Los Angeles metalheads, brace yourselves – the House of Blues will soon be a house of rubble. According to an article published by Bloomberg yesterday, the historic venue will be part of a planned demolition of much of the Sunset Strip. Corporate investors have planned for a series of new hotels and other modern upgrades to the West Hollywood tourism magnet. It’s an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality that has seized Sunset Boulevard, and that means that the House of Blues is seeing its final days.
This is disappointing for the music community in general, not just metal fans. The House of Blues has been a mainstay in West Hollywood for two decades, anchoring an entertainment landscape that is home to the Whiskey A Go Go, the Viper Room, the Roxy Theatre, and many other prestigious locations. Although there is word that another entertainment site is planned to built at the House of Blues location, it will still lack the rich history of the old club. And while it is true that the House of Blues in Disneyland is staying open, past experience has proven that it is not very accepting of metalheads.
If you have a chance to see a show at the House of Blues before it is torn down, you should definitely go. It may be one of the last opportunities you’ll have to stand inside a piece of music history.
