The protective place for heroes to be

The Rainbow (2019)

Documentary

In West Hollywood is a place, that enjoys a reputation like no other. Legends call it their living room more or less, and that makes the location itself a legend, as well as its owners. In the documentary dedicated to its founder, guitar heroes like Jimi Hendrix appear in the very first minutes. And many others follow.

In 2016, the Lemmy statue is revealed in the outdoor area of the Rainbow Bar & Grill. About a year before, the man himself was sitting right there at the bar, asserting that everyone can tell a story about the venue. Just like the one about three amazing bands on a random evening. And some are recalled in this seventy minutes.

Founder Mario Maglieri and his family were open for all bands, that maybe were before their time but played at the Whisky A Go Go, now run by Mikeal Maglieri. The Temptations were guests like The Doors opened for Johnny Rivers. They were booed first and Jim Morrison peed from the balcony, but returned the next day. More visitors include Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Alice Cooper, Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Eminem, Cream and The Byrds.

Slash (who has an biography and movie himself), Gene Simmons, Wendy Dio, Lita Ford, Steve Riley, Ozzy Osbourne and more talk about their adventures at the Rainbow, where the weather is perfect, and in the evening the people come down from the hills to party in the former Villa Nova Restaurant.

Miguel Murillo, the chef who unfortunately is deceased as well was responsible for the best steak and appeared in „Up In Smoke“. The documentary shows the scene as well as material from for example Guns N Roses video shootings and many photographies. Many of them are on the walls in the Rainbow as well as instruments like in a Hard Rock Cafe.

The Rainbow is a protective place and Mario was a father figure to many. But the area changes like bands who don’t know what jamming is and venues have to close, as the movie denounces. That is why locations like this are that important. So the only things missing in this nice narrative are maybe more details about the building and the opportunity to perform at the legendary Bar & Grill on the Sunset Boulevard.