Relaunched Key Club thinks it has a lock on live music on Sunset Strip

Earlier this month, the city of West Hollywood began work on repaving Sunset Boulevard for the first time since the 1930s. The makeover is more than metaphorical for many businesses on the Sunset Strip, including the iconic Key Club, which is undergoing its own beautification project -- a surprise to some who thought the club might be on its last legs.

“I grew up right down the street from here, and I’m committed to bringing back the Sunset Strip night life that I remember,” said new Key Club proprietor Ian Shepp inside the venue last week.

Shepp, who has a mixed track record in Los Angeles -- with lounges such as Madame Royale (he is no longer involved at Royale) and Shag -- certainly has his work cut out for him. This winter has not been kind to the Key Club, which went dark in December for the first time in its 14-year-history after President Keith Pressman shuttered it.

Shepp and a few partners quietly relaunched the destination, known for rap and rock gigs, on New Year’s Eve. Now they hope to lure patrons back this weekend with a full slate of Grammy-related parties, including an official grand reopening bash Friday night hosted by LL Cool J and an invite-only soiree with the Roots on Saturday.

“We’ve only had a few shows this month,” the 31-year-old said from the nightclub’s basement lounge, “but we have started revitalizing the club and the Sunset Strip in the process.”

So how exactly will Shepp succeed in a challenging climate for live music on the Sunset Strip? For starters, adding a few DJ-centric events to differentiate the Key Club from nearby competitors.

Additionally, he has ordered cosmetic changes to make the space more inviting to a Hollywood crowd accustomed to swank hot spots such as MyHouse. “We have already redone the floor, put carpet in the VIP area, added curtains and installed new LED lighting,” the San Diego native said. Eventually, he hopes to create a separate entrance for the basement lounge, but Shepp and his partners have basics to work on first.

For now, casual observers may notice little of the tweaks in the club. The real improvements involve increased online marketing efforts, a higher-end clientele (For example, Shepp’s right-hand man at the club, Simone Sestito, is engaged to actress Mena Suvari, a draw for A-listers) and more top talent such as E-40, tapped to play in March, landing at the 550-capacity club.

Earlier this week, Mos Def and Amerie performed on stage, and the Key Club calendar this year is shaping up to be heavy on hip-hop and R&B. And though glam-rock bookings like Faster Pussycat (Feb. 17) hearken back to the Sunset Strip’s glory days, when Gazzari’s stood on this spot, it’s rap shows by proven draws such as Scarface that will help pay the bills the next few months.

Shepp says the Key Club will continue in the same musical direction despite past problems that have resulted in fights at the venue (a November 2007 fight in front of the Key Club became a phenomenon on YouTube). According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, sheriff’s officials made 46 visits to W. 9039 Sunset Blvd. since January 2009. Shepp blamed past problems on opening acts, which he said “drew local roughnecks that wanted to show how tough they are.”

Assistant director of operations Rick Fall said that incidents such as the 2007 fracas and another serious brawl at an October 2008 Devin the Dude show are a thing of the past, noting, “We hire sheriffs now when we do hip-hop shows and we’ve had no problems.”

David Smith, a Sheriff’s Department lieutenant with the West Hollywood station familiar with night life on the Strip, said the Key Club is a responsible neighbor. “For a while, there were some issues with some of the punk and rap shows [there], but everyone is entitled to play in our city.”

Shepp’s biggest priority now is making the Key Club recession friendly.

“I’m lowering the price point on bottle service, and beer is going to be five bucks across the board,” he said.

“People can come here, spend $50 and have a blast. That’s what I want.”

calendar@latimes.com