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Re: arleta, ca? L.A. looping scene



Arleta is down here in So. Cal. It's in the San Fernando Valley and I 
believe 
that technically it is officially part of the city of Los Angeles, though 
it 
is perhaps 20-25 minutes from downtown L.A.  It's not nearly as beautiful 
as 
Papa Dave's neck o' the woods but California in general is  fantastic - 
I'm 
originally from PA.  Don't know much about the Arleta neighborhood in 
particular but the Valley is very family-oriented and your Guatemalan 
daughters should have little if no trouble assimilating  into the 
multi-cultutral social make-up. The area is mostly Latino and there are 
plenty of folks here from So. America including children. One downside is 
this confluence of cultures can produce a non-typical-American aesthetic - 
litter, less orderly appearance of homes and yards and cars, etc. - 
basically 
more like life in poorer Southern Hemisphere countries. But all that is 
merely appearances.

There's quite a few of us L.A. loopers here on the list, and it seems that 
we're gaining some new clubs that encourage experimental and/or ambient 
and/or improvised live music. Most notably the famed Knitting Factory 
(from 
NYC) is setting up shop in Hollywood (about 15 min from Arleta) and should 
be 
up and running this Spring. Also a few smaller clubs and some coffee 
joints 
where you can just show up with a loop rig and do your thing.  I became a 
performing musician only after coming to L.A. 12 years ago (started 
playing 
in '92) and this is due to the kind, wonderful, capable players who I met 
and 
learned from and were encouraged by. 

There is plenty of lousy stuff being made and displayed in L.A. (so many 
want 
to be something they're not), and it can be hard to avoid, but after maybe 
two years you learn to filter or not be bothered with that stuff, and you 
can 
dig very deep into the interesting things that are happening - and there's 
just about something for everyone, and if there isn't there seems to be 
the 
resources to start something.

It just takes discipline to drive past these cool music shops without 
pulling 
over and busting out the credit card...

OK that's enough for the list... Please email me privately and we can talk 
some more. Good luck and maybe we'll see you soon?  I'll be in the grand 
canyon until the 28th so no email for a while...

eric p
echo park

In a message dated 12/23/99 12:12:46 PM, moorelab@hotmail.com writes:

>i may be relocating to (near) arleta, ca from cincinnati, oh. being a 
>midwest native, i am absolutely clueless about ca. anyone know anything
>about the area? decent area to live w/family? (fwiw, i have a wife and 
>two 
>adopted guatemalan daughters) places for live music? etc? any info at all
>greatly appreciated! thanks and happy holidays!
>tony