White Rabbits

We had just moved to Los Angeles from San Francisco. A tough move for many reasons but specifically for the Take Away Shows because San Francisco is a walking museum compared to the Los Angeles landscape. In other words, we hadn’t found too many beautiful places to film. Out of the blue we decided on Venice Beach, California. A sort of confused playground where beach bums and old hippies collide.

The exact morning of the White Rabbits Take Away Show my best friend and lover broke ties with me. So you can imagine what a mess I was. Not knowing what to do, and with my mind and heart somewhere else completely, we met up with the White Rabbits.

The White Rabbits have as much percussion as they have testosterone. They’re happy, they’re fun, with out a worry in the world. A sharp contrast to my state of mind on that day. So with tears rolling down my face, and with sadness with each step, I tried to keep my camera steady as these blissful rabbits started to jump all around me.

After Rudie Fails we found a house that we really wanted to film in. Only two small problems: we didn’t have permission and we didn’t know who lived there. Fortunately, the guy who lived there was home and after the initial confusion rubbed off, the shirtless, surfer dude was more than happy to be our host.

Boom. Boom. Boom. They hit their drums as if they were seriously and bitterly mad. But in reality they were joyful. These wide eyed twenty something’s started cheerfully strumming their guitars and beating their drums as we approached the beach. Without hesitation and with no planning the words of Salesman began.

After we were finished “playing” on the beach, we parted ways. They jumped into their van with smiles on their faces and excited as could be. And for those few moments with the rabbits, I too started smiling - after all, how could you not when listening to this powerful band?!

But, damn, I’m still in love with that girl.

Art Perez