When did Jabberjaw in LA close?

No wait. Saw Versus there May of '96, I think. How long after that, then?

i'm pretty sure it was around mid-1997.

It had to be the beginning of '97, according to my memories... I remember the last few shows I saw there during that stretch: Sleater-Kinney, Chisel, GodHeadsilo, The Hi-Fives. Then no more shows.
That neighborhood could get genuinely scary at times, and I was coming up to shows there from around Vermont and 49th, which was no picnic either!

(x-post)

(Oh, and I still love that 2nd Jabberjaw comp., with Low, Steel Pole Bath Tub, Brainiac, Jawbreaker, etc. on it).

I think it was early 1998 or so. The final straw that broke Jabberjaw's back was a Make*Up show which was supremely packed.. The L.A. Fire Department pretty much ambushed the show. That was that.

I always appreciated the effort that Gary Jabberjaw put into the shows. However, whenever other friends of mine had competing shows at the Impala Cafe in downtown or the Huntington Beach Library, there would always be rumors circulating that the Impala and HB Library shows were "cancelled". I'm, in no way, implying Gary had anything to do with that.. but I did get a sense of a some sort of Jabberjaw supporting gestalt behind these rumors... (whether the actual Jabberjaw folks had anything to do with it, I doubt.)

I also hate to admit it, but while I didn't think the Jabberjaw neighborhood was life-threatening, it was ripe for car theft.. and when you really have no choice but to drive there, it's disconcerting, especially when every friend you know at least knows somebody who's suffered car theft on that corner of Pico Blvd. I was really gearing up for a new Jabberjaw in a new location.. but it never happened. The Smell was a great makeshift, and was in a less sketchy part of town.

I used to do sound and take cover at the Huntington Beach Library, and I've also played shows at the Impala Cafe in various incarnations.. so, please take my words with grains of salt.

That said, those comps were excellent, indeed. My favorite every G vs. B song is on the first one.

That said, those comps were excellent, indeed. My favorite ever
G vs. B song is on the first one.

You guys thought THAT neighborhood was scary??!??!?!

Al's Bar anyone?

Wasn't Al's Bar in downtown? I guess it depends what era of L.A. we're talkin', but in the mid to late 90s, downtown overall was a much safer area than east Pico, in general, IMHO. even Al's Bar.

I mean the urine stench around Al's was unforgettable.. but I never felt my life was threatened there.

in the early mid-90s, mid-town was a dream compared to downtown.

Well, we both survived. Our bullet scars gave us character, and that we'll never forget.

very cliche and stupid ... but i have to do it anyway:

http://www.wingnuttoons.com/jabbranim.gif

Huh. When I first moved to LA I went to Jabberjaw but never realized it was a bad neighborhood. But I did miss the first show I tried to go to because I got the address and drove all the way to Santa Monica (I lived near USC), not realizing that the addresses on Pico reset when it entered a different city. Jabberjaw was a cool cartoon BTW.

I got mugged right by the Jabberjaw in 1996. I never got mugged around Al's Bar! (Though I remember parking my car and walking towards the venue past an older man once, realizing as I passed that he was being openly blown by a prostitute right on the sidewalk).