Image Via L.A. Times
Former Location –
Originally a restaurant built in the early 1920’s, the Golden Bear became one of the primary Orange County destinations in the 1960’s to hear up and coming groups.
Via Professor Poster
On March 24, 1983 The Dinosaurs, a San Francisco Bay Area super group played here before playing at the Country Club in Reseda the next night. The band consisted of Peter Albin of Big Brother and the Holding Company, John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Papa John Creach of Hot Tuna, Spencer Dryden of Jefferson Airplane, Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead, Barry Melton of Country Joe and The Fish and keyboardist Merl Saunders from the Saunders-Garcia Band.
At one time or another The Doors, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Ramones, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, The Turtles, Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Garcia, B.B. King, Dave Mason, and Blondie played here.
Robin Trower played the last show there on Jan. 29, 1986, and it was demolished some months later.
The Golden Bear
306 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach CA 92648
I remember seeing Flo & Eddie (Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, formerly of the Turtles and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention fame) perform there in the mid-to-late 70’s. Awesome show! They did all the old Turtles classics and a few more obscure numbers that were equally entertaining. These guys could sing!!!
I saw David Lindley at the Golden Bear multiple times
A great venue, especially considering its size. At the Golden Bear I experienced Ten Years After and, later on, Maria Muldaur. Bring it back, is what I say!