The Sunset Strip and the 1960s Rock and Roll scene– It was a magical time for music. And on one stretch of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, rock and roll clubs lined up side by side with emerging rock stars performing onstage and crowds dancing the night away.
The Whisky A Go Go was at the center of the rock and roll universe, opening its doors in January 1964. It was originally billed as a discotheque which means taped music, but The Whisky went live right out of the gate. Johnny Rivers was the first performer. A girl in a very short skirt spun records between his sets. One night, she started dancing to the music and Go Go Dancing was born.
The Whisky would become a hot spot for rock and roll music and its mini-skirted Go Go dancers elevated over the floor in cages. Celebrities and rockers swarmed the new club. The Whisky made Johnny Rivers an immediate star as he played most of 1967. Jim Morrison and The Doors were the house band in 1966. The Who, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Jimi Hendrix all played here. The Whisky is still a popular music venue with bands like Lizzie Levine and Trash Cowboys. Eminem played last year.
On January 16, 2014, The Whisky turns 50. The celebration of this iconic club goes on all month long with a host of great concerts.
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