Above: A forgettable shithole on Melrose seemingly remodels itself following months of unnoticed downtime

While you were busy not giving a shit, The Gig (7302 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90046) quietly (assumed) folded its doors some time ago. Last updated in December, the venue’s online calendar shows the dreaded tell-tale smattering of “TBA” slots in those final days, with the last confirmed rock act listed being Shaka Buku. Congrats, Shaka Buku! You may yet in fact become the last band in history to have erroneously believed that playing a gig at the venerable surprisingly longstanding Melrose hellhole loosely, if not longingly, dubbed “The Gig” could potentially further your career in some capacity.

We blame you not for failing to notice the venue’s closure (it took us six months). Hell, Wikipedia lists the last time in history anybody gave a shit about something taking place at The Gig as being March 10, 1988. (Let’s be fair, the aforementioned passage requires citation and the club has only been around since 1998 or so.) The venue’s official myspace page is unfortunately of little help at present, advising that “front patio” renovations should be completed prior to March 2008. (Is that what’s going on inside there?)

All snarkiness aside, the closure is bound to have a negative impact on the local music scene and, broader, the city at large, as bands who were previously booked no questions asked just bring some friends at The Gig diligently and painfully find the booking policies considerably more rigid at competing clubs and, as a result, the respective band members become severely embittered, directly translating into poor attitudes at day jobs, ultimately translating into somebody getting short-shrifted out of an espresso shot by a pissed-off member of Shaka Buku behind the counter over at Starbucks Hollywood. After the jump, our recommendation for the new Melrose public facing.
»continue reading Gig Gutted