History

The Roxy Theatre is a legendary music venue located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. Regardless of its West Coast locale, it is known by music lovers all over the world.

HISTORY

In 1973, Lou Adler and Elmer Valentine, with help from original partners, David Geffen, Elliot Roberts and Peter Asher, opened the now world famous music venue. These successful men got together to create The Roxy after they witnessed one too many venues neglect, mistreat and deceive several artists. Their dream to open a state of the art venue where artists of all musical genres felt at home became a reality on September 20th, 1973. The grand opening was celebrated by a 3 night performance by Neil Young. The first year featured headliners such as Cheech and Chong, Jerry Lewis, The Temptations and Frank Zappa. In the passed 40 years, The Roxy has been a launching platform for aspiring artists and a home for those that are well established in the industry.

Simultaneously in 1973, Lou and Elmer opened a Private Membership Only lounge above The Roxy called On The Rox. This lounge was a personal hang out for the owners and their collective friends. As popularity of this exclusive club grew, it became one of the hottest hangouts for celebrities on the Sunset Strip. Proof of paid membership was displayed by a key. Not only did it give the clientele a feeling of comfort but proprietorship as well. OTR has been a safe haven for such VIPs as John Lennon, Alice Cooper, Neil Young and Robert De Niro, just to name a small handful. Today, OTR is for the 21 and over crowd that want to experience an intimate evening with some of the greatest up and coming acts in LA.

Vital Performances & Recordings

The Roxy was not only a stage for musicians but for comedians and actors alike. During the first few years the opening acts mainly consisted of emerging comedians. These fresh-faced performers included Jay Leno, David Letterman and Arsenio Hall. Several stage shows began on this famous stage. In 1974, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which was produced by Lou Adler, had its first American run at The Roxy. This allowed the musical to become one of the most recognized and loved performance features of all time.

In 1981, The Roxy took a chance on a little known comedian named Paul Reubens and his eccentric character Pee Wee Herman. Between the months of May and July, The Pee Wee Herman Show would run 3 nights in a row at a time. This later led to the success of the beloved television series, Pee Wee’s Playhouse.

After the 1998 Off-Broadway premiere and the 2001 release of the movie, Hedwig and The Angry Inch became a story of triumph and survival for the colorful and off-beat. In the 2006, Hedwig came to life on The Roxy stage in March, April, June and July. The role was again reprised by Donovan Leitch, Jr. during a 2012 residency.

Before artists can become household names and produce Top 100 albums they need a beginning, a big break. A handful of the world’s most talented musicians have kick started their careers with an epic performance on The Roxy stage.

Accolades

In spite of the trials and tribulations The Roxy has encountered, it has managed to plant its feet firmly into the streets of Sunset Blvd. This establishment is a pivotal part of the community and a superior business model. The Roxy’s efforts have gone far from unnoticed.

In 2008 VH1 Rock Honor’s presented The Roxy with the award for Greatest Rock Venue Website. Two years later AOL’s City’s Best declared The Roxy as the Best Live Music Venue in Los Angeles.

On April 18th, 2013, Lou Adler’s accomplishments in the music industry were recognized when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During his acceptance Lou said, “I never had a particular sound. There was no Lou Adler sound like there’s a Phil Spector sound. I always tried to make the records about the artists and their particular sound.” The same can be said about what Lou did for The Roxy. September 2013, The Roxy celebrated its 40th birthday.

Performances

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

Live Chart Topping Albums