Adventures Down the Rabbit Hole

When I stepped into Whisky a Go Go I was transported back to 1980s Los Angeles. Sure, the band were a little more rotund and the drinks were much more expensive but the hedonistic atmosphere remained. The Sunset Strip's history is full of tales of excess and Whisky a Go Go features in plenty of them.

In January 2014 ,The Whisky celebrated 50 years of showcasing some of the top names and emerging stars of rock and roll. The roll call of names includes The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Guns and Roses, Motley Crüe, System of a Down and many, many more. In the spirit of the Sunset Strip, I donned an outrageous outfit, sipped whiskey and prepared for a night of debauchery.

Adventure starts with being open to possibilities. I knew I would be seeing a band at The Whisky but beyond that, I had no idea where the night would take me. A quick flick through my travel guide gave me a few possibilities for post-gig grub (the legendary Rainbow Bar and Grill and Mel's Diner) but sticking to a guidebook too rigidly removes the possibility of one-off opportunities.

Being in a foreign country gives me the confidence to dance like nobody is watching but all that dancing kickstarted my heart a little more than I expected so between sets I went outside to cool down. Outside the venue I got speaking to a few people. We discussed music, travel and, of course, tea (I'm British!). They asked if I'd like to go backstage with them and, of course, I took them up on the offer.

Backstage wasn't quite as glamorous as it sounds. It was pretty cramped and a little grotty but getting to meet the bands and free beer more than made up for that. My English accent seemed to endear people so if you are English and find yourself in Hollywood, use that to your advantage!

Closing time was fast approaching but the night was still young. While some of the band members had wives and beds to go home to, there were a few people looking to keep the party going. Ever open to adventure, I tagged along to a party at a record company.

I don't often find myself fangirling but sitting on the same sofa that one of my favourite bands had sat on, surrounded by posters of awesome punk and rock bands, reduced me to a squeeling (inwardly, of course) teenager. Eventually, at about 5am, people started to dissipate. I said my goodbyes and made my way back to the apartment to recharge and get ready for the next day's escapades.