The Viper Room | the displayers

✈️ The Viper Room: Our Next Chapter in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA, July 2026

We landed in glorious Los Angeles with four goals:

Play an unforgettable show at one of rock’s most legendary clubs.
Reconnect with friends who have become family over years of making music.
Build new relationships that could open even more doors in Los Angeles.
Have another adventure worth remembering.

By the time we boarded our flights home Monday afternoon, we’d accomplished every one of them—and then some.

Wednesday: The Journey Begins

Every Los Angeles trip seems to begin with an adventure, and this one was no exception.

After finally navigating the less-than-glamorous process of securing my rental car at LAX, I headed north to Ojai to spend the evening with my partner. It was a welcome opportunity to slow down before the weekend whirlwind, reconnect with a few friends in the Holotropic Breathwork community (a fascinating practice I’ll have to write about another time), and enjoy a quiet evening before the music took center stage.

Thursday: Sinkholes and Sunset Boulevard

Thursday morning delivered unexpected news.

A massive water main had ruptured on Sunset Boulevard just a block from The Viper Room, swallowing part of the street and forcing the city to shut down a six-block stretch of the Strip indefinitely.

For a few moments, I wondered whether our show would become collateral damage.

Fortunately, our booking agent quickly reassured us that The Viper Room would remain open, and the show was still happening.

Relieved, I spent the morning working remotely before making my way into Los Angeles.

One stop was non-negotiable.

I dropped by KXLU, Loyola Marymount University’s legendary independent radio station, where we’ve made some wonderful connections over the years. Summer meant the student staff was sparse, but I had the pleasure of meeting Alex, dropping off some merch, offering tickets to the show, and planting another seed for future collaboration.

That evening I caught up with one of my closest friends, an award-winning producer and former pro drummer who works at Universal Music Enterprises. Over sushi and plenty of stories, we traded life updates—and he generously loaned us the cymbals and kick pedal Chris would need for Saturday night’s show.

Friday: Friends Everywhere

Friday started before sunrise with a trip to LAX to pick up bassist Mike.

From there we drove straight to Pasadena to visit another longtime friend—award-winning producer, former displayers bassist, and all-around wonderful human, Wes.

Not only did he loan Mike a bass for the weekend, but he also showed us around his studio, where he was finishing tracks for Ravyn Lenae before heading out on tour with her.

After some incredible tacos (because...Los Angeles), we spent the afternoon bouncing around the city before making an unexpected stop at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Walking through the peaceful grounds, we found ourselves paying respects to some remarkable names including Chris Cornell, Judy Garland, Burt Reynolds, Mel Blanc, Paul Reubens, Anne Heche, and Estelle Getty.

Eventually we checked into the exact same Airbnb we’d stayed in during our previous LA trip, rehearsed the set, welcomed drummer Chris after his drive down from San Francisco, and naturally ended the evening with late-night tacos from our now-official favorite neighborhood spot: Organico.

Some traditions are worth keeping.

Saturday: Showtime

Saturday morning began exactly where you’d expect.

Breakfast tacos.

Organico.

Again.

After one final rehearsal in the apartment, we made our way toward Sunset Boulevard.

Driving through police barricades around the enormous sinkhole made for one of the stranger load-ins we've ever experienced.

Before doors opened, we met the band performing in The Viper Room’s lounge, chatted with opener Richard Maxwell and his incredibly talented family band, and spent some time outside inviting passersby to the show.

One English couple accepted our invitation on the spot.

They later returned—this time dressed for a night out instead of wearing England football jerseys—and told us afterward they'd become new fans.

Exactly the kind of story we love.

Then it was time.

Thirty-Two Minutes That Flew By

A little after 6:00 p.m., we walked onto one of the most iconic stages on the Sunset Strip.

The room felt wonderfully full, thanks to more than 36 advance tickets sold and a fantastic turnout of old friends, family, industry connections, and first-time listeners.

From the opening song, the energy never dipped.

People danced.

People clapped.

People sang.

People smiled.

We played every one of our favorites and never let our foot off the gas.

When the final note rang out, we knew we'd left everything on that stage.

Apparently, so did the crew.

Both sound engineers told us afterward how much they’d enjoyed mixing us and how impressed they were with the band’s performance.

Compliments from sound engineers always mean a little extra.

The Best Part Happens After the Music

One quirk of playing The Viper Room is that bands are ushered outside immediately after their set.

As it turns out, that's actually pretty wonderful.

Everyone who came to see us gathered on the sidewalk afterward, catching up, meeting one another, swapping stories, buying merch, taking photos, and celebrating together.

Some were longtime friends.

Some had driven considerable distances.

Some had only heard about us through recommendations.

Some had discovered us only hours earlier.

By night's end, they all felt like part of the same community.

Roughly a dozen of us continued the celebration at a nearby pub, including my nephew and his fiancée, Mike's former coworkers (one of whom had literally moved to LA two weeks earlier), our friend Frank—who captured incredible video throughout the evening—and many others who helped make the weekend so memorable.

Speaking of documenting the night...

Dan Petry once again attended with cameras rolling, adding another fantastic full-show recording to his YouTube channel.

Photographer Mathias Fau also returned for his third consecutive Displayers Los Angeles show, and once again delivered spectacular images that perfectly captured the night's energy.

Sunday: One More Perfect LA Day

Naturally...

Breakfast tacos.

Organico.

Again.

Later we spent the afternoon at the Getty Center with friends Frank and Holly, where an enormous crowd gathered on the museum grounds to watch the FIFA Club World Cup Final together.

Before Mike caught his overnight flight home, we made one last trip to Pasadena to return Wes's bass and squeeze in another visit.

That evening we discovered another neighborhood gem—Ggiata Delicatessen—for dinner before ending the trip exactly the way we like to end these adventures: relaxing on the rooftop deck beneath a remarkably clear Los Angeles sky.

Whether we actually spotted unidentified aerial phenomena or simply let our imaginations run wild...we'll let you decide.