The Purple Onion

The Purple Onion is a celebrated cellar club in the North Beach area of San Francisco, California located at 140 Columbus (between Jackson and Pacific). The club offers an intimate, 80-person setting and was a popular influence in local music and entertainment during the Beat era. Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen, Maya Angelou, Phyllis Diller, the Kingston Trio, and the Smothers Brothers (who recorded their first album, Live at the Purple Onion there) all played the club in the 1950s and 1960s.

Related Topics:
San Francisco, California - Lenny Bruce - Woody Allen - Maya Angelou - Phyllis Diller - Kingston Trio - Smothers Brothers - Live at the Purple Onion

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In the early 1990s, owner Tom Guido made the club the center of San Francisco's garage rock scene, featuring such bands as The Trashwomen, The Phantom Surfers, The 5,6,7,8's, Brian Jonestown Massacre The Groovie Ghoulies, The Go-Nuts, Guitar Wolf and many others. Although almost always packed, Guido's mismanagement and penchant for giving away free beer doomed the future of the club.

Related Topics:
Garage rock - The Trashwomen - The Phantom Surfers - The 5,6,7,8's - Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Groovie Ghoulies - The Go-Nuts - Guitar Wolf

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As of 2004, the club has returned to its comedy roots.

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