Key Club

It's a rock club, pure and simple, with the occasional hip hop show thrown in for fun. It tends to book slightly overripe bands with rabid followings like Agent Orange, LA Guns, Warren G, Smile Empty Soul, Ratt, Too Short, Lynch Mob, Nashville Pussy, and Steven Adler's band Adler's Appetite. The Key Club is surprisingly small for its reputation, and it's fairly hard to navigate to the bar, order up a beer, and squirm back to your original place this place can get packed! The best place to listen to the shows is back and center by the railing. If you're tall enough, you'll be able to see the bands above the rest of the crowd, stay a safe distance from the rabid fans, and strike a cool nonchalant pose on the rail. The sound system is phenomenal, one of the best in Los Angeles, and it's clear everyone at The Key Club, from the owner to the manager to the sound guys to the bartenders just loves music. The Key Club keeps it real like no other club in LA. We were able to snag a quick interview with new manager Ian, who had some exciting news to share - check it out to get the inside scoop on what the Key Club has in store.

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At a recent Rock N' Roll Fantasy Camp show at the Key Club, I was able to catch up with new manager Ian Shepp to find out what's been happening at the Key Club recently. The Key Club closed in November 2009, canceled a months worth of bookings in December, and re-opened without much fanfare. Previously, the West Hollywood club had been home to up-and-coming acts with big star potential and bands with a cult following, including a bevy of nu-metal acts. Now, according to Shepp, it's time to pass the torch, pave the way for a new musical direction, and "revitalize the Sunset Strip."
Under Shepp's watch, you'll see a lot more rock and roll icons and the usual roster of today's top emerging artists. The new and improved Key Club will now be focused on breaking emerging artists, because "you never know which artists will hit big." Good news, however for these emerging bands hungry to play the big name clubs on the Sunset Strip Shepp is leaning away from the seemingly standard pay to play arrangement. He wants to give all bands a chance to prove themselves on the Sunset Strip. Shepp and the rest of the Key Club crew also aren't feeling any pressure to buckle to the indie scene out of Silverlake. As Shepp puts it, "Live music has no barriers. Anyone can appreciate good music."
So what is good live music to Shepp? He'll be bringing back the oldies, the historic musicians that got there start in the 1960s back when the venue was known as Garrazzi's. He wants fans to both appreciate the history of the venue and inspire future generations of musicians. What sets the Key Club apart, according to Shepp, is the family vibe of the staff that brings energy, youth, and a true appreciation for music to the Key Club experience. Shepp believes that it's his amazing staff that makes the venue the celebration of live music that it is. There are big plans underway for the future of the Key Club, including a renovation of the interior space, and a re-launch as Sunset Live towards the end of summer 2010. Will it be big? Shepp and company do everything big expect part of the Sunset Strip to close down with a big music extravaganza that will really do the re-opening of a historic venue such as the Key Club justice.