Rock the Block: The Story of the Cactus Club

[@1sueism1]

So many great bands, so many great memories! There will never be anything like the Cactus Club ...

[@misfitspeaks883]

I believe this was made right after my uncle Vince passed... dang he should've been in this 💯..he'd ALWAYS hook me up with a t-shirt/cd/cassette...I heard so many stories and of big bands now that played there before they were big..so many great memories of the 90s..

[@LonjLopez]

Hey Mic, believe me, I tried to get him to interview with us, but he claimed he was too shy. Miss him every day. Hey Buddy!

[@mrcali68]

Excellent job here...took me way too long to find this video! One thing though, Wedge: legendary Cactus Club soundman. The one thing that wasn't mentioned is the "Wedge approval factor". Wedge was VERY hard to please (rightfully so) when Wedge made it clear that he liked your band...it felt like you had made it. His opinion mattered big time. If he liked you, your mix was exceptional! I played guitar in a band called Lackadaddy and Wedge liked us. That means alot to me to this day. Caballero liked us too and he was another Cactus Club Mt Rushmore figure! ...and big Scott Martin too (doorman). but I digress...

[@california_grown_carissa216]

Closed 2002. Now 2021 and still nothing like this place . And I still mourn the closing . Thank you for all the memories

[@stevebennett9751]

Thanks Lon for finally posting. I got tired of burning the DVD for everyone. Signed the doorman from Cactus Club opening night Fall 1988 - Steve (Cactus Club Doorman / Manager 1998-2000)

[@RawNWigglin]

I'm 48 years old now, this gave me such a huge nostalgia smile complete with a few tears. So many memories that I tell my grown kids about.

[@jkayewalden2988]

enjoyed this so much. I remember Sean and Mike finding this bldg and then running it. The local bands to touring bands. First street and Sofa. I was there many times and the Laundry Works too

[@timothystixrud9860]

Thank You Stickman!!!!!!! always

[@KellyMagovern]

Amazing documentary! I have so many great memories there. From '96 to '98, I feel like I was at the Cactus Club multiple times a month. Insolence, Salmon, Papa Roach, Tribal Disco Noise, Osmium. Those were my bands, but I do remember many times just going to see whatever local bands happened to be playing. It was just a fun place to go. And it really was such a cool hodgepodge of all different kinds of people and that's what made it great.

[@eljefejeffwatson]

As a member of one of the bands in that early scene, I can tell you that you perfectly captured 2 years of my life. Amazing doc.

[@wrongjeremy]

Man, that GWAR show. I was up at the stage immersed in the experience. A friend had called - "Doing anything tonight? Wanna go to a show? Okay. Don't wear white." Anyway, didn't hear about the guy falling form the rafters til afterward. Friends' band Fungus had opened, a couple members lived just a few blocks away and had an epic after party.

[@myformerlifeinapunkband]

It was good place to play in San Jose. My old band Boy Kicks Girl played here several times between 1996-2000. Calvin was always great to work with and we did our best to support the club, especially those times when they lost their alcohol license.

[@concertconfess2012]

Wow this takes me back. From 1996-2001 (when I moved away) I was a regular at the Cactus. Papa Roach, Insolence, Careworn, Salmon, so many great local acts I got to see here. Then the nationals, from Weezer to Cannibal Corpse, so many amazing nights here. Great documentary, thanks to all who made it and brought back so many memories of my youth.

[@jodymangum5441]

So many great memories! Mother Love Bone, Blind Melon, Bang Tango, Gwar!! Best of memories with my sister! And we could only afford the cover-- maybe one bev.... It was all about the music... Thankful for being from this generation -- Long live rock!! Hey Phil @ 36:42!

[@MeshyKitty]

So many memories so many good times and good bands. Good friends. Those busted up bathrooms that never got fixed lol. I wish this place had never closed I spent a lot of time there.

[@harrycline6349]

So, now I understand the big shoes The Ritz is working to fill. Very interesting and many valid points made. Sorry I wasn't here to experience it!

[@kevbob]

Oh man, I'm only 10 minutes in and memories are flooding. I see RS2 here- HI RAY!- we go back to Bernal and STHS. I see Craig Ramsay in a pic- I am forever sorry I didn't join Kingpins when we jammed in your basement. You had the fire that I didn't. Odd Numbers in there, must be Caballero fronting Faction... ok, time to keep watching.

