Billy’s Fish Fry and Community Social is back and you’re invited! Back by popular demand, Billy’s Fish Fry and Community Social is now a quarterly event. Still held at the La Luz de Jesus Gallery In the Los Feliz neighborhood, you can be prepared to spend an evening of mixed-media art, spoken word, music, live art, comedy, unusual performance and much more. This event, starting at 8pm on Thursday, October 23, puts the spotlight on Los Angeles performers. The guest MC’s for the evening will be the Poubelle Twins.
Billy Shire. Photo courtesy of Reverberation Media.
The Fish Fry has a rather storied past. Billy Shire started the event with his friends, musician Michael Rozon, Seth Miller and musician Johnny Indovina as a way to show the breadth of talent in Los Angeles’ creative underground pop culture. As Seth described it, “”When I was a kid in the mid 80’s, Wacko/ Soap Plant/ La Luz was the place that you went to the day after going to Scream or Club Lingerie to see what cool artists might be on display and what cool toys or subversive books you might find. Without fail all of my local musician heroes would be there- working behind the counter, from El-Vez to Andy Prieboy”.
Seth continued, “When Johnny Indovina and I asked Billy if we could do a show or two at the gallery, to our surprise, he agreed. He loved having bands performing at the gallery so much that the week after the first event, we were put on the books once a month through the end of the year.”
Photo gallery after the jump
He went on to say, “Every time I think that I’ve gotten one of my cool famous friends to sit in and perform for me there is without fail that moment where each one of them explained that they would do anything for Billy because Billy has been taking care them, and the local music scene for the last 30 years”.
Seth summed it up by saying, “Billy represents everything that is great about music, art and culture in Los Angeles and I’ve known this since I was 12 years old. I can’t believe this guy is actually my friend!”.
Not only is Billy’s Fish Fry and Social intended to showcase these artists and musicians, but also to encourage aspiring ones to connect with others in the creative community. Its style is basically a theater in the round posing as a stage performance salon. Originally a free weekly event, the amount of times per year has been scaled back but not the passion of all involved.
This month, guests will be treated to music by Johnny Indovina and his band, with performers Craig Anton, Damien Youth, and Diana Meyer. Michael Rozon will bring his own style of musical creations to the Fish Fry too. Billy will be performing, showing his talents on the harp with the house band. He’s also been known to sit in with his harp with the ever-popular Dick and Jane Family Orchestra.
The location itself is a whole seperate story. The facility, which has become the La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Soap Plant and Wacko punk-culture toy shop, has been in Billy’s family for years, with Billy’s folks making ceramics, soap, candles and leather items. Before that, it was the post office for the neighborhood. It kept moving in a direction that culminated in Billy making it a full-fledged gallery as a creative center for the community. Billy Shire has really taken the community to heart since the ’60s, not only by enjoying what LA has to offer, but also demonstrating he walks the walk. Many of the musicians are top-notch but sometimes unemployable and Billy hires them on occasion. After all these years, he is hiring some of their children too!
So if you have any interest at all in local artists, musicians and performers, get yourself to Billy’s Fish Fry and Community Social. It’s a free evening, so that works with anyone’s budget. Something spontaneous might happen, something hilarious or something moving and even heart-wrenching. But most importantly, you’ll be with your neighbors in the community, providing many talented people with an audience of soon to be fans or friends.
Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry & Community Social
Thursday, October 23, 2014
8 – 11 PM
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
Soap Plant / Wacko
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.laluzdejesus.com
