YE OLDE NEWS GRAVEYARD
Lots of stuff going on in the New Year 2005. We will be making some MAJOR changes that will only improve and expand...YOUR FUNERAL!
Prospective changes include:
1. Opening up an extra room exclusively for Electro-Industrial dance; making 3 FULL rooms of dance music at Funeral.
2. Opening up the Funeral Lounge stage and floor for a whole new DANCE ROOM with another set of DJ's! AND... (drumroll please)...
3. Potentially MOVING TO SATURDAY NIGHTS! This is only a rumor as for now...but when it's CONFIRMED, I will update right here and email the FUNERAL EPITAPH list. We're pushing to have Funeral open the 1st and 3rd SATURDAY of every month...We are EXTREMELY excited about this opportunity and hope to make it a reality starting February 5..but AGAIN..this is only a RUMOR...so stay tuned!
Strength Through Unity! For the last couple of years, the Funeral Skeleton Crew and myself have been intently listening to your feedback. We accept both the positive AND negative as it will only strengthen what I have set out to do: create a musical environment and sanctuary for all ages and of walks of life in this Gothic Underground. Funeral is independently managed with the intent to unify and harbor community within our scene. Funeral is run with honesty and INTEGRITY..not to be challenged or questioned! But again, Funeral is always looking to expand and improve and we can only do this with your support and FEEDBACK..so if you want to see or do something at Funeral you're not able to anywhere else, LET US KNOW! EMAIL US ...Like something? Don't like something? LET US FUCKIN' KNOW!
How...Sad: I've been aware of the petty rumor flying around about Funeral and myself via the immature mouth and Live Journals of a former employee; but we've all been above it. I'm just disappointed and embarrassed for this person. But thankfully, the good people and friends of this community who DON'T like being lied to, who DON'T have their heads shoved up their asses, who KNOW what kind of self-absorbed person this is...have just ignored it! As I have. I'm not interested in defending my livlihood and club against cowardly internet attacks and accusations. Personally, I've never set out to 'compete' or 'prove' anything or 'be' anyone: I just want to play the best music and dance...isn't that what this is all supposed to be about? Let's not lose sight of our mark. Words to live by: Don't be disgruntled, just be a success.
A good update: Well, it looks like the Elk's Lodge will be able to hold onto their property for a while to come! Funeral should have a safe home in the year 2005 and beyond. In the meanwhile, even BIGGER plans are in the making for moving Funeral to an entirely new location: it would be open 7 days a week for the arts, meet-ups, live bands and dancing...this will be a dream made reality in the near future. And of course, I'll update right here when this destiny has manifested. SEE YOU FRIDAY WITH WAILING WALL!!
11.23.04 So what's going on with Funeral lately?
It's been a while since I've left some good insider info on Funeral. So here goes...
The latest location for Funeral (at the Elk's Lodge) has been running strong since we started up there in the Summer. We had unbreakable contracts drawn up and everything seemed set. Well, we've possibly hit yet ANOTHER bump in the road: Longo Toyota on the corner of Peck and Stewart is trying to buy out the whole block Funeral (the Elk's Lodge) is on, and have it leveled and turned into a CAR LOT for their used vehicles. The Elk's are besides themselves. There are family owned businesses there that have been in operation since the 1950's! So that whole business commnity is up in arms. In addition to all of this, the city of El Monte is trying desperately to crack down on the parties that the Elk's Lodge is hosting, including Funeral. I was unaware of any of this, as Steve (Funeral's bartender/manager) never called me!!
So, The Funeral crew turns up late afternoon to begin set up for the evening on November 19th to find the doors to the hall locked! We waited around biting nails until Steve turned up. We sat and had a meeting for well over an hour as he informed us of the city's new 'rules and regulations'. He was just as pissed about it all as we were. He then tells us we couldn't hold Funeral that night unless we hired Licensed Security Gaurds for the door and blocked off the Funeral lounge (where the bar is) and restrict it to only 21+. It was total bullshit! But I had to agree to do it in order to allow "the show go on."
