Tim J. Beedle


Original publication in the December 2000 edition of Gossamer Threads, a publication of the Gossamer website.


House of Blues, Sunset Strip


A benefit to living near a city like LA is the sheer number of opportunities it provides that are unavailable to people living in less populated areas. These include famous restaurants that are generally only affordable to people with a yearly income that's higher than the population of the city, landmarks that are nowhere near as impressive in person as they are in all of the tour guides, and meeting well-known people more likely to go skinny-dipping in a public place than give you the time of day.

On second thought, maybe it's really not all that great living near a big city. Sure, you're never short on things to do, but most of them are either too damn expensive or so trendy that you need to put your name on a waiting list longer than a United Airlines flight delay just to take part.

And then there's the House of Blues. It's funny that one of my favorite spots in Los Angeles is a restaurant and club that was deliberately, and successfully, designed to be trendy. From its stylish look and its Sunset Strip location, to its overpriced menu, to the hipper-than-thou musical acts that tend to get booked there, the entire concept reeks of commercialism. Yet, the club transcends that, due in part to the good-natured crowd it typically draws and the eclectic style the club's designers have given it.

Its blending of Louisiana decor with Southern California's sense of style manages to give it the effect of being both down-home and over-the-top at the same time. An apparently hand-scrawled sign above the bar proclaims that there is to be "no fighting in here!" A shoe shine booth outside sits underneath a simple, but cheery rhyme about Big Al, the apparent proprietor of the booth. Above the stage rests about six religious symbols, ranging from a traditional cross, to a Star of David, to an ankh, each one representative of a different faith. Tying all of this together is its theme of universal acceptance and unity through music.

And music is where the House of Blues phenomenally succeeds. The stage area (which is completely separate from the restaurant, don't make the mistake of thinking that having dinner at the HoB also includes the show) is fairly intimate. It's very much a club, as opposed to an amphitheater. However, many of the acts that they book are more typical of who you'd find playing at Irvine Meadows or the Universal Amphitheater. In other words, the House of Blues gives you an opportunity to see some popular bands in a setting that's small enough to assure that plenty of great local and lesser-known artists get booked as well. The sheer frequency of big-name acts that have played at the House of Blues is staggering. The Dave Matthews Band, Johnny Cash, Wu-Tang Clan, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones are all past guests.

This illustrates another reason why the House of Blues stands apart from other music clubs in LA: the diversity of acts that they book. It almost seems like the HoB goes out of its way to be eclectic. The fact that they book their stage almost every night means that they're often forced to seek out talented up and comers as well as favorites in all genres of music. The resulting mix is nothing short of inspired, and allows fans to see some talented, yet somewhat obscure artists, such as Susan Tedeschi, Patti Griffin, and Ottmar Liebert, in a truly great setting. It also provides new musicians a place to play where they're all but guaranteed a well-sized, enthusiastic crowd. Best of all, it gives more well-known artists a place to play that's not too big to interact with fans, and fans a place to see some of their favorite artists really up close and personal.

Of course, the idea of booking popular bands in a small venue isn't anything new, and the House of Blues is not the only club in LA to do it. In fact, some well-known groups (The Cure come to mind) only seem to book small clubs, such as the Roxy, whenever they come to LA. That's always had the air of a publicity stunt to me. Most of the tickets seem to be given out by a radio station (ahem...KROQ), and the whole thing smells like a way for the station and the artist to make even more money off of each other at the expense of the fans.

That's definitely NOT the case at the House of Blues. Other than a few anniversary parties for the occasional radio station, tickets for all House of Blues shows are available through Ticketmaster.

I've seen a few shows at the House of Blues, most recently Joan Osborne. I stood alongside my date, right in front of the stage. It was close enough to talk to members of the band, and in fact, several of them did interact with us. Well, my date at any rate. I could swear Joan's bass player was throwing her some smiles. Of course, you don't mind when you're at the HoB. The vibe throughout the club is one of celebration. Although the floor around the stage is often packed shoulder to shoulder, people don't seem to mind. In fact, it's all part of the appeal of the venue. I've even seen some familiar faces mingling with everyone else. There aren't really any VIPs at the HoB, and if there are, they don't have better seats than everyone else.

Actually, any place you park yourself in the club is bound to have a great view of the stage. If you don't like standing in the midst of a dancing mob, stand farther back. You'll be behind the mob, the show will actually sound better, and the view is every bit as good since the stage is set fairly high up. Even better, head upstairs. (Upstairs also has the benefit of having a much less crowded bar).

Of course, no club is perfect, and the House of Blues does have a few bad qualities. First of all, it is rather pricey. The ticket prices aren't too bad, usually between $20 and $30 each, but if you buy through Ticketmaster you can expect them to tack on something like a $15 service charge per pair. That adds up. If you buy a few drinks at the show (and trust me, you WILL buy a few drinks), expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $40 more depending on what your definition of a few is. Plus, add in $10 for parking and you're looking at spending well over $100 for the night. Of course, if you take into consideration how much a concert generally costs at Irvine Meadows or The Greek, you can't really complain too much. The price is probably about the same when all is said and done, and at least the HoB has a full bar.

And lets talk about parking for a minute. The only parking the HoB offers is valet. And as I mentioned before, it's $10 a car (even more if you're not a cheapskate and tip your valet). There is a parking garage located within walking distance, but the price to park there at night is also $10. The garage does carry the advantage of not having to wait for a valet to deliver your car after the show, but considering you can expect to be caught in gridlock after the show as everyone in the garage tries to exit at the same time, it actually takes just as long as the valet. My recommendation? Valet park. It's the lesser of two evils and talking to other people waiting for their cars is often an entertaining experience in and of itself. Plus, as long as the concert doesn't run late the bar should still be open, and the wait doesn't seem so bad when you're sipping on a Mai Tai. Of course, if you're driving you probably shouldn't be drinking Mai Tais. Order a White Russian instead.

Finally, lets keep in mind that this is a club, and for many people the fact that there isn't really anyplace to sit down (other than the floor) can be seen as a big negative. However, trust me when I tell you that it's not as bad as it sounds. Sure, you're a bit tired when the show is over, but the energy within the club sustains you during the show. Plus, without a bunch of chairs in your way you can move around from one side of the stage to another and dance to your little hearts content (or mosh if you're there to see Limp Bizkit).

I've discovered that the House of Blues is one of those places that everyone has heard of, but not many people outside of the city have been to. It's the kind of place that people say they've always wanted to check out, but haven't yet gotten around to it. Well, it's time to stop talking about it and plan a night there. Find a group you like and get tickets. You'll have fun and will take some of the club's positive energy with you when you leave. At least until you hit that LA traffic.

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