The Golden Bear

LES BLANK tells the story of one of southern California's landmarks on the folk trail, the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach.

“The GOLDEN BEAR was my favorite club. It fronted Pacific Coast Highway just across from the beach and the pier. An old multi-story Spanish red brick building with a white stuccoed front, it had very Spanish appearing facades on the upper floors. The ticket window was extremely small, barely big enough to get your head through. There was a large marquee that advertised who was appearing currently and for the next two weeks.

Inside it was wooden floored with about 30-50 tables scattered around a fairly small stage (the stage side tables were the most choice and you had to get there early to get one). For the biggies, there were usually two shows and the place was cleared after the first show unless you had purchased tickets for the second.

The menu was not very extensive and I don't even remember if they had a beer license - I was a non drinker !! The upstairs, as I remember, was mostly closed in private rooms with a couple of viewing balconies - I very seldom went up there !!!.

The owner, George Nikos, (we called him Greek George)was in his mid or late thirties (maybe early forties) and was a very nifty guy to get along with. He did an awful lot for younger artists in the area.

And he also managed to corral a slew of really big time folk artists to his very small club. He used to let me do door duty every once in a while, and I got to meet and worship many of my idols.

My friend, Steve Gillette, played there a lot as did Hoyt Axton, Ian & Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot , David Ackles (I was there the night he debuted his anthem "Mainline Saloon"), Bud and Travis, and so very many others.

George did more for the folk music business in southern California than any other club owner, in my opinion, although there were several bigger clubs in the city. I used to get as close to the small stage as I possibly could just to watch the guitarists who backed up those super acts. A couple of my real favorites were John Herald and David Rea who backed Ian and Sylvia (He also played with Di'an James in a group later on called the Greenbriar Boys), Red Shea who played some of the finest strings I have ever seen backing Gordon Lightfoot, and Dick Rosmini and Bruce Langhorne who backed Steve Gillette.

Still the guitar masters were Bud and Travis. !!!!! A few years after they broke up I found out that Bud was teaching at McCabes in Santa Monica and for a while, seriously toyed with the idea of studying with him. "

Les Blank

April 2005