The fifth annual event will include a tribute event at the House of Blues celebrating a Sunset Strip music icon, three nights of performances in the Key Club, Roxy Theatre, Whisky A Go-Go, Viper Room and House of Blues and additional special events throughout the week. The three-day fest ends with an epic street festival on Saturday, Aug. 18 with outdoor stages, performances in the venues, beer gardens, VIP areas and interactive experiences.

Stay up to date on all SSMF news, including lineup announcements, by following @SSMF and Facebook.com/SunsetStripMusicFestival.

Who do YOU want to see take the stage at SSMF 2012?!

A BIG, GIANT, MEGA THANK YOU to all of the fans, artists, volunteers, staff, neighbors and supporters who made SSMF 2011 such a success! It was an amazing three days and Saturday’s all day street fest with our friends  Motley Crue, Public Enemy, Bush, Matt & Kim, Escape The Fate, She Wants Revenge, The Dirty Heads, Cobra Starship, Black Veil Brides and Tribal Seeds was the perfect way to end the fourth annual fest. (Oh, and of course that impromptu balloon party — thanks Matt & Kim! — and Tommy Lee’s drum roller coaster and Motley’s booming fireworks! Wow!)

Special thanks to our friends at Virgin America, Jack Daniel’s, Bud Light, Gibson, Vitaminwater, Hornburg Range Rover Los Angeles, 98.7fm, Musicians Institute, Ticketweb, Mondrian, Signature Creative, West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau, Swing House, Clear Channel Outdoor, CBS Outdoor, Ace Outdoor, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, T Mobile and of course the best city — West Hollywood! We also couldn’t do it without the amazing venues that you know and love — House of Blues Sunset Strip, The Roxy Theatre, Viper Room, Key Club, Whisky A Go-Go and The Comedy Store.

We hope you have all recovered and we can’t wait to see you next year and create new memories!

Keep in touch with us throughout the year (we hate goodbyes) and be sure to share your photos and stories! Facebook.com/SunsetStripMusicFestival and @SSMF

From the blistering heat of the desert comes the blistering post-hardcore sounds of Escape The Fate.  And this Saturday, August 20 the SSMF will transport the “Sin City” boys from the Las Vegas Strip to The Sunset Strip, to perform on our outdoor stage alongside friends and rock dot pioneers Mötley Crüe.

Before the band trucks their trailer hitch 300 miles for the big show, catch up with ETF drummer Robert Ortiz who found a few minutes between band rehearsals and hitting the black jack tables to iPhone this questionnaire back to The Sunset Strip.

Where does the band name derive from?  And can you really “escape fate”?  Isn’t that sort of an oxymoron?

I’m not quite sure if that qualifies as an oxymoron, but I get what you’re saying.  Our name was developed as sort of a goal for the band.  The fate for every band we had been in before this seemed to be a failure, so the goal was to escape from failure.

What other band/bands are you most looking forward to seeing at this year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival?

Obviously Mötley Crüe is one of the all time greatest rock bands, and a huge influence on Escape The Fate.  I look forward to seeing them.

You guys are from Vegas; which member of the band spends the most time “hitting the slots”?  Which member of the band spends the most time at strip clubs?  Bonus question: Have you ever gotten a lap dance to one of your own songs?

Out of all of us in Escape The Fate, I would say I spend the most time gambling.  I love hitting the tables. No slots.

I don’t really spend time in strip clubs anymore, but I once got a lap dance from a girl who didn’t know it was me until afterwards, and it turned out she was a fan of the band.  But no, I’ve never gotten a lap dance to one of our songs.

You’re currently touring off your major label debut, with two prior records under your belt, what was it like recording with a bigger budget?  What was the biggest difference in the recording process?

We didn’t really have much of a bigger budget.  Actually, when we started recording our self-titled album, we were still in the process of working out our new record deal, so we had to pay for the studio time ourselves.  We were so focused with creative energy during that time that we couldn’t stop recording to wait for the deal to be completed.

The band actually recorded a track with fellow SSMF artist Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe that does not appear on your self-titled album.  How did that all come about?  How did you meet?  What was the collaborative process like?

We worked on a demo with Mick Mars.  It was a really cool idea but it unfortunately didn’t totally click in the long run and sort of just kept getting pushed to the back of our other songs.

It was great to be able to meet him and work together. When we went to his house, it was very surreal. The man is definitely a very unique individual.

