Viper Strikes Again

While most of us working stiffs were trying to wrap things up before the holiday weekend, Michael Keaton was hanging out at the Viper Room last week, waiting for his cue to announce the next performer. The artist was Joan Osborne, who performed a show so secret only a handful of fans were there, and apparently they witnessed a terrific show by the young singer.

The Viper, as usual, is where it’s at, and for those of you who can read between the lines, the West Hollywood club’s expecting a “live” show on Monday. Hmmmm, could it be?

Since little else is shaking out at the Viper right now, we’ll give you some more biting updates from the hot spot: The wacky world of Tenacious D comes back on Sept. 14, the Toledo Show takes over Sunday nights beginning Sept. 21 and the fabulous Nina Hagen is bringing her “Divine Mama Movement,” which features a posse of background performers, with the former Miss India included. That’ll be Sept. 24. . . .

Opium Den owner Brent Bolthouse teamed with House of Blues mogul Isaac Tigrett to purchase Butterfield’s, a bar next to the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. So look for something groovy to happen there. . . .

With Small’s KOd, its previous owner, Sean MacPherson, has taken over a Mexican restaurant on 3rd Avenue. You’ve seen what a bit of hard work can do (he currently owns such happening joints as Swinger’s, Good Luck and Bar Marmont), so get ready for Margaritaville, L.A. style. . . .

Spaceland in Silver Lake was packed to capacity Saturday night, when the Kelley Deal 6000 rocked the sold-out house, which also included performances by Don Knotts Overdrive and Stanford Prison Experiment. . . .

If you haven’t been by You’ve Got Bad Taste recently--that’s Exene Cervenka’s store o’ oddities/performance space located on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake--you’re missing out on its fab new punk rock museum. Among the offerings scored by Cervenka’s partner John Roecker are a guitar from Social Distortion’s Mike Ness, a tour bag used on Lollapalooza from Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, a seminal white dress from Blondie’s Debbie Harry and a yellow “De-evolution suit” from Devo.

If you’re looking for a little bit of post-summer romancing, you might want to check out Cava on Wednesday nights, when the L.A. eatery offers its diners and bar guests flamenco music by the Banditos de Amor, who perform all evening in the upstairs supper club. Now that sounds yummy.