Tag Archives: rock and roll

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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ROCKIN' NEWS

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.

ROCKIN’ EVENTS

ROCKET MAN

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Ace Frehley is bringing his KISS and solo hits to the Whisky, Feb. 27.

Get set to rock and roll all night when iconic former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley gets back in the West Hollywood groove with a headlining gig at the Whisky A Go-Go on February 27.

As we said back in 2017 when he headlined the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, the founding KISS member is really in his element when he’s commanding the stage as a frontman. He puts on an exciting two-hour set of non-stop rockers that include his own classic KISS, Frehley’s Comet, and solo hits.

During his set, Frehley covers many KISS classics, like “Rocket Ride,” “Cold Gin” and “Shock Me” as well as solo hits like “Rock Soldiers” and his cover of “New York Groove” from his 1978 KISS solo album.

Frehley’s equally famous smokin’ Gibson guitar will also make a guest appearance along with a few guest artists to be announced soon.

The Whisky A Go-Go is at 8901 Sunset Boulevard at Clark Street. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $65.

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’ EVENTS

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

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The Go-Go’s frontwoman Belinda Carlisle is bringing 50 years of timeless rock n’ roll hits to Beverly Hills in October.

If you were one of the lucky ones who caught The Go-Go’s 2018 show at the Hollywood Bowl, which took place beneath a twinkling starlit SoCal sky just before the pandemic reared it’s ugly head, then you know just how awesome it is to catch a legendary Hollywood-launched band play an equally iconic venue.

Fans will get that opportunity again this fall, when The Go-Go’s frontwoman Belinda Carlisle headlines another local landmark, the gorgeous, intimate-sized Saban Theater in the heart of Beverly Hills.

The hit-making singer-songwriter is sure to give Beverly Hills a night to remember with a set spanning more than 30 years of solo smashes, from 1986’s Belinda to 2007’s Voila. Of course, fans can also expect to hear over 40 years of timeless hits from The Go-Go’s, which formed in L.A. in 1978, after Carlisle and her friends devised the idea while sitting on a curb outside a house party in Venice.

“I Get Weak,” “Circle in the Sand,” “Mad About You,” “Leave a Light On,”and her number one single “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” still hold up today as some of the best pop gems in music history, composed of instantly memorable choruses and dance-inducing melodies wrapped around smartly written lyrics about love, loss, and learning to navigate both with a smile on your face and a beat in your step.

To rock fans who grew up in the awesome Eighties, The Go-Go’s were the soundtrack to the Me Decade, and kids certainly got the beat from the moment 1982’s hits-packed Beauty and the Beat hit the bins.

The band’s debut album shot to No. 1, making the California band the first all-woman group off singer-songwriters to top the charts with their own original material.

Beauty and the Beat’s singles “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed” were instant global smashes that made the band MTV darlings and landed them on the cover of Rolling Stone and launching a 50-year-strong career that shows no signs of slowing down.

Carlisle’s Beverly Hills show at the Saban on Oct. 27 starts at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $50-$130. The Saban Theatre is at 8440 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

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.

ROCKIN' NEWS

RHOADS WARRIORS

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Ultimate Jam Night Hollywood’s Randy Rhoads tribute concert was a family affair at Whisky A Go-Go, with special guests Kelle and Kathy Rhoads making a guest appearance.

The Whisky’s long-running Tuesday night showcase Ultimate Jam Night Hollywood, which has hosted tribute nights dedicated to everyone from Metallica to Motley Crue, set it sites on the iconic music of Randy Rhoads on March 15.

The evening paid tribute to Rhoads’ influential guitar work as well as the songs he had co-written while a member of Ozzy Osbourne‘s band and Quiet Riot.

The show featured Ozzy’s greatest hits performed by amazing tribute performers and rockin’ guest artists covering two hours of the greatest heavy metal classics ever written.

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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.

LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN' NEWS

SUNSET STRIP’S BEST ROCK SHOWS OF 2021

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BulletBoys frontman Marq Torien rocked an acoustic show, Wolfgang Van Halen sold out the venue, and Dokken was back for the attack at Whisky A Go-Go throughout 2021, providing the Sunset Strip with some of last year’s best shows.

There was a good variety of decent rock shows to check out in 2021 that gave Angelenos something to take their minds off of the pandemic. And while legends like the Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, and Slipknot rocked Inglewood’s newly-opened SoFi Stadium last year, some of the best intimate shows were happening in WeHo, where rock superstars like Wolfgang Van Halen, Don Dokken, George Lynch, Vivian Campbell, Vinnie Appice, and BulletBoys’ Marq Torien kept the Sunset Strip shakin’ with memorable sold-out shows and timeless stories at the Whisky A Go-Go.

BulletBoys’ Reunion Show Unexpectedly Turned into an Unplugged Solo Set with Frontman Marq Torien Sounding as Smooth as Ever

The hotly-anticipated BulletBoys reunion show at the Whisky A Go-Go in December had been advertised for months. But at the last minute, plans unexpectedly changed on show night, explained frontman Mark Torien from the Whisky’s stage, where he delivered a scorching mostly-unplugged solo set. He didn’t explain why the reunion was cancelled, and instead he invited Whisky fave Ira Black to help out on timeless BulletBoys hits like “Smooth Up in Ya,” “Hell On My Heels,” and “Shoot the Preacher Down.”

