owners and see if they will allow ALL AGES if accompanied by a
parent or adult: there is still a glimmer of hope...we shall see!
So on behalf of the FUNERAL Skeleton Crew, we will see you
all there on Friday January 19 as we BURN THE HOUSE DOWN one last
time in POMONA!!!!
Til Death Do Us Part...
08.10.06
THE 4 MONTH UPDATE...
Does
anyone really go to websites any longer? Truly! MySpace has taken
over the internet...it's not a complaint at all, but I see the way
of the future today...and it begins and ends in MySpace! So, creep
on over and join the Official FUNERAL page on MySpace!
http://www.myspace.com/clubfuneral
HAS
IT REALLLLLY BEEN OVER A YEAR ALREADY?
Where
the f*ck does time go? Eh? FUNERAL has been held at the lovely
Tiki Room now for over a year now. It's mind-boggling,
really...this year (2006) will also mark the 4th year for
FUNERAL..and what a long and interesting
journey it's been. And in the wink of an eye...4 more months have
flown by and I haven't updated the FUNERAL news section becuase,
well, honestly, I'm not really all that convinced that no more
than 2 or 3 of you out there in the dubya duby dubya really read
club news. The only news that matters, FUNERAL NEWS! (okay, I
don't really believe that, just being silly as I should be
asleeeep by now). Yawn.
What
is THE CHASTE?
Why,
that's the musical project of your FUNERAL director Veronika
Sorrow, along with Andy Smith AKA DJ sPlit! Visit THE CHASTE on
MySpace (lovely Myspace): http://www.myspace.com/chastemusic
You will have the opportunity to catch them LIVE at FUNERAL on
Friday August 18...don't miss it!
04.18.06
UPDATES and OH! SO MORE...
Hello
there! Have you noticed? FUNERAL has a new schedule and admission
fee...
1. FUNERAL is now open on the 3rd Friday of the month
ONLY.
2. FUNERAL is now open from 10pm til 2am for all you
fashionably late...
...make a sticky-note of it and put it on
your monitor.
BURIAL...buried?
Thanks
to everyone who made FUNERAL's sister BURIAL a smashing success in
Pasadena. However, due to the extremely uncool nature and
unbelievalble unprofessionalism of the owner of Terrace (Joseph
Lee: you're a joke), we are looking for an even better 21+ spot
for BURIAL. So for now, the coffin lids are closed...We WILL NOT
be gone forever and eternally...so stay thee tuned!
WHY,
KISS ME THREE TIMES: IT'S ROBERT SMITH'S BIRTHDAY!
This
Friday April 21, our beloved Father of Mope, our Creepy from
Crawley, our Messiah of Angst is turning 47. That wheel in the sky
keeps on turning, but The Cure's music is immortal. Come help
celebrate at his FUNERAL PARTY with partners in the most atrocious
of musical crimes THE LAST DANCE. Jeff & the boys are also
doing a little Cure song to welcome our "Robert Smith"
on stage for a club-wide "Happy Birthday"...you don't
wanna miss this event. Til then, I hope you have that Journey song
permanently implanted in your head for the rest of the day like
meeeee!!
01.25.06
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Lots
of changes in the new year of 2006 abound. The new year is my
Spring Cleaning, a winter cleansing, if you will. Time for change,
time for action. With this, I have decided to change around some
things for FUNERAL. I cannot say what just yet, but it will
definitely be a date change and an admission change! ALSO..a brand
new DANCE EVENT is coming! All the gorey details are
coming...soon...
FUNERAL
on the Women's Entertainment Network
Last
November, the WE channel came by FUNERAL to film for a show called
"I can't believe I wore that!". When they contacted me,
I was highly skeptical and asked to speak to the producer. I made
clear that in order to grant them permission to film, that this
show would NOT be a mockery nor a spoof of what the Gothic
subculture does. I was not going to subject everyone (and myself)
to another media circus resulting in more closed minds and more
ridicule. The producer was very understanding and ASSURED me I had
no worries despite what the show's title may have suggested.
I
am very, VERY pleased to report that the spotlight on FUNERAL was
FANTASTIC. It was based around the fact that Gothic fashion became
more widely known and trendy in the 90's with the surfacing of our
subculture into the mainstream. It then went on to explain that
for most, it wasn't merely a trend, but a lifestyle...that of
course, needed to be cloaked at times for conformity-at-work's
sake. They interviewed me, and several other FUNERAL goers. If you
were unable to catch it, check your local cable listing for the
90's segment (there were about 4 segments dealing with fashion
thru the last 4 decades); they have been re-running the program
since the original air-date. We'll have it on-hand at the
merchandise table at FUNERAL, ask the Beast, Sal, if he has
it...he'll pop it in for ya.
