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LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN’ EVENTS

ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE

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Legendary guitarist Ace Frehley’s debut headlining show at Whisky A Go-Go brings out the KISS Army’s rock soldiers to the Sunset Strip.

Legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley headline The Whisky A Go-Go for the first time ever on February 27 and he did not leave without tearing the roof off of the joint. The 71-year-old rock icon looked great and was in High spirits as he continually tossed guitar picks to the fans and shared stories about his life in music.

“The Spaceman” may have been unmasked but he definitely brought back the same raw energy and ferocious hard-rockin’ energy that  helped make KISS one of the biggest bands in the world. Frehley started the show at around 9:45 p.m. and immediately had the crowd fist-pumping when he opened the show with “Rip it Out,” the killer opening track to his 1978 KISS-related solo album. The second the opening chords of “Rip It Out” started to echo throughout the room, the suddenly ubiquitous devil’s horns salutes let you know the crowd of diehard rock soldiers from the KISS Army were pleased.

The legendary guitarist has inspired probably half of the rock bands of the last five decades, and the crowd at the Whisky was made up of a good mix of young and older fans, many of them sporting KISS t-shirts.

Frehley never sounded better, tearing into another track from his first solo album. The  hard-rockin’ “Snow Blind” actually seemed like the perfect theme for the evening considering that the weather that night was so severe that it was snowing in parts of Hollywood, and the show looked like it may have been in jeopardy. But the fans turned out and the nearly sold out show was packed all the way to the back of the room.

The former KISS shredder kept the solo vibe going a bit more, rolling through “Speedin’ Back to My Baby” before taking the show up a first notches with KISS’ “Parasite.”

It was hard to tell who was having a better time, the crowd or the band on stage. Frehley’s band was amazing and included longtime drummer Matt Starr, a frequent guest artist at Whisky’s Jam Night Hollywood who was especially spot-on while covering KISS’ classics, including effortlessly handling lead vocals on “Detroit Rock City.”

Before kicking into “Rock Soldiers'” which is arguably one of Frehley’s best solo songs, he provided a brief music history lesson. The NYC-born singer-songwriter mentioned that he wrote the song with Chip Taylor, who, he said, is Angelina Jolie‘s uncle and Jon Voight‘s brother. (Taylor also wrote the classics “Wild Thing” and “Angel of the Morning.”) “Rock Soldiers” had the crowd joining freely on the chorus at full volume, helping Ace deliver his anthem about keeping the flame of rock and roll alive. It was especially cool to experience this ode to hard rock devotees at the iconic Whisky during Frehley’s first-ever headlining gig at the world-famous L.A. club.

Before closing out the show, Ace covered his Frehley’s Comet era with “Insane” and, of course, delivered his biggest solo hit, “New York Groove” plus a few more KISS staples that he co-wrote, including “Rocket Ride” and “Getaway.”

He also included “Shock Me” in the set after revealing that he was inspired to write the song after being electrocuted during a KISS concert in Clearwater, Florida, in the Seventies.

Frehley closed out his stellar headlining show with the KISS classics “Cold Gin,” and, for an encore, “Deuce,” but not before delivering a 10-minute guitar solo that was so hot it was literally smoking. Ace introduced his slick new Gibson guitar with blinking LED lights that proceeded to smoke as he soloed.

After he spent most of the show tossing out guitar picks to fans throughout the crowd, Frehley let them know that he had as good of a time as they did. “I’ve been playing guitar for 50 years, and I never had a lesson!” he announced with a laugh that seemed to indicate that even he was awed by the show. 

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STRAIGHT OUTTA HOLLYWOOD

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Fast Times’ totally tubular weekly party at the Whisky is the greatest thing to hit Sunset since Van Halen.

If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to catch Fast Times‘ totally awesome Monday night concerts at the Whisky A Go-Go, then you know what it feels like to be zapped back into the awesome ’80s as if you were sitting in a DeLorean with a flux capacitor pushing it past 88 mph.

The L.A. band is one of the coolest live acts to hit the Whisky in a long time, and their infectious grooves never fail to get the crowd moving whether they’re moshing, pogoing, or doing any incarnation of the timeless Axl Rose serpentine dance, the Belinda Carlisle arm sway shimmy, or the Courtney Cox “Dancing in the Dark” awkward Mambo (which inspired the “Carlton Dance”).

