Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
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.
Video: Meet L.A.'s 61-Year-Old Dancing King and Music Superfan
By day, he works in a medical laboratory, but at night Woodland Hills' Howard Mordah turns into a nonstop dancing machine.
Mordah has been captured dancing like a maniac at an LCD Soundsystem show at Madison Square Garden, he had a cameo in the recent documentary about the band and Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen and his colleagues ran into him more than a few times at local concerts. Music fans have spotted him at shows for XX, Local Natives and Washed Out.
But until this week when Allen profiled him, most concert-goers who recognized him didn't know the gray-haired superfan's backstory.
Support for LAist comes from
It's pretty simple: Mordah just loves music and he hasn't stop enjoying the thrill of a live performance since his first show: Iron Butterfly at Pasadena's Rose Palace in 1968.
His secret? Taking a power nap when he gets home from work so he can stay out—and get down—until the wee hours of the morning. He goes to five or six shows a week and spends sometimes $1,000 a month just on concerts. This last week his itinerary included Nicki Minaj, Aerosmith and Cheap Trick, Seal and Macy Gray, Of Monsters and Men, Die Antwoord, Jack White, Liza Minnelli and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"It's amazing I can still move. I'm 61," Mordoh told The Daily Bulletin. "I just never lost that energy inside me."
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach. -
Kimmel returned less than a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. -
Southern California might see some light rain tonight into Wednesday morning. After that, cooler weather is on the way, but expect the humidity to remain. -
A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
Best of LAist