Show at The Derby in Hollywood, November 6, 2002

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
NOHO LA NEWS MAGAZINE
DECEMBER 5, 2002
(submitted by "A Touch of Class")

Travelling to the USA from England for ONE gig sounds like a band with more than commitment, but to play for FemMuse in Hollywood was well worth it to us as it was also an adventure and a holiday. It took place on Nov. 6, and although it's a large jam session we could also play some of our own material and meet some great musicians, some of whom came as far as Chicago. The network is run by RYNATA (also known as The Shredmistress) and has been going for a year now and gaining in popularity. This gig took place with the help of some sponsorship by AMP Rehearsal Studio (in NOHO) and Manny's Music on Sunset Boulevard.

The whole evening was quite an event with great acts such as Teresa Russell, Kathryn Grimm, Eileen Carey and others, and of course, the fantastic RYNATA, who did a version of "Goin Down" with her FemMuse Band. We then got up and did our set with the FemMuse drummer Steven, whom we had only known for two days. At the end of our set, Rynata got up to play along with us, the ZZ TOP song "Tush", It was a duel of guitars between the Shredmistress and Leah Harlow.

The level of musicianship was impressive, whereas the English music scene seems to have lost its way in the last decade. England seems to promote the idea of cheap false rock stars as Oasis and Pop Idol. Robbie Williams, who has been around for over 10 years now, is hardly known in the USA. We don't have a monthly festival like this in England but could very well do with one. In the words of the Shredmistress, "IT WAS AWESOME!"

Who are we, by the way? We are A TOUCH OF CLASS and can be found on www.atouchofclass1.co.uk.

Thanks, America, for having us. We'll be back. The FemMuse is a monthly event at the Derby (pronounced Darby by us English) in Hollywood.

- Christine Moore and Leah Harlow

REPLY BY THE EDITOR OF NOHO:

Dear C and L,

Thanks for sharing your take on our music scene with us. I think it is truly amazing that a little band from England would travel all this way to jam one night at the Derby. I also think it's amazing that there's a paper in town whose editor would not only read the letter you sent of your story, but also publish it! What a great town L.A. is! Thanks for coming, and thanks for reading.

Annie - NOHO - LA

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