The L.A. always sticks with the theme and rocks their set while donned as various iconic ’80s characters, both real and celluloid, from Jeff Spicoli to Motley Crue‘s Nikki Sixx. But it’s their music that really makes Fast Times stand out as a legitimate band of phenomenal musicians who seem to enjoy rocking their set as much as the audience enjoys hearing it.

And these guys skillfully cover every iconic bit of music from Eddie Van Halen‘s guitar solo on “Jump” to Rick Allen‘s anthemic beats of “Pour Some Sugar On Me.”

The hard-rockin’ quartet ripped the roof off the Whisky again last Monday and welcomed a few guest artists to help them make the evening the hottest Monday night party in L.A., attracting a fun, good-looking, energetic crowd of all ages who were grooving to the band like I hadn’t seen at the Whisky A Go-Go in a long time.

Fast Times’ Monday night party rivals the Whisky’s occasional Tuesday night Ultimate Hollywood Jam Night Hollywood in regard to sheer energy, originality, and world-class musicianship.

These guys deliver your favorite ’80s songs with faithful renditions that rock you like a hurricane with no apologies. The band has also released an ’80s tribute album, Straight Outta Hollywood.

Another great thing about Fast Times and it’s Monday night event is that the band always shakes up their set with different songs. At the band’s most recent gig, in between covers of classics like Guns n’ Roses‘ “Night Train” and Billy Idol‘s “Rebel Yell,” the band covered a stellar rendition of Warrant’s 1989 debut hit “Down Boys.”

To see these iconic tunes by famous Hollywood bands played on the very stage where the original songs made their debut was amazing to experience. The heavy metal history lingering in the air was almost palpable each time the band kicked into songs by GN’R, Warrant, Poison, and other great Sunset Strip-launched bands.

Even better, Fast Times had some help delivering the GN’R hits from an authentic Axl Rose imitator, Ari Kamin, frontman of original Guns drummer Steven Adler‘s band Adler’s Appetite. Kamin (pictured below) sounded absolutely amazing covering vocals on “Night Train” and then “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” while expertly mimicking Axl’s famous moves.

The Whisky A Go-Go is located at 8901 Sunset Blvd. Fast Times headlines every Monday at 10 p.m., with an opening band kicking things off at 8 p.m. Cover is $10.

COOL STUFF

5 REASONS L.A. ROCKS

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Palm trees, Venice Beach and Axl Rose popping up in the middle of a Billy Joel concert…what’s not to love about L.A.?

Of course, there are a million reasons why Los Angeles rocks, but here are five that literally rock!

1. A GN’R legend and pop-rock superstar randomly pop up at Billy Joel’s 2017 Dodger Stadium show.

Dodger Stadium is the only place where you’re ever gonna experience Axl Rose rocking your face off during a surprise appearance at a Billy Joel concert.

Imagine our surprise when we were sitting at the Piano Man’s killer show at Dodger Stadium in May 2017, when one of our other favorite artists, Pink, randomly pops up to perform two numbers: Joel’s classic “New York State of Mind” and her recent hit “Try.” And then the show got even better.

A few songs after Pink appeared, Sunset Strip refugee Axl Rose also showed up and shook the stadium hard with AC/DC‘s “Highway to Hell” and later, Joel’s “Big Shot.” That unique and unexpected performance made us immediately appreciate the consistent unpredictability of Los Angeles.

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2. Sipping a cuppa Joe at Coffee Bean Sunset and spotting Dave Navarro and Steven Tyler — at the same time!

After living in SoCal for longer than I have in my home state of New York, I am used to occasionally spotting cool famous folks at my neighborhood hangout, Coffee Bean Sunset. I’ve seen Good Charlotte rockers Joel and Benji Madden, music legend Russell Simmons, Spice Girls‘ Mel C., legendary songwriter Diane Warren, and many other random cool celebs at the java joint.

However, I had never been in the presence of two rock gods at the same time. But there I was sitting on the patio re-reading David Lee Roth‘s memoir, Crazy from the Heat, one time, when I glanced up and noticed ex-Jane’s Addiction guitarist and one of my favorite ex-Chili Peppers, Dave Navarro. Then, about a minute later, I notice to the left, Aerosmith rock legend Steven Tyler strolling up to the Bean from Sunset. That was an unforgettable, random moment that I would likely never get at Coffee Bean Cleveland.