Funeral apologizes for the lounge being restricted this last event. This was totally unforeseen and if we had been given any advanced warning, I would have posted about it here and sent out a message on the FUNERAL EPITAPH Email list. I instructed the 2 security guards hired for the evening to "be cool" so hopefully they were nice to everyone.
I will be having a meeting with Steve and the Elk's next week after Thanksgiving to find out what exactly is going to be happening with the security and lounge situation. There were also rumors that we may have to close early, and, if that is the case, Funeral will once again have to find another home...but we pray that isn't the case.
On a hopeful and more exciting note, TRAGIC BLACK will be performing next FUNERAL on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3. The boys are driving all the way out from Salt Lake City just to perform for their youngest fans...!! There will be NO other West Coast shows, just the performance for Funeral...so we are very honored and really looking forward to this event!
Thanks to everyone who has been understanding and has believed in Funeral. Your support is what keeps this beast's heart beating...more news soon...
11.8.04 CLICK HERE TO READ THE LA ALTERNATIVE PRESS ARTICLE ON FUNERAL!
10.18.04 LOST AND FOUND! LOST AND FOUND! LOST AND FOUND! FUNERAL STILL HAS:
1 passport from Chile (Jonathan)
and
1 California driver's licence found on Oct. 15 (Lina)
Please EMAIL US if any of these are yours. Thanks!
10.15.04 Veronika SoRRoW to perform at FUNERAL!
She'll be singing a song by Siouxsie's THE CREATURES with friends Demonika and the Darklings on stage near midnight..don't miss it!!
9.22.04 CALLIN' ALL DJ'S! Wanna guest spin at FUNERAL and help spread the doom? Just drop us an EMAIL and tell us what experience you have and what you can spin. New DJ? Even better! Come earn your BATWINGS and have some FUN. >>>DJ's with an attitude problem or fat ego need not apply.<<< We're only lookin' for cool spooks to spin with!
9.13.04 GHOUL SCHOOL! Join FUNERAL DJ'S sPlit & SoRRoW as they guest DJ over at GHOUL SCHOOL Wednesday, September 15. Visit the GHOUL SCHOOL website for more info!
8.13.04 >>>>>HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13th<<<<<
FUNERAL IS SEEKING VENDORS! If you are an artist, musician or craftsperson of any type & you're interested in showing and selling your wares at a Gothic nightclub, drop us an EMAIL & we can set you up with a vendor booth at FUNERAL for FREE!
6.23.04 FUNERAL...mapped out for you! The 4 black dots represent the cities and areas FUNERAL has been at. Our latest location is in El Monte:
Take a look at the locations your FUNERAL has been buried at over the last year and a half...our latest burial plot will be revealed on Friday July 2nd in the city of El Monte. We've been asked "where is El Monte?" so here it is...not too far away from the other FUNERAL locations!
6.22.04 FUNERAL is just around the corner!
Join us again on Friday July 2nd as FUNERAL unveils it's latest tomb...we're all very excited here at the Happy House. As always, we do hope to remain at this location for a long time to come...
GET INTO FUNERAL FOR FREE IF YOU LIVE IN EL MONTE!
We're looking for people in El Monte to represent FUNERAL in our STREET TEAM...just drop us an email and we'll give you all the details...
Also, we are hosting THE CURE'S LISTENING PARTY Tuesday, June 29. Visit http://www.bubastis.com/funeral/cureparty.html for all the details!
See you soon!
5.7.04 LAST NIGHT AT THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL IN EAGLE ROCK ON SATURDAY MAY 8, 2004...
A friend referred to FUNERAL recently as "Musical FUNERAL" after the game "Musical Chairs" where you get up and run around a circle of chairs seeking one to sit down on before the music ends. That seems to be the way of FUNERAL nearly 2 years after it's incepetion. Unless you're working right here with me or within the FUNERAL SKELETON crew, it may seem confusing. Allow me to explain:
FUNERAL has seen a few locations: Sitar, Dance House, Eagle Theatre, now our last night at the Eagle Rock American Legion Hall. We were FORCED to move from EVERY LAST SINGLE LOCATION due to the WHIM of the OWNERS. Not because of FUNERAL's attendance, not because anything FUNERAL DID WRONG, but simply on whim of the OWNERS of the property.