[@kevbob]

Alright, picked back up to finish 12 hours later. I left San Jose in 93, but the yuppification of DTSJ was well underway at that time. I think my last show downtown was probably Jellyfish at FX across the street early in 93. (Saw them at CC about 2 years before.) The interview with Kelly Kline was pretty infuriating, obv she had no problem seeing an 18+ club get beat up by the bureaucracy. Same feeling from McEnery. What a great film, never knew this existed.

[@josephmorales9625]

I was only 17 when I went to see Exodus. I got turned away because I wasn't 18. But the manager of Exodus got me in. Great time.

[@GarySinghSJ]

Way to go! Every San Jose politician should see this.

[@jelac07]

Love this, I spent so much of my early 20s here. It was my second home. Miss the Cactus

[@voodoolife]

Sooooooo many good times! The local scene was on fire in the late 80's, early 90's. The Alley Boys, Lord Have Mercy, Mister Hyde, Cats:Choir, Skin & Bonz, Erotic Doll, Gypsy Lane, Last Laugh, Psychedelic Cowboy, so many others!

[@lillady697]

Great memories!! Thanks!!

[@gidgetbates]

Oh man there will never be anything like the cactus again.. kids today dont get it. I miss that! My last visit was in 94 when i was pregnant with my daughter.. I was there on the first night! I moved to SF in the nineties and still made it down a few nights a month! not to mention all the peachy puffs i used to bring in there! and !!! ODD NUMBERS my first review for BAM.

[@joenowak1717]

Amazing job Lon! Thanks! Brings back so many memories. Thanks to all you guys at the Cactus for letting our band, fistfull of flowers, play there so many times. I met so many friends there, have so many great stories for the kids, and heard so much diverse great music there.

[@planetboom22]

Wow, what a great video and document of the late 80's and 90's scene. Brought back a lot of memories like working at the Oasis, Paradise Beach, and Dimensions. And thanks for bringing back memories of One Step, the Omni, the Cabaret, the Stone, the Keystone, the Edge, Puma's, Mother's, the Edge, Cheers, and the Odyssey Room. I think I just went through a time warp. I'd love to see a part 2 covering the whole south bay club scene during that era. Great job!

[@ImYourOverlord]

Loved it. Played it.

[@theegspot]

My band made the list of bands on the back of the official shirt when the club closed. Felt pretty honored. Played the second to last show there, and it was nuts. Last show was even more nuts! Lots of talent (big and small) to come through the Cactus. Place is sorely missed.

[@finnobrien1623]

Lon, I stand up and applaud you. This was brilliant and helps describe the importance and meaning. I will be reposting over and over. Thank you.

[@IsraelSanchezMusic]

Yes!!! The Cactus Club..

[@richpeltier9519]

Spent a good chunk of my 20's at the Cactus and have a few great stories; meeting a girlfriend there, heckling James Hetfield, almost being killed by Toe Nail of The Deli Creeps, ah...good times....but that GWAR story!? Wish I'd been there that night! LOL 🤘🧙‍♂🤘 Rich the Ancient Metal Beast

[@plushstptribute]

Great Video! A+ Should Go Viral!

[@Cameronlazzari]

Great video

[@gainreduction1]

Great memories! My band G.R.I.T.S. opened for Incubus at the Cactus on their S.C.I.E.N.C.E. tour. Calvin gave us the hookups on so many great shows there. I was running sound at the Agenda and the Usual for a while during this period, too. Walked through Downtown just the other night for the first time in years. Nothing like it used to be... Thanks for the video, Lon. You're the man!

[@DavidLiebschutzDiamond]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane! \m/ I shared it...

[@audioel]

Really fantastic work in putting this together. So many people I knew - so many great memories from '89 to about 96 for me. Thank you!

[@umunhum]

Blackie should put out a coffee table book.

[@irkedbutgood]

oh dear god..... xoxo. miss this so much. cess pool nirvana.

[@briangresty1398]

Great venue. I lived super close. Was there alot. Met Rory from NUFAN. Out front one eve. Changed my whole perspective. The local bands were cool as f.

