Members bubblegum Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 So I looked for previous posts about bands playing the Whisky and couldnt find anything. My band was invited to play a gig at the Whisky in W. Hollywood. We are out of the Seattle area. Does anybody have any do's and donts for that particular neighborhood? I realize that it is "just another venue" but its our first time in LA and I would hate to be overdressed for the occasion. Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackcheez Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 I've played there a few times. Wear what you want. If you can't wear it in Hollywood where can you wear it ? Don't expect too much. If there's a good crowd there it will be a blast. If it's a thin crowd, it might as well be any club with a thin crowd. I don't know if they still do it, but they used to record every set on video and offer to sell it to you at the end of the night for like $75 or something. It was a good deal. The tapes looked and sounded good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Austincowbell Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 I've played there a few times. Wear what you want. If you can't wear it in Hollywood where can you wear it ? Don't expect too much. If there's a good crowd there it will be a blast. If it's a thin crowd, it might as well be any club with a thin crowd. I don't know if they still do it, but they used to record every set on video and offer to sell it to you at the end of the night for like $75 or something. It was a good deal. The tapes looked and sounded good. no {censored}?? Viper room charges $450 for a live recording and PERMISSION to record the show. Your video costs extra. Methinks we'll play our next show in LA at whisky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ckcondon Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 no {censored}?? Viper room charges $450 for a live recording and PERMISSION to record the show. Your video costs extra. Methinks we'll play our next show in LA at whisky. He did say "tapes". Methinks this could be outdated pricing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Austincowbell Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 He did say "tapes". Methinks this could be outdated pricing! good catch. When we played at The Gig (RIP ) it was $150 for a DVD with audio and worth every penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gtrbass Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 I've played The Whisky 20 - 30 times since 1986. Haven't been at the Whisky for a few years. Think of the Sunset strip as Disneyland for Rockers. Just know it's all about making money and you will pay for your opportunity to be on that stage ... unless you have a buzz and a proven draw. If you accept that, it can be a lot of fun and a great experience. Just remember that The Whisky a Go Go was ground zero for the whole Pay to Play thing. It is a Legendary room. It is the home of the 'portable' audience. If the room is full for the band on before you, it doesn't guarantee they'll stick around for your set. If the room isn't so full at the beginning of your set, the crowd may swell as the folks there to see the next band(s) file in. You just may get lucky and be on the bill with a band that down the road will be huge. (Maybe you're that band, who knows?) I have been on the bill with bands like No Doubt, Korn, LSD, STP and RATM, back when they were just up and coming local So Cal bands. The Stage, Sound, & Lighting are top notch. The video crew is very good and reasonably priced. The footage will be good quality with an audio mix off the board. Be Cool... The production staff are mostly moonlighting between big road tours. One of the FOH guys I knew years ago (Chris) was the FOH engineer for NIN. Another guy (Jack) was Ozzy's FOH engineer. As they are Pro level guys, don't 'F' with them or give attitude. They will get you back by turning up the 'Suck' knob on your show, and do it so well that you won't be able to lay the blame on them either. Be Cool... The Strip is run by the Maglieri family. They want your business and for everyone to have a good time. The security, the bar staff, the parking guys ... are all on the payroll. Don't step out of line with any of them. The LA County Sheriff's patrol West Hollywood. Many off duty Sheriff's moonlight as security for the clubs on the Strip, especially at the Rainbow. They enjoy 'good relations' with the management running the strip. It is a reasonably secure part of town. There is a tolerance for some behaviors, but anything bad for business will be 'handled' quickly. An altercation with security can easily lead to handcuffs and a quick trip to the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bubblegum Posted December 3, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 Wow, thanks gang! One last thing, any hotels in the area that are nice budget wise? I was thinking about booking at The Satandard. Any thoughts or comments? Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gtrbass Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 West Hollywood is a classy, pricey area, but with the economy being what it is you might find a bargain. The Standard hotel is quite nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bubblegum Posted December 3, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 Out of Sight, Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flanc Posted December 4, 2009 Members Share Posted December 4, 2009 I travel on business a lot and they've been cranking down on our expenses lately. Using Hotwire has allowed me to stay at nicer places for cheaper $$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bubblegum Posted December 4, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 4, 2009 I travel on business a lot and they've been cranking down on our expenses lately. Using Hotwire has allowed me to stay at nicer places for cheaper $$. Yeah, my sister was going through Expedia and found good deal on flight and hotel. Thanks again everybody, I'll let yall what happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zon5string Posted December 5, 2009 Members Share Posted December 5, 2009 I played there once in 1992 (I think). It was a load of fun...biggest room & crowd we had played to. Of course, we had taken 2 buses of our fans up from San Diego...and we were last on the bill...but it was a really fun gig. The Roxy was better, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bubblegum Posted December 5, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 5, 2009 :cool:Who knows maybe the Roxy will be next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gtrbass Posted December 7, 2009 Members Share Posted December 7, 2009 I got the news on Friday that the Key Club on the Sunset Strip has shut down. This is an indicator of how tough it is out there. Quietly on Sunday night, West Hollywood's Key Club locked its doors. The venue previously had cleared its December calendar, having told bookers and artists to take their shows elsewhere. After the shuttering of Hollywood's Knitting Factory in October, the closure of the Key Club would seem to raise questions about the strength of the live-music market in Hollywood and on the Sunset Strip, but Key Club President Keith Pressman stresses that the move is for the short-term. "As far as everyone is concerned we're dead and buried, but this is just a temporary thing," he said. He said the club has closed to make way for a new partner and renovations. It could be operating at full capacity again as early as February. Yet even if the Key Club, which opened in 1996 as Billboard Live, is able to bounce back, other venues continue to struggle -- most owners and promoters say the downturn is largely because of the economic climate, but increased competition on the nightlife scene is also a factor. Nic Adler, who runs the Roxy, said business in 2009 has been "worse than you can imagine." Mario Maglieri, longtime owner of the Whisky a Go-Go and the hard rock restaurant the Rainbow Room, said the Whisky "is not making any money, but we're surviving." He added that business at the Rainbow is down 50% this year. Jordan Goldstein, who runs local metal promoter Church of the 8th Day with partner Daniel Dismal, had December shows booked at the Key Club. "Show attendance, I would say, is almost about cut in half as of right now, compared to two years ago," Goldstein said. "These last few months, we have really been seeing it. People just don't have the money." Adler said attendance has been steady at the Roxy, though guests are spending less money. Over the last few weeks, however, he said business has slightly picked up. Strong competition from venues in other parts of L.A. has made it difficult for clubs on Sunset, he said, though he's optimistic that restaurant openings and the planned addition of the exclusive Soho House to the area will make it a more attractive destination. "The Eastside is a strong market," Adler said, referencing Silver Lake and Echo Park. "Their community really participates. The artists live there. The clubs are down the street, and people don't have to worry about parking. Our community in West Hollywood moved out. We've been battling that." Pressman said he can't offer details as to how the Key Club might change with a new operating partner. Live music, he said, will remain a constant, but some question if it can continue to be the primary focus. "In the '80s, we were the only place to go. There was Venice Beach and the Sunset Strip," Adler said. "Today, there are 18 major shows on any given night." --Todd Martens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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