THE BRIXTON – SOUTH BAY (NOW CLOSED)
My first Venue Spotlight for Rock ‘N Roll Industries Magazine was on The BriXton – South Bay. It was a little gem hidden away on the Redondo Beach Pier just 30 minutes away from Hollywood. It’s entrance over looks the beautiful blue Pacific with a view of Catalina in the distance, this club has quite a history with rock music aside from it’s great view & location.
Back in the late 80’s when KNAC ruled the rocking airwaves, it was called Fashions.
A rare night with both Don Dokken AND George Lynch together 8/23/09.
The South Bay was home to many emerging metal bands in those days and Fashion’s always seemed to have many of them playing the club or hanging out. There wasn’t a week you didn’t see the likes of members from Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken, Great White, Silent Rage and so on. Since then it’s gone through many changes & names, in fact it was Harvelle’s until around 2007, then after a year’s time it became The BriXton.
With Kip Winger after his acoustic show 7/3/09.
It’s located underground and once you walk down the stairs you feel like you’re in a 1920’s speak easy. A huge long bar spans the length of the club is on your left, on the far right wall are red leather VIP booths set against a brick wall with plenty of small tables and standing room in the middle facing the stage. The club even has a beautiful, low lit VIP Room which over looks the sound booth facing the stage. That VIP Lounge, became known by the main owner during it’s history as “The Mr. 80’s Lounge”, yes, yours truly.
Hanging out in the VIP Lounge with Michael Anthony of Van Halen & Chickenfoot at the Great White show 8/12/10.
I was blessed to basically host the most amazing parties from that lounge over the years. From being a “guest” DJ, to introducing the bands, to just having fun with all of my friends, celebrities and all those that enjoyed that room, let alone the rest of the venue.
Headking into VIP with Eddie Money after his show on St. Patrick’s Day 3/17/11.
The BriXton, which is the main club, holds about 450 people and everywhere the sound is fantastic. They really laid it out just right. But if that’s not inviting enough, connected to the club is an even more intimate venue that holds about 250 people, called The Dive. When you come down the stairs you’re able to enter The BriXton to the right and The Dive to the left. Many nights they would have two separate shows going on, but the bonus this place had, was they could run a night with separate bands in both spots, letting guests go back and forth.
My wife Nicole (who was the bar manager for some time at BriXton) & I with Matthew & Gunnar Nelson in The Dive, after their Ricky Nelson Remembered show 3/4/10.
In the 3 years I worked with The BriXton, I mainly handled their promotions for 80’s related bands, but for several months before it was sold, I also worked on band bookings with the then owner. When it came to 80’s artists, they had quite an array. Having had such rockers play there as Dokken, Skid Row, Warrant, Steel Panther, John Waite of The Babys & Bad English, Eddie Money, Y&T, L.A. Guns, Nelson, Winger, MSG, Great White, Faster Pussycat, Lynch Mob, The Bullet Boys, Michael Schenker, Anvil, Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks, Steelheart…
A good friend, Dave Wakeling of The English Beat, who played many shows at BriXton 5/21/11.
to new-wave bands like The English Beat, Berlin, Wang Chung, The Tubes, Flock Of Seagulls, The Motels, Bow Wow Wow, Missing Persons, Dramarama, Gene Loves Jezebel, Fishbone, The Untouchables, Colin Hay of Men At Work, Tommy Tutone, When In Rome, Real Life, Escape Club, Naked Eyes and the list goes on, let alone other legends like Sweet, War, Dick Dale, Gary Hoey, Everclear, Filter, Gin Blossoms, Dishwalla, Lisa Loeb, Gary Wright and The Blasters.
Terri Nunn & I, after her show with Berlin 10/9/10.
Plus legendary 80’s DJ Richard Blade from KROQ, Star & Sirius/XM, hosted several shows with me, and on one show he spoke to the crowd, remembering one of his very first gigs ever in LA, back in the early 1980’s was here. The BriXton – South Bay, is the epitome of a historic venue indeed.
Legendary DJ and my mentor & good friend, Richard Blade of KROQ & SiriusXM 11/21/12.
I also have another reason for having such a personal memory on top of all the epic shows, the wonderful staff and all our fantastic memories I myself had, let alone so many others but the fact that The BriXton actually hosted my wife and myself’s Wedding Reception. It was an all-star rock filled party, one we will never forget. That night alone would have me giving The BriXton a 5 Star review, but it was so much more than just that one night.
Fred Coury of Cinderella & his wife actress Amy Motta, at my wife & I’s Wedding Reception 4/11/11.
As mentioned at the top, The BriXton has been closed since January, 2013. It was sold in mid 2012 by the original owner, a man with a passion for music, hands on with the club, a lost art if you will. In fact, I myself, spent many days & nights at his house booking great acts into the club, and the long process it entailed. Unfortunately it was sold to someone with no music background. In some ways, with the help of a management team he put in place, he tried to make a go of it. I was a part of trying to help them out in fact, limited as I was, but with more drive than you can imagine. Needless to say, within about 4 months, the club had shut down. It was not only a crying shame to the history of the venue, the staff that had worked there the past 5 plus years, but more to the fans of the bands that came there to see so many shows.
In the Green Room before Warrant’s show with Robert Mason (Lynch Mob) & Erik Turner and Ben Carey of Lifehouse 10/9/09.
So why post an article about a now closed club? It’s easy, because one day soon I expect it to finally reopen, hopefully in the beginning of 2015. I have even heard rumors that it might. The timing would be great with all the new rebirth of the pier. It has too much history to stay closed, so here’s to hoping whoever brings it back, can truly bring it back to it’s former glory and a new hey day.
Colin Hay, lead singer of Men At Work after his acoustic show 5/24/09.
100 W. Torrance Blvd. Unit J.
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
www.BrixtonSouthBay.com
