Historic, Vintage, Cool: The Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood (California)

By Karen Beishuizen

I have this thing for anything historic, vintage or cool. Especially when it comes to hotels, restaurants, diners, cafes and music venues. The old-worldly atmosphere, the home away from home feel, a place that you don’t want to leave, photos of movie stars and rock stars on the wall, those 1950s booths, a menu with burgers and milkshakes, places with a history that leave you in awe.

I want to show you landmarks from around the world which are just that.

The Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood

The Whisky a Go Go is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. The club played a central role in the Los Angeles music scene from the 1960s through the 1990s.

It was founded by Elmer Valentine, Phil Tanzini, Shelly Davis, and attorney Theodore Flier and opened on January 16, 1964 with a live band led by Johnny Rivers and DJ Rhonda Lane, spinning records between sets from a suspended cage at the right of the stage.

Shortly after opening, the club started booking rock bands and one of the first ones they hires were The Doors who became the house band, playing seven nights a week.

The Whisky played an important role in many musical careers, especially for bands based in Southern California. The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Smokestack Lightnin’, and Love were regulars.
Van Morrison’s band Them had a two-week residency in June 1966, with the Doors as the opening act.

Frank Zappa’s the Mothers of Invention got their record contract based on a performance at the Whisky.

Dustin Hoffman’s character Benjamin can be seen running out of The Whisky in the 1967 movie ”The Graduate”.

A long list of performers played at The Whisky: Janis Joplin, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Otis Redding, Buffalo Springfield, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, Linda Ronstadt, The Beach Boys, and many more…

Because of its status as a historic music landmark, the venue was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

The Whisky has played a role in almost every rock music movement since it was founded, from the folk-rock scene of the 1960s to the punk rock scene of the 1970s, and all the way through to the heavy metal scene of the 1980s and beyond.

The venue was featured in music-themed movies, including “Roadie”, “The Doors”, “Airheads”, “The Banger Sisters” and “Get Him to the Greek”. Various TV show productions have used the Whisky as a shooting location, like “Mod Squad” (1968–1973), “Entourage” (2004–2011), and “Lucifer” (2016–2021).

Currently The Whisky can be seen in “Daisy Jones & The Six”—Prime Video’s adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2019 novel about a fictional ’70s rock band, starring Riley Keough as Daisy Jones.

While the Sunset Strip has seen massive changes: the Whisky has stood its ground and the soul of the club remains intact. It’s not just a nightclub anymore. It’s part of the city’s living history.

What makes the Whisky stick around?

It’s not just nostalgia, it’s the fact that it still works. Live music matters. It’s a place where something unexpected can happen. It’s a place with history and above all:
Super Cool.

For more info, check out The Whisky’s website: HERE

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