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3. Catching hometown heroes Motley Crue rock ‘Home Sweet Home’ in the middle of Sunset Boulevard.

Coachella was fun in the beginning, and San Francisco’s Outside Lands still rocks, but nothing compares to seeing one of my all-time favorite L.A. bands, Motley Crue, rock my neighborhood, in the middle of the Sunset Strip, no less, on a hot summer night in West Hollywood. The experience was, in a word: stellar.

Standing in front of the Rainbow and watching Motley own Sunset with a rockin’ set of over 20 years of hits was an unforgettable experience that was pure L.A. The Bad Boys of Hollywood came home in 2011 to shake up WeHo at the Sunset Strip Music Festival mere feet from the band’s old haunt on Clark Street. In just over an hour, Crue proved without a doubt that they truly are the “Saints of Los Angeles.”

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4. Random Hollywood streets hold surprisingly cool heavy metal history.

Residing a stone’s throw from the Sunset Strip’s Rock Row, you merely have to open a window and you can practically feel the energy and rock n’ roll vibe that emanates from the Strip. And like the immortal Lemmy Kilmister did, I love living within stumbling distance from my favorite haunt, the Rainbow Bar & Grill. So, you can imagine my surprise when I discovered while reading various rock star memoirs that my little WeHo neighborhood has a lot of awesome heavy metal history attached to it.

On Palm Avenue alone, one random unassuming residential streets holds some amazing rock and roll history. In his memoir, Scar Tissue, Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis recounts his adventures moving to West Hollywood from Michigan as a young kid and coming of age on Palm Ave., where he and his dad would often venture to the Rainbow.

And in Slash and Steven Adler‘s memoirs, Slash and My Appetite for Destruction, respectively, both recount stories that took place on Palm back in the 1980s. Adler recalls first meeting Axl Rose when he passed him in the street on Palm, where Axl had just come from visiting Izzy Stradlin, who lived on the street. And Slash mentions that he can’t even drive down Palm today without all of the memories of debauchery surfacing. Palm is also where the full Guns N’ Roses band was walking up Palm en route to the Rainbow while sipping Night Train, and they spontaneously began singing the drink’s praises while improvising lyrics, which Axl turned later into the classic song “Night Train.”

5. Spotting goth-rock legend at the neighborhood IHoP.

Have you ever been out at a club or a diner and you’re looking around taking in the scene when you accidentally lock eyes with a stranger? Then you try to look away because now it’s awkward? Well, imagine if that happened to you at the local pancake house, and that stranger was actually a rock legend.

There we were enjoying our Rooty Tooty Fresh & Fruity pancake platter at our neighborhood IHoP in WeHo when we noticed Trent Teznor sitting in the booth in front of us looking in our direction. We froze like a deer in the headlights, staring ahead, internally, all our brain could process was, Holy sh*t! It’s Trent *@#! Reznor! At IHoP!

After we left IHoP, we hung out for a second so we could ask for a photo with the industrial metal legend. He was cool and let me take a picture of him and my friend together.

ROCKIN’ EVENTS

HEY, I KNOW THAT DUDE!

On Monday nights in L.A., about the only sure shot you got is Fast Times at the Whisky A Go-Go.

The Whisky A Go-Go‘s Monday night house band, Fast Times, is a totally awesome and completely tubular ’80s tribute band that never fails to knock your neon lime green socks off and get your checkerboard Vans moshing.

Bored on a random Monday night, we cruised over to Sunset and Clark to catch yet another set by Fast Times, which has been the Whisky’s Monday night house band for the past two years. And they always give one of the coolest, most faithful sets of ’80s covers that are spot-on and have an awesome added edge that comes from the high-energy live show that includes plenty of audience participation.

Throughout the show, the faux Jeff Spicoli frontman brilliantly segues from handling the vocals of Jon Bon Jovi one minute to Dave Gahan the next and then effortlessly switching to Mark Almond and Holly Johnson, and the segue is as smooth and crisp as the keyboard riffs of a Casio.

Fast Times always manages to engage the audience to the point that for a moment in time, the Whisky feels like you just stepped into a rockin’ prom circa 1985. The crowd is very much into the experience, everyone knows the words of every song, and they’re excited by just how good the covers are.