Reasons included; lack of proper licensing, property being sold, and two acts of DISCRIMINATION (remember when were were supposed to open at a mausoleum in Eagle Rock & the owners took one look at us and turned us away? at least we miraculously found the Eagle Theatre that same night...).
The latest act of discrimination came from the the older fucking vets of the Legion Hall. At an intensely heated meeting/argument Tuesday May 4, we were told that "our group is not welcome to return after the 8th." Closed-minds are truly FRIGHTENING minds..but you can't lead an ASS (or a group fo asses) to water, so sPlit and I listened to their comments, gave them a piece of OUR minds on behalf of YOU all and agreed on our last night tomorrow, Saturday May 8.
As long as FUNERAL is under the whim of PROPERTY OWNERS, FUNERAL may continue to be a roving gypsy...but this is only sparking and igniting a fire within me. Yes. To acquire MY OWN property and hold FUNERAL ON MY OWN TERMS! This can be a reality...it's only a matter of one factor: time. And I have time. Stay tuned!
FUNERAL RE-OPENING ON SATURDAY JULY 10, 2004?
We really can't disclose the info right now because we don't want to mislead anyone...but as soon as the location is booked and finalized I'll update right here!
SoRRoW & sPlit on JAY LENO APRIL 30!
Well, we weren't featured GUESTS on the show, but you could certainly see our hijinks in the audience as Jay plays with another audience member. Watch a clip of it on the NBC website! http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/
highlights/
Just click on the Highlight entitled "Tonight Show Side Show" with the icon of the guy with grapes stuffed in his mouth. He he he...
Oh! And there happened to be this group performing on that night...that's why the FUNERAL crew were there (me + sPlit, Brandi & Juri)...who were they..let's see..oh yeah! It was THE CURE. AMAZING performance from Rob and the boys making a world debut of their latest single "End of The World".
The show was kind enough to take a bad polaroid pic of sPlit and I with Mr. Leno before the show...(click the image below!)
After leaving the studio and having Jay Leno honk at Andy and I from his silver mercedes, we then followed The Cure over to the Guitar Center on Sunset as they were being inducted into the prestegious "HOLLYWOOD'S ROCKWALK" (click here for more info on The Cure's induction...). Fanatical crowds awaited, including some young boys there since 10:30am (it was now 6:30pm). Coolest thing was finding our friends The Curse (The Cure tribute band that played FUNERAL last month) very close to the front! We came up with them and joined the sardine smash. Next thing you know, we see the guitarist from The Curse, Jesus, on the OTHER side of the barrier calling the band & girlfriends out to go BACKSTAGE. Hellllllooooooooo WTF!!!???? Grrrrr...Brian (lead singer) explained today that there was nothing they could do to get us back there (he's such a damned sweetheart!)...we were pouting for a while, but we're over it now. All in all it was a GLORIOUS day...
Okay..see you tomorrow night! It's the end of the world...
Oh, one last thing: FUNERAL Skeleton Crew member Mikey offers his apologies for not being able to offer his security expertise and ominous shadow-casting this saturday the 8th... but he offers this:
"...I'll be listening to a lot of the Cure and Faith and the Muse on the train ride over to fucking San Diego tonight, to stay in that lovely Funeral mood. And tomorrow, at the fucking crawfish boil with my relatives, I am quite sure I'll be the only person with a black umbrella and a Cure shirt on."
4.28.04 THE CURSE!!
what a fanfreakingtastic night the 24th of april was!!!! this was the robert smith b-day celebration with rob look-alike contest...i saw many fuzzy heads out in the audience, but, in true robert form, when i called them up on stage for the contest, all were too shy to come on up and get applauded for. dammit! maybe i should have reiterated what they may have won..but it was still fun! and congrats to the robert smith look-alike winner..we didn't get your name..!!! but we'll have your picture up in mausoleum soon with sPlit & i (we went as rob, too). he won a copy of THE CURE IN JAPAN and a FREE FOR LIFE membership card..yay!
and now..
