We love bondage, but NOT RED TAPE!

If you're our friend on Myspace, this is not news to you. If you only read the blog, WHY WON'T YOU BE OUR FRIEND? Just kidding. Please, read on:

Safari Sam's should be a dream of a club/venue/"cultural events center" in Hollywood. Instead it may be no more than a nightmare and financial drain for visionary Sam Lanni. He and his wife, Cathie, have ventured to open a Hollywood version of his legendary Huntington Beach club which brags performances by 10,000 Maniacs, Social Distortion, Henry Rollins doing spoken word, and Beckett plays. The Hollywood incarnation aims to continue the Safari Sam's tradition of fostering creativity, challenging thought and perception, and just plain entertaining in as eclectic a way as possible.

Some of the highlights include a full restaurant, a parking lot with 150 FREE spaces, a huge stage, a mezzanine, a spacious patio, and a shower. (Yep! Check out the L.A. Alternative article for more on that detail...) It will be a place that not only audiences will enjoy, but bands will love to perform in. IF IT OPENS.

Sadly, the city has bound the club - and poor Sam - in red tape so tight that's it's virtually squeezed his wallet dry. After nearly two years and $900,000, not to mention numerous attempts at compliance, the venue is still awaiting completion of the permiting process. If it's not one thing, it's another. And not just from the Fire Marshall - Sam's had visits from the Dept. of Fish and Game! Did we mention the club is located in a former strip joint on a bustling block of SUNSET BOULEVARD! Please raise your hand if you've seen live fish swimming through rush hour traffic on Sunset... nobody?... that's what we thought.

The bottom line is Safari Sam's needs your help. It needs capital to help it get through this teeth-pulling process so that it can open its doors, and it needs the city council members (namely, one Eric Garcetti) to pitch in and lend a hand for the sake of small business and culture. You can help with both of these:

please visit Safari Sam's website to donate money, purchase one of several available packages, and sign the petition asking the city to get on the ball. And please spread the word - especially to your rich friends, uncles, and sugar-daddies. ;)