Dale Takes Pictures

Justin Martin at the Yost Theater

Justin & Christian Martin
Yost Theater
1/17/2012

Straying away from their usual format the White Rabbit Group hosted a Dirtybird Record Label party last night at the Yost Theater featuring the deep grooves of Justin Martin and Christian Martin along with the resident DJs at Focus Tuesdays (the local house joint right here in Orange County). The Bay Area brothers allowed us to tag along with them both during and after the show for a night that was unparalleled and special to what we normally see in Santa Ana. After lots of beer, dancing and after party madness we are still trying to piece together the evening as we cure our massive hangover.

The Focus crew which includes Nonfiction, Wobs and Josh Billings played a unique back to back opening set to warm up the crowd as the room began to fill with house heads, burners and dance music aficionados up until a little past 11p.m. The guys did an awesome job of syncing together to splice deep house and tech house tracks in seamless fashion for this 18 and over crowd, much like they do at Focus in Newport Beach every Tuesday. Our favorite was a Pablo Fierro track titled "I Want It" which had us grooving as we knocked back a few beers and waited for the Martin brothers to arrive.

See Also:
*Free Ticket Tuesday: Justin Martin at the Yost Theater
*Five EDM Artists We'd Like to See at Coachella This Year
*Damian Lazarus Plays Music For 24-Hour Party People...Literally

Marko DeSantis with Exene Cervenka (X) at Musink Saturday

​Text to [Stray Cats drummer] Slim Jim Phantom: "Hey man, on my way to Musink now; would love to say hi after your set!"

SJP text to me: "Come find me. Lem, Capt Sens and me all sharing a room. Great stuff!"

Subculture nostalgia dominated the Costa Mesa air as I entered the OC Fair & Event Center for Musink Saturday evening. First punk pioneer sighting was Greg Hetson (Bad Religion/Circle Jerks/early-Redd Kross guitarist) at the will call line. Then again, you can't go to a decent party and NOT see that guy! Walked into the main hall with my Levi jacket buttoned up--partly 'cause it was cold and partly 'cause I have a grand total of zero tattoos!

The place was abuzz with tattoo guns, artists, vendors, hawkers, victims and willing volunteers. Despite the majority of my friends and music community peers being well-inked, I still felt kinda like Lady GaGa walking through a convent; or perhaps a nun walking through a hipster club.