LAist: LA Live Tree Lighting with Britney Spears was 'Uninspired'

ndevelopment

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:26:41 -0800

I hope they replace that "tree" next year. It gives L.A. a bad name -- like we need more of that.

jrb

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:46:39 -0800

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.

jtmh

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:30:04 -0800

I, for one, welcome our gigantic fake tree overlords.

The Ugly American

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:01:33 -0800

Xenophobe! ... Pissers and Moaners! Thank G*d for civilian yahoos.

The Ugly American

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:58:10 -0800

Xenophobe! ... Pissers and Moaners! Thank G*d for civilian yahoos.

90039

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:37:25 -0800

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.

jrb

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:28:26 -0800

"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!

milquetoast

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:09:00 -0800

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...."

Osc

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:34:40 -0800

Walter Moore is not fit for 21st century LA, with his immigrant bashing, views on transit and calls for a low-density city.

chris76

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:50:00 -0800

Did I just wake up and discover that LA is actually some nightmare melody-singing B-list wünderland?

The Ugly American

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:52:01 -0800

Love the anti immigrant anti-illegal immigrant gangbanger rants on his platform website. Me too! I'd label him xenophobic. Don't forget the Shaw Family. Cause we all know how blacks hate them dirty messicans.

fabricio

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:28:10 -0800

I didn't know The Osbornes were there...

jrb

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:13:44 -0800

"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.

raul

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:45:20 -0800

Britney Spears, that is.

raul

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:43:56 -0800

She's from Louisiana (LA) not Los Angeles (L.A.)

wiyum

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:26:02 -0800

huh?

caliking01

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:20:16 -0800

aint that bitch from LA and not L.A.?

wiyum

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:34:09 -0800

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 ...

The Ugly American

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:27:16 -0800

I agree with Jason. That Lucy van Pelt Christmas "tree" is just horrid. And yeah...the celeb quotient was an embarrassment. 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. 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.

stara

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:49:24 -0800

I think Carolla was secretly sticking it in her pooper in that picture

caliking01

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:42:51 -0800

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?

grendel20

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:22:46 -0800

I, for one, am a fan of LA Live. Stop being haters, Angelinos.

raul

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:16:36 -0800

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.

tballw32

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:15:56 -0800

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.

morrissey

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:11:06 -0800

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

db

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:10:02 -0800

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.

mintxcore

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:38:56 -0800

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!

eric1920

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:34:31 -0800

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.

Syringe Mouth

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:26:28 -0800

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.