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From left to right, comedian Adam Carolla, singer Britney Spears, LA councilwoman Jan Perry, and mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)
There certainly was something to be celebratory about last night--the billions invested into LA Live is quite an accomplishment. The naysayers will say it's another Universal City Walk and the cheerleaders will call "the future." For those in the middle, it will be a pleasant technological and flashy place to visit and take friends and enjoy every once in awhile. That said, after speaking to people about last night's LA Live tree lighting ceremony, words such as "uninspired" and "boring" were mentioned more than once. They were also not too thrilled with how unimpressive the tree was (see a photo below)
"I’ve been telling anyone who will listen that they made a mistake by not having a real Christmas tree to offset all the concrete, glass, and flashy advertisements of L.A. Live," sounds off Jason Burns at LA MetBlogs. "But, it’s part of a 7-minute holiday multi-media light show, they said. What could go wrong? Nothing, if you like a botched countdown and a 'tree' that just changes colors to music. I think you can buy those at Target."
He continues:
Los Angeles missed another opportunity tonight. It could have begun an annual tradition rivaling the lighting of the tree in Rockefeller Center. It could have given the network reason to broadcast the event nationwide and show L.A. in a moment of festive glory. Get Kanye up there rocking a remake of Christmas in Hollis. Let the Foos do another orchestral masterpiece. Invite the Pussycat Dolls to do… whatever it is that they do.Tonight, we witnessed something cheesy, fake, and lacking in that old holiday magic. What we got, was your parents’ old aluminum tree with the color wheel, and a joint visit from all your boring aunts & uncles.
He does bring up excellent points. This is Los Angeles after all and we are constantly pointing to our city's talent. So where were they last night? AEG, the main force in organizing last night's event, is the same parent company that puts on Coachella. What went wrong? Maybe it's first year jitters. So next year, we better have something that can compete with New York City or Mayor Villaraigosa can stop calling this a world class city.
Photo by Eric Richardson/blogdowntown
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Coachella is run for the most part by Goldenvoice who were allowed to maintain most of their autonomy(as long as they fill up AEG venues and make them money) when they were bought out by AEG. The reason they sold out to AEG is because the first Coachella put them under. Having worked for AEG I can honestly say I am not surprised at the bland spectacle. It's not like vertically integrated corporations are known for their warmth and creativity.
I was there last night - I happen to be on the way to Staples for Oasis which is right across the street from the "tree lighting" but I was like...huh....the lighting of a "light" tree ? Where's the real tree ? heck, my apartment complex has a real tree downstairs !
Anyways, the display, music, etc made me felt I was in Disneyland and sure didn't feel that Christmas spirit.
that tree is as cheesy, fake, and lacking in magic (and not to mention just plain LAME) as all the new restaurants and grammy museums in the LA Live building. Snoozefest!
Geez, it's so pathetic. All I can say it Britney's marketing people deserve every penny they make for how they've gotten the media (and celebrity-crazed politicians) to buy into the "She's back better than ever" meme.
Meanwhile the perception of L.A. as a city of fakes is supremely reinforced by this. Fake people, fake emotions, fake tree. As for that tree, it reminds me of nothing more than the Triforium.
It is amazing that people can't get past the tired paradigm of cutting down a live tree for a month or so of decorating. The LA "festivities" might have been underwhelming but the idea of cutting down a big tree every year is pretty tired. I'm glad they tried something new this year.
James
The "tree" is so damn weird. I agree the use of a real tree to offset the mass of concrete, steel, and lights would have been more appropriate. Also, the hourly light show is extremely cheesy with stock christmas footage playing on the screens... really a poor man's disneyland.
I really wish they would have toned down the appeal to tourists and tuned up the appeal and reflection of its local community.
I live two blocks away and I'd rather trek to the historic core than overspend at LA live right now. The only appeal to me is the ice cream place, the grammy museum, and the movie theater opening late next year.
I have no problem with the fake tree. Unless they can plant a tree there, why chop one down to use for a month?
As for L.A. Live, the sound during the light show was much too loud. Those screens were exceedingly bright too. However, my biggest gripe is that the holiday montage they show on the screens all show people frolicking in the snow. It doesn't snow in Los Angeles! No images of L.A. as far as I saw. For a venue that's supposed to be a hub for the city, they're doing a poor job of actually depicting or understanding this city.
