The Los Feliz Improvement Association has been working for more than a century to build a better Los Feliz. One of the ways they did this in 2025 was by sponsoring a porch as part of Porchfest L.A., which took place the first weekend in November. Originally held in Ithaca, New York, in 2007, Porchfest music festivals began as a way for community members to put the spotlight on local musicians by providing porches where they could perform. Longtime Los Feliz resident Hélène Udy brought Porchfest to Los Angeles in 2024, after spending years turning her own porch into a local landmark through the long-running cabaret show “Was Ist Das?” This year, under Hélène’s guidance, the second annual Porchfest L.A. featured performers appearing in front yards and parking lots, coffee houses and businesses throughout Los Feliz, Silver Lake, East Hollywood and even Culver City and Mar Vista. Those audience members who trekked from locale to locale were no doubt rewarded with a veritable moveable feast of a variety show, wherein they were treated to not only musical acts, but comedy, mentalism, clowning, poetry, and perhaps, even more! When I asked Los Feliz Improvement Association President Debra Matlock why the LFIA participated this year, she began that “Los Feliz organizations have historically been very insular and territorial.” This I certainly know to be true from my many years serving as both a trustee and an officer and eventually the president of the Los Angeles Breakfast Club Foundation (the charitable arm of the Los Angeles Breakfast Club). It was a reality both I, and my wife, Lily (the longest-tenured president in the history of the LABC) worked hard to counter. By the time we stepped away from the Breakfast Club, we certainly had established relationships with many leaders of like-minded civic organizations and community institutions. In fact, I stepped away from the Breakfast Club largely to free up enough time and energy to dedicate myself to celebrating those principles of community that had traditionally been embodied by the Club, and to do so on a scale larger than those who presently run the Breakfast Club would ever allow. First as a member of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, and later during her tenure as president of the LFIA, Debra has, in her words, “tried to build a broad coalition”. That is one of those political-sounding phrases that are definitely beyond my grasp. So, Debra further explained that she embraces any opportunity where she can work with other community groups in support of events that celebrate Los Feliz, or which create “the opportunity to connect with neighbors” she has yet to meet. She described Porchfest as what “seemed like the perfect way to meet people literally where they are, walking down the street, and share the experience of hearing music together.” All this was lovely to hear, though the short answer about why she and the LFIA participated probably could have been summed up by the fact that I asked them to participate! I was a big fan of last year’s event. I simply strolled the neighborhood the one afternoon I was in town that weekend and took in as many different porches as I could for as long as I could. With no advertising budget to speak of and very little in the way of a staff supporting her, Hélène had created an unqualified success. Through the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council Cultural Affairs Committee on which we both serve, I became acquainted with Hélène and volunteered my support. In an advisory capacity, I suggested the concept of having organizations “sponsor” porches. These organizations would elevate the visibility of the event through outreach. They would create a more welcoming environment for unsuspecting passers-by as well as for those in the know. The organizations would also document the two-day event through photos and video clips that could be used to not only promote next year’s third installment of Porchfest, but which could be provided to the artists for their own purposes. Thanks to Debra and her husband, the stalwart first gentleman of the LFIA, Brad Grossman, all these aims were fulfilled. Another goal of mine was that each porch would have designated emcees, provided by either the sponsoring organization or by Porchfest, and that these emcees might work with the sponsor as well as the owner of the residence or business providing the “venue” to give that porch its own unique personality. Not only did I volunteer to emcee the LFIA porch, but also I sort of threw a bit of a tantrum to make it happen! The idea had been for me to be a kind of roving “ambassador”, going from porch-to-porch to speak about the larger event. As the event approached, however, and it was clear that the LFIA needed an emcee, and it was just as clear that all I wanted was to get to station myself at one location for the entire weekend and enjoy every single act that performed there, the executive decision