Plus, the audience is often invited to sing/yell the choruses into the microphone during the many times various band members step up into the edge of the stage. Fast Times’ set feels more like a really wicked party than a concert. 

The only disappointment came when we stepped outside and realized there wasn’t a 1982 DMC DeLorean waiting to hit 88 mph and take us back to the ’80s for good.

ROCKIN' NEWS

WHISKY TO GET A FACELIFT

Whisky A Go-Go is getting a new look, and the Sunset Strip is welcoming a ‘Rock Walk of Fame.’

Since the Whisky A Go-Go set up business at the corner of Sunset and Clark back in 1064, the two-story club has famously sported a number of shades and exterior looks, from the groovy purple and yellow scheme in the ‘70s to the more recent red and black design.

And of course, the billboard above the club has been advertising new album releases since the 60s. At one time or another everyone from Alice Cooper to Motley Crue has been featured on billboards above the club.

MODERN ROCK; Whisky A Go-Go, November 2022.

Now, the world-famous club and the Sunset Strip are about to get a modern makeover.

Earlier this week, the West Hollywood City Council approved the conversion of the club’s static billboard into a double-sided digital billboard.

CLASSIC ROCK: Whisky A Go-Go, April 1972.

The mammoth billboard’s origami-inspired 500- and 1,000-square-foot screens are designed to evolve as motorists and pedestrians pass the billboard. Either way, it’s certainly going to get the attention of crosstown traffic at Sunset and San Vicente.

Motley Crue above the Whisky - 2010
DOWN AT THE WHISKY: Motley Crue overlooking Sunset, summer 2005.

The billboard is part of a new agreement between the Whisky and the city, which expects the digital billboard to bring in over $60 million in revenue over the next 30 years.

Whisky A Go-Go
Green Day and Riverdale cover the Whisky, fall 2017.

The best part is that the billboard is going to lead to a rock ‘n’ roll tribute on the Sunset Strip. The contract stipulates that the city will use nearly $350,000 to add a commemorative “Rock Walk” honoring the music legacy of the Sunset Strip.

COOL STUFF

HOLLYWOOD ROCKS

Step aside, Batman! The Who, Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, and other music icons have rocked their way into W/B’s legendary Hollywood history.

Living in SoCal, it’s easy to get jaded when it comes to being starstruck. After all, when you randomly spot Smokey Robinson at the supermarket and Steven Tyler at Coffee Bean—which I have—you tend to get used to seeing superstars as much as you see smog and palm trees.

However, a recent tour of Warner Bros. studios had us feeling excited about the magic of Hollywood once again. And that reinvigorated awe had everything to do with the rock and roll history that lies within the eclectic tour that covers every iconic entertainment offering from Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden to Friends and the DC universe’s current crop of superhero hits like Batman and Wonder Woman.

Along with all of the movie history, the studio’s backlot has a rich music history, too, including as the location of the iconic cover photo of Pink Floyd‘s 1975 album, Wish You Were Here.

Equally cool was spotting one of the rockin’ motor scooters from The Who’s 1979 classic film Quadraphonia.

The Lambretta and Vespa Italian motor scooters make a memorable appearance in the British drama as the ride of choice for Sting and his Mods as well as their rivals the Rockers.

Many classic Hollywood musicals and music-oriented movies have also been filmed on the lot, from The Music Man and A Star Is Born (two of them, the 1976 and 2018 versions) to Elvis and Selena.

The other king, the King of Pop also has an unforgettable attachment to W/B’s history. Michael Jackson and The Jacksons filmed one of their famous Eighties-era Pepsi commercials on the Warner Bros. backlot. This one was filmed on the backlot’s all-American “Hennessy Street” and co-starred a very young Alfonso Ribeiro.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s guitar picks and guitar strap are on display alongside costumes and rock paraphernalia from 2018’s A Star Is Born.

Some of the other rockin’ relics that we came across include the original piano from the 1943 classic film Casablanca. The piano is the one Humphrey Bogart was referring to when he famously said, “Play it again, Sam.”

The studio’s rock and roll holy grail may be the old jukebox used in the 1957 Elvis Presley film Loving You, which featured The King using this jukebox to supply the music as he sang “Loving You” in the technicolor movie musical.

Phoebe Buffay’s (Lisa Kudrow) acoustic Gibson guitar has a place amongst pop culture and entertainment history, too, and is behind glass as part of the W/B tour. It’s virtually impossible to walk past the six-string without “Smelly Cat” popping into your cabeza.

