The Roxy Theatre

The Roxy Theatre (often just the Roxy) is a nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, owned by Lou Adler and his son, Nic, who operates it.

History

Elmer Valentine and Lou Adler, together with original partners David Geffen, Elliot Roberts and Peter Asher, opened The Roxy on September 20, 1973. They took over the building that was previously occupied by Chuck Landis run strip club called the Largo. (Adler was also responsible for bringing the stage performance The Rocky Horror Show to the United States and opened its first American performance at The Roxy Theater in 1974, before the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the following year.)

For the first three days it was open, Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers (billed as Crazy Horse, a similar ensemble) performed the Roxy. The Genesis lineup with Peter Gabriel performed several consecutive days at the Roxy just three months later, a period that some band members and many fans consider to be among their best performances (due in part to the intimate atmosphere and strong acoustics of the venue).

Paul Reubens, then a struggling comedian, introduced his character Pee-wee Herman here in a raunchy 1981 revue that included aspiring comics like Phil Hartman and Elayne Boosler.

Tom Eyen’s hit sitcom Women Behind Bars enjoyed a long run with stars including Lu Leonard, Adrienne Barbeau, Sally Kellerman and Linda Blair, and was the location of the very first AIDS fundraiser ever to be held in Los Angeles on 27 July 1983.

In its history, the tiny On the Rox bar above the club has served a wide range of debaucheries. During Lennon’s “lost weekend” in 1973-74, the bar was a frequent hangout for John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Alice Cooper, and Keith Moon, and hosted parties organized by Heidi Fleiss in the 1980.

In January 2014, by bringing in big-name bands like U2 & Foo Fighters, Goldenvoice became the exclusive promoter for The Roxy & began a new era. Talent investor Gaston Leone books the club today.

On The Rox

On The Rox is a somewhat hidden bar at the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, overlooking the Roxy Theater (often just the Roxy). It is owned by Lou Adler and his daughters, Nic Adler (or Nicholai) and Cisco Adler, Grammy Award-winning American music pioneer, who are also in charge of operations.

Today the bar acts as a regular hotspot for a large part of Los Angeles ‘ affluent Hollywood community. The bar is hosted every night by a DJ who is revealed that day with an opening time and sometimes even a theme on their instagram page. The exclusivity of the bar works by their regular crowd frequently attending. Most crowds include band members, singers, songwriters, youtubers, viners, influencers, and so forth. Their regular attendees and “members” also host many of the nights, as they throw private birthday parties and events. Although the bar is exclusive, there are times when it is allowed to attend fewer notable participants. This is as long as the bar is not closed for a private party or as long as there are already too many high-profile participants inside. It also depends heavily on whether their designated, regular bouncer thinks you fit the bar vibe.