was made. The LFIA and I were responsible for Porch #8 (which I quickly dubbed “The Fighting 8th!”) on 4419 Russell Ave. in Los Feliz, the home of Cynthia Freeman and Josh Goldstein. Josh and Cynthia were fantastic hosts, providing a porta-john, bowls of (leftover) Halloween candy, and boundless energy in support of the performing artists. When there was a hole in the schedule in what was to be the start of day 2, Cynthia even took it upon herself to arrange for one of our day 1 performers to return! Throughout the weekend, we had probably 400 people stop by for at least a little while, and at times, we had a yard, driveway, and sidewalk full of locals enjoying the free musical performances, and on a couple of occasions, the crowd even spilled into the street. Some people turned out to support specific artists, many of whom had advertised the event on the various social media platforms. Some were those who had learned about that particular porch thanks to the outreach of Debra and the LFIA. Some were neighbors who lived in close proximity. Many, however, were those simply walking or driving by, who could literally hear the music, but who, I believe, in my heart of hearts, were drawn by the good energy, the “vibes”, if you will. In fact, at one point during the weekend, I shared the story of visiting the rather astonishing “place of giants”, a megalithic temple complex from the Neolithic era on the island of Gozo in Malta. These ancient temples (almost 6,000 years old) were once believed to have been built by a race of giants that disappeared when they were discovered by Bronze Age settlers. Because remains are frequently found in great numbers in and around these sites, their importance as burial places is emphasized, but the various rooms of what remains, really came to life to me at one point as I recalled what I was once told about Angkor Wat. That temple complex in Cambodia was described to me as a transmitting station and that is exactly what those island temples felt like. Situated at the top of a hill that literally opened up to the Mediterranean, that locale must surely have felt like (and may have actually been) the center of the known world. There, people would gather for sacred rituals, including storytelling, and the insights experienced and the wisdom expressed would travel outward, down the hill, across the water, and around the world. I shared this story, because I felt we were engaged in the same sacred ritual. Community was coming together and the meaning created by musician and audience was traversing down the gently sloping front yard at 4419 Russell Avenue and spreading throughout the neighborhood. It’s the only way I can adequately account for the number of souls who accidentally found their way to us. We were all participating in an ancient and ongoing conversation. At the end of the weekend, as we were packing up, an older couple came up to thank me for my work as emcee. I wholeheartedly thanked them because they had been front row for every act all weekend long. I genuinely wanted them to know how much their presence and their spirit mattered. After all, presence and spirit is everything when it comes to building community. The gentleman said to me that it costs a lot to live in southern California, and especially in our area, but what makes it worthwhile, he said, is to be surrounded by so much talent. I could have cried. I found that sentiment to be so beautiful. Of course, as he was leaving, walking down the driveway, he called out over his shoulder, adding, “Oh, yeah, and the weather!” But he mentioned TALENT first! The festivities at Porch #8 kicked off at noon on Saturday, November 1st, with the deep cut covers band The Pali Music Collective. Featuring several friends who grew up together in Pacific Palisades, the band’s blend of classic rock tunes from the 60s, 70s and 80s, took on special meaning given the still fresh memories of the Palisades fire. No matter what neighborhood one lived in, during 2025, you felt like Pacific Palisades, and Altadena, were home, too. After the music by these alums of Palisades High, we went “Lowe”, Brianna Lowe, to be precise. Brianna is a singer-songwriter, and an excellent piano player, though due to the logistic challenges posed by playing in someone’s front yard, she chose to accompany herself on ukulele that afternoon, and her set was nothing short of delightful. I felt bad that there weren’t more people in attendance to see our first two acts, but someone had to get things started and I truly felt that as the day wore on and other artists were treated to larger and incredibly appreciative crowds, The Pali Music Collective and Brianna Lowe were part of those experiences as well, for they had planted the seeds of community, had laid the fertile ground, from which all that we would experience throughout the weekend would bloom. Each of our first two acts received encore sets, and by 2 pm, the party at Porch #8 was in full swing