Black’s scorching guitar contribution and Torien’s soulful metal pipes immediately had the crowd forgetting all about the reunion as they rocked along. Throughout the 90-minute show, Torien covered most of the best tracks on the L.A. band’s first two albums, BulletBoys and Freakshow. The Whisky crowd seemed won over by the impromptu solo show, especially when he got to the unplugged renditions of “Hard as a Rock” and the BulletBoys’ cover of The O’Jays’ “Money.”

Just as memorable as Torien’s set were the awesome stories he told between songs, about his glory days creating heavy metal history on the Sunset Strip, and getting props from David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen when performing at WeHo’s Troubadour when he was 16.

Then again, hearing these first-person stories is what makes seeing a show at the Whisky so special. Throughout 2021, other Sunset Strip legends would also share fascinating personal anecdotes about their connection to the Whisky and the Sunset Strip.

Wolfgang Van Halen Marked a Milestone with Mammoth’s Historic Headlining Show at Whisky

When Wolfgang Van Halen’s band Mammoth headlined the Whisky shortly after their North American jaunt opening for Guns N’ Roses, the frontman looked around the room in awe from center stage and reminded the sold-out crowd, “So, this is where it all started…”

He seemed as in awe of the venue and its history as we were, and we all knew what “it” meant, of course. The Whisky’s stage is where his father and uncle’s iconic band launched a career that would make music history over and over again while inspiring countless young musicians whose first taste of world-class hard rock was hearing Van Halen’s self-titled 1978 debut.

Wolfgang seemed to know he had an important family history to uphold, and the former Van Halen bassist then spent the next hour and a half proving that he doesn’t necessarily need his Van Halen cohorts to effortlessly deliver a commanding, amp-shaking performance before a fist-pumping packed house at one of the world’s most iconic—and intimidating—rock n’ roll venues.

Continue reading SUNSET STRIP’S BEST ROCK SHOWS OF 2021 →
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.

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LIVE SHOWS

WHISKY CURES EVERYTHING

Five of the hardest rockin’ shows headed to the Whisky A Go-Go in 2021.

Sure, we all know that the year 2020 sucks worse than that recent Tommy Lee album, but with a promising vaccine reportedly on the way, there are plenty of awesome concerts that we’re looking forward to in 2021 as we start to make up for lost time.And thanks to Pfizer, we’ll be doing it mask-free and close enough to scare the band. (That was a Fast Times at Ridgemont High joke.)

While we certainly love, respect and appreciate livestream shows from our favorite bands and nightclubs, nothing can ever replace the euphoria and excitement and the intrinsic connection with bands and fellow fans that a live concert offers. Catching concerts at the Whisky A Go-Go–which I’ve done countless times for decades–is a unique experience that wows all the senses.

Whisky A Go-Go
Setting the scene for virtually every Whisky show is the ubiquitous aroma of fine cannabis that wafts above small cliques of Whisky patrons usually seen hanging out in front of the club between sets. The contact high provides a decent buzz that adds to the excitement of seeing the awesome interior of the legendary venue and its unique rock artifacts that cover its walls and pay tribute to past Whisky headliners and house bands like Motley Crue and The Doors.

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LIVE SHOWS

‘HOUSE’ PARTY

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RELIVE HOLLYWOOD’S HEAVY METAL GLORY DAYS WITH THE BEST OF RATT, DOKKEN, SKIDROW, CINDERELLA & MORE MONSTERS OF METAL AT CATHOUSE LIVE, AUG. 15 IN THE O.C.

‘CAT’ PEOPLE: Taime Downe, Riki Rachtman, Izzy Stradlin and Axl Rose at the Cathouse.

Legendary club promoter Riki Rachtman is back to save the modern music scene by opening up a big ol’ can of heavy metal whoop ass on August 15 with the hotly anticipated return of one of his most famous Hollywood clubs, the Cathouse. And he’s bringing a few famous friends with him when Cathouse Live rocks The O.C. this summer.

pearcyBringing added heat to Southern California’s summer concert season are legendary hard-rock frontmen Sebastian Bach, Stephen Pearcy (right), Tom Keifer, Don Dokken and Tracii Guns, who will be covering the greatest hits of Skidrow, Ratt, Cinderella, Dokken and L.A. Guns, respectively, on the Cathouse Live main stage at Irvine Meadows. 

The heavy metal hit-makers will be sharing an all-star bill with Extreme, Trixter, Saigon Kick and Sunset Strip refugees Bang Tango, BulletBoys, Junkyard, Pretty Boy Floyd and Little Caesar. Plus, there are many more timeless metal bands that will keep Cathouse Live rockin’ from sun up ’til sun down on August 15.

Axl RoseRachtman’s rockin’ summertime revival offers a rare opportunity for fans to get a taste of the famous club he launched in 1986 with some help from Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe. Cathouse became a favorite hangout for the likes of everyone from Axl Rose (right) to Lita Ford and hosted every band from Pantera to Pearl Jam. The Hollywood hot spot, which closed its doors on Highland forever in the Nineties, is immortalized in classics by Motley Crüe, Alice Cooper and Faster Pussycat.

We raise our Bics to Rachtman for bringing the best of classic metal back to SoCal this summer with Cathouse Live. And the best part? Tickets start at $15! Get more details here.

(Main photo: (clockwise from top, left to right): Don Dokken, Bang Tango, Sebastian Bach, Riki Rachtman, Trixter, Extreme, BulletBoys’ Marq Torien and Tracii Guns)