Better makeup Mötley Crüe circa 1983 or Black Veil Brides circa now?

Mötley Crüe.  I cannot go against them!

Everyone has a great story about a night out on the Las Vegas Strip, anything you’re legally allowed to share?

When you grow in Vegas it’s a little different – you really don’t get that excited about The Strip.  There was this one after-party on The Strip though where I was having a great time with all my friends and the band, and then Carey Hart (that dirt bike rider and Pink’s husband who owns the club) gave us all a shot of something… and I don’t remember the rest of the night.  It was fun!

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You can catch Escape The Fate live ON The Sunset Strip during this year’s SSMF street festival on Saturday, Aug. 20.  For tickets and more information, visit www.ssmf.com

DOORS OPEN – 1 p.m.

WEST STAGE — OUTDOORS
8:15- 9:45 p.m. MOTLEY CRUE
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. BUSH
4:30 – 5:10 p.m.  ESCAPE THE FATE
3:10 – 3:50 p.m.  SHE WANTS REVENGE
2:00 – 2:30 p.m.  BLACK VEIL BRIDES

EAST STAGE — OUTDOORS
7:00 – 8:15 p.m. PUBLIC ENEMY
5:10 – 6:00 p.m. MATT & KIM
3:50 –.4:30 p.m.  THE DIRTY HEADS
2:30 – 3:10 p.m. COBRA STARSHIP
1:30 – 2:00 p.m.  TRIBAL SEEDS

INDOOR STAGES

Key Club
1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Youngblood Hawke
2:15 – 2:45 p.m. Son Locuaz
3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Indians
3:45 – 4:15 p.m. Love And A .38
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Deluka
5:15 – 5:30 p.m. Epilogues
5:50 – 6:00 p.m. Hugh the MC
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Pigeon John
6:45 – 7:15 p.m. Voxhaul Broadcast
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kozmonaut
8:15 – 8:45 p.m. Vampires Everywhere!
10:00 – 11:00 p.m. Them Jeans
11:00 – 12:00 a.m. Harvard Bass
12:00 – 1:00 a.m. Felix Cartal
1:00 a.m. – close Bones

The Roxy Theatre
1:30 – 1:50 p.m. Kill The Complex
2:10 – 2:40 p.m. Queen Caveat
3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Letlive
3:50 – 4:20 p.m. Jordan Cook
4:40 – 5:10 p.m. Imagine Dragons
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Warner Drive
6:20 – 6:50 p.m. The Limousines
7:10 – 7:40 p.m. Sabrosa Purr
8:00 – 8:30 p.m. The Expanders
8:50 – 9:20 p.m. Chappo
10:00 – 1:00 a.m. Semi Precious Weapons’ EMPIRE
10:30 p.m. Rye Rye
12:00 a.m. Metalachi

Whisky A Go-Go
1:05 – 1:25 p.m. Betty Moon
1:35 – 1:55 p.m. Black Vinyl
2:05 – 2:25 p.m. Haunted By Heroes
2:35 – 2:55 p.m. School Of Rock – Hollywood
3:05 – 3:30 p.m. Blowing Up The Moon
3:40 – 4:05 p.m. Soulbleed
4:15 – 4:40 p.m. Desecrate
4:50 – 5:15 p.m. DC4
5:25 – 5:50 p.m. Acidic
6:00 – 6:25 p.m. All Hail The Yeti
6:35 – 7:00 p.m. Lost Patrol
7:10 – 7:35 p.m. Demolition
7:45 – 8:10 p.m. Key To Chaos
8:20 – 8:45 p.m. Motorcycle Boy
8:55 – 9:20 p.m. Romantic Torture
9:30 – 9:55 p.m. Whiskey Six
10:05 – 10:30 p.m. Bolt Action Thrill
10:40 – 11:05 p.m. Motochrist
11:15 – 11:40 p.m. London
11:50 – 12:15 a.m. Electra
12:25 – 1:10 a.m. Divinity Roxx
1:20 – 2:00 a.m. Kokopelli

Plush Lounge DJs (at Key Club)
3:00 p.m. Lauren Blakestad
4:00 p.m. Shaelen Burroughs
5:00 p.m. Tomas Sidenfaden
6:00 p.m. Matt LaMotte
7:00 p.m. Kenny Wilkins
8:00 p.m. Matt Black
9:00 p.m. Sergio Diaz
10:30 p.m. Brett Wilson
11:30 p.m. Jason Evigan
12:30 a.m. Ben Ramos

MI LIVE! Stage (located outside of The Roxy Theatre)
2:00 p.m. Jared Nichols (blues guitar)
3:00 p.m.  Elaine Faye (singer/songwriter)
4:00 p.m.  LNE (alternative rock)
5:00 p.m.  P.D.P. (metal)

“Silent Disco” (located at Silver Spoon – near East Stage)
2:00 – 9:00 p.m.
More Silent Disco info.

