| Jabberjaw | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Founded | 1989 (Closed 1997) |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
Jabberjaw was a coffeehouse and music venue in Los Angeles, California. Established on 31 September 1989 by Gary Dent and Michelle Juliette Carr (who were both twenty years old at the time of opening the club.),[1] it would be notable for it's eccentric underground aesthetic and being established as an all-ages club for touring bands, only selling coffee, having no alcohol or backstage area and nearly every show being just five bucks to attend.[2][3]
In its heyday, Jabberjaw hosted both local and traveling acts, including Weezer, that dog., Nirvana, Teenage Fanclub, Beck, Hole, Beastie Boys, Elliott Smith and many others. Initially the venue only hosted acoustic acts but opted to expand their horizons once L7 would play there as their first electric act. In the mid-1990s, it released a series of four 7 inch vinyl EPs on Mammoth Records which were compiled on CD in 1994. A second compilation CD was released in 1996.[4]
During a two-night stint featuring The Make-up, a drive-by shooting would happen, forcing the band and attendees to barricade inside.[5] Ultimately the venue would close it's doors on 4 August 1997.[6] The club is the subject of the book It All Dies Anyway: L.A., Jabberjaw, and the End of an Era by Bryan Ray Turcotte, Michelle Carr, Gary P. Dent, Kevin Hanley, and Michael Quercio (Rizzoli, 2015). It is also mentioned in the song "Minneapolis", from that dog.'s 1997 album Retreat From The Sun. As of 2021 work has begun on a documentary on Jabberjaw.[7]
Selected Notable Performers at the Venue[]
- Melvins
- Sawed Off
- Karp
- Kyuss
- The Obsessed
- Nirvana
- Helmet
- Unsane
- Unwound
- Cows
- Crain
- The Jesus Lizard
- Jawbreaker
- Sleater-Kinney
- Bikini Kill
- L7
- White Flag
- Janitor Joe
- Weezer
- Ween
- Wool
- Tool
- Beck
- The Beastie Boys
- Neutral Milk Hotel
- Rage Against The Machine
External Links[]
- Jabberjaw on Setlist.fm
- Jabberjaw on Discogs
- Jabberjaw article on Please Kill Me
- Jabberjaw article on VICE