CLUB REVIEW : Stardust Still Exists at the Atlas Bar & Grill

Gangster types stroll in off the street, maybe looking for a drink and a Charleston partner. Long-haired rockers wearing too-tight jeans and cowboy boots mouth the lyrics to “Stay as Sweet as You Are.” An elderly gentleman delicately holds the hand of a frail woman in a wheelchair as he slowly whisks her across the dance floor.

Sound like a scene from an upcoming David Lynch film? It’s actually the 4-year-old Atlas Bar & Grill in the Wilshire district. Stardust still exists in ‘90s L.A. here every Thursday night, when Johnny Crawford and his 1928 Society Dance Orchestra perform music from the late ‘20s and early ‘30s. Crawford and his seven-member band are so compelling, you feel as if you’ve literally stepped back in time.

Complemented by the supper club’s Art Deco styling, Crawford skillfully draws the audience even deeper into the period by pretending that it is 1934. The crooner, who played Chuck Connors’ son in the “Rifleman” TV series, throws out bits of ‘30s trivia between songs and does a terrific lindy hop and time-step dance.

One of the elements that makes the evening so special is the perfect melding of venue and music. The magic doesn’t go away when the band takes a respite. During breaks, the audience--many of whom dress in period costume--is treated to obscure music clips of such artists as Billie Holiday, Tommy Dorsey and Rita Hayworth on a giant screen.

By the time Crawford completes his fourth set with a lovely, lilting version of “(It Must’ve Been) Moonglow,” you really think it’s true.