Another, ahem, thrilling moment was seeing legendary record producer Quincy Jones represented for his work with Steven Spielberg on the two-time Oscar nominated soundtrack to the 1975 film The Color Purple.

Warner Bros. Studios’ Props Department houses enough cool music instruments to rival any branch of Guitar Center.

Random acoustic and electric guitars, violins, cellos, bajos, congas, and dozens of other instruments line the walls of the airplane hanger-sized prop room.

The instruments have been used and reused in countless W/B movies and TV shows.

Let’s see, Pink Floyd…Elvis Presley…The Who…Michael Jackson…James Dean…when a studio’s history includes this much badass talent, we can almost forgive the W/B for The Gilmore Girls.

LIVE SHOWS

ROCK AIN’T DEAD

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Stellar L.A. bands Dina Dover and The Band Called Sex are proving Gene Simmons wrong.

Music icon Gene Simmons caused a stir with rock and rollers in the recent past when he proclaimed that rock and roll is dead.

The outspoken Demon was referring to the fact that modern rock radio simply doesn’t have any decent new rock bands that seem like they will stand the test of time like KISS did, and Van Halen, Motley Crue, and other legendary bands from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s (and a few from the ’90s) who we all still listen to today.

LOCALS ONLY: Whisky welcomes back original rock from L.A.’s best new bands.

While we’d never refute the legendary Demon’s opinion on such an important topic, there is a good sign that rock and roll may not necessarily be dead. Proof of life is found at the Whisky A Go-Go, where we recently took in a set by the totally awesome L.A. ’80s tribute band Fast Times.

On a random Monday night, as we were checking out the two local bands opening the show, Dina Dover and The Band Called Sex, we were stoked by the rock and roll authenticity of both bands, whose original songs were memorable, catchy, and rocked hard without any bit of pretentiousness or gimmickry.

Plus, you could see and hear obvious influences of the likes of The Go-Go’s, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath in the performances by these new young bands that played straightforward melodic original rock and roll that the crowd seemed to really appreciate.

I WANT YOUR SEX: The Band Called Sex rocks the Whisky.

The two bands that supported Fast Times, Dina Dover and The Band Called Sex, had the 40 or 50 people in attendance riveted to their music as they banged their heads, bopped to the beat, and cheered on the bands as if they were watching Aerosmith. It was a sight to behold, especially after post-pandemic L.A. nightlife had been stagnant for so long.

The Band Called Sex delivered some badass, unpretentious original rock and roll that echoed of the bluesy grooves of Led Zeppelin and the powerhouse pipes of Ronnie James Dio but delivered with a straightforward musicality all its own.

ROCK N’ ROLL THRILLER: Dina Dover’s fun, edgy tunes had the house transfixed.

Dina Dover followed TBCS and the excellent band may look like a misfit group of high schoolers who just stepped out of The Breakfast Club, but when they jam together, it’s magic–a marvelous cohesive rock and roll sound that is slick, edgy, and instantly catchy. If The Go-Go’s ever got together with Blink 182, this could be their love child.

Plus, any rock band that opens their set with a fantastic cover of Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller,” automatically gets a gold star in our book. It’s not easy to make an MJ song your own, but they did it effortlessly.

HEY, I KNOW THAT DUDE! Fast Times brings the awesome ’80s to Sunset.

The memorable evening at the Whisky A Go-Go was an authentic music moment that was goosebump inducing because it seemed to be a noticeable, pivotal moment where music fans were in the mood to get their faces rocked off and they were certainly getting exactly that on this random Monday night on the Sunset Strip.

This musical experience was all about being moved by the entire enormity and majesty of this rockin’ showcase of original music that was followed by Fast Times’ incredible spot-on covers of the best rock songs of the ’80s by bands like Def Leppard and Van Halen.

So, with all due respect to the mighty Demon, rock may be on its last breath, but it is being resuscitated nightly at the corner of Sunset and Clark, where you could still rock and roll all night and party everyday. And for that we’ll forever be grateful.

ROCKIN' NEWS

BEST SHOT

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Hollywood street art gives a shout out to classic Pat Benatar album.

