| Address | 1600 Argyle Ave. Los Angeles USA |
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| Opened | 1973 |
| Closed | 1985 |
TheCathay de Grande was a Chinese restaurant[1] and later aHollywoodnightclub of the same name that featured mostlypunk rock bands but also other styles ofunderground/alternative rock in the 1980s.[2][3]
Under the ownership of Jack Chen, the Cathay de Grande restaurant and its underground basement nightclub opened in December 1973, serving Mandarin cuisine.[4][5] By 1980, new owner Michael Brennan had taken over, serving Thai food and booking punk and New Wave bands such asthe Raybeats,Angry Samoans,the Flesh Eaters, andthe Gun Club.[6]
Red Hot Chili Peppers 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.[7] 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 TheMinutemen,Bad Religion,Tex and the Horseheads,Geza X and the Mommymen, Dr. Know, The WILD, Entropy,[8] along with regulars from Orange CountySocial Distortion,T.S.O.L., The Vandals, Agent Orange. and Love Canal.The Knitters played their first gig at the Cathay.[7]
Starting around August 1981,Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs had a residency playing "Blue Mondays" every Monday night.
The Replacements andButthole Surfers were among the national touring bands who came through the venue.[9]
Due to ongoing problems with neighbors,[10] intervention by the local police, and legal problems related to business conflicts,[11][12] 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.[12] Violent Psychosis,The Mentors withEl Duce, andCircle Jerks performed the venue's farewell show.[7] Shortly before, Danny "Dobbs" Wilson, a booker at the Cathay de Grande, startedRaji's a block to the north onHollywood Boulevard.[13][14]
The nightclub space later became home to the more upscale China Club.[15][16]
In the song "The Desperation's Gone" from theNOFX albumSo 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.
34°6′0″N118°19′30″W / 34.10000°N 118.32500°W /34.10000; -118.32500
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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