Pandora's Box was a nightclub and coffeehouse on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, California. It was at the center of the Sunset Strip curfew riots in 1966.

Venue: Pandora's Box
Town: California, US

Pandora's Box was a nightclub and coffeehouse on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, California. It was at the center of the Sunset Strip curfew riots in 1966. In the late 1950s Pandora's Box was a popular coffeehouse located at 8118 Sunset Boulevard, on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard. Home to some of the more adventurous artists in town, Pandora's Box hosted up-and-coming jazz musicians such as Les McCann and Carla Bley, while artist Burt Shonberg adorned the interior of the club with a mural similar to his works in the famous Cafe Frankenstein and The Purple Onion. In 1962, the club was bought by disc jockey and Shindig! host Jimmy O'Neill. O'Neill's trendsetting booking policy made Pandora's Box the center of the Sunset Strip youth scene. The club featured performances by artists such as the Beach Boys, the Byrds and Sonny & Cher. While the club itself did not serve alcohol, Pandora's Box very soon became a hangout where underage drinking was not uncommon among people. Moreover, numerous complaints arose about drug use and loud music. Ultimately however, the biggest problem that arose for the club was the obstructions it caused upon traffic, a result of both its numerous visitors and its unfortunate location at one of the busiest intersections in the city. In 1966, annoyed residents and business owners in the district had encouraged the passage of a strict 10:00 pm curfew and loitering law to reduce the traffic congestion and disturbances resulting from crowds of young club patrons. This was perceived by the young, local rock music fans as an infringement on their civil rights, and for weeks tensions and protests swelled. On Saturday, November 12, 1966, fliers were distributed along the Strip inviting people to demonstrate later that day. Hours before the protest one of L.A.'s rock 'n' roll radio stations announced there would be a rally at Pandora's Box. That evening, as many as a 1,000 youthful demonstrators, including such celebriti