Thee Experience was a psychedelic

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 ...

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It was located at 7551

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in t ...

, on the

Sunset Strip The Sunset Strip is the stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through the city of West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with the city of Los Angeles near Marmont Lane to its western border with Beverly H ...

History

Thee Experience was located on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, from the grand opening on March 14 through December 1969. It has been erroneously listed as located at 7751 Sunset Boulevard; however, the address is clearly visible on period advertisements as 7551 Sunset Blvd. Thee Experience was the brainstorm of owner and founder Marshall Brevitz, who later opened a night club of the same name in 1967 in Hollywood, Florida. The club, which stayed open until 3 am, was so popular it outgrew its space. Brevitz later opted for a larger location, moving the club in early winter of 1968. Marshall had located a disused 32-lane

bowling alley A bowling alley (also known as a bowling center, bowling lounge, bowling arena, or historically bowling club) is a facility where the sport of bowling is played. It can be a dedicated facility or part of another, such as a Meetinghouse, clubhous ...

known as the Sunny Isles Bowling Center and, with others, converted it into a psychedelic ballroom. The name of the club was changed to " Thee Image Club" located at 18330 Collins Avenue in

Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and artificial island, man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the ...

., honoring the house- and very popular local band, the Blues Image. Opening night (and two consecutive nights following) featured

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...

and

the Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band ...

, in March 1968. By early 1969 Brevitz was persuaded by the likes of

and

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer. He was previously the lead vocalist of R&B and rock band the Animals and funk band War. He is regarded as one of the British Invasion's most distinctive singers with his deep, powe ...

to relocate to Southern California. Once he had found the new location for his club, he changed the name back to the original "Thee Experience" and hired someone to paint the exterior as an enlarged portrait of

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

with the front door as his mouth.

Performers

Here is a partial list of some of the bands and performers that played and/or recorded at the club during its brief existence:

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

(who played the opening night),

, Jean Luc Ponty Experience,

Albert Collins Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins and the Ice Man (October 1, 1932 – November 24, 1993),Skeely, Richard. "Albert Collins: Biography" Allmusic.com. was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. ...

The Flying Burrito Brothers The Flying Burrito Brothers are an American country rock band, best known for their influential 1969 debut album, ''The Gilded Palace of Sin''. Although the group is perhaps best known for its connection to band founders Gram Parsons and Chris ...

John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often ...

, Big Mama Thornton,

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

Buddy Miles Express The Buddy Miles Express was a musical group fronted by American drummer/vocalist Buddy Miles. It was formed after the 1968 breakup of Miles's earlier group Electric Flag. They released four albums. Background 1968 The Buddy Miles Express was ...

Elvin Bishop Elvin Richard Bishop (born October 21, 1942) is an American blues and rock music singer, guitarist, bandleader, and songwriter. An original member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a membe ...

, George Duke Trio,

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

, The New Yardbirds (

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

), T.I.M.E. (Trust In Men Everywhere), Steve Young, Magical Berri Lee,

A.B. Skhy A.B. Skhy (originally New Blues) was an American electric blues band from Milwaukee formed in 1968. They recorded two albums before splitting up in the early 1970s. History Formed in Milwaukee in the late 1960s as New Blues, the band comprised De ...

, Fair Be Fall, Rockin' Foo. Pogo (before they changed their name to Poco), Blues Magoos, Southwind, Black Pearl, Junior Markham & the Tulsa Rhythm Revue, Bobby Doyle. Colwell-Winfield Blues Band, SRC,

Blues Image Blues Image was an American rock band. They had a hit in 1970 with "Ride Captain Ride", which reached No. 4 on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM magazine charts. Career Blues Image was formed in Tampa, Florida in 1966 by ...

, Screaming Lord Sutch & the Mighty Fat, Fields, Illinois Speed Press, Linn County, C.K. Strong, Sons of Champlin, T.S. Song, Joe Cocker & the Grease Band, Bluesberry Jam, Bangor Flying Circus,

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...

, War (with Eric Burdon), Lonnie Mack, Baby, Stoneface,

Grand Funk Railroad Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in 1968 in Flint, Michigan, by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar), Don Brewer (drums, vocals), and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved peak popularity and succes ...

, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Tarantula,

Albert Lee Albert William Lee (born 21 December 1943) is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked, both in the studio and on tour, with many famous musicians from a wide range of genres. He has also mai ...

, Spencer Davis Group, Jimi Hendrix, The Young Bloods and many others.Thee Experience , Los Angeles , Gigography of concerts at Thee Experience , Songkick
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Experience Nightclubs in Los Angeles County, California

History

Performers

See also

References