Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [161]
Cat Club (Map; 310-657-0888; 8911 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood) Slim Jim Phantom, drummer for the 1980s rockabilly band Stray Cats, owns this teensy rock den with its cozy sofa loft and smoking patio. If you can, come on Thursday when the charmingly named Starfuckers (Slim Jim, ex–Guns N’ Roses Dizzy Reed and a changing roster of their aging rockstar friends) get jamming around midnight.
Little Temple (Map; 323-660-4540; www.littletemple.com; 4519 Santa Monica Blvd, Silver Lake; 9pm-2am Tue-Sun; ) The Eastside cousin of Santa Monica’s Temple Bar (opposite), this Asian-themed lounge with a red-lantern glow is perfect for anyone with a yen for Zen and soulful sounds. Afro-Cuban, deep house, hip-hop, and a side of salsa keep hipsters happy.
Smell (Map; 213-625-4325; www.thesmell.org; 247 S Main St, Downtown) This aptly named underground club in the dark belly of Downtown books mostly try-hard Cali bands of the noise-rock and punk persuasion mixed with the occasional import from the UK or Japan. The all-ages policy means no liquor license, so expect lots of kiddies sneaking hooch in the alley.
Roxy (Map; 310-276-2222; 9009 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood; ) A Sunset fixture since 1973, the Roxy has presented everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Frank Zappa and still occasionally manages to book music that matters today. It’s a small venue, so you’ll be up close and personal with the bands unless you join the cashed-up grown-ups on the raised platform for table service (minimum consumption, amount varies). All ages.
House of Blues (Map; 323-848-5100; www.hob.com; 8430 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood; 5:30pm-2am Mon-Sat, 10-2am Sun; ) Frankly, there ain’t much blues playing these days at this faux Mississippi Delta shack but at least its small size and imaginative decor make it a neat place to catch bands of all stripes, Zucchero to Johnny Vatos to Social Distortion. The Sunday gospel brunch (seatings at 10am and 1pm; adult/child $40.50/19) is an energetic affair with mediocre food, catchy songs and plenty of white folk swaying and clapping along.
Little Radio Warehouse (Map; www.littleradio.com; 1218 Long Beach Ave) Another Downtown underground club, this one even has its own internet radio station. It’s still pretty improvised but you know they’re onto something if bands like Sonic Youth stop by for on-the-QT concerts. Otherwise, it’s the usual roster of hopeful garage rock bands. With cheap drinks and parties till sunrise, the place definitely feels more Berlin than LA.
El Rey (Map; 323-936-6400; www.theelrey.com; 5515 Wilshire Blvd, Mid-City; ) This is one gorgeous venue, an old deco dance hall decked out in red velvet and chandeliers and flaunting an awesome sound system and excellent sightlines. Although it can hold 800 people, it feels quite small. Performance-wise, it’s popular with indie bands plus one-off headliners like Lucinda Williams and Billy Bob Thornton.
Whisky A Go-Go (Map; 310-652-4202; www.whiskyagogo.com; 8901 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood; ) Like other aging Sunset Strip venues, the Whisky coasts more on its legend status than current relevance. Yup, this was where the Doors were the house band and go-go dancing was invented back in the ’60s. These days the stage usually belongs to dedicated but never-gonna-make-it hard rockers. All ages.
BLUES
The monthly Bones & Blues concert series on the last Friday of the month brings some of the best homegrown talent to the Watts Labor Community Action Committee. Past performers have included Linda Hopkins, Poncho Sanchez and Karen Briggs.
Babe & Ricky’s (Map; 323-295-9112; www.bluesbar.com; 4339 Leimert Blvd, Leimert Park Village, South Central; Thu-Mon) This legendary blues joint is great any day but Mondays are cult: $8 buys the deep-throated vocals of octogenarian crooner Ms Mickey Champion and Mama Laura’s late-night soul-food buffet.
Harvelle’s (Map; 310-395-1676; www.harvelles.com; 1432 4th St, Santa Monica) The dark blues grotto has been packing ’em in since 1931 but somehow still