So what is the Sunset Strip like today?

[TrueTone500]

Someone mentioned the Sunset Strip in another thread, and I'm wondering what it's like today. Are there still bands playing? What about Gazzarri's, Whiskey a Go-Go, The Troubadour...etc? Are these places still there? There has to be at least one person here who can remember the 80's...

 

[eljodon]

Gazzari's closed down and is not the same like in the 80's when there was a huge crowd. Only when a well know band comes down. The scene change almost overnight! You see people some people not even close to what it used to be. The Roxy, is still open, also the Whisky and the Rainbow bar and grill, which was the place to hang out and see guys from Poison, Ratt,Motley Crue etc go in with one or 2 girls! It was quite funny. The food was great!I haven't benn there in awhile!

 

[Jofipe]

Rainbow is pretty cool still I think. Wasnt there in the 80's tho.

Silverlake seems funnier to me these days..

 

[ConcreteVampire]

Played the Whiskey a fair amount last summer...

Gazzari's is not the Key Club.

Rainbow is still fun to hang... GREAT food...

It's all... Clean now though.

A little mojo is missing when you let out a blood curdling Metal scream from the Whisky stage... Into your bass players 8 years old son's face!

All ages kinda took the spark outa the joint. Everything is too... CLEAN!

Still hallowed ground for me, I grew up in LA so... Still get chills on that stage

 

[TrueTone500]

We had a great metal scene here in Central Florida... Enter the drug 'Ecstasy'. Within 1-2 years nearly every bar that had once featured live bands were being converted into rave bars playing 'acid house' music.... It has not recovered.

 

[dstroud]

Seems to me that since most those bars went to the pay to play thing, they let literally ANYONE who pay's play. There's no way I would pay to get into any of those places knowing that the people booking could care less how good the band's playing actually are. I actually don't mind the pay to play thing - if you have an audience you can get your money back, but that fact that they will let anyone play regardless of musicality kinda is a real damper on the whole thing for me.

 

[joepete77]

Played the Whiskey a fair amount last summer...

Gazzari's is not the Key Club.

Rainbow is still fun to hang... GREAT food...

It's all... Clean now though.

A little mojo is missing when you let out a blood curdling Metal scream from the Whisky stage... Into your bass players 8 years old son's face!

All ages kinda took the spark outa the joint. Everything is too... CLEAN!

Still hallowed ground for me, I grew up in LA so... Still get chills on that stage

I know what u mean about the too clean thing. Just like how NYC has been homogenized into an urban Disney land, takes the vibe or fun out of it in a way.

 

[mightywarlock]

Strip is a load of crap.

It's all about who has the most money and wants to play in the historical places.

it's all about Pay to Play. And by pay to play, I mean at least $300-500 to play a garbage opening spot at 6:30pm at the Whisky on a Tuesday night.
Absolute bull.
Plenty of other places like this all along the strip.

That said, I used to play the Cat Club pretty regularly with my Punk band (for free).

 

[TrueTone500]

I've never heard of 'pay to play', but it doesn't sound like a good thing to me. Do these places not make enough on drink sales?

 

[King Guitar]

I am staying at the W hotel on Hollywood Blvd as I type this and will be at the HOB on Sunset from Steel Panther tomorrow with Peter Diezel and Peter Stapher. Those are good times, food at the Rainbow is still good, people watching funny there though, mostly Euro trash.

 

[John4021]

Get Papa Pete up on stage to help sing "Seventeen Girls in a Row"'

 

[VESmedic]

I've never heard of 'pay to play', but it doesn't sound like a good thing to me. Do these places not make enough on drink sales?

Never heard of it??? Lucky you. It is the new bull shit trend, and is huge here in Central Florida, and has become the "well that is just the way it is"...total BS

Example: Soulfly is coming to town in March, and at a very small, but extremely well known venue about 10 to 15 minutes from Downtown Orlando (The Haven). I honestly can't believe these guys are playing such a small "local" venue, quite funny to me. Of course, a band like this will only play if there guarantee is met. There are so many local bands that think they are going to become the next Metallica by opening up for a band like this, that they will do anything to get on stage with them. All the bands on the bill are all local bands,and all probably paid ATLEAST 500 bucks to get on the bill. This money is for the guarentee of the band, and for all the promoters "hard work" (What a load of SHIT). On top of that, the promoter gives out tickets to the bands for a pre sale. Say they get 50 tickets, but only sell 20, the other 30 is the bands responsibility to come up with out of their pocket if they don't sell.....Sounds awesome right?

