Roxy: 50 And Still Rockin

Exhibit Info

On View - SEP 15, 2023 - SEP 8, 2024

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Roxy and its enduring relevance, the GRAMMY Museum® announces its newest exhibit, The Roxy: 50 And Still Rockin’, which explores the club’s origins and rich musical history. The exhibit will offer visitors a front-row view of the many musicians that played onstage, the celebrities who mingled upstairs at On The Rox (the Roxy’s VIP space), and the eclectic details of the Rocky Horror stage show and movie.

“I look forward to experiencing and sharing with the public the 50 years of Roxy history as memorialized by the GRAMMY Musem,” said Lou Adler.

“The Roxy and the Sunset Strip are deeply embedded in music history, and 50 years later, the Roxy continues to be a club where music’s most exciting moments still take place,” said Jasen Emmons, Chief Curator and VP of Curatorial Affairs at the GRAMMY Museum. “This exhibit highlights Lou Adler and the Roxy’s ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist and lets visitors dive into the rich world of one of the most historic and beloved locations in Los Angeles.”

On Sept. 20, 1973, Lou Adler and Elmer Valentine, along with Peter Asher, David Geffen, Bill Graham, Chuck Landis, and Elliot Roberts as advisors, opened The Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip. Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers initiated the club with a three-night stand, playing two shows every evening, and The Roxy quickly became one of the city’s premier clubs. Several months later, in March 1974, The Roxy debuted the U.S. theatrical production of The Rocky Horror Show, which two years later became the cult classic film produced by Adler, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and continues to be in distribution since its release. The Roxy: 50 And Still Rockin’ highlights the Los Angeles institution’s legacy through artifact displays including Roxy memorabilia from Lou Adler’s archives, an original film, and photographs.

Exhibit highlights include:

• Sixty photographs of performers such as Cheech & Chong, The Clash, the Go-Go’s, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Marley, Mötley Crüe, Patti Smith, Neil Young, and Frank Zappa.
• Candid behind-the-scenes photos of celebrities like Jack Nicholson at On The Rox.
• Photos from the original production of The Rocky Horror Show and movie.
• Historical Roxy memorabilia from Lou Adler’s archives, including original invitations for the Roxy’s opening night and to the debut of The Rocky Horror Show/; the original membership application for On The Rox, including key given to members; and the white upright piano from On The Rox that was played by Elton John, John Lennon, and Bruce Springsteen, among others.
• An original documentary short film, featuring interviews with Lou Adler, his sons Nic and Cisco, Peter Asher, and David Foster, whose first gig in Los Angeles was as the keyboard player for The Rocky Horror Show.