History and Background
The Viper Room is a renowned nightclub and live music venue located on the iconic Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, United States. It opened its doors on August 14, 1993, under the co-ownership of actors Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco, both known for their roles in “21 Jump Street.” The venue has a storied history, having originally been a grocery store from 1921 into the 1940s before transitioning into various nightclubs under different names, including “Cotton Club,” “The Greenwich Village Inn,” “Rue Angel,” and “The Last Call.” From 1951 to 1969, it was known as “The Melody Lounge,” followed by “Filthy McNasty’s” in 1969, and later as the jazz club “The Central” in the 1980s.
Music and Culture
The Viper Room has established itself as a significant venue for live music, hosting a variety of genres such as metal, punk, and alternative rock. Despite its early notoriety due to the tragic drug overdose of actor River Phoenix just two and a half months after its opening, the club became a favored spot for Hollywood’s young elite. The venue’s allure was further highlighted when Adam Duritz, the lead singer of Counting Crows, worked as a bartender there in late 1994 and early 1995 to escape the pressures of fame.
Ownership and Legal Issues
Johnny Depp relinquished his ownership of The Viper Room in 2004 following a lawsuit settlement, and the club has since changed hands multiple times. It is currently owned by James Cooper, CEO of Viper Room Holdings, Ltd. The venue has also been involved in legal disputes over its name, with other clubs in cities like Cincinnati and Portland being forced to change their names due to trademark issues.
Redevelopment Plans
In 2018, Silver Creek Development purchased the block that includes The Viper Room, announcing ambitious plans to redevelop the area into a 15-story mixed-use building. This proposal has faced significant opposition from the local community, concerned about the impact on the neighborhood and the preservation of the venue’s historical significance. Despite multiple revisions to the plans, including scaling down the project, the redevelopment has been met with resistance. As of 2026, no demolition date has been set, and The Viper Room continues to operate as a popular live music venue.
Verified venue information
| Location | West Hollywood, United States |
|---|---|
| Address | 8852 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA |
| Opened | 1993 |
| Official website | www.viperroom.com |
| Information checked | 2026-11-03 |
Map
Sources
Wikipedia / Wikidata / Official website
Image: No machine-readable author provided. Mike Dillon assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 CC BY-SA 3.0
See the official website for the latest show information
Artists who have played here
- Tom Waits
- Counting Crows
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Johnny Cash
- Joe Cocker
- Brian Setzer
- Jeff Baxter
- Chuck E. Weiss
Names from the Wikipedia article.
