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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

The Nightwatchman album release party

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All photos © / Pesky Humans

Tom Morello, the living legend guitarist from Rage Against the Machine, released his solo project's debut album on Tuesday. Following an in-store appearance at Amoeba Records, Morello packed out the Hotel Cafe and assembled a show that could most accurately be described as something between a spectacle and a true extravaganza. If you would have told me that one day I would see Tom Morello, Alanis Morissette, Ben Harper, Jill Sobule, John Sinclair, members of Alice In Chains, Extreme, Motor City 5, Motley Crue, and Cypress Hill sharing a stage in a tiny club, I would have thought you were nuts. Because you are reading this, you can probably guess what happened on Tuesday night.

UPDATE: Over 100 photos just added to the gallery.

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This was a really cool and unique show. The Nightwatchman played a short set of blistering protest songs backed by Morello's incredibly dynamic guitar work. Alanis Morissette and Nuno Bettencourt shared a duet of the rarely-played-live Extreme hit "More Than Words". Alanis, ironically, was the only person in the audience who didn't know the words, and had to work from a copy of the lyrics. The duo sounded absolutely beautiful together, though, and they looked like they were really enjoying themselves. What followed was an all-star cast of players including Ben Harper, Mick Mars of Motley Crue, Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains, Cypress Hill, and Wayne Kramer of MC5.

There were a ton of pictures from this show. I will continue to update this gallery throughout the next 48 hours with around 125 total images from the show. Stay tuned.

Enjoy! ©

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