When you’re strolling through HOLLYWOOD, there are usually a lot of distractions that have your eyes darting from one scenario to the next. One minute you’re gazing in awe at Marilyn Monroe‘s star in front of McDonald’s on Hollywood Boulevard and the next you’re trying to quickly look away from the crackhead pooping on the sidewalk in front of Madam Tussaud’s Hollywood Wax Museum.

Fortunately for us, while walking to the Hollywood Bowl recently to catch a Stevie Nicks show, it was a random, rockin’ homage to another music icon, Pat Benatar, that distracted us.

The vibrant, dye cut sticker-art tribute to Benatar’s fourth album, Get Nervous, is immortalized on the back of a sign post on Highland, just outside the Bowl.

The crazy-cool artwork immediately had the songs from the 1982 album streaming through our cabeza, timeless classics like “Shadows of the Night,” “Little Too Late,” “Looking for a Stranger,” and “Anxiety (Get Nervous).”

Caught up in the nostalgia, we found ourselves holding an old Bic lighter high in the air as we continued our stroll to the Hollywood Bowl.

ROCKIN’ EVENTS

RAINBOW IN THE DARK

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Sunset Strip rock landmarks Rainbow and Whisky set to pay tribute to metal legend Ronnie James Dio, July 7 and July 19.

The immortal Ronnie James Dio would have hit the big 8-0 on July 10, and to celebrate, the Rainbow Bar and Grill is celebrating with a rockin’ party dedicated to the late, great singer-songwriter, who once famously fronted a band named after this very restaurant.

On July 7, the Rainbow is hosting “Dio at the Rainbow in the Dark,” a record release celebration in honor of Rhino Records’ 40th anniversary remixed and remastered edition of Dio’s spectacular 1983 solo debut, Holy Diver. The classic rock masterpiece is being released on three formats: digital, vinyl, and as a two- and four-disc CD set.

Ubiquitous Sunset Strip headbanger and radio personality Eddie Trunk is emceeing the event, which is happening from 7-9 p.m. in the upstairs bar, where the evening is sure to be dominated by the glorious sounds of Dio’s timeless classics rockin’ the roof off of the Rainbow.

The Rainbow Bar and Grill is located at 9015 Sunset Boulevard. The “Dio at the Rainbow in the Dark” event is free.

One week after the Rainbow’s Dio celebration, the Whisky A Go-Go is hosting a night honoring the heavy metal legend on July 19, with the club’s biweekly Ultimate Jam Night Hollywood event set to crank out career-defining classics spanning Ronnie James Dio’s career, from Holy Diver to 2004’s Masters of the Moon as well as scorchers like “Man On the Silver Mountain,” “Gambler, Gambler,” and “Rock ‘n Roll Children” from his time in Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Elf, and Heaven and Hell.

The Whisky is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard at Clark Street in West Hollywood. Ultimate Jam Night Hollywood’s Dio tribute will kick off at 10 p.m. and is free to those 21 and over, and $10 for those under.

LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN' NEWS

‘ROCK ROW’ RETURNS TO FORM

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Sunset Boulevard welcomes rockin’ resurgence thanks to Rainbow’s ‘Party in the Parking Lot’ and Whisky’s tireless championing of live rock n’ roll.

For almost two long, agonizing years, the world-famous Sunset Strip’s “Rock Row” seemed like a ghost town because of the pandemic and it’s stranglehold on the fears of the general public.

But once the mask debates subsided and the world got back to semi-normal, the sounds of authentic rock and roll began once again filling the Sunset Strip with a buzz that has kept the scene alive since then, courtesy of some of the coolest concerts to ever hit WeHo post-pandemic.

Cherie Currie delivering timeless classics by The Runaways at “Ultimate Jam Night Hollywood.”

The Whisky A Go-Go and Rainbow Bar and Grill should be commended for keeping the flame of rock n’ roll alive through some challenging times by hosting recent free shows at the Whisky, with Tuesday’s Jam Night, and at the Rainbow with April’s “Party in the Parking Lot” with Ratt‘s Stephen Pearcy, Steel Panther, and Hollywood legends Pretty Boy Floyd.

Continue reading ‘ROCK ROW’ RETURNS TO FORM →
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PEPPERS POP UP ON MELROSE

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Red Hot Chili Peppers pop up shop is coming to the band’s alma mater, Fairfax High, on April 3.

L.A.’s Amoeba Music will be at the Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High School on Sunday, April 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. selling the band’s new album Unlimited Love, along with exclusive merch!

