Gazzarri's facts for kids
Gazzarri's nightclub, 1986
|
|
| Address | 9039 Sunset Boulevard |
|---|---|
| Location | West Hollywood, California 90069 |
| Owner | Bill Gazzarri |
| Type | Nightclub |
| Genre(s) | Rock and roll |
| Seating type | downstairs: Standing room only upstairs: balcony seating |
| Construction | |
| Opened | February 21, 1967 |
| Closed | 1993 |
| Demolished | 1995 |
Gazzarri's was a famous music club located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, United States. Many popular bands played there before they became famous. For example, The Doors and Van Halen were house bands at Gazzarri's. This means they played there regularly before they signed big record deals. The club was also featured in a music video for Huey Lewis and the News' hit song "The Heart of Rock and Roll" in 1984.
Contents
History of Gazzarri's
Gazzarri's was very popular in the late 1960s. It featured new groups like Jim Morrison's band, The Doors. Other talented bands also played there, such as ? and the Mysterians, The Bobby Fuller Four, Buffalo Springfield, and The Walker Brothers. Actor Edward James Olmos also had his band, Eddie James and the Pacific Ocean, play there in 1966.
The club became popular again in the late 1970s. Van Halen, with David Lee Roth, played there almost every night for months. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Gazzarri's was one of the top clubs for a type of rock music called glam metal.
Bill Gazzarri and the Club's Location
The club was owned by Bill Gazzarri. He was known for dressing up in a special style and visiting the club during performances. Gazzarri's was located near the corner of Doheny and Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. It was also close to other famous music spots like the Rainbow Bar and Grill and The Roxy Theatre. Because of its location and the bands it hosted, Gazzarri's became known as a place where future rock stars got their start.
Famous Bands at Gazzarri's
Gazzarri's was an important part of the Los Angeles music scene. It was a key club along with the Roxy Theatre, the Whisky a Go Go, the Troubadour, and the Starwood. Many bands played at Gazzarri's either before or during their big success.
Some of these bands include Johnny Rivers, Van Halen, ? and the Mysterians, The Go-Go's, Tina Turner, Ratt, Cinderella, Quiet Riot, Stryper, Mötley Crüe, Poison, Guns N' Roses, Warrant, and Faster Pussycat. Many large, hand-painted pictures of these bands were on the club's outside wall for years.
The Sunset Strip Scene
The area around Gazzarri's on Sunset Boulevard was a very important place for rock music in the 1980s. Many bands that became famous on MTV got their start here. Young musicians from all over the world came to Los Angeles hoping to become stars. They would often be on this street, handing out flyers for their shows. They would also watch other bands, or just enjoy the lively scene. The area was often filled with musicians, famous rock stars, and teenagers.
Gazzarri's and TV Shows
The nightclub also sometimes featured young girls dancing between band performances. This made the club a favorite spot for teen dancers who loved live music. TV studios nearby noticed this. Gazzarri's was even seen as the real-life inspiration for music-based TV shows. These included shows like Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, The Monkees, and The Partridge Family.
How Bands Got Started: Pay-to-Play
In the 1980s, Gazzarri's and other Hollywood clubs used a system called "pay-to-play." This meant that bands with their own original songs would buy tickets from the club. A band might buy 100 to 200 tickets at about $5 each. They would pay the owner hundreds of dollars in advance for a 45-minute performance slot.
This system made bands work hard to promote themselves. They spent a lot of time handing out flyers and advertising. They also built mailing lists to reach their fans. This helped young bands like Poison, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen, and Guns N' Roses learn how to promote their music. These skills helped them even after they became world-famous superstars. Axl Rose, a famous singer, once said that the music scene in Los Angeles was very competitive.
What Happened After Gazzarri's Closed
Bill Gazzarri, the owner, passed away in 1991. The club then closed down in 1993. In 1994, the building was badly damaged by the Northridge earthquake. It was torn down in 1995.
A new club called Billboard Live opened at the same spot in 1996. This club later became The Key Club in 1998. The Key Club closed its doors on March 14, 2013. Today, another nightclub called 1 Oak operates in that space.
Images for kids
-
Late 1980s ticket for a Gazzarri's show, featuring the bands Soldier, Halo, Urban Kaos, and Witnesses.
.jpg)