TO
BE UNDERGROUND, OR NOT TO BE UNDERGROUND?
That is the question. When I began FUNERAL over 3 years ago, it
was meant to stay underground, ie, low-key, possibly flirting on
the edge of illegality. The reason being, having all ages allowed
in an establishment that had a full bar was a very tricky
business. I have since come to learn that it IS possible and very
legal depending on the venue. It is in fact a matter of permits.
It all came to a head last year in May when Eva O.'s show was
interrupted by the El Monte Police Dept. citing the hall and
myself for lack of "proper permits": something we both
were actually unaware of at the time. Now that FUNERAL is entirely
not
in danger of being shut down, does this mean we are no longer
"underground"? Was it this dance with disaster that made
us underground? I question this myself. But I come back to the
same idea: the essence and spirit of FUNERAL is quite in-tact. The
only real change has been your FUNERAL is NOT in danger of getting
RAIDED BY THE COPS. I think we'll all sleep safely, dance soundly
and enjoy the bands we're watching KNOWING this. Long Live the
Underground spirit. Viva
le FUNERAL.
11.04.05
COLLECTING YOUR SURVEYS: NO INDUSTRIAL!
Last
FUNERAL we put out a box to collect surveys left out at the
request table. FUNERAL wants to know your opinion on..well,
FUNERAL! The good, the bad, the ugly. Essentially, we asked about
what you like, what you want, and what you don't. We were happy to
find surveys choking the box with ideas and thoughts. Fortunately,
99% of the surveys were rational and expressed a ideas, thanks,
musings and thoughts...
General
Positive feedback:
"The
music is perfect: gothic, deathrock, some punk and old
80's...Thanks for having Funeral...Thanks for all ages...You don't
play Industrial...Decorations are creepy...Sound is great...Venue
is beautiful...". (Thank you! We'll definitely keep up the
good work for each of of you all. This is everyone's
home.)
General
Negative feedback:
"Less
blacklights...play FUCKING INDUSTRIAL...play BLACK METAL".
(We're working out something with all the blacklights tomorrow
night! I think we'll all like it. Now, as far as ever playing
Industrial, sorry: the deepest we'll ever swim is summoning some
oldschool classics in brief blasts, but ripping into a long set of
techno/hardcore/ebm industrial, we just will not.
Myself and all DJ's at FUNERAL stand firm on this. FUNERAL
is NOT a "Goth-Industrial" club!
When we had an extra room to play with, we created a side
INDUSTRIAL room to keep it out of the Main Dance Tomb. Now that
there is only one room, we're just not playing Industrial. Goth
and Industrial were never lovers meant to marry...no matter what
they tell you. Black Metal?! That's doomed for divorce. Won't hear
that here either.)
Thanks everyone..we'll keep the surveys
going and update here often...see you tomorrow night for NIGHT OF
THE LIVING DEAD..with my good friends Demonika & the Darklings
performing. It's also my birthday (egads!), so I'll be joining
them on stage for one song. Can't wait...
Don't miss out! See
you then...
10.14.05
HOW ABOUT SOME BLASTED NEWS?!?
Hellllllo!
It's been about 3 months since the last FUNERAL news
update...Let's see...
The Tiki Room has been the best home
for FUNERAL thus far. The owners, Bob and Marie, are just about
the coolest folks and venue owners we could hope for. They've been
running blues clubs for years and are no strangers to Rock N'
Roll..and all it entails! We were graciously welcomed to stay for
as long as we wanted.
I've been asked why FUNERAL has moved to
Pomona countless times...easily put: legalities. As most of you
know, I was almost arrested last May in El Monte because of some
unknown "permits" the city decided we needed after a
year of shows. You can never tell when the police and the city are
going to get a bug up their arse and come running after you. The
closer to Pasadena and/or Hollywood FUNERAL is, the more difficult
it has been to obtain the proper permits for the type of event
FUNERAL is, was and will always be: ALL AGES with a FULL BAR for
21 over. Thankfully, the Tiki Room has all the permits we need to
have a safe and LEGAL home. It's about time!
We're set in the
Artist Colony in OLD Pomona. It's clean, picturesque and
antiquated. FUNERAL is right across the street from the world
famous Glass House...any given night there are bands jamming,
performing, music coming from all directions with artists on the
street. It's the best musical community FUNERAL has been involved
in and we're honored to be a part of it.
The FUNERAL
Skeleton Crew, street team and myself are always working our asses
off on this side to bring you the best events an underground club
can. FUNERAL has never strived to be a Hollywood-esque club; if we
wanted that, I would have moved it there long ago. We never try to
compete with other events or clubs. We've always marched to the
beat of our own drum, with our own unique vision in mind. We
invite fiends of all ages out to where aesthetic meets passion,
where music, dance and fashion rule, and where integrity and
sincerity are king and queen. If you ever have a question,
suggestion or idea...share it with FUNERAL. We need ALL your input
(good bad and inbetween), all the time. Don't be a shy, make your
voice heard and email
us tonight..
