Coconut Teasers is one of many clubs along famed Sunset Strip Blvd.
The sounds from decades past can almost be heard from the street corners. The Sunset Strip is the most famous 10 blocks in all of America.
It's where bands from big cities, small towns and all parts in between go to get discovered. If they are good – and lucky – enough, they emerge from the crowd to reach stardom. (Then they party too much, go into rehab, make a comeback and are featured on VH1's "Behind the Music.")
Their goal is to play "the circuit," which is the Whiskey, Roxy and the Troubadour. Any given night, people line up to hear the good, the great and and the not-so-great in a musical struggle to make it big in the area of Sunset.
The Strip also has L.A's chic celebrity haunts, places where gaining entrance requires at least an Academy Award nomination or a few magazine cover shots.
Traditional Live Music Venues MAP
For Rock 'n Roll, though, it's pretty much a punk and heavy metal scene. The Whiskey A Go-Go is where the Doors, Guns 'N Roses and others emerged from the smoke. It also introduced the Go Go girl back in the 60s when the club's female DJ started dancing to the tunes she was spinning while suspended in a cage above the dance floor. The Roxy may be the most legendary of them all. Next to the Roxy is the Rainbow Bar & Grill (better known as the Rainbow Room), a hard rocker hangout that does not feature live music but does include two free drinks (shots okay) in the $10 cover charge.Because it's acually a restaurant, there are lots of big booths in addition to a bar area.
The Troubadour is a haven for heavy metal. Located off The Strip on Santa Monica in West Hollywood just east of Beverly Hills, it is also famous for launching folk rockers such as David Crosby at its Monday night "hootenanny." Mondays still rock to this day.
House of Blues
Name acts have a home at the House of Blues. Bands can be either current hot groups or those with fading glory but still with a loyal following. It also hosts several private celebrity functions, VIP parties, etc. If there is a lineup of limos outside, it's a good place to catch a glimpse of somebody famous.
The aforementioned Viper Room is a good 'ol rock 'n roll club with constant big acts taking the stage (most of the time, it's name rockers sitting in with other bands). True to its nature, it prefers the casual crowd. It can be either impossible to get into or remarkably easy. It features live bands and don't sit in the booths; they are usually reserved for VIPs, so be prepared to stand all night. Tuesdays have traditionally been its best night, but rock 'n roll rules on Mondays and now Thursdays has turned into quite the event.
Though not a place for starving bands to play, Coconut Teasers (just east of the Strip) is a nightclub with a personality. Like the Rainbow Room, the cover charge is accompanied by a cocktail.
The Key Club, in what used to be Billboard Live, is being promoted by one of L.A.'s top nightclub gurus who wants to create a New York dance club feel on the Sunset Strip. It's sure set up for it – a big stage, large dance area, surrounding balcony and a VIP room. Bands, celebrities and events are commonplace.
• Coconut Teasers: 8117 Sunset. (323) 654-4773
• House of Blues: 8430 W. Sunset. (323) 848-5100
• Key Club: 9039 Sunset. (310) 274-5800
• The Rainbow Room: 9015 Sunset Boulevard.(310) 278-4232.
• The Roxy: 9009 W. Sunset. (310) 276-2222
• The Troubadour: 9081 Santa Monica Blvd. (310) 276-6168
• Viper Room: 8852 Sunset. (310) 358-1880
• Whiskey A-Go-Go: 8901 Sunset. (310) 652-4202
The Trendy Places – Poser Bars & Celebrity Spots MAP
Every few months, a celebrity will either open up a bar or create some commotion at one – River Phoenix passing out in front of the Viper Room, for example – that will make it the sudden "in" spot among the chic crowd. Currently, that hot place is Balboa. It's where the pretty people of L.A. are hanging. Cominbed with Sky Bar across the street, it's the hip new place to see and be seen in town. Oh, it's a great steakhouse, too.
Take note that once the general public learns about these places, it's hipness factor is over and the celebrities have gone on to another place. Even so, gaining access to these places that may be past their prime requires either going on an off-night just to check out the joint, arriving hours before the "in" crowd or attempting to bribe the picky doorman (he won't even look at your for less than $20 and this only works sometimes).
There is one place that continues to be hot, and that's Sky Bar. Cindy Crawford married the owner; that's how difficult it is to get into this place. Okay, it's not not quite that tough, but go early or during the week. Located in a while building next to the House of Blues, Sky Bar is an elegant, outdoor bar. The view is spectacular – sweeping from downtown LA to Century City to Santa Monica and the Wilshire District. It has tables by the overlook, mattresses and lounge chairs scattered around the pool and an upstairs bar with drinks that start at $10. It's nice, expensive, and somewhat of a highbrow pick-up joint.
One of the new and trendy clubs is Spanish Kitchen. It is a restaurant/bar with the look of a Spanish courtyard inside. Unlike many restaurant/bars, the bar is large with plenty of room to mingle and move about. This is where the "beautiful people" are going these days but don't expect a whole lot of conversation.In other words, a Hollywood crowd. The food is fair, not exceptional.
The Standard is another good spot. It's in a hotel where at the check-in desk it has a live naked girl in Plexiglas. Go early, as it's often a difficult place to gain entry.
Dolce is a restaurant/bar that pretty much defines L.A. Chic, trendy, the occasional celebrity, etc. Getting a table is impossible so go for the bar area IF there's room.
It's not the scene of the other places, but history is on the side of Barney's Beanery. Celebrities and "regular" patrons come here for the burgers – some 150 of them – and stay for the bar. Andrew "Dice" Clay used to stand on the tables here and try out his act before launching his character. Sundays thru Wednesdays have the best crowds – and Karaoke.
• Balboa: 8462 Sunset in the Grafton Hotel. (323) 654-4600
• Barney's Beanery: 8447 Santa Monica, West Hollywood. (323) 654-2287
• Dolce, 8284 Melrose Ave., (323) 852-7174
• Sky Bar: 8440 Sunset (at Queens Road) in the Mondrian Hotel. (323) 848-6025
• Spanish Kitchen: 826 N. La Cienega, South of Santa Monica/ north of Melrose. (310) 659-4794
• The Standard: 8300 Sunset. (323) 650-9090
Beverly Hills Hot Spots.
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• Bel Air Hotel: 701 Stone Canyon Rd.(310) 472-1211
• The Continental: 8400 Wilshire. (323) 782-9717
• Dan Tana's, 9701 Santa Monica Blvd. (310) 275-9444
• The Firm: 6311 Wilshire. (310) 226-7180
• Polo Lounge: 9641 Sunset. (310) 276-2251
• Trader Vic's: 9876 Wilshire. (310) 276-6345
• W Hotel: 930 Hilgard Ave., Westwood. (310) 208-8765. |
