Rock Stop # 9: Barney's Beanery - West Hollywood, CA

It sounds like a coffee shop run by a big dancing purple dinosaur, but it couldn't be further from that. Thank God.

(image courtesy of barneysbeanery.com)

Barney's Beanery is a rocking, kickass bar with a few locations in the LA area. The coolest (and most historic) is the first location, located on Rt 66 in fabulous West Hollywood.

Everyone from rockers to movie stars to vagabonds (and Arbz!) would make Barney's a destination. Opened in 1920 by John "Barney" Anthony, the Beanery has always been a go to spot for an unpretentious good time. Prohibition had nothing on Barney's! They even offered travelers a free pint in exchange for their license plate!

With that being said, the booze list (and menu in general) is extensive! Be prepared to give your beer taste buds a treat. Why drink common domestic beers at Barney's when you have craft brews from all over the world? My first Barney's trip would not have been complete without trying some Strawberry Blonde ale...my hair color may have influenced me to make that purchase, but that's not the point. It was definitely a great choice!

The atmosphere at Barney's in West Hollywood is what makes it truly awesome. It's as if your biker uncle set up a bar in his garage, but eliminated the smell of exhaust. It's comfortable and laid back - but not too laid back that some rowdiness would cause a commotion.

If you find yourself in the Los Angeles area, make a point to stop at one of the Barney's locations. The Santa Monica promenade location has fantastic outdoor seating, but make sure you peek inside for the vintage throwback decor. Take in all the history and atmosphere at the original Route 66 stop - you will not regret making Barney's your choice for a killer night out! Horns up!

Barney's Beanery has several locations in Los Angeles. Stop by the original at 8447 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Need to kill some time?

Stumbled across a rather fun twitter feed (thread/page/whatever...I don't do twitter) today and thought I should share it with our like-minded rock fans!

@rockfacts is devoted entirely to little known rock trivia tidbits - such as, "Kiss & their management company bought over 190 acres in ’79 to build a Kiss amusement park but the park was never built." If only. Enjoy moshing through em all!

http://twitter.com/rockfacts

Rock Stop #8: Amoeba Music - Hollywood, CA

I have previously written a post extolling the virtues of New England's Newbury Comics. I'm here now sharing a West Coast version, albeit more independently run - Amoeba Music.

I finally visited this huge record store while hanging out on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood and loved it. This store is the largest store in the "chain" - it takes up a whole block! - though the original location is in Berkeley and you can also get your fix in San Francisco. I was amazed at the size and layout upon walking in. There is just so much to look at...it is definitely a music lovers dream.

Rows upon rows of CDs occupy the large downstairs floor, housing lots of rock and pop, among other genres. There is also a whole separate room full of jazz and classical music! What I'm getting at is that Amoeba truly does have a great variety of music, including many new and used CDs, imports and compilations, and hard-to-find live recordings. In the market for some vinyl? Amoeba's got ya covered. Really jonesin' for some cassettes? Believe it or not, there's a large wall display full! I bet if you dug around hard enough, you might even turn up some 8-tracks. ;)

Want to take a more literary approach to music? A side bookshelf holds many different titles for the musically inclined. There are biographies and "learn to plays" and older, out of print books. I even found a 1980s era Def Leppard photo book while browsing!

Upstairs, you can find boatloads of more fun stuff. [Truthfully, not entirely sure what's up there because we didn't have time to investigate as the downstairs took long enough to explore!] In a corner there, you can find reproductions of old concert flyers and posters. Right over here, a small live venue holds regular live bands, DJs, release parties, and who knows what else. Up front, the store is staffed by musically smart associates and you can sell your collections here and make a few bucks. There is truly something for everyone...definitely make this musical institution a stop on your rock adventures!

Amoeba Records is located at 6400 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028.

Happy New Year Metalheads!

Happy 2011 - here's to hoping this year will bring you all some rockin’ concerts, great traveling, and everything in between!

It certainly has been quiet here on WRD as The Arbz have both been busy with all that extraneous fun stuff, a.k.a life. Anyway, we're turning it up to 11 with new content and features coming soon so....stay hungry! (Twisted Sister anyone?)

(Photo courtesy of Euclidlibrary.org)

When Rob Zombie tells you to do something…

…you effin listen!

Rob Zombie – “(Go To) California”



The Arbz are jettin’ to California for some rockin’ times in LA, San Diego, and in between. Hit us back up in about a week to hear about our new adventures! Also, if you have any travel suggestions or ideas for The Arbz, shoot us an email at withinrockingdistance@gmail.com : )

Rock Stop #7: Worcester Palladium

One of the best venues in Massachusetts to check out rock and metal acts has got to be the Worcester Palladium. Located in Worcester, they boast a continuous schedule of rockage (yeah, it’s a word!) from lesser known / local acts to mainstream radio rockers to death metalers. Whatever your poison, they are sure to have an antidote.