Next Friday October 21 is the MASK MURDER
BALL. It's also FUNERAL'S birthday...we're 3 years old (scary!).
You're invited to wear (or paint on) your best mask to this very
special event..costumes are also encouraged (even though everyday
is Halloween)! Guest MC Count Smokula will be awarding genuine
COFFIN CASE goodies to the BEST MASKS up on stage. MASKS COME OFF
at Midnight! Be there for the unmasking and all the Fun...this
will be one hell of a night.
Thanks for reading. See you
soon!
07.03.05
FUNERAL HAS FOUND A NEW PERMANENT TOMB!!
I
want to thank the couple hundred ghouls that crept out for our
debut night on Friday, June 17 at the Tiki Room in Pomona...you
made it smashing success! Funeral will now be held there
permanently on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month...
On
FUNERAL, Friday July 1:
Everyone
was out of town, but we still managed to pull in a successful and
fun night. I haven't danced that much in a while. I've temporarily
taken over as Go-Ghoul Dancer on stage til Steve Skeletal is able
to make it out (get better soon!!).
At any rate, I opened
my email client this morning and found a gorgeous letter. It said
everything I would have said if I didn't run Funeral. It says what
I would say even now, actually. The letter shared the same passion
and understanding for the PURPOSE of Funeral. It touched me
deeply, so I need to share it....
"I
wanted to lavish the praise you earned upon you for tonight's
work. Holy shit. Just... honestly, that was the best musical set I
have ever had the blessing to hear. I take my dancing pretty
damned seriously - to me it's art- and while I LOVE to dance, I
won't dance to a bad or over-played song- there's simply nothing
to dance about. Tonight, I danced and danced so hard I had nothing
left but the inner resonance of the music left in my body and
ears. Songs I knew and loved- but what's more, songs I heard for
the first time, and songs I never EVER *dreamed* a DJ would
actually PLAY- you PLAYED them!!! (No comment on how much floor
time Lycia typically gets- yeah, you know what I mean).
I
thought it would be an impossibility to hear that kind of music in
a place where younger people could "get back to their roots"-
too many DJs only focus on "dancefloor population and
gyration"- thank you for caring enough to play what's good,
important, and what's new. I don't want all my favorite hits when
I go clubbing- I want my DJ to educate me in my chosen field, so I
go home with a new "favorite hit" at the end of the
night. I heard several songs for the first time and several I even
just adored.
It was so beautiful, I'm crying. Thanks so
much, Veronika and Andy. Damned sure I'm coming out again- and if
you charged double I'd still pay it and say "Thank you"
while handing it over.
The Gothic Subculture- our ethos,
our music, our fashion, our language, needs these lifepumps, if
for nothing else than context- I'll always be goth, but I also
want a place to say "Here is goth, and here am I".
Without context, all is lost.
Goth's Undead!!!!
Thank
you- ..."
And
Thank YOU....
06.07.05
FUNERAL IS REOPENING...FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY?
The
cool ghouls down at the TIKI ROOM in the gorgeous ARTS COLONY in
Pomona, have invited FUNERAL in for ONE NIGHT: Friday
June 17.
This creeptacular dark venue is to DIE FOR! We invite you to creep
on down and see what we've done to the place...Again, this MIGHT
be for ONE
NIGHT ONLY...so
you absolutely CAN NOT MISS THIS EVENT! It's also our 3rd Annual
BLOODY PROM NIGHT: King & Queen will be coronated at
midnight...the more blood, the merrier!
Scare ya
there!
05.11.05
SO..WHAT HAPPENED AT FUNERAL AT THE EVA O. SHOW??
FUNERAL.
We're not a huge corporate entitely. Hell, we're not even a small
corporate nothing. FUNERAL is simply an independently run,
underground event that we try to hold peacefully twice a month. We
choose not to hold it in Hollywood. We choose to rent out halls,
theatres and other cool venues. It's a home away from home for
myself, my loved ones, the FUNERAL skeleton crew, you and many
others.
On what was to be our first official night at
Knights of Columbus, at roughly 12:30am, FUNERAL was shut down by
El Monte police. I was personally pulled out of the club by two
cops and frisked (for possible "weapon-possession"). The
"code enforcement" officer explained to me that he had
visited my website and "realized" we were lacking 2
proper permits and we were going to be shut down...
Hmm.
That's odd. Isn't this up to the HALL OWNER, ie, the person I give
good money to to rent out Knights, to INFORM me of said permits?
Apparently, the owner of Knights did NOT know about these permits
and was supposedly cited as well. Oh did I fail to mention I was
given a big fat ticket? Yes.
