This Day in Metal’s Metalhead Marv takes a look back at 3 major cities in North America with Toronto, Los Angeles and New York City.
So where did all the Heavy Metal bars go?
TORONTO
Gone
The Gasworks 1969-2018
Highlights
Rock n’ Roll Heaven 1970-2014
Highlights
1988 SKID ROW’s classic lineup play their first show there
1990 Pantera played there and Rob Halford seen Dimebag wearing a British Steel shirt on MuchMusic and went and jammed with the band
Hard Rock Cafe 1978-2017
Highlights
2014 Killer Dwarfs donate tricycle to the Hard Rock Cafe
Larry’s Hidaway
Highlights
1984 Hanoi Rocks first North American performance
Masonic Temple 1960s-1998
Highlights
1969 Led Zeppelin played their first Toronto show
1990 Voivod / Faith No More / Soundgarden triple bill.
Still around
Rockpile 1979-current
Highlights
LOS ANGELES
Gone
Reseda Country Club 1980-2000
Highlights
1987 Parts of “The Decline and Fall of Western Civilization–the Metal Years” were filmed there.
Gazzarri’s 1967-1993
Highlights
1974 Van Halen played their first club show
Starwood 1973-1981
Highlights
1978 Aerosmith played there under the name Dr. J. Jones & the Interns
1979 Judas Priest played three consecutive nights
1981 Mötley Crüe played their first concert together as a band
Still around
Rainbow Bar & Grill
Highlights
1992 The bar is featured in the Guns N’ Roses video “November Rain”
2019 Documentary about The Rainbow was released
Whisky a Go Go
Highlights
1969 Led Zeppelin played three nights with a young Alice Cooper’s band opening
1977 Van Halen played there on New Year’s Eve
1982 Mötley Crüe sold out a three-night stand
1986 GNR’s classic Appetite for Destruction lineup debuted two songs live that would later become hard-rock classics: “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Mr. Brownstone.”
Troubadour
Highlights
1982 Metallica make their Los Angeles headline debut.
1984 Warrant play their debut show
1985 Guns N Roses debut of the classic “Appetite for Destruction” line-up
1994 Korn play their first Los Angeles show as the opening act for Corrosion of Conformity.
The Roxy Theatre
Highlights
1984 Ratt recorded the video for their hit single “Back for More” from the album Out of the Cellar
NEW YORK CITY
Gone
The Palladium 1927–1997
Highlights
1980 Twisted Sister gets a one off recording contract
1980 KISS played the venue, their only North American concert in 1980, to introduce new drummer Eric Carr to the American press before heading overseas for their Unmasked Tour
1981 Ozzy Osbourne played two shows here on his Blizzard of Ozz tour
1982 The classic line-up of Motorhead, with “Fast” Eddie Clarke on guitar, performed its final show
L’Amour
Highlights
1998 Iron Maiden played a secret gig at the club during the US leg of the Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour under the name Charlotte And The Harlots.
Scrap Bar
Highlights
King Tut’s Wah-Wah Hut
Highlights
The Acheron
Highlights
Still around
Duff’s
Highlights
Saint Vitus
Highlights
2016 Megadeth played at the club under the name Vic and the Rattleheads
If you have anymore information about these bars please send to [email protected]