 

[ConcreteVampire]

they did hit us up for the first show, (Wednesday) I refused to pay, my guitarist had a Jones to play so he paid...

We played 4 more time no $$ from us after our performance that night. Gotta say we killed it!

We were a glammy band so good opener I guess.... He paid one more time after that I think... Nice to get to play it on merit!

But yeah pay/play sux ballz. I wont pitch in. Not THAT important. Did have to get onstage at least that first time though...

 

[TrueTone500]

I've never heard of 'pay to play', but it doesn't sound like a good thing to me. Do these places not make enough on drink sales?

Never heard of it??? Lucky you. It is the new bull shit trend, and is huge here in Central Florida, and has become the "well that is just the way it is"...total BS

Example: Soulfly is coming to town in March, and at a very small, but extremely well known venue about 10 to 15 minutes from Downtown Orlando (The Haven). I honestly can't believe these guys are playing such a small "local" venue, quite funny to me. Of course, a band like this will only play if there guarantee is met. There are so many local bands that think they are going to become the next Metallica by opening up for a band like this, that they will do anything to get on stage with them. All the bands on the bill are all local bands,and all probably paid ATLEAST 500 bucks to get on the bill. This money is for the guarentee of the band, and for all the promoters "hard work" (What a load of SHIT). On top of that, the promoter gives out tickets to the bands for a pre sale. Say they get 50 tickets, but only sell 20, the other 30 is the bands responsibility to come up with out of their pocket if they don't sell.....Sounds awesome right?

Well, there are SO many bands now that maybe the bar owners figure that they have the upper-hand? Still sounds weird to me though.

The Haven you say? I use to frequent that place when it was called Jammers. Good times... Good times... I'm not much of a modern metal fan, so I've haven't been in there since it changed from Jammers.

 

[Mailman1971]

Good friend I grew up with lives in Hollywood. Think he plays some of these clubs.
Anyone know him?

http://www.whitedingo.com/

 

[jcj]

Really Kurt? You deleted it?

Spot on, dude....tons of tourists and poseurs

 

[bigdaddyd]

they did hit us up for the first show, (Wednesday) I refused to pay, my guitarist had a Jones to play so he paid...

We played 4 more time no $$ from us after our performance that night. Gotta say we killed it!

We were a glammy band so good opener I guess.... He paid one more time after that I think... Nice to get to play it on merit!

But yeah pay/play sux ballz. I wont pitch in. Not THAT important. Did have to get onstage at least that first time though...

I don't understand, you won't pitch in, yet you will benefit from it?

 

[sixstringking713]

i'm actually moving to LA within a month for a new job. I plan on putting together a rock band (or joining one) and I was hoping LA had some of the "better" opportunities compared to other cities to get noticed? Is this not true then? Are other cities better than LA to get noticed?

 

[jcj]

i'm actually moving to LA within a month for a new job. I plan on putting together a rock band (or joining one) and I was hoping LA had some of the "better" opportunities compared to other cities to get noticed? Is this not true then? Are other cities better than LA to get noticed?

Nashville....assuming you can outplay the best in the world

 

[ConcreteVampire]

they did hit us up for the first show, (Wednesday) I refused to pay, my guitarist had a Jones to play so he paid...

We played 4 more time no $$ from us after our performance that night. Gotta say we killed it!

We were a glammy band so good opener I guess.... He paid one more time after that I think... Nice to get to play it on merit!

But yeah pay/play sux ballz. I wont pitch in. Not THAT important. Did have to get onstage at least that first time though...

I don't understand, you won't pitch in, yet you will benefit from it?

I pitched in the first time, wanted to "See the View" from that iconic stage. After we played 3-4 more times for "Free" they hit us up again, "You want Thursday, $200...", I said I'd pass, guitarist had a hard on for the place so he paid the other 2-3 shows. I said "I ain't payin, if we've played for free after proving ourselves. He said I don't care I'll book and pay it myself.

No benefit from playin the Whisky... We weren't lookin to "get" anywhere,,,

Just a cool vibe, great stage, and good pizza and drinks down the street for after party...