Welcome back to Standing In Line, our DuM series in which we listen in on L.A. and bring you the best and worst things people had to say.

Photo credit: Shabnam Ferdowsi

We descended on Echo Park Rising with high expectations of some juicy sounds.In lieu of our yearly “VOX & Voices” event at the festival, this time around we were there to document by standing in line. While many were there to listen to their new favorite band, I was there with my ear to the crowd, hoping to pick up bits and pieces of conversation, a sonic symbiosis of strangers in passing.

I have warm memories of the EPRs of the past, not just for the great musicians, but for the community, the sights and sounds, the friends I made there. As I dodged catcallers on Saturday, I realized that I had not expected to be met with such intense hostility on the streets this year. At an event that was poised to be about community, the visitors of Echo Park revealed themselves in a way that was so aggressively 2017.

For better or for worse, check out the collective sound memory transcripts of Echo Park Rising below. Tell us what you think: how can we as a community help make this great meeting of music and culture a safer space next year?

STANDING IN LINE: Echo Park Rising

-It’s a good day in L.A.. Where’s everybody at?

-We’re going over there first. I think I want a quesadilla, yeah dude.

-Doing great ladies. Keep it up. Loving the glasses.

-Maybe you should stop!?

-I hope so because that was like, we could have been like a band or something, I don’t know.

-I actually like 3 of their songs.
-Oh, which 3?

-Why are parking tickets so expensive?
-They just give ‘em because they can.
-That doesn’t make any sense. You can’t just say because they can. That’s why you have to question the government. They just decided like–oh, parking tickets–you’re gonna get one. I was parked for like 5 minutes.

-He’s just talking a lot, unless he has a podcast that we don’t know about.

-Excuse me? How am I getting home tomorrow? Are you gonna take me home right now?

-Echo Park you still alive?!

-Three little mountains, three little pyramids. They have a bunch of like, spiritual shit. Get a
tattoo.

-Selfie of your burger. I saw that it was a burger and it was wrapped.

-Do you want to go to Semi-tropic, get a drink there? Or is he not on right now?

-I thought she was like downstairs in the building still. That’s nuts! Oh my fucking God!

-You ladies got the time?

-I woke up this morning and was like oh, concerts!

-She was doing like soft Bjork meets Lisa… yeah.

-I’ll come get you. Yeah, we’re going to the cigarette store.

-Lyft is having a field day today.

-I just don’t understand.
-Well dude there’s the East side and the West side.

-Fuck social norms!

-Oh, this is the Funky Soul line. I don’t feel like walking. There’s like no way!

-Over there, that’s what I want to go to.

-No, they’re gonna play at the Echo. That’s the Echoplex.

-I’d invite you to the house but my girlfriend’s parents are in town.

-You know what I don’t want? The TSA pat down.

-I’m loving that look, that all black, ooh very nice.
-Hey yeah you too, asshole!

-Alright ladies, be good.
-Hey can you back the fuck off?
-Aw dude, why you getting all crazy?
-Don’t touch her, don’t touch us.
-I didn’t even touch you dude.
-You did.
-I don’t even want to touch you.
-Okay then get away, keep walking.
-He did! Yes he did! Put his arm around us. We don’t know him. I got it all on here, fuck.

-No lives matter!
-This is white culture

– I don’t want a shot of tequila, I’ll lose all my clothes

– Stay whatever, man!

Photo credit: Kevin Bronson, Buzzbands.LA

 

Tuesday, August 22nd 2017