Riding The Long Beach Loop

Every first Thursday of the month, three Long Beach bars coordinate an event called the Long Beach Loop. For $10, riders are shuttled on a red double decker bus from Alex's Bar to the Prospector to the Pike and back to Alex's Bar. The $10 pays for transportation and cover charges at all three locales, which all have bands playing. It costs $5 to get into the bars if you're not on the Bus. The Loop has been going on for four months now.

I accidentally joined the party this past Thursday with my friends Peter & Valerie and their friend Scott. Peter wanted to see a San Antonio band called Girl In A Coma that he'd discovered at South By Southwest. They were playing at Alex's Bar and the plan was to eat and meet at his house and then trek on over.

We arrived at the bar around 10pm and discovered that the band wasn't going on until 12:30. Oy! What else is there to do but drink at that point? We had whiskeys but most of the crowd was stocking up on the 24 ounce Tecates that were on special for $3. Those same Tecate tall boys sell for $2.25 at Albertson's, so it really is a deal.

Alex's Bar is located on a desolate stretch of Anaheim Blvd., an industrial street I usually avoid at night. You can't really see the bar from the street and you have to enter through the alley. It's dark and red inside like Hollywood or Eastside bars but has a definite local flavor.

The crowd is mostly overweight Latinos dressed like modern Rockabillys. Lesbian couples are well represented as are Long Beach hipsters. But the difference between Long Beach hipsters and Eastside ones is that the Long Beach crowd doesn't cop an attitude. People are polite. They stand back to let you pass or step aside when you need to get to the bar for a drink.

We had seats at the bar and at one point I left my cocktail to go outside. There was a woman sitting in my chair when I returned, and when I reached past her for my drink, she apologized for sitting there and offered to move. This does not happen in Hollywood.

Bella Novela and Girl In A Coma were on the bill as was a good DJ who kept the mood light between sets. Because of a dimly lit stage with a red velvet backdrop, it looked like the poor bands were playing in the dark. No spotlights whatsoever. Nevertheless, opening act and Long Beach locals Bella Novela rocked the house with their Siouxsie Sioux-like vocals and synthesizers, and girl rockers Girl In A Coma blasted through their loud set.

My group was the oldest in the place for sure but no one cared or looked twice. I even ran into my sister's niece Maggie (my brother-in-law's niece) in the bathroom. Maggie is a super cute 21-year-old and if Alex's Bar is cool enough for her, it's definitely good enough for me. I will be back -- just not by myself because it really is in a sketchy neighborhood.