The Cathay de Grande was a Chinese restaurant and later a
Hollywood nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
of the same name that featured mostly
punk rock bands but also other styles of
underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston
* The Underground ...
/
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...
in the 1980s.
History
Under the ownership of Jack Chen, the Cathay de Grande restaurant and its underground basement nightclub opened in December 1973, serving Mandarin cuisine. By 1980, new owner Michael Brennan had taken over, serving Thai food and booking punk and New Wave bands such as
the Raybeats,
Angry Samoans
The Angry Samoans is an American punk rock band from the first wave of American punk, formed in August 1978 in Los Angeles, California, by early 1970s rock writer "Metal" Mike Saunders, his sibling lead guitarist Bonze BlaykBad Trip Records ...
,
the Flesh Eaters
The Flesh Eaters are an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, United States, in 1977. They are the most prominent of the bands which have showcased the compositions and singing of their founder, punk poet Chris Desjardi ...
, and
the Gun Club
The Gun Club were an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, United States, which existed from 1979 to 1996. It was formed and led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeffrey Lee Pierce.
History Early days (1979–1980)
The Gun Club w ...
.
Notable acts
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...
performed their very first show under that band name at the Cathay after going by the name Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem for their two previous performances at another Hollywood club.
They would play the Cathay a few times during their first tour in 1983 and once in 1984.
Other bands who frequently played the Cathay included The
Minutemen,
Bad Religion,
Tex and the Horseheads,
Geza X
Geza Gedeon (born September 28, 1952), professionally known as Geza X, is an American producer. He was a personality in the Los Angeles punk scene in the late 1970s. He is now a producer. He was born in Indiana and moved to California when he was a ...
and the Mommymen, Dr. Know, The WILD, Entropy, along with regulars from Orange County
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing voca ...
,
T.S.O.L., The Vandals, Agent Orange. and Love Canal.
The Knitters
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
played their first gig at the Cathay.
and
Butthole Surfers were among the national touring bands who came through the venue.
Closure and legacy
Due to ongoing problems with neighbors,
intervention by the local police, and legal problems related to business conflicts,
proprietor Michael Brennan closed the Cathay de Grande in 1985. It was one of the last remaining punk venues at the time of its closure.
Violent Psychosis,
The Mentors
The Mentors are an American heavy metal band, known for their deliberate shock rock lyrics. Originally formed in Seattle, Washington in May 1976, they relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1979.
The band garnered attention both from noted h ...
with
El Duce
Eldon Wayne Hoke (March 23, 1958 – April 19, 1997), nicknamed El Duce, was an American musician best known as the drummer and lead singer of the shock rock band the Mentors, as well as other acts, including Chinas Comidas and the Sc ...
, and
Circle Jerks performed the venue's farewell show.
Shortly before, Danny "Dobbs" Wilson, a booker at the Cathay de Grande, started
Raji's Raji's was a rock and roll nightclub in central Hollywood, open in the 1980s and early 1990s. It was located in the Hastings Hotel building, 6160 Hollywood Blvd. The space had previously been occupied by a Greek restaurant called The King's Palac ...
a block to the north on
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
.
The nightclub space later became home to the more upscale China Club.
In the song "The Desperation's Gone" from the
NOFX album ''So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes'',
Fat Mike sings "Cathay de, I miss your smell."
In 2014, a nightclub called The Argyle opened at the location. That venue has since closed.
Notes
{{Coord, 34, 6, 0, N, 118, 19, 30, W, type:landmark_region:US, display=title
Former music venues in California
Music venues in Los Angeles