Aurora Starchild
Johnny Depp’s iconic club, The Viper Room, is on the verge of demolition. It is the last of a series of music venues (and a 1950’s strip club) set in a 101-year-old building. The Viper Room has a long, debaucherous history and is loved by many.
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Depp bought the club in 1993 with Anthony Fox, who once sued Depp for fraud. He went missing shortly after.
The Viper Room is known for its phenomenal acoustics and divey but star-studded atmosphere. It made its name known immediately when it featured Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on opening night. Also performing were the Pogue’s Shane MacGowan, and the Lemonheads’ Evan Dando.
Three months after opening night, River Phoenix overdosed on a speedball and died outside of the club.
A year and a half later, Jason Donovan nearly died from a cocaine overdose during Kate Moss’s twenty first birthday party there. And an illegal poker ring with stakes as high as $100 million allegedly took place in the club for celebrities to partake in.
A-listers such as Quentin Tarantino, Hunter S. Thompson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Aniston, Keanu Reaves, and Charlize Theron have been spotted at the club. Equally famous musicians such as Johnny Cash, Billy Idol, Oasis, and Green Day played on its stage.
While there are still shows slated for the following month, the demolition is anticipated to happen soon.
A Change.org petition is being passed around the internet to try and save The Viper Room.
For many, The Viper Room is a historical landmark and is irreplaceable. The property containing The Viper Room was bought in 2018. Silver Creek Development promises to replace the beloved club with a luxury 12-story high rise after the demolition.
