CHOCOLATE BAR PARTYâ„¢

"A night at CHOCOLATE BAR is flavor that's looong-lasting"! Rotating deejays; DAZ, HIGHER, T-LEE, COKNI O'DIRE and special guests keep the dance floor crowded with Hip Hop, Reggae, Rare Groove, Soul Classics, World Beat, House + much more. The Chocolate Bar Party was originally born from the legendary Echo Park Hills house parties that started in the mid 90's... back in the day before everyone became super-stars... when the Black Eyed Peas dance crew used to tear it up on the living room make-shift dance floor... when Jurassic 5, Hepcat, Ozomatli, members of Dakah, DJ Cut Chemist, Numark and hundreds of other party-goers used to mash it up to the smooth styles of emcee Cokni O'Dire alongside super fresh record selections by some of the hottest deejays in The City Of Angels. These house parties went on and on for 3 years + 3 times each year with literally hundreds of people comin' thru to really wind it up, hook-up, chill-out, "smoke" out, drink and just plain get *^&#;%;@+*;$ wild! People came from all walks of life... from the barrios and ghettos of LA County to Venice Beach, Malibu, The Valley, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Orange County and throughout the Southland and West Coast. The whole glass house was open to anyone and everyone... it was truly magical...no fights, no stealing, no hassles and everyone passed the peace pipe to the left hand side til the sunrise! For those that experienced those memorable times... there's hundres of great stories to be told. These multi-cultural parties eventually evolved into the Chocolate Bar Movement in which started by Aurelito + Black Shakespeare in the spring of 1997 and was constantly moving from location to location. The very first night started in a so-called Mafia owned Mexican Restaurant in Silverlake and then moved to a 100 year old Church that was converted into an art gallery in downtown skidrow.... then it made it's way to a sushi bar with a "speakeasy" upstairs and then to a punk rock bowling alley named Mr. T's and to an actual boxing ring where the deejays were set up inside the boxing ring and then eventually moved to so many other very discreet spots in Los Angeles. It was exciting and fresh yet a little frustrating to keep up with the new "underground" locations... if you were lucky enough to be handed a miniature chocolate bar on the street, you definitely knew where the next tasty treat would land. The sweetness went on and on for a few years until the fire department finally caught up with the roving parties quite a few times. Eventually this caused the popular event to search for a legit location. Then one fine sunny day the "Chocolate Bar" was introduced to a new home called Gabah "jungle". The crew worked it's way at successfully hosting the night as a Saturday club weekly playing to literally thousands of lovely people from all walks throughout the fun filled years. As of Aug. 5th, 2006 the Chocolate Bar has sincerely said it's final farewell to more than a five year residency at Club Gabah formerly the legendary "Anti-Club". This location was infamously known as a house on Melrose Ave. in East Hollywood turned suprisingly into a punk rock venue that hosted the likes of Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Fishbone and other great bands back in the late 80's and of course the long running Chocolate Bar and the legendary Root Down club in the 2000's. The Chocolate Bar once again changes it's page to a new chapter... The year 2007 marks a "DECADE OF SWEETNESS" for the long-running weekly multi-cultural event + party. As of April 2007 the Chocolate Bar retires as a weekly party and will be hosting Chocolate Bar as special events only. These special events will be held at new + different locations each time throughout The City of Angels. Chocolate Bar transforms into even more creative gatherings bringing artists, musicians, film makers, deejays, clothing designers + performers into one creative space at any given time. So please make sure to keep in touch + join the movement so you'll know where the next party will land. LOOKOUT FOR THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY COMING SOON!******************************************************* **********************************"In the fickle land of Hollywood, where marriages that last five years are seen as bastions of stability and movies younger than preschoolers are deemed classics, clubs aren't supposed to endure longer than most silicone breasts. But somebody forgot to tell Chocolate Bar that after eight years, 4 1/2 of those at the same venue (Gabah), it was time for the the night to take its gold watch and head into the sunrise. The long running Hip Hop night is still bangin' and poppin'. On a recent Saturday night, the line stretched around the block on Melrose onto Ardmore after midnight." -Los Angeles Times January 27th, 2005 ************************************************************ *****************************.. " ************************************************************ *****************************Myspace Contact TablesOne of the few clubs that really feels like a house party, this club night houses an arty, laid-back crowd that's as multi-flavored and -hued as the rhythms on the decks. Chocolate Bar has been going strong since 1997, and that's largely due to its hosts Shakespeare and Aurelito, two eastsiders with a lot of friends. Over the years their posse has grown with the help of their I&I Sound System—a converted ice-cream truck pumping out reggae jams—that they take to events around town. Still, Chocolate Bar remains the pair's homebase, an unpretentious hang where peeps of every color get to know each other on the dance floor while vintage wax experts Daz, T. Lee and Higher spin everything from Bob Marley to A Tribe Called Quest to Stevie Wonder. Occasionally, there are even live visual art performances. As for the crowd? Some work the ethnic look with dreads and multicolored threads, others look like '70s soul bros and sistas—but most stay casual in jeans and tees." —Lina Lecaro