The street festival will also include beer gardens,  artist autograph tent, the Jack Daniel’s Experience, VIP rooftop lounge, VIP Virgin America Lounge at On The Rox, performances by comedians at The Comedy Store tent and food trucks!

Get your tickets today! NO additional fees or charges when you buy online! www.ticketweb.com/ssmf

Cheers to Christina, and making new Motley Memories with SSMF in 2011!

WATCH CHRISTINA’S WINNING VIDEO

Who wants to take a ride?

The fun continues throughout the week with in-store performances, DJs, the “Stripped” photo exhibit featuring work from seven music and celebrity photographers, a free Jack Daniel’s Experience outdoor stage featuring live music on Friday, Aug. 19, and drink and shopping discounts throughout the week.

Check out the full lineup of “SSMF WEEK EVENTS” and special promos!

In true “Behind The Music” style, Black Veil Brides moved to Hollywood following the rock n’ roll dream; and in three short years, the band has gone from being virtually homeless to having a major label deal, to performing at the 2011 Sunset Strip Music Festival alongside forefathers Mötley Crüe.

Before loading in at this year’s street fest, BVB frontman Andy Six phoned TheSunsetStrip.com from the road to discuss the band’s rags to riches story, recording their first “real” record and partying at The Rainbow with Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach. Read all about it…

So being one of the headliners of this year’s street fest, how does it feel to get the chance to play in the middle of The Sunset Strip?

It’s amazing! I mean, we’re a band that all grew up in parts of the Midwest or the South, and we all moved to Los Angeles around the age of 17, and we were all sort of homeless and went through that thing.

We all just sort of grew up with that classic idea of what The Strip was, with The Whisky and The Roxy… And if anything, we’re just excited to be a part of something that has so much history behind it and to be a part of something that pays tribute to all the great things that have happened in that area, and all the great bands that have come out of there.

With BVB’s look and sound, it’s obviously a bit of a throwback or homage to The Crüe.  Have you met the guys before? Played with them?

Yeah, actually I’ve been working with Mick (Mars) for his solo record and he’s a dear friend and a great person; definitely a hero of mine.

The new record, Set The World On Fire, you recorded with Josh Abraham (Korn, 30 Seconds To Mars, Velvet Revolver). What was that process like, working with such a seasoned veteran?

The whole experience for us was amazing! For us, we really think of it as our first real proper record – being that it’s our first major label record, the first time we’ve ever really had an actual budget and time to make an album together as a band.

Josh and the whole production team on the record were all amazing… And getting to record at Pulse Studios in Silverlake and be at home in L.A. was a great experience. We’re excited to hopefully make another record soon.

It seems like the band has gone through quite a few lineup changes in its few short years. Is there a lot of bad blood out there?

I guess that’s not really accurate per say…because when you look at things I’ve performed under the name Black Veil Brides since I was 15 or 16, and growing up it was more just about finding people to play the songs that I was writing with me.

It wasn’t until I moved to Los Angeles in 2009 that we formed what the band is now, and we’ve had the same lineup ever since.

So in the early days, it was just sort of you using the name BVB as a moniker, and finding players to get your stuff out there?

Certainly, yeah. It was an idea I had as a young kid about a band that I wanted to create… I never really had a real band; it was more just a kid’s idea.

But now it’s a real thing and we’re a real band that does everything together, and it’s not just my pipedream anymore. [laughter]

You guys are definitely a band whose music speaks to that young, maybe troubled demographic of kids who are having difficulty sort of navigating through their teen years.  Do you get a lot of feedback from fans that feel like you’ve really helped them cope with their problems?

Definitely. And I think that’s one of the big reasons we all do what we do. Cause I think all of us, especially in rock bands, we’ve all gone through stuff as adolescents… I think we write about stuff that is universal, about having things or people in your life that are somehow creating adversity for you and being able to rise above it and never languishing or feeling sad for yourself.

