Pulling Together to Play Together

Ricky Vodka once told me: “Everyone’s got to pick up a brick to build that arena.” Although the Hollywood rocker was referring to the backbreaking effort involved in bringing back the L.A. rock scene, his words have never been more relevant than right now.

The devastating loss of the Hollywood Play Room, which caught fire at 5:45 a.m. Saturday morning, is going to demand some serious club-land teamwork. (The cause of the fire is still under investigation.) The Play Room was not only a pop art masterpiece, it was also the most comfortable live music and dance venue on the scene. Now two clubs at the forefront of the revitalization of L.A. rock, Scream and Cherry, are homeless.

Owners Art and Allan Davis say the club will be rebuilt in a few months, and the brothers have made good on that promise before. (Five years ago, they had to rebuild the Gate after it suffered the same fate.) If the Hollywood rock community is to survive this bout with the bad-fortune boogie man, competing club owners and promoters need to reach out and touch someone. Scream promoter Dayle Gloria says the fire already has inspired an unprecedented club-land camaraderie. Among those earning brownie points for good behavior are the Viper Room, Dragonfly, the El Rey Theatre, the Whisky and Vynyl--clubs that have offered temporary shelter for displaced events without being greedy.

On Dec. 8, Cherry will reopen at Vynyl; Dragonfly will host Gloria’s H.O.R.N.Y. Pages Music and Fashion Awards on Dec. 11. Gloria will be promoting rock shows at the Viper Room, including the upcoming Railed and Box showcase Dec. 16. Now let’s send out a collective blessing to all the out-of-work scenesters. . . .

Power player Josh Richman hipped me to a new Monday happening at the Les Deux Cafe, hosted by two Hollywood hotties named Apple and Audrey. We caught Richman cooling his heels with Keanu Reeves at a recent Camaro Club outing at the Viper Room, which boasts a new house deejay, rocker Taime Downe. Viper V.I.P. Sal Jenco plans to celebrate his B-day Dec. 11 with a live performance by the Bullet Boys. Just shoot me.