[@plushstptribute]

Watched the whole thing! Front to back!

[@jodi183]

So many memories! Funny, I am just finishing David Bryne's "How Music Works" book and in the chapter "How To Make A Scene" he describes what is necessary for a club to harness a scene. In short, he describes CBGB's, which as we all know is (was) legendary. As I read on I couldn't help but think of Cactus. Cactus was the CB's of the west coast! Haha! Anyway, I always had a great time playing there with my little band 187CALM and the crowd there always made those shows extra special. Thank you!

[@remoter]

Cafe of Regret always loved playing Cactus with 187 Calm. You were simply the coolest thing going on. ❤

[@MunchiGunchi]

Thanks for the flashback! Those were the good ole' days.

[@kimberlymcastaneda]

I spent many a night and many a dollar at this home away from home. So cool to see all the peeps again and take a trip down memory lane (although some of the memories are a bit foggy). So sad to hear what went down at the end (I moved to Denver in 2001, a year before the closure). Thanks for capturing this moment in musical history and a time in my own life that I'll always treasure. xx

[@BigJim629]

Awesome!

[@stephenjacobs8500]

Loved to play the Cactus

[@heather_nott_ever816]

So many great memories. My cousin's band, Liquid Jesus, played there.

[@Lordoftheflyfilms]

this needs to be a series, so many pictures and testimonials out there that should be in part 2.

[@bretthefret]

This is so fuckin great,I have so many memories of the Cactus Club,played there,hung out there,saw many great bands there,this is a awesome doc.

[@TheShonycollins]

Man, this takes me back. A group I was in 'Jacob Ham' played there a ton of times. Calvin hooked us up with so many good shows. It was another time though, good luck catching a break getting a bad ass show booked now unless you have been around for years. Feel bad for the kids.

[@almishti]

I was there on opening night. Saw so many great bands there! One of my housemates designed the club's logo and artwork. I moved from SJ in 1991 but totally randomly happened to drive down there from Oakland with some friends on what turned out to be their last night. SJ in 1987-91 was where I had my first social life after leaving my po-dunk hometown in NY State and Cactus was a huge part of that. Thank you guys for all your work. I'll remember you forever!

[@MarkHeaps]

Great documentary, so many memories. Every major city that has a music scene should watch this documentary.

[@BIGSHEA408]

dope! ...spent a lot of time there in the 90's. This video brought back a lot of memories!

[@rich0274]

An excellent documentary, Lon! It totally takes me back to the good ol' days in Downtown San Jose. I miss the Cactus (Practice) Club...

[@paulkoch2544]

Thank you, Mike, Calvin, Sean, Jodi, Stikmon, Christian and 2 many more to mention...Thank U (ALL) I could cry tears of thanks for 10,000 years and it still would not be enough...and if someone as miniscule and commonplace as myself had the privlage of an invitation to be part of the Cactus Club then existance is not meaningless. All the beautiful darkest wishes and love...All of You are wonderful...paul

[@tinman1er]

this seriously brought back so many memories.

[@thourt]

this is such an excellent doc, thank you for uploading this

[@Ireyah]

Holy crap, I was 19 when the Cactus Club opened, this really takes me back. :'D

[@jamesperrymusic]

Lon, in case I didn’t say so before, thank you for making this.

[@teresal7890]

James, good to see you. 😁 This is pretty cool. Glad I'm seeing it finally.

[@vominator]

Hey that dude worked in the bookstore at SJS

[@claytontaylor6153]

lol thanks mark ritch for telling me bout this video.. I actually worked at cactus club back in 96 had some crazo times there to say the least lol great seeing STICKMAN n Calvin on video n my late buddy VINCE may he rest in PEACE

[@JayKe-mh8ev]

Man if i had a nickel for everytime i rolled the pit there. I could still afford to live in the bay😂Exodus with Ballof alltime fav.

[@jodi183]

I agree with you Gary! I just hope that something similar erupts somewhere in this Bay Area of ours. There's no cool rock n' roll hang outs anywhere! Not in SF (even with all those clubs), not in my hometown Oakland, not in San Jo... Don't kids want to rock out and make something fun? Aren't they sick of video games and dance music yet? lol

[@johnmcsomething9576]

I think I may still be 86'd... those tickets were real i swear....