We talk a lot about always staying proud of who you are and taking a stance against depression and finding your self-worth. We’re all about rebellion, angst and just being happy with who you are.

Growing up in Ohio, did you experience a lot of that kind of adversity?

Well, I was never that kid that sort of sat in the corner feeling sad.  I just always looked at things like, “I could use other people’s ignorance to fuel me…”

I hoped that if anything the kids making fun of me for wearing a Misfit’s T-shirt would just sort of spur me on to do whatever it was I wanted to do in my life, which from a very young age was always just to be in a band.

Seems like it’s working out for you..?

Yeah… It’s going pretty well. I don’t like to look at things like me being somehow different or better than the kids I grew up with. I just look at it like maybe they just didn’t understand… And the fact that I’m able to do what I want to do…it’s like they spurred me on and made me who I am now, and I have nothing but appreciation for them.

What do you guys have coming up after SSMF? What’s the rest of the year looking like?

We’re going to be on tour pretty much until March. Going all over the globe: full European headlining tour, South American headlining tour, Australian tour. Pretty much everywhere in the world we’ll be… I love touring more than everything, so I’m just excited to have the chance to do all that.

So do you prefer being on the road to being at home?

Yeah, I mean, I’ve been touring since I was 16, 17 years old. So really my sort of transition from adolescence into adulthood really happened on the road for me. So I’ve definitely grown from this world.

When the band is at home where do they like to hang out on The Strip?

Well obviously “The Bow” [Rainbow Bar & Grill]. We’ve been going there a lot more often now cause Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) moved to L.A. and he’s a dear friend of ours, so we seem to be going to The Bow with him all the time now [laughter].

Yeah we love being around; it’s where everything is for us.  We love that area. It feels right…

You can catch Black Veil Brides live ON The Sunset Strip during this year’s SSMF street festival on Saturday, Aug. 20. For tickets and more information, visit www.ssmf.com

If you’re a high-energy individual with a love of events and music, then check out our volunteer info and available positions and be sure to submit your application by Aug. 5!

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline to apply has passed. Potential volunteers will be notified and must attend an orientation program prior to SSMF. Please find a list of Volunteer FAQs.

UPDATE (AUG 15, 2011): MOTLEY CRUE HAS CHOSEN CHRISTINA HELM AS THE WINNER
This year, SSMF has decided to take it back to the fans. Motley Crue not only has an arsenal of accomplishments that’s more than worthy (30 loud years, 80 million in album sales, seven platinum/multi-platinum albums, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, three Grammy noms, a New York Times best-selling memoir, two dozen tours logging more than 1,350 live gigs across the globe…), but most importantly, a die hard fan base that has been a huge part of their success and longevity.

So now, mega-Motley-fans, it is your time to shine by letting the band know what they’ve meant to you! Your video–30 seconds max–should tell the band about your favorite Motley Crue Memory (#motleymemory). Submissions may be used for promotional purposes, and one winner, chosen by the band, will have a mighty Motley future: Winning a pair of VIP tix to the 8/20 Street Fest, and access to the Motley Crue Tribute at House of Blues on 8/18.

CONTEST RULES, SUBMISSIONS, NOTICES:

• How to Enter: Submit one video, 30 seconds or less, by emailing a YouTube link to your video, your name, and your contact information to ssmfcontest@gmail.com with “MOTLEY MEMORY CONTEST” in the Subject line.
• Who can Enter: You must be age 18 or older to submit a video for consideration.
• Video Content: Entries should answer the question, “What is your favorite Motley Crue Memory?” You are responsible for the content submitted. No nudity, slanderous or malicious comments will be permitted. Content submitted does not reflect the views of the Sunset Strip Music Festival, LLC, or Motley Crue.
• Use: Your submitted video and name may be used for promotional purposes. By submitting your video you agree that your video may be used for promotional purposes. Select videos may also be included in Motley Crue’s tribute event on Aug. 18. Note: Make sure to save the original video in case it is needed for promotional purposes.
• How to Win: One winner will be selected by the band. Winner will receive two VIP passes to SSMF. (Note: Does not include airfare/lodging/meals/etc). Winner will be notified approximately one week before the festival.
• Deadline: Entries must be submitted by 11:59pm, Friday, August 5.

We look forward to your entries and wish you all good luck in the Motley Memory battle to see Motley Crue return to their roots and close down The Sunset Strip during a once-in-a-lifetime performance!

Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart by SSMF