If You're Viper

Note: This is from a show I saw back in July.

Viper:
Any of several venomous Old World snakes of the family Viperidae, having a single pair of long, hollow fangs and a thick, heavy body. Also called adder 2 .
A vicious or treacherous person
A term used in 1920s to describe a Heroin addict, also a heavy marijuana user.

In my ongoing quest to hit all the music venues in the Los Angeles area, I decided it was time to visit the "notorious" (as the web site self-proclaims)Viper Room on the Sunset Strip. The club usually hosts shows by no-name rock bands, kind of a West Coast CBGB's. Last night they had a straight ahead, old school punk rock band from Texas called The Riverboat Gamblers, a band I've heard of and think will suffice. And this is Johnny Depp's place, opened in 1993. Doubt you will see him here much. He lives in France and probably only comes to his club once in a blue moon, and then probably only for private shows. (editors note: I have come to find out that Johnny Depp may not be an owner anymore)

I arrive at the club after my UCLA class at around 10:30pm. The entrance to the club is on the side of the building, down a steep hill slightly. Located there is a bouncer with the smallest velvet roped off area I've ever seen. There was no-one there, aside from him and a guy he just let in.The bouncer looks like a walking cliche of an 80's era,dumb weight lifter type--wavy shoulder length hair and vaguely He-Man looking. I walked up and asked him if this was the entrance to the club. He says yes and then hooks the rope onto the little post, securing the area once more. I ask him again if this is the entrance to the venue (as opposed to a service entrance) and he says "Oh, you want to come to the show? Are you ready to ROCK OUT?" I'm thinking "Like nobody's business I'm ready to ROCK OUT! Let me in , He-Man dude! He calls out down the hallway over his shoulder, "I got one paying customer!" Then he unhooks the rope and lets me pass.

I walk down a long and narrow hallway until I reach the girl at the ticket booth (a lot of ink and a sour puss--too much time in Hollywood rock club world I think). I pay the $15 and go forward into the downstairs lounge. One thing this club favors is the color black (I later discover this extends to the club's toilets and sinks!) All the walls are painted black and the lighting is real low--lots of muted blue and red neon. The lounge is located below the main bar / show room above at street level. There is a bar here and leather covered benches line the rest of the walls in an L-shape. There are a number of Hollywood types lounging around down here looking bored. I decide to head upstairs to the main room.

The first thing I notice when reaching the top of the long and narrow staircase is the smell of....flowers? Wait a minute, no, I think it's citrus. I come to realize that the club pumps some kind of air freshener into the venue to keep it from smelling like a smelly beer hall. Is this Johnny's idea?

This is not a big room, maybe holds 200 or so people. Directly to my right is a big bar that takes up most of the back wall. Directly ahead of me is the stage. It is arranged in a semi-circle and has electric powered curtains that open and close for the performers. Some of you will remember the scene in the documentary Dig when The Brian Jonestown Massacare are playing a crucial showcase gig and the band members get into a fight on-stage. The curtains are closed on the group, with the exception of their goofy maraca player who is caught outside the curtains with a priceless deer-in-the-headlights look. I think only of this when I see the stage.

Looking up and to my left I spot the sound man's booth, neatly tucked away near the ceiling in a sort of enclosed crow's nest. Located directly below the crow's nest is some sort of room with a large window facing out towards the room. Upon closer inspection, it appears to be a v.i.p. area of some kind. There are all kinds of small framed mirrors hanging from the walls and the window has blinds. Hmm..I think I can put two and two together. The room also contains one framed 8x10 glossy photograph, signed and framed. I strain to make out who it is, and though I'm not 100% positive, I think it's Johnny Cash. There are also circular leather booths (also favored at the Whisky) located on the far wall , to the left of the stage.

Anyway, the Riverboat Gamblers proceed to rock mightily;the first 20 minutes is played at such an unbelievable break neck speed I am astounded. The lead singer, a real bean pole thin, Iggy-like front man does his damnedest to connect with the audience. He does that straight up leap where his feet kick behind him, almost kicking himself in the back.He twirls the mic cord incessantly. He crawls onto the the leather booths to his left. He climbs up one of the two supporting beams that are in the middle of the club--the beams that can kind of screw up sight lines and one flaw I see with this venue. He falls into the audience several times and crowd surfs to the middle of the dance floor and then is carried back. He even hops off-stage and wanders out the Sunset street level entrance and sings to people on the sidewalk. Some of these antics remind me of this little band from Sacramento called Magnolia Thunderfinger. Anyway, the singer certainly gives it his all. This band might not have the most memorable songs or a real original approach, but boy are they one insanely well-oiled machine.

The band finish up at 12:30--no encore. I have had my two beer limit and I cut out and head for my car. I have to say that I think it is a pretty cool little rock dive. I'm not too crazy about the "Too Cool For School" rock n' roll types who hang out there, but that is par for the course, particularly at any of these Sunset Strip venues. All in all, not a bad night out at Johnny's place.

Rock On.