[@umunhum]

Good times. I remember being in the darts league with Calvin as my partner...lol.

[@stevebennett9751]

band at 35:15...that would be the Diesel Queens - starring my roommate at the time Jeff

[@Laurelishish6]

ORCHARD SUPPLY & HARDWARE, WHERE A MAN CAN BE A MAN!!!

[@penfifteen666]

Primus and Sea Hags!

[@charlesfox840]

Where's all the real local bands from The Rock Gardens? I wonder if enough people gathered pics, music, video(?) from there, could there be a small documentary. The Gardens was CRAYZEEEE!!! I love this. Maybe I will remember something of this era. LOL! SO LOADED!

[@leveleyed]

Oh man. The SoFA Street fair. How I miss those glorious days.

[@Creechuur]

Love those guys. Half the time I saw em they didn't even finish their set because they'd start swinging their guitars at anyone who pissed em off.

[@RaulGarcia-DH2211]

soo much Fuckin fun those days...

[@vanessawalling-sisi5904]

My SJSU years (89-93) I had used a fake ID so many times to be able to drink- when I turned 21 in ‘91 I wasn’t sure I should use my real ID! A misfit who loved ska,reggae, punk, you name it- this place was amazing. Such good memories. I left for Peace Corps in ‘93 so I missed a lot of the grunge. I also missed my cousin’s band (Insolence) performing. Great film. Thanks for making me nostalgic- but damn those bathrooms were gross.

[@gnoseologist]

first "skylight guy" here... got kicked out during 7 Seconds and got back in through the roof. Paid for the damage and started getting shows. Sean and Mike were cool

[@rochellebomyea6896]

SJ will never be the same, and I'm glad I got a slice of it.

[@deleonfire]

How come I don't have one of those shirts that Lex is wearing?????? PFD forever!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@aveygarza8482]

Band's to 80's night no place like this anymore.

[@juandoe2727]

1:27 I think that dude works at the ritz!!

[@cloudbearcustomblends]

i worked there it was crazy yes its bigscott remember me?

[@MeshyKitty]

vegasweddman i remember you.

[@vominator]

11th and WILLIAM. Williams is in another part of SJ.

[@eilo311]

I miss you Cactus! I remember thinking that I would love to come here with my son when he grows up! Now San Jose has to deal with all the gang bangers that these asshole politicians supported! F dot com and the skinny pant metros that roam the streets of downtown. Best documentary ever. I'll try to find my "finger file" footage when I find the tapes. Thank you Cactus for all the memories!

[@staciaseven]

❤

[@Aggrosj]

Just a bunch of lawyers... wait, no It's the Diesel Queens.

[@SoundBlackRecordings]

This brings back memories. 26:38 that guy used to get me so drunk with his "Zombies!" LOL

[@LonjLopez]

BOOTLEGGER!!!

[@thanoson]

Band at 35:15 with the Cowboy hats, anyone know who that was?

[@charlesfox840]

The Diesel Queens

[@thanoson]

Rock the Block 2: Marvin the fry cook. Make it happen.

[@JoseAriel1408]

Halcyon days, man. Halcyon days.

[@vominator]

Don't forget L'Amour Shop

[@djkenny1202]

Now most of us that went to enjoy the alternative scene that developed out of the growth of Cactus, are leaving or have left SJ. Why stay? DT has nothing but cheesy commercial stuff. We grew up and had nothing left to go back to, only Blank Club. New scene folks were left with nothing in their late teens. I am happy to report the Blank guys opened a new venue on South First, The Ritz. A reason to go back to South First again. Not lame ultra lounges, hookah, and hip hop taking over the street and DT area. San Jose City folks, you have done a pretty awful job. Always trying to do something and getting nowhere, killing off what could develop holistically and not homogenous like. Shiny is not real. But you can have a little of everything and please more people, have some diversity.

[@stevebennett9751]

guilty - sue me

[@jamesvincent1434]

Johnny Thunders

[@xxxCYCOxxx]

james vincent what?

[@ImYourOverlord]

Wedge was the MAN!

[@grios5530]

Great video