Getting Down and Devilish

Stepping inside Sixty-Six affects you a bit like a giant Spanish fly. The club appears as if through the lenses of an aphrodisiac. Wall-sized murals of Latina femme fatales stare out and invite you to their devilish world. The midsection lounge is studded with crosses reminding you to repent in the morning. And on Tuesday nights--aptly known as El Diablo--go-go dancers clad in skimpy rock gear and devil’s horns roam the room looking to shake things up while live rock ‘n’ roll pounds away.

So who’s sinning at Sixty-Six? Almost everyone lately. The clientele includes the usual Hollywood rock scenesters making the club rounds, an after-work crowd looking to unwind over cocktails, and a respectable smattering of celebrities checking out the late-night action. El Diablo, specifically, provides a place to kick back and take in live music where the vibe is lounge-chic. Patrons enjoy the band from intimate table seating or in the back row of cushy couches.

The club resides in the former location of one of Hollywood’s top jazz venues, the Baked Potato, which was put up for sale after business slowed over the past few years. Seizing the opportunity to create a new hot spot, partners Jay Krymis (who also owns West Hollywood’s Fubar) and Nick Moller (who runs the Redondo Beach sports bar Nick’s) moved into their new venture last summer. In November, after four months of renovations, the club reopened as Sixty-Six. The venue features an eclectic mix of entertainment, but Krymis reserves Tuesday night for rock ‘n’ roll.

“That’s kind of my baby. That’s the crowd I like to hang out in,” he says. DJ Amy Bunny came on board in January and Krymis later recruited John Arakaki and Keri Bruce, both club scenesters and local musicians, to book the live bands. “He knew that I knew people and he wanted to create a friendly environment to let loose, have fun music and bring in a rock ‘n’ roll element,” says Arakaki.

Their local band bookings have included Sugar Puss, the Pleasure Seekers, Chezz Monroe and Bang Sugar Bang. The bookers have also showcased some previously little-known talent: April’s house band, the Golden Bats, has inspired a following.

Both Amy Bunny and Arakaki have their own bands that occasionally make their way onto the club’s stage. Being musicians has helped the promoters know more about the accommodations that bands and their audiences are looking for. “The club in general is artist-friendly,” says Arakaki. “And because I do play in a band I know what kind of setup people want and I can answer their questions directly without having to go through anyone else.”

Other nights at Sixty-Six include Monday night’s hip-hop reggae club Cherri and Thursday’s upscale, velvet-rope R&B; dance club, Blow. Friday nights feature a happy hour from 5 to 7 with half-price drinks, free buffet and the earthy party band Storytyme. Mainstream R&B; dancing draws the weekend crowd on Saturday nights.

The last Sunday of the month hosts a new club, Cafe Flesh, featuring ‘60s and ‘70s Euro go-go dance music and campy sexploitation films done with Warhol-style flair, hosted by Beauty Bar’s DJ George. On the first Sunday of the month, New York’s notorious drag diva Jackie Beat moves in to host “That Time of the Month,” a drag revue show and dance club.

Sixty-Six also serves a menu of Mexican-American cuisine, which is still under refinement. But ultimately it may be the timing of Sixty-Six’s opening that will prove to be its ticket to success. With bars like the Well and Daddy’s in close proximity, Sixty-Six is becoming the new stop on an increasingly popular circuit. According to Krymis, “We know that this is not going to be a neighborhood bar. It’s a destination location, so we’ve got to book things that are going to draw people in.”

The devil wouldn’t want it any other way.

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Sixty-Six, 62661/2 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. Cover varies. (323) 467-3625.