Rivers was the first star to come out of the club. The tradition of having a girl in a mini-skirt above the crowd dancing in a cage started fairly early. The Whisky nearly always had two to three bands playing on a given night, but sometimes they weren't billed. Local bands would try to get on as the opening act and often they would use that as a springboard to fame.
Here is just a small sampling of the acts who played at the Whisky in the late 60's and early 70's: Rascals Jimi Hendrix Grass Roots Cream Beau Brummels Jackie Wilson Gentrys Them Buffalo Springfield Youngbloods Doors Animals Johnny Rivers Steppenwolf Turtles Hollies Chamber Brothers Linda Ronstadt Jefferson Airplane Golden Earring Outsiders Fleetwood Mac Iron Butterfly James Gang Smoky Robinson & the Miracles Bread Little Anthony & the Imperials Grand Funk Railroad Gladys Knight & the Pips Kinks Temptations Boz Scaggs Four Tops Beach Boys Little Richard War Ventures Bob Seger Led Zeppelin Steve Miller Band Chicago Transit Authority Alice Cooper Blood, Sweat & Tears Traffic Spencer Davis Group Canned Heat Three Dog Night Lynyrd Skynyrd Aerosmith Steely Dan Bachman-Turner Overdrive Foghat Stevie Wonder Looking Glass Little Feat Spirit Labelle Ten Years After Black Sabbath Yes Ted Nugent Uriah Heap Allman Brothers Band Blues Image The Who Neil Diamond |
The Whisky continued to host live acts, although these days there are simply thousands of other venues for groups to play at. In the 70's groups such as the Runaways, Quiet Riot, Van Halen, the Ramones, Blondie, Elvis Costello and the Police played at the club.
Once the first wave of punk rock stars petered out, the famous Whisky began to have hard times and closed its doors in 1982. But it reopened in 1986 as a place that could be rented by bands. However, most of the booths disappeared and patrons were required to stand throughout the performances. Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Motley Crue and the Red Hot Chili Peppers played at the Whisky in the 80's. When the grunge-rock style took over in the 90's, the Whisky was the site for Soundgarden, Nirvana, and others.
The club is still open on the Sunset Strip with music nightly.
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