Obviously I Love Rock and Roll

So last night the gang and I went out for drinks for my birthday. Now it is a long established fact that I do not like birthday parties--but the boyfriend is new to this and teamed up with a couple of the girls (Valeska and Kelly at first) to pull together something to celebrate. Once I caught wind of this, I threw myself into the mix since I am a fan of controlling my own destiny when it comes to such things.

We ended up at a new (to me) bar called El Bar in Universal/Studio City, located where we had celebrated Dominic's 30th a bit back when it was the Casting Office. Kelly had been there for happy hour a few times and tried to explain the decor as dark with Bull Head on the wall and a topless Freida Kahlo print. I thought it sounded kitschy (spl?) so I was down for the count.

Imagine my surprise when about 2 minutes into the place and I realized it was meant to be a bullfighter/Spanish themed bar. It was empty (a good thing for a party) and nice with lots of room and I headed over to the jukebook that Kelly had spoken highly of. I ended up spending the first 30 minutes of the night not with Kelly or Johnny or the boyfriend but in the corner playing with the music.

Now here's the thing--I love music and I really love taking control of the mix for a party. I managed to somehow spend 25 dollars in said jukebox, pretty much loading it for bear, but had a bit of a struggle. The selection at any bar is always hapzard--you have the standard great hits artists like Journey, AC/DC, Areosmith, Beatles--then you have the 'cds that make the theme of the bar' which was Gyspy Kings, Los Lobos and Bueno Vista Social Club but also lots of hipster bands like Girl Talk, Editors, Cold War Kids and obscure albums by The Killers, Franz Fernidad, and Jet. And there is always the random CD.

For some reason every bar seems to have that one selection that makes absolutely no sense...one you just look at in utter surprise. Maybe it is the soundtrack to a random movie or a hip hop compilation but it is the answer to one of these things is not like the other.In the case of El Bar, it was the new Black Eyed Peas album which also cemmented my theory as to their career and popularity-somehow they just sneak in. But in an effort to be current, as this was the only pop album in the whole jukebox, I did make a single selection. (Little did I know this would come back to haunt me after watching a drunken wanna-be starlet grind the doorway by our table)

But it was nice to pretty much own the music that night. Between James Brown, Tom Petty, Dr. Dre and tons of Blondie I think it was money well spent. Even 'Boom Boom Pow' was worth it in the end.