(WestHollywoodToday.blogspot CA September 18 2023)
By Karen Ostlund
The Roxy Theater is turning 50 this month and the Grammy Museum is getting in on the celebration with a new exhibition, "The Roxy: 50 Years on the Sunset Strip", which opened on September 17 and running through January 7, 2024.
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| Lou Adler, the legendary co-owner of The Roxy, attended the opening to present a short documentary and participate in a panel discussion featuring curator Jason Emmons, Cisco Adler (musician, songwriter, producer), Paul Tollett (president/CEO of Goldenvoice and co-founder of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival), Allison Hagendorf (music journalist, media personality, Steve Appleford (LA Times music journalist) and Julie Pilat (award-winning music, media and digital entertainment executive). |
This collection of live recordings spans back to the earliest days of The Roxy, which was co-founded in 1973 by Adler and live music pioneer Elmer Valentine; largely credited with putting the Sunset Strip on the map after opening the Whisky A Go-Go and the Rainbow Bar & Grill, in addition to The Roxy.
The exhibit features over 60 photographs that illustrate why the Roxy has been and continues to be, a Los Angeles music institution.
The exhibition is curated by the Grammy Museum’s Chief Curator and VP of Curatorial Affairs Jasen Emmons.
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| Jason Emmons and Lou Adler. |
"I realized, my job was going to be a lot more difficult than I thought, because in 1973, no cameras were allowed for general public ticket holders inside The Roxy”.
Emmons got the photographs with help of his network of photographers, cultivated during his time at the Museum of Pop Culture.
“It was much more challenging than I expected,” Emmons confessed. “You hear about these legendary shows at The Roxy. Now you’ve got to find somebody who went to those shows and took a great photograph of it. There aren’t many photographs of those shows.”
Emmons managed to collect photos from a wide range of performers, as well as unforgettable backstage shots including one of Nils Lofgren guzzling two bottles of liquor at the same time, and one of a young-looking Bruce Springsteen — so young you have to check twice to make sure it’s actually him.
“That’s a Kevin Goff photograph of the Springsteen show,” Emmons explained of the image snapped in 1975. “He said no one was allowed to bring a camera in. He snuck his in under his jacket.“It’s like detective work,” he continued.
The Roxy: 50 Years on the Sunset Strip is arranged chronologically with a decided emphasis on the first decade. Opening night has its own section, beginning with images of Adler with the Sunset Strip’s “rock ‘n’ roll village” power players: Bill Graham, Roxy Chuck Landis, Mario Maglieri, Elmer Valentine and David Geffen.
There is a cross-section of images from the first show, which was headlined by Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers on September 20, 1973. These include Young driving to the venue to backstage, soundcheck and even a fan with a sign saying she needs tickets. To top it off, there is a once-in-a-lifetime photo of Elton John arriving and shaking hands with Geffen.
The photographs from the 70s and 80s include Patti Smith, the Go-Go’s, the Runaways, the Stray Cats, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Marley and Prince in zebra print underwear. Also collected are more candid shots of John Lennon and May Pang, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Robert de Niro and floor-to-ceiling contact sheet of Bob Dylan and Ronee Blakely.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was another Lou Adler production which was staged at The Roxy for almost a year within a few months of the venue’s opening, has its own section of photographs.
Lou Adler launched The Rocky Horror Show in the US, to an opening night audience that included Jack Nicholson, Cher, Mick Jagger and John Lennon. It has also played a pivotal role in the careers of comedians like Cheech & Chong, Paul Reubens and Richard Pryor.
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| left, Bill Graham, Lou Adler, Chuck Landis, Elliot Roberts and David Geffen. |
Collected in a glass case is memorabilia in the form of a show program, mask, press release, ticket and more. There is even a photo opp with Tim Curry as the larger-than-life Dr. Frank N. Furter taking up an entire wall, where your head would be firmly positioned in his crotch.
Almost as famous as The Roxy is Adler’s private club on the second floor, "On the Rox". The images from this super-exclusive, tiny space club are of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Janet Jackson letting loose. Also from "On the Rox" is its white piano whose ivories have been tickled by everyone from David Foster, who served as the piano player for The Rocky Horror Picture Show to John Lennon.
In the 20-minute documentary short film, Adler tells his own rock ‘n’ roll stories, about and related to The Roxy.
Adler, whose resume includes producing multi-platinum albums as well as films; managing iconic musical acts; winning Grammys; not to mention being a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee — hasn’t shared all of these tales.
Now 89 years of age, it’s great to hear these stories straight from the source. It’s even more entertaining to hear anecdotes from his sons, as well as Cheech Marin and Foster.
In September 1973, the club was co-founded by Adler and Valentine, with music industry legends Elliot Roberts, David Geffen, Bill Graham and Peter Asher participating as investors and/or consultants.
The Roxy hosted many of the biggest names in music at early stages of their careers over the past 50 years and continues to be a career defining moment for emerging talents.
Upcoming shows: TheRoxyTurns50.com
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