Live Bait lures in university
crowd
With the fluorescent
painting of a surfer dude on the wall, you wouldn't think hip-hop lived
here. But, on Tuesday nights at Live Bait in Long Beach, Cabana definitely
lets you know whose house this is.
On Aug. 24, a photographer
and I decided to give this club a try, but I have to admit, a hip-hop club
at a venue that used to post "no rap" on the front door wasn't enticing.
The place did bump, though, especially with a live performance from reggae
band, Isouljahs.
"I come because I
like listening to the reggae and the hip-hop," said Peter Pangelinan, a
Long Beach resident. "And, I see old friends."
The light scattering
of surfboards, the outdoor volleyball court and tikki torches does make
for a nice change of pace from the usual champagne swinging hype of mainstream
hip-hop clubs.
It is this relaxed
atmosphere of jeans and tennis shoes where hip-hop, reggae, Latin groove
and soul break fans can enjoy their common bond in music that makes the
weekly event a hit.
There were, however,
a few scantily clad chicken heads running around which is an odd sight
at a club that doesn't play Juvenile or Ma$e.
The ratio of guys
to girls was about 4 to 1, but for a club that predominantly plays hip-hop,
it's not unusual. Even the dance floor had more guy action with their solo
performances in
b-boy style.
The laid-back vibe
is only one part of Cabana's winning formula, said club promoter, Tyronious
Maximus.
"We wanted a place
where we could play the music we wanted to play," Maximus said. "And, for
people to be very comfortable with dress, to come as they feel. $2 drinks
don't hurt either."
Resident disc
jockey and the person credited for starting Cabana, Jason "Jace 1" Gutierrez
said it doesn't bother him there are only a few people at the club "as
long as their heads are bobbin' ... it's all good."
"When I wanted to
go out at night, I'd really have to go far like L.A.," Gutierrez said.
"There's not a lot of functions like this in Long Beach and I figured to
start something."
And, that something
has grown throughout its year and a half existence where the club has reached
maximum capacity for the past few weeks.
Cabana's also features
DJ performances from the Beat Junkies, Scratch Pickles and 5th Platoon.
Michelle Devera
is the City Editor for the Daily Forty-Niner. |
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