Day 1: Arrive in L.A., pot shop, Rainbow Bar & Grill

The first time I saw Slayer was back in ’88, in Tacoma, Wa for their South of Heaven tour. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen them around 2 dozen times. Around 5 years ago, I started to travel to different cities to see my favorite band. When they announced their final shows, it only made sense for me to see them one last time. Going to Los Angeles for their last show was a no-brainer. It was nice that it was only a 2 1/2 hour plane ride to Los Angeles, and I was able to enjoy the experience with a couple of my buddies. We also met up with a friend that lived down there, who doubled as a valuable tour guide.

We arrived pretty early on Friday and left early on Sunday, so we made the most out of our two days. When we got there, it was still too early for us to check into our hotel. We ended up getting a Lyft to a nearby pot shop. It was convenient catching a Lyft in L.A. We never waited longer than than 4 minutes before our ride arrived. The pot shop was in the back of one of the buildings. It looked a little sketchy at first, but it was all legit. We walked back to our room from there. Coming from Wa., you never have a problem finding a convenient store that sells pipes. None of them sell them in L.A. My buddy found this guy that was cool enough that rode his bike home, and brought us one. If not, we probably would have made one from a beer can.

We stayed at the Best Western Suites in Inglewood. The location was perfect and they didn’t sweat any of us. Most of the guests that were there at the time, were there for the show. Once we checked in, we chilled there for a few hours.

Our buddy that lived down there picked us up. We went to the Rainbow Bar & Grill on Sunset Blvd. I’ve been to L.A. a few times, but this was the first time I went there. Besides the show, this was the one other place that I really wanted to go to. They pay perfect homage to Lemmy. The lounge on the side of the restaurant is called Lemmy’s Lounge. At the end of the lounge, they have a statue of Lemmy. I went full tourist and took a bunch of pictures. I even bought a shirt, a shirt for my wife, and a keychain. It was nice catching up with my buddies. We’ve known each other since school, and this was the first time in years that the four of us were all together. After a couple of drinks, we made our way to the dining room for dinner. Besides Lemmy and all the other famous people that have been regulars over the years, The Rainbow is also known for their food. We ended up sharing a couple of pizzas and they didn’t disappoint.

Day 2: Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Amoeba Records, Fucking Slayer!!

After eating our hotel’s continental breakfast, we caught a Lyft to the Santa Monica Pier. Each ride wasn’t that expensive, but they added up. The ride to the pier, to Hollywood Blvd., and back to the hotel were around $25 each. It was nice that there were 3 of us that could split the cost. One perk that L.A. has to offer is the distance to the Ocean. The Santa Monica Pier is a picturesque spot. It’s quiet during the day, and we also took a relaxing walk along the beach. It’s also good place to go if you’re short on time.

Next we took a Lyft to Hollywood Blvd. to see the Walk of Fame. There’s a bunch of shops and restaurants. I’ve been there a few times before, but my friends have never been. It was cool to see for a few minutes. There’s always something going on there. If you go to the 2nd or 3rd floor of the mall and walk towards the back, it’s a good vantage point to take pictures of the Hollywood sign. There’s a few good restaurants to choose from. We ended up choosing Johnny Rockets.

Amoeba Records is on Sunset Blvd., a few blocks away from the Walk of Fame. Having worked at Tower Records in my previous life, it’s a treat whenever I make it to Amoeba Records. I’ve been to the one in San Francisco a few times. This is the first time I’ve been to the Hollywood location. I could have spent all day there if I wanted to. If you’re into old-school record stores, you will surely appreciate Amoeba. I bought 3 records to bring home with me. They sell bags there that are perfect to bring on the plane.

After chillin at the hotel for a little while, it was finally time to head to The Forum to see Fucking Slayer for perhaps the last time ever. I wanted to get there early enough to get a Slayer poster and see Phil Anselmo and the Illegals. The doors weren’t open yet, but there was a merch booth outside the venue. We were the last ones they let through, but they were out of posters. I was starting to get anxious because I didn’t want to miss out on my Slayer poster. Once inside, it took 3 merch booths before I found one. I didn’t even think about it, but I should have bought two of them. The poster cost $50, and I was offered $150 for it by someone that saw me walking around with a poster tube. I didn’t realize they sold so few of them. It’s not for sale though. I bought a shirt too. I’m still kicking myself though for not buying a $60 Phil Anselmo signed, Illegal’s album. I want his autograph, but I’m hoping to get one signed in person one day.

Phil didn’t disappoint. I’m a big Pantera fan, so it was a religious experience to see him perform an all Pantera set. Jason Momoa even came out on stage and helped sing “This Love.” Ministry played next. It was an all, older era, greatest hits set. If you’re a fan of In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up, and Psalm 69 like I am, this was an entertaining set. Next was Primus. I thought they were good, but I didn’t think they were a good fit opening for Slayer. I would have rather seen another metal band like Exodus or D.R.I.

Finally, it was time for Slayer! They didn’t pull out a bag of tricks for their last show. They played a straight-up, in your face, 20 song, Slayer show; Fast and aggressive as always. They played “Jesus Saves” and “Show No Mercy” for this one. They played “Evil Has No Boundaries” and “Black Magic” the night before, which I wish they would have played the second night, but their set was still solid.

They finished with Angel of Death, which was a fitting end. Tom was clearly emotional. You could tell he was fighting back tears. He just stood there and looked around. He said a final thank you to everyone. Kerry unfastened the chain from his waist, held it up in the air, and placed it on the stage. That was his goodbye. The band took their final curtain call with all the members of their crew and friends and family. The crowd had a “Thank you, Slayer” chant that everybody participated. And just like that, the show was over. It was surreal and emotional. An epic ending for a legendary band.

The next morning I woke up early and flew back home. Time to get back to real life!