For the Doors' 40th anniversary celebration, lines of fans snaked around a blocklong stretch of Sunset Boulevard at the Whisky a Go Go, the Cat Club (the site of the Doors' debut in 1967) and Book Soup (formerly Cinematheque 16 movie house, where Jim Morrison read poetry) to get a glimpse of surviving members Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore. The event included the release of the box set Perception, the first official band autobiography, and a preview of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame exhibit to be unveiled next May.
Cory Lashever, associate manager of the Doors Music Company, tapped Josh Mele of Vox Entertainment and Evolutionary Media Group to produce the party. The effort took six months of planning and coordination between partners including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hyperion Books, and Rhino and Elektra Records. “The Strip is so representative of the Doors' history,” said Jennifer Gross of Evolutionary. “We wanted a setup that would get people to circulate up and down the Strip.”
A 30- by 50-foot tent served as the V.I.P. lounge area, with access to both the Whisky and the Cat Club. Guests who weren’t waiting in line to have their books signed or checking out Jim Morrison’s official death certificate lingered at the bar that served sponsored libations. Mounted 40-inch flat-screen Panasonic TVs, donated by Makiva, played archived Doors footage as well as a live feed from the stage during the historic-landmark dedication of the Whisky by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. DJ Jim Ladd of radio station 95.5 KLOS broadcast live from the V.I.P. lounge.
Although a steady soundtrack of the Doors played all night, the late-night jam session at the Whisky was the real showstopper. Krieger, Manzarek, and special guests Perry Farrell, Chester Bennington, and Slash played hits like “Touch Me,” “L.A. Woman,” and “People Are Strange.” In pseudo-homage to the late Morrison, guests waved not lighters, but camera phones.
Posted 11.15.06
Cory Lashever, associate manager of the Doors Music Company, tapped Josh Mele of Vox Entertainment and Evolutionary Media Group to produce the party. The effort took six months of planning and coordination between partners including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hyperion Books, and Rhino and Elektra Records. “The Strip is so representative of the Doors' history,” said Jennifer Gross of Evolutionary. “We wanted a setup that would get people to circulate up and down the Strip.”
A 30- by 50-foot tent served as the V.I.P. lounge area, with access to both the Whisky and the Cat Club. Guests who weren’t waiting in line to have their books signed or checking out Jim Morrison’s official death certificate lingered at the bar that served sponsored libations. Mounted 40-inch flat-screen Panasonic TVs, donated by Makiva, played archived Doors footage as well as a live feed from the stage during the historic-landmark dedication of the Whisky by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. DJ Jim Ladd of radio station 95.5 KLOS broadcast live from the V.I.P. lounge.
Although a steady soundtrack of the Doors played all night, the late-night jam session at the Whisky was the real showstopper. Krieger, Manzarek, and special guests Perry Farrell, Chester Bennington, and Slash played hits like “Touch Me,” “L.A. Woman,” and “People Are Strange.” In pseudo-homage to the late Morrison, guests waved not lighters, but camera phones.
Posted 11.15.06