THE CURSE!! what a GORGEOUS job they did! lead singer, brian, wanted me to ask you all which CURE songs you'd like to hear at their next show...FUNERAL is planning on asking the boys back and we want YOUR feedback! email us and let us know what ya want...they can do it ALL.
and just to give a fair head's up: we might have to cancel the May 8th date. why? well, because the hall failed to inform us that the city of eagle rock is having a fair and is planning on using the hall. but it's not confirmed yet and we may be able to work around it...so i'm not officially cancelling it just yet, just giving you the scoop..wish us LUCK...
scare ya soon..
4.14.04 Opening Night!!
If you were there..then you were among the masses of happy ghouls running and jumping about all night long..FUNERAL WAS A BLEEDING SUCCESS!!!
Here are some photos taken by David Brunetto: http://www.chaosphoto.net/chaosphoto.htm opening night. David is our official FUNERAL photographer! If you have any photos you'd like posted up in Mausoleum, email them in! More new photos coming soon...
4.12.04 sPlit, SoRRoW & OTHER CUSTOMERS HELD HOSTAGE IN ALTADENA!
This is NOT joke..if you were watching the news this morning or read the L.A. times, you've heard the report.
Andy (sPlit) and I (veronika!) were at the Blockbuster on North Lake in Altadena (above Pasadena in the ghetto-ish area) around 10:30 last night. We were just about to check out when some fucker with a black ski mask and a gun came barging in pointing a gun to an employee's head and ordering everyone down on the ground.
It's surreal. I just told Andy "don't even look at him...put your face down"...and we laid flat on our bellies. I was intensely angry. Not really scared. How dare he play God with innocent people?? I made peace with the fact I may be executed and wasn't afraid of dying: just of suffering or watching others suffer. "I love you's" were exchanged. How ironic our lives should end. At least Andy was with me...
After about 10 minutes of his bullshit bantering and threatening to "take us all out" if the police get him, he orders Andy and I up to the front. At this point I'm like "Okay. I'm going to die. Great." He just wanted a "better look" at us I suppose. He got his $500. He exited the store. The cops screamed "GET DOWN MOTHER FUCKER!!"--apparantly a lady in the back called 911 on her cell and they arrived. And all of us hostages laid there wondering what the hell was going on.
The guy that had the gun to his head told us to just run to the back where the restrooms were. 1.2.3. "let's go!!" Andy and I scrambled low at jet-speed to the back of the store and laid down on top of another girl. I saw all the others in the store laying flat, one lady was petrified stiff in shock. I saw the restrooms. I said "let's all get in the restroom!!" and 10 scared shitless people ran and crammed into a single occupancy restroom.
Shaking. Adrenaline. Headache. Anger. Fear. Tears. Sobbing. Hugging. We're okay. We're alive. The police have him...we think?
Nearly TWO HOURS later, a SWAT team decides to shoot open the window right outside our room. What an unnerving sound. They are about to SHOOT open our door when we shout "NO!!!! WE CAN OPEN IT OURSELVES! LET US OPEN THE DOOR!!!" We let them in.
"OK. EVERYBODY PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!"
WTF. We're the hostages, remember?
We're all grateful to be alive, needless to say. When your life is put into the hands of another, it really supports your mistrust and disdain for humanity...well, that's how it is for me. But the world is a constant swirling void of tragedy, injustice and human suffering. We're in War now, and seemingly unaffected. We're desensitized. We're Zombies. Last night, the 10 of us were but a mere, insignificant speck in the giant cesspool of human conflict and drama.
Reports say there were 3 suspects and they were all caught. Idiots.
"All I wanted to do was eat some ice cream, watch Dracula and cuddle in bed." -v.sorrow
3.22.04 STREET TEAM NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!
Please email now and join the FUNERAL STREET TEAM and get into FUNERAL FOR FREE! It's simple and fun...all ya do is pass out some flyers for your FUNERAL at your school, shops and/or shows! Join tonight!