Fairfax High is, of course, the band’s alma mater and is located at 7850 Melrose Ave. in L.A.

The Chili Peppers pop up shop will be located at Booth B84. 

Speaking of Amoeba Music, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will play a special show at the Hollywood record store on April 7.

Fans who bought Unlimited Love at the Hollywood Boulevard music shop on April 1, when the album came out, received free tickets to the show.

ROCKIN' NEWS

SUNSET STRIP SALUTES MEAT LOAF

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Roxy Sunset pays homage to hard rock hero with line from timeless Rocky Horror hit.

The Roxy in the heart of the Sunset Strip is using its famous marquee to pay homage to Meat Loaf, who passed away this week, by featuring a line from one of his best songs, “Hot-Patootie (Bless My Soul),” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The rock legend, of course, played motorcycle-riding badass “Eddie’ in a memorable cameo in the cult hit film, which was produced by Lou Adler, owner of the Roxy.

Meat Loaf, whose real name is Marvin Aday, sold over 100 million albums, with the iconic Bat Out of Hell, remaining one of his best-selling albums. Of course, the multitalented rock vocalist also had memorable acting roles in the Hollywood blockbusters Wayne’s World and Fight Club. The well-loved musician died from the coronavirus on January 20 at age 74.

The singer’s family confirmed the news of his death via Facebook, writing: “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends. …We know how much he meant to so many of you, and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man. From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!”

At such a devastating time, it’s great to see the Sunset Strip landmark take time out to pay respect to one of rock’s greatest vocalists and frontmen. R.I.P., Meat Loaf.

ROCKIN' NEWS

THE GUERILLAS

L.A. street artists add refreshing vibrancy to Sunset Strip with homage to rock icons and Hollywood legends.

LACMA may have been on lockdown as we wait out the crazy corona crisis, but local guerrilla artists have been busy keeping the urban landscape interesting with original works of art that have been dotting the Sunset Strip lately.

Alec Monopoly leaves his artful touch in the 90210

Rock icons like KISS, Star Wars heroine Princess Leia, sports great Mike Tyson, and legendary rock and roll club Whisky A Go-Go are just a few of the fascinating subjects that inspired some of the stellar street art that we’ve come across recently in WeHo.

Continue reading THE GUERILLAS →
STREET ART

AMERICAN GRAFFITI

Artists turn L.A. streets into an urban art gallery any music fan would love.

In 2020, the Sunset Boulevard scene–from Rock Row to Dodger Stadium–has dramatically changed as a result of the pandemic and the nation’s turbulent political climate. And the changes extend beyond just the physical sense of seeing the famous, once-glamorous and vibrant landscape covered in bland blonde plywood and political graffiti.

The biggest impact is the deafening silencing of the world-class live rock and roll music that always seemed to be a ubiquitous part of the Sunset Strip. Regardless of when you visited Sunset’s Rock Row, there was always an exciting rock and roll energy and spontaneous soundtrack permeating the legendary thoroughfare and creating an intrinsic connection with visitors.

Until this year, there was always music in the night air, whether it was the power chords of superstars like Lita Ford or local faves like Budderside emanating from the Whisky A Go Go, or the rockin’ retro sounds of Missing Persons or L.A. rockers Warner Drive (pictured below) shaking the foundation of the Viper Room.

Warner Drive band

However, while the temporary closure of the Whisky, Viper Room and Roxy is tough on everyone, there is some good news.

Continue reading AMERICAN GRAFFITI →

LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN' NEWS

READY TO ‘ROAR’

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Robert Plant

LED ZEPPELIN LEGEND ROBERT PLANT TO ROCK HOLLYWOOD HILLS, JUNE 2

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space ShiftersBeen a long time since you rock and rolled?

Robert Plant is returning to L.A. to grace the gorgeous Hollywood Hills summer skyline with his golden pipes when he headlines the Greek Theatre on June 2.

This time around, the Led Zeppelin legend is bringing along his new band, the Sensational Space Shifters, pictured right at L.A.’s Shrine Theatre in 2013.  The iconic singer-songwriter and his band will be focusing on music from their 2014 album, Lullaby and… the Ceaseless Roar.

Get ticket information and more details on the Greek show here.

Check out and the Sensational Space Shifters in the short film Returning to the Borders, below.