Decades old #LiveMusic venue's existence threatened by inept bankrupt #Oakland city #bureaucracy.
Eli's #MileHigh club, which was started by late Eli Thornton in 70s (before he was murdered in the joint by his girlfriend ), has hosted live gigs in its late last quarter of the 20th century blues heyday when John Lee Hooker, #CharlieMusselwhite, Etta James, Lowell Fulson, Tommy Castro, James Cotton, Little Charlie & The Night Cats, and even James Brown might make the scene, as patrons feasted on giant burgers, gumbo, andouille sausage and fried shrimp made by the ol' lady in the back. More recently, after it's musician owner Troyce Key passed, new ownership fought for years to regain a #Cabaret permit to begin a 21st century phoenix rising era of mixing emergent #hardrock & punk band bookings including locals like Sleep, #HighOnFire and #Entombed in with local blues and barbq, but now in 2025, those days are over.
#WestOakland#DiveBar has been forced to cut staff and close their outdoor smoking & bar bq area portion. Long used by Eli's patrons for decades, but apparently a 'non permitted' backyard area (according to city), it has become an issue now after new neighbor complaints, including many from a recent #residential highrise that was built long after the bar was an #EastBay #nightlife fixture .
Mgmt is asking for support from patrons, and particularly seek photos over a decade old that hopefully show previous outdoor backyard activity.
https://www.kqed.org/arts/13972851/elis-mile-high-club-oakland-patio-closure
