An Amazing Night of Music

Monday, January 31, 2005, at 05:51AM

By Eric Richardson

Last night I made my way via the Red Line up to Hollywood to catch a huge night of music at the Hotel Cafe. It was the first of two nights to benefit tsunami relief. I came away feeling like I went to a festival; fourteen bands played fifteen minute sets. As always the musical selections were great. The Hotel really is the best venue in Los Angeles right now for hearing singer/songwriter type music. Erik Penny would go even further; he told me that he thinks that the scene in LA right now, centered around the Hotel Cafe, might well be the most fertile in the world. WIth fourteen acts there's no chance that I can actually review everyone, but it was fun to see favorites Quincy and Steve Reynolds, and well as to hear Jay Nash, who I had met but never heard play.

The scary part: the Hotel's doing the whol thing again tonight, with a totally different and yet still amazing lineup.