The venue itself is a decent size and it’s hard to find a terrible spot (unless you’re short and behind a tall dude). There’s a large floor area for all you head bangers and moshers while graduated “levels” work their way up to the back of the club. Additionally, there is upstairs balcony seating for those who want to sit, though it depends on the show. Sound wise, The Palladium is damn near deafening if you are bouncing around the floor. Even from the back, you’ll get a great sound experience. Only once, a couple years ago at a Sevendust show, was the sound quality subpar. Pretty good for a venue that has at least one show a week.

Another great thing about the Palladium is their dedication to all that rocks by hosting The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival every year! This past April marked the 12th year of the show! It is a fabulous event for any rocker with so many different bands to check out.

Drinker? They gotcha covered with a bar upstairs and several in the main downstairs area. Beers are fairly reasonable with most priced at about $5 and mixed drinks and shots are just a few dollars more. (Think the pricing is outrageous? HAH! This is damn near giving them away compared to other venues in the area.) For those of you with munchies, a small concession stand is typically available. In my experience, the hot dogs are pretty decent and they also offer pizza, chips, and various kinds of candy as well.

The Palladium is also a stone’s throw away from the DCU Center. Only negative of this arrangement? Parking will be far more scarce if there are shows going on at both locations. Speaking of parking, there are large lots located in the front and behind the venue so finding a space isn’t much of a hassle and neither is leaving after a show. Typically, the cost seems to vary from event to event but you count on around 10 to 20 bucks. But this is standard for most people by now, am I right?

This is one of my absolute favorite venues to see shows at. The location, the set-up, the events schedule – these can be hard to find elsewhere. And, best of all, this is the place where The Arbz reconnected at a Rob Zombie show after losing touch after graduation. The Palladium is a must stop and rock!

The Palladium is located at 261 Main St Worcester, MA 01608.

Rock Stop #6 - Cabo Wabo Cantina - Las Vegas, NV

Mas tequila! That's what Sammy Hagar says, so you better take his advice at his Mexican influenced Cabo Wabo Cantina located in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort. With a patio facing all the action on the Vegas Strip and ample seating inside, the Cantina is a great place to grab a margarita (or two...or three!).



It was a bit chilly when The Arbz visited, so we chose to sit inside and take in the action of the live cover band (Fridays and Saturdays showcase live bands, while there is karaoke on Sundays. Tequila + Karaoke = good times!). Our waiter was awesome - unfortunately, neither of us can remember his name, but he reminded us of Matthew Lillard, so that's what we decided to call him. Cabo Wabo has a fun, inviting atmosphere - it's casual and comfortable, which is just the way Sammy Hagar would want it. If you prefer to rock out and just chill instead of grab drinks in a sweaty, crowded club, Cabo Wabo is a great option. Now, let's move on to what really matters at Cabo Wabo Cantina - the drinks!


There's a great variety of Cabo Wabo specialty cocktails, including the Waborita and Cactus Pear Margarita. I first tried the Waborita, which is Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila (Sammy's tequila), Cointreau, Grand Marnier and fresh lime juice. It was very tasty, but I have slight allergies to some fruit juices, so the fresh lime juice was not the best addition for me. We also tried the Cactus Pear Margarita (shown below), which was a better fit for me. The mix of Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila, Triple Sec, Fresh Cactus Pear Puree, Monin Desert Pear Syrup and fresh lemon and lime juices made it a super sweet concoction.


Naturally, we got delicious dishes to go with our intense margaritas - the three taco plate for both of us. The menu includes a great variety of  Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired dishes that go well with the several specialty cocktails and beers. Don't feel like you're missing out on the fun if you can't stop by Cabo Wabo at night - there is a great Mariachi Brunch on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Nothing says Vegas like a brunch that goes past normal lunch hours!

Cabo Wabo is not just a place for adults who want to have a few drinks and rock out. The daytime atmosphere is friendly enough for families to enjoy a meal and watch the sights on the Strip. Though I would recommend leaving the kiddies at home once the night festivities begin. With that much tequila around, there are bound to be quite a few R rated moments! Don't forget, you can always stop by the Cabo Wabo locations in Cabo San Lucas and Lake Tahoe if you're not Vegas bound. Regardless, it's a definite stop for any rock fan!



Cabo Wabo Cantina is located at 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV. 89109