Whisky a Go Go: A Sunset Strip Rock 'n' Roll Landmark

The Whisky a Go Go stands as a monument to rock 'n' roll history on the Sunset Strip. Founded in 1964 by Elmer Valentine, the club quickly became a hub for emerging musical talent and a popular hangout for Hollywood stars. The Whisky owes its name to the first discothèque, the Whisky à Gogo, established in Paris. The Sunset Strip Whisky was the first live music venue to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The Whisky is credited with popularizing go-go dancing in America. When the club needed a DJ to fill time between sets, a female DJ was mounted in a glass-walled booth above the dance floor, and the go-go craze was born. Johnny Rivers, whose band played at the Whisky's opening, rode the Whisky-born “go-go” craze to national fame. Over the decades, the Whisky has hosted legendary performers such as The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, Blondie, and Van Halen. Many British performers made their first headlining performances in the area at the Whisky, including The Kinks, The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Roxy Music and Oasis. In the early 1990s, the Whisky hosted a number of Seattle-based musicians who would later be dubbed "the godfathers of grunge," such as Soundgarden, Nirvana, Mudhoney, and The Melvins. While the Whisky fell on hard times and closed its doors in 1982, it reopened in 1986 and remains an active and relevant part of the Sunset Strip. Today, the Whisky a Go Go continues to host live music events, retaining its all-ages policy and historic atmosphere.