Not a Rumor:
DINAH CANCER AND THE GRAVE ROBBERS TO PLAY FUNERAL IN MAY!! OH yeah! One of our FAVOURITE people, DINAH CANCER of the incredible 45 Grave, has yet again spawned another musical hell-baby called THE GRAVE ROBBERS. sPlit and I were fortunate to catch them play at the Drop Dead festival..and WAAAAHHHHH!!! THEY WERE FUCKIN KILLER! It's basically PENIS FLYTRAP with a few members borrowed and swapped about..they do a bunch of OLD 45 Grave hits and more! SO stay tuned for the exact date..!
The Cure?
Well..I'm not supposed to let the cat out of the bag just yet...as it's not confirmed (yes, this is an official FUNERAL rumor!) BUT, there is an A M A Z I N G Cure cover/tribute band from L.A. called THE CURSE. Again, sPlit and I caught them at a show at the Knitting Factory a few months ago...Now, if you know us, you'll know we're both major Cure-heads...and them there Curse guys Blew Us Away. Sincerely. I am pleased to say we MIGHT be luring these boys into the spidery webs of FUNERAL SOON..we're still in the "how-much-beer-will-you-play-for" negotiation phase. Stay tuned! 3.19.04 WE'RE BAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have "IT'S PARTY TIME!" by 45 Grave blaring in my mental jukebox!! FUNERAL has returned and will be throwing the BIGGEST grim reopening party ever: SATURDAY APRIL 10, 2004. And OH do we have the PERFECT tomb to call home..it's a gorgeous American Legion Hall erected in the early 1940's. It has two levels of ghoulish delight:
You enter FUNERAL off Mentor Ave., you walk down a short flight of stairs where you're greeted by the FUN staff...you'll make your way through a dark, blacklight glowing cellar filled with fog. At the end, your oasis awaits! Filled with original FUN alcoholic drinks for the 21+ creeps with ID's...also sodas, water and red bull for the Baby Bats (pick up a new FUNEARL t-shirt, button or sticker while you're at it!). Then continue up a winding stair case, til you're in the main haunted dance hall...antique wooden floors, vaulted ceilings, mirrored walls and an incredible sound system that will steal your breath as you stomp and spin the evening away...there's even a stage with projections open for dancing. Grab your favourite spook and dance, or grab a seat and relax as you freak-watch...
So...where have you been?
Exactly 6 months later, we have returned. It has been INCREDIBLY difficult convincing venues to surrender their locations to us...but we've finally found some cool old creeps at the Eagle Rock American Legion Hall that understand what we're trying to do here...have FUN!!
To say that the FUNERAL crew is excited to be here is an understatement...we truly feel we may have finally found the final resting plot for FUNERAL. On a personal note, I am totally relieved..one more week and I was going to hold FUNERAL at my house!!!!
Thank you for all the emails you have sent over the last half-year. Your tomb-sick, tear-stained letters heartened me to seek harder. Our FUNERAL EPITAPH database has maxed to over 800 ghoulies...& we hope to see every last one of you there on opening night! So, SCARE YA SOON!
"It's good to be back..good to be back."
2.12.04 FUNERAL..where are you? We're coming back soon...
BUBASTIS.COM was unfortunately hacked by the loser owner of another website within our own "dark culture" early February. The FUNERAL website was only down for a couple of hours before I resolved it completely later in the evening.
I am currently in the painstaking process of pressing charges against this coward to seek justice in this matter. This was once an acquaintance of mine who, through a hideous display of self-loathing and jealousy decided to attack my website & other online accounts. I'm not angry. I actually feel sorry for this pathetic moron (since I know who she is).
Information for everyone: If you didn't know, unauthorized access and use of somebody else's online account(s) is a criminal violation. My advice is, if you get the hankering for tinkering with somebody's online stuff, think again: this will only land you in a world of hurt...major fines and possibly jail time. At least have the courage to tell "the person you hate" off face-to-face; at least it's free.
12.23.03 FUNERAL BACK IN 2004? That's what we're shooting for. There are many lovely possibilities for future FUNERAL locations...so with that bit of positive direction, I am hoping to have FUNERAL up and running by the end of January/beginning of February.