FUNERAL couldn't get a
warning. FUNERAL couldn't receive a nice head's up for lacking the
permits. No. The police opted to make a big fucking scene and shut
us down over half-way through the night. Make sense to you? It
certainly doesn't make sense to any of us.
I want to thank
every one of you who made it out to see Eva O. She was incredibly
understanding of the whole debacle (considering this was something
that went on constantly in the 80's). Good news is that she
promises to RETURN TO FUNERAL and play another show for you all!
THANK YOU for your open-minds and support. Without it,
what would our scene become?
We WILL see you all again
very soon...
Devoted,
Veronika & the FUNERAL
SKELETON CREW.
04.23.05
FUNERAL IS MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION AND NIGHT...TEMPORARILY...
It's true..on Saturday April 16, FUNERAL bade farewell to The
Elk's Lodge. That was in fact, our last night there. This was an
untimely and unexpectedly abrupt ending. The reason given to us
that night was that the Elk's building was sold and events were no
longer being booked. We were only informed of all this AT THE END
OF THE NIGHT, so we apologize for any misdleading information...we
wish we had known beforehand.
So, after nearly a year of
amazing nights at the Elk's, FUNERAL must secure a new tomb
elsewhere. HOWEVER, we already have some delicious new prospective
tombs for FUNERAL and are negotiating now...fear not! Your
FUNERAL WILL CONTINUE!!
NEXT
FUNERAL IS ON FRIDAY MAY 6
For
one night only, on Friday, May 6, FUNERAL will be held at the
Knights of Columbus. This is the great lodge right across the
street from the Elk's Lodge. FUNERAL has been there twice (when we
were unable to be at the Elk's). We will be welcoming the amazing
EVA O to the stage this night...this is one historical FUNERAL not
to be missed! See you then...
03.10.05
FUNERAL LOVES JEZEBEL
I
walk over to Michael Aston at the bar, who is lovingly sipping
down yet another Corona with lime I bought him. His guitarist,
Switch, snaps a photo of Michael and I ('holy
hell..I just took a photo with Michael Aston!!').
"You ready to go on at 11:15?" A couple of songs later,
they're up on the red-lit stage. "YOU CAN'T KEEP FUNERAL
DOWN!!" And an introduction, GENE LOVES JEZEBEL...the set was
intense, passionate, sometimes comical, but always entertaining.
These were Legends. I was beside myself with awe. Impromptu go-go
dancers, more Coronas, a broken mic clip, peacock feathers,
audience participation, a pool of Corona, a few wise cracks at
twin Jay Aston, some of our beloved favourites, and next thing you
know..it was over. It was real. And real fun...Thank You Boys! And
thanks to the HUGE crowd that came out for our first Saturday
night in El Monte! Also, Thanks to Mark Splatter for the great
set.
...but what was that? It wasn't at the Elk's Lodge? it was
across the street at Knights of Columbus? Ahh, explain,
Veronika...explain:
As is always the story with FUNERAL...
to
keep FUNERAL true to the nature of Underground...in order not to
"sell out" and subscribe to all that rapes the music and
scene of it's integrity (what's left)...in order to keep FUNERAL
ALL AGES with a full bar (!)...I choose to hold FUNERAL at Halls
and independently run Organizations and Club Houses. With that,
you run many risk factors. One is, you never know when "one"
or "two" of the "powers that be" of said
organizations may not "like" what we're doing at FUNERAL
(not that we're doing anything "wrong"). DESPITE
contracts being signed, handshakes and (most) rules being followed
(by the book) at said organizations, there's
always gonna be that "special someone" to TRY and piss
on your parade.
Our parade is called FUNERAL!! Luckily, the Club House, K of C,
right across the street from the Elk's took us in for the night.
It was only a matter of pointing lovely FUNERAL fiends across the
street..walking distance.
But, why didn't anyone know
beforehand? Ah, good question. Easy answer: I barely found out
about our forced need to find an impromptu venue at 1pm that
afternoon!! But we managed. We did it. Roll with the punches.
So,
we're hoping to remain at The Elk's Lodge with Iron-Clad contracts
being drawn up. I'll update the website of any foreseen (and
unforeseen?) changes. However, we'll most likely be looking for a
new venue after all this...
Thanks to my Skeleton Crew for
making Saturday a reality...without your support and dedication,
this would be an extremely difficult task to endure (Mikey, Andy,
Sal, Pat & Phil). Also thanks goes out to all the faithful
FUNERAL devotees..we love you. THANK YOU FOR MAKING SATURDAY A
COMPLETE SMASHING SUCCESS AND MEMORABLE NIGHT! See you
soon...
..oh,
and thank you God.
YE
OLDE NEWS GRAVEYARD