The Roxy Turns 50, Neil Young Celebrates With Benefit Performance

The Roxy Theatre’s 50th celebrations will soon be underway as the venue prepares for its milestone anniversary this fall. Neil Young is returning to the Roxy venue for a special performance on Sept. 20, paying homage to when he first took the stage at the venue on its opening night exactly 50 years earlier.

Lou Adler founded the club in September 1973 alongside then-partner Elmer Valentine. Elliot Roberts, David Geffen, Bill Graham and Peter Asher participated as investors and consultants.

Over the past five decades, artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, The Ramones, Chuck Berry featuring Tina Turner, Emmylou Harris, Guns N’ Roses and Todd Rundgren have performed at the venue, immortalizing those shows with live albums. In 2018 Young released the live album Roxy: Tonight’s the Night Live, recorded in 1973 during his three-night run at the Los Angeles club.

Adler also purchased the U.S. theatrical rights to “The Rocky Horror Show” and brought the live production to the venue for its debut in 1974, with Jack Nicholson, Cher, Mick Jagger and John Lennon all in attendance.

Proceeds from Young’s Sept. 20 performance will go toward the Bridge School, which helps children with severe speech and physical impairments, and The Painted Turtle, a camp for kids with serious medical conditions.

The GRAMMY Museum and West Hollywood Library are joining the celebrations as partners, with each organization hosting exhibitions of their own.

On Sept. 15, The GRAMMY Museum will open an exhibit on The Roxy that runs through Jan. 7. Adler and his sons Nic and Cisco will be joining for opening night of the exhibit for a Q&A session. The GRAMMY Museum will have a special film screening, behind-the-scenes photographs of performers and regulars, the venue’s original white piano from “On The Rox” (which was played by John Lennon, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and more), memorabilia from “The Rocky Horror Show” and more.

Meanwhile, the West Hollywood Library’s exhibit opens on Sept. 12 and will run through May 2024. Jasen Emmons curated the photographs and accompanying anecdotes that will be displayed throughout the exhibit. Lou and Nic Adler will also appear at the exhibit’s opening reception for the Artists and Icons series at the West Hollywood Council Chambers.

A post about Young’s performance on TheRoxyTurns50.com says that more announcements are to come.