GHOUL SCHOOL is joining forces with FUNERAL for some live deathrockin' and rollin' for One Night Only! All ages...more info soon, as it comes in.
NEW YEAR'S PARTY just around the corner, you have to RSVP by dropping me an email.
A lot of updates around here today, including the new FIENDS page which has links to my closest friends in the Gothic community. Unity through Strength is a fresh outlook I'm having, and with the resurgance of popularity of some of the greatest music ever made & fashions ever sported, now is the time to join forces and solidify our union!
A note on "The Holidays"..Christmas vacation: is it the best part of The Holidays? Or is it taking the opportunity to allow yourself to be sentimental..reach out to people you may have cold-shouldered during the hustle of the preceding year...to give a token of your Love to your loved ones when you may have not found other opportunities to do so. Yeah. I might be Gothic, but I have a heart. The commercialization of some things sacred can indeed darken your perceptions. But honestly, fuck all of that. What matters is You, what You do and the people and things you Love. Even in this black community, you really can seek warmth and light.
Warm wishes to you all this Christmas, and may 2004 bring you success and prosperity.
-Veronika
PENIS FLYTRAP REVIEW:
Mere words alone cannot convey the intensity of our closing night, Saturday October 11,
It was a long day, to say the least. The FUNERAL crew perhaps only had a few moments to grab a snack that would prove our one meal for the entire day...we loaded cars and vans and headed out to meet the band. Our sound dude, Angel, of Fetisch, was lost by the new "FUNERAL courier service" but did manage to find the theatre (thanks for pulling through, Mikey!).
Decorated, plotted and planned, the theatre and stage were ready and the night was upon us. The tomb doors swung open and swarms of FUNERAL ghouls took over the stage in a gorgeous display of movement, they lined the lobby for drinks and goodies and stalked the shadowed corners of the old theatre.
We were all anticipating an explosion from our own Los Angeles-based Deathrock legends PENIS FLYTRAP. I was personally amped because I've been a fan of 45 Grave (founders of PFT) since I was a super-young teenager. Dinah Cancer has been a scene buddy of mine since around the time I started running my clubs. She was completely pumped about the show, and an utter sweetheart, as was the rest of the band (you'd never know it, aye?).
It was after midnight, goblets of blood were poured, the stage was cleared of the dancers, the drum kit was moved to the middle of the stage..I took the micorphone and welcomed the crowd. It was, with my utmost pleasure, to have FUNERAL present to you...PENIS FLYTRAP! Like a ticking time bomb, the band exploded behind me as I scurried off the stage. They swung into their set with force and lust. The crowd ebbed and bobbed and started a dance pit.
After almost an hour of swinging those deadly beats, their devil girl dancer pulled me up on stage and we grinded to the closing song; 45 Grave hit "IT'S PARTY TIME!" And it was a party! Confetti flew and the crowd went berzerk. It was a like a gigantic, lovely nightmare, and a blood-soaked Dinah threw her arm around me and announced "And we want to thank this girl! She's doing a lot for this scene! Keep her around!!!" And then I got a big, bloody kiss on the mouth! (I'll have a picture in the FUNERAL Mausoleum of my embarrassed and honored self smiling to the heavens with Dinah at that moment).
DJ sPlit immediately swung into the dance tunes and like a bivouac of Marines, the crowd surged the stage and danced the remainder of the evening/morning away...Dinah and the band joined in and danced up a storm. I managed to beg the nutcase theatre manager, Zeus, into allowing us to stay later. The songs stayed blaring til well passed 2:30am...
Then, with many tears and a heavy heart, I bade my beloved Eagle Theatre farewell and thanked her for the last few months and wished her well. A friend outside, seeing me upset, gave me a "Woe Is Me" sticker. It made me smile.
We do hope one day to be back at that same theatre..but with the impending transition into a church, the outlook may be bleak. But, regardless..
We will be back.
And thank you Jeffrey for your kind words on FUNERAL recently sent:
"I perceive an act of creativity as an extension of oneself being released by its owner for the enjoyment or displeasure of others. Opening oneself up requires courage and it does not go unnoticed. That piece of yourself is much appreciated. -.J"
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