ERA Showcase Page 1

The Third Annual ERA Productions Artist Showcase
The Knitting Factory
Hollywood, CA
October 17, 2004
Story by Charmaine Frost
Photos by Debbie Braasch

Trevor approached us from where he had been standing with his friends, Joel and Mike, who would be accompanying him on guitar for one of the songs in his set. Not too long after saying hi, Trevor, Joel and Mike set off to find a room where they could rehearse, and Debbie followed so that she could snap some shots as they ran through the song the three of them would be performing.

Once done, Debbie and I moved outside the venue to get some exterior shots and prepare for the red carpet arrivals. The weather forecasters predicted rain showers, but Mother Nature spared us by delivering only occasional sprinkles. The drizzle seemed to provide the appropriate setting, however for the informal memorial fans had created around Christopher Reeves’ star on the world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was right in front of the venue. The Knitting Factory seemed to be the perfect location for this event. It is located just one block away from the renowned Mann’s Chinese Theater where stars who have reached the apex of fame appear at glamorous film premiers and leave lasting impressions of their hands, feet and signatures in its cement courtyard. And being located on Holly -

A line of about 50 fans were already excitedly waiting at the doors of Hollywood’s Knitting Factory when Debbie and I arrived at the venue at 2:00 pm to cover Trevor’s sound check. Once we had made our way to the area in front of the main stage, we saw that the performers, their band members, dancers and various friends, family and/or managers had already arrived. The atmosphere was filled with an air of nervous anticipation as they lined the walls around the floor of the main room, watching the sound technicians prepare the stage for the sound checks. There was a soft buzz as the artists talked amongst themselves, dancers swayed, stretched and practiced their steps and an occasional entourage paraded by as they passed through from the artist entrance to the backstage area.

By this time, the venue’s staff was preparing for the red carpet arrivals. We checked in and Debbie got the front-and-center spot in the area designated for the press! By this time, it was after 4:00 and the lineup of attendees had grown. I decided to walk down the line to see if I could find any IO members. A couple of people in the line who had seen me searching earlier stopped me and told me that the first three girls in line were from IO. So I headed for the front of the line and found Stephanie, her friend Stephanie and Melanie. They told me that their day started 4:30 am so that they could get the best spots in front of the stage to see Trevor’s performance.

wood Boulevard means that it sits next to the Walk of Fame where the belief that media stars are immortal because they live in the minds and hearts of fans is proven true.