WHERE ROCK MEETS LA ROCA
WHERE ROCK MEETS LA ROCARock Reigns Supreme in the House that Hagar BuiltBy Dolores PeraltaFor those of you who know Cabos history like I do, you know that there wasnt much to the town back in the 80s. Dirt roads, a few hotels, makeshift bars and some fishing boats were about all that was there back then. It was during those early days of Cabo that well-known rocker, Sammy Hagar, discovered the beauty of the area. After having experienced Cabo, Hagar came away with a vision. Create a club where not only he could come and play whenever the mood struck him, but a club where just about anyone who was so inclined could hop on stage and show off their licks. Some thought it a pipe dream including Hagars partner in the project, Jorge Viana.
Persistence paid off and paid off big for Sammy. After finally convincing Jorge that he was dead serious (by bringing him up to the States as a guest at one of his concerts) the two came to agreement on developing the club. With Hagars new gig as front man for the group Van Halen, the task of advancing the project from concept to construction fell into Jorges capable hands. The two found a suitable piece of property and put together a contest to choose the projects architect. The job was awarded to Cabo local, Marco Monroy.
Hagar returned to his touring schedule with Van Halen and Marco handled the daunting job of constructing the club. Although Hagar had seen the plans and liked what he saw, he didnt notice that all the measurements where in square meters, not square feet. In his mind, the size of the club was just perfect. Imagine his surprise when he next made it to Cabo and, with the club nearly complete, discovered that it was big… way too big! To late to do anything about the size, Hagar pressed on, planning the grand opening.
Van Halen members agreed to help out by performing at the opening, complete with MTV coverage and press from around the world. Hagar, feeling that he owed the boys in the band for doing so, opened financial participation options up to them. Things went great from the start, mostly due to the buzz created and the successful grand opening concert. But once the initial excitement wore off, the club began to lose money. With little fanfare, all the members of Van Halen pulled out of the investment leaving Hagar to pay the bills.
Poor management, no more partners and mounting bills, Marco approached Sammy
and the two formed a partnership with Marco taking the reins as the manager. That was in 1994 and since then, Cabo Wabo has become one of the most successful clubs in Baja. Every night of the week, live bands perform. Frequently, other famous rock musicians pop in for impromptu performances. As many of you know, there is no shortage of actors who have dreams of being rock stars and they too have been known to plug-in and show their stuff. Sammys vision of creating a club for both performers and serious partiers is a reality and with its constant growth in popularity, Cabo Wabo will no doubt be rocking La Roca (the big rock at Lands End) for a long, long time.
The biggest night of the year is Sammys Annual Birthday Bash, a two-week rock fest with bands competing to open for Sammy on October 1st. The amazing thing about Sammys Birthday Bash is that tickets are free and are doled out two at a time on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:00 AM the day of the show. There are dinner shows that carry a price tag, so if you cant get out of bed early enough to get your free tickets, you can always fork over the $40 for a dinner show ticket.
Music isnt the only draw here either. Sammy prides himself on his on-site restaurant that serves up some of the best dishes in Cabo. Try their lobster burritos, I have and have never been disappointed. Other favorites include; Grilled Halibut Cheeks-Cabo Style; Grilled Prawns with Cabo Wabo Tequila Vinaigrette; Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Tequila and Lime; and Sammy Hagars Cabo Wabo Drunken Shrimp. If youve spotted a theme there, just know that guests arent the only ones having joined the party!
If youre looking for a bit of Cabos wild side, this is a great place to start. The best time to arrive is around 9:00 PM for nightly shows. The place really starts to jump an hour or so later and just keeps getting wilder and wilder. For more info on Cabo Wabo, visit http://www.cabowabo.com on the net. For more in depth information on Cabo, visit http://www.CabosBest.com
About the Author
Dolores Peralta is the author and co-owner of Cabos Best, a travel website dedicated to Los Cabos. To explore more of what Cabo has to offer, visit http://www.CabosBest.com – to reach Dolores, email her at cabodee@cabosbest.com.
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