I, for one, am a fan of LA Live. Stop being haters, Angelinos.
How Spears can both be "back and better..." and at the same time be the most boring celebrity on the face of the planet is beyond me. All she ever says at appearances is..."awww, thats so sweet." Am I wrong on this?
I think Carolla was secretly sticking it in her pooper in that picture
I agree with Jason.
That Lucy van Pelt Christmas "tree" is just horrid.
And yeah...the celeb quotient was an embarrassment.
I don't know about you, but I'm hoping this time next year the title of "Mayor" will be followed by the name, Walter Moore.
i went as part of the angelenic.com blog holiday lights tour. guess we were too late for the mayor and britney, but we saw the light show. it was aight. LA Live is a bit commercial for me, but I'm not a native angelino so I can feel that way.
the other lights throughout downtown were a blast though! city hall, union station, that square near angels flight. 7 christmas trees, 2 menorahs, but no turtle doves or rats at pershing square. maybe my eyes weren't open wide enough ...
aint that bitch from LA and not L.A.?
huh?
She's from Louisiana (LA) not Los Angeles (L.A.)
Britney Spears, that is.
"I don't know about you, but I'm hoping this time next year the title of "Mayor" will be followed by the name, Walter Moore."
Thanks TUA! Now I know who NOT to vote for. Love the anti immigrant rants on his platform website.
BTW, special order 40 keeps non-criminal immigrants, (which is most of them), from being afraid of talking to the police and helps the police do their jobs better.
Walter Moore doesn't seem to understand that. I'd label him xenophobic.
I didn't know The Osbornes were there...
Me too!
Don't forget the Shaw Family.
Cause we all know how blacks hate them dirty messicans.
Did I just wake up and discover that LA is actually some nightmare melody-singing B-list wünderland?
Walter Moore is not fit for 21st century LA, with his immigrant bashing, views on transit and calls for a low-density city.
There's always all this talk of competing with new york on a variety of levels and topics. Fine. A tree around this time of year in a public square is an attractant. If you want a fake tree to go along with a fake Los Angeles, at least make the damn thing 100 feet tall. Or... get yourself a real 100 foot tree and light it! Simple. A little more expensive but at least Los Angeles doesn't have to settle yet again for half assed, on the cheap. More special effects personel in this city than anywhere on the rock! Amazing! Love the other trees with the dripping light effects though. That's nice. Big tree, big lights- big crowds year after year. Now, about that "Santa Claus Lane Parade...."
"Cause we all know how blacks hate them dirty messicans."
You know as well as I do that that sentiment comes from black vs brown prison gangs, and it's a very small percentage of both blacks and browns who create most of the problems, killings, and the bad press.
Of course if you really want to see gang violence, and gang power blossom just put some civillian yahoo in there who wants to micro manage the police dept. and do away with special order 40.
Then the immigrant population will be afraid to talk to police or report crimes for fear of being deported. The gangs will become more powerful, more numerous, more brazen, and soon they'll be having gun fights in the streets of your own lilly white neighborhood.
I can just hear you pissing and moaning about it now!
it seems that the tree has that same bad no vibe 80s AMC theater look the rest of LA Live has.
also...why suggest Kanye West? Is there NO musician or singer that is FROM Los Angeles?
Wait..I know....I guess they figure all the papz will show up for ms. Spears thus giving the illusion that there is a bunch of hype and a huge crowd wondering what is going on.
Xenophobe! ... Pissers and Moaners!
Thank G*d for civilian yahoos.
Xenophobe! ... Pissers and Moaners!
Thank G*d for civilian yahoos.
I, for one, welcome our gigantic fake tree overlords.
Read the last paragraph of the article you linked...
"The LAPD and American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California both support Special Order 40. At a hearing convened by the Public Safety Committee in October, ACLU attorney Peter Bibring testified that Special Order 40 is needed to keep immigrant communities engaged with police."
Doing away with special order 40 is not going to prevent crimes like the sensless murder of Jameil Shaw. It will allow the gang situation to get completely out of control and we will have a lot more Jameil Shaws. The LAPD and Sheriff's dept. needs to be able to talk to witnesses, and witnesses need to be able to talk to an investigator.
Just what the LAPD and the Sheriff's dept need. Another hat to wear, and the added work and responsibility of doing on ICE's job.
I hope they replace that "tree" next year. It gives L.A. a bad name -- like we need more of that.