Alison Martino’s SUNSET STRIP AFTER DARK presentation live at the Whisky A Go Go

Описание: West Hollywood history buffs were in for a real treat at the Sunset Strip After Dark event produced by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at the Whisky a Go Go, located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard.

This year’s celebration hosted by Alison Martino with History Preservation Commission Chair Yawar Charlie, gave a rare blast to the city’s past on Sunset Boulevard with rare footage, and some never-before-seen photos and stories stretching from Doheny Drive to the Sunset Tower, some photos dating back to the 1920s.

Martino shared images from her personal archives and gave a history lesson on The Strip’s rock n roll past as well as its mob connections. Attendees saw for the first time the bank that would later become the The Whiskey and how the venue embraced Motown artists like Smokey Robinson and there was a tour of long lost buildings that catered to Hollywood legends like Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson, Jane Russell and Sharon Tate to drop just a few names.

It was a packed house at the Whiskey. Mayor Chelsea Byers was joined by council members Lauren Meister, John Erickson and Danny Hang at the event. Mayor Byers presented Martino with an official certificate of recognition for hosting the event, thanking her for her work as a historian.

Celebrities in attendance included comedians Kathy Griffin and Laraine Newman.

Martino sometimes referred to as the “Godmother” of the Sunset Strip, is a longtime West Hollywood resident, and founder of Vintage Los Angeles and a respected documentarian, writer, and on-air host/producer for Spectrum News 1. Her passion for preserving and sharing the cultural legacy of Los Angeles and West Hollywood has made her a beloved voice in storytelling about local history.

The City of West Hollywood, which was incorporated in 1984, recognizes and values the importance of preserving its cultural resources. The City’s Current and Historic Preservation Planning Division works with the City’s Historic Preservation Commission to identify and protect historic resources in West Hollywood. The City adopted its Historic Preservation Ordinance in 1989 and it has designated more than 100 structures as cultural resources. For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s historic preservation efforts, please visit the City’s Historic Preservation website at www.wehopreservation.org.


Written by WEHO TIMES