The Viper Room opened on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood in 1993. Johnny Depp was one of the owners (he would give up his stake in 2004). The music venue quickly became a gathering spot for the cool kids in Hollywood and gained notoriety when, on Halloween night in 1993, River Phoenix overdosed on drugs and died at the age of 23. That did not hurt the club's popularity, however. Stars of the time continued to turn up, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, and Keanu Reeves. Adam Duritz, the lead singer of Counting Crows, bartended at the Viper Room while his band was putting out hit singles. During the '90s and early 200os, it was one of those places with an outsized reputation. It was also relatively free of photographers; however, some photos were taken throughout that period, and they offer a glimpse into a wild world.
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Duff Mckagan, Steve Jones and Iggy Pop performing with Neurotic Outsiders on September 26, 1995.
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Jennifer Aniston and a friend arrive at the grand re-opening of the Viper Room on January 9, 1999.
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Keanu Reeves arrives at the Viper Room where he is to perform with his band "Dogstar" on May 21, 1997..
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Johnny Depp Interviews Hunter S. Thompson at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, California on September 7, 1996.
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Drea de Matteo attends a performance by The Cult at The Viper Room in Los Angeles on February 26, 2000.
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Slash and Danny Saber play guitar at the Viper Room for the Jim Dunlop party in Los Angeles, California in 1999.
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Quentin Tarantino and musician John Oszajca pose for a portrait at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, California on March 2, 2000.
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Charlize Theron hugs Keanu Reeves outside the Viper Room after his performance with his band Dogstar on December 18, 1997.
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Michael Hutchence of INXS and guitarist Stevie Salas pose for a portrait at the Nicklebag concert at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, California on November 5, 1997.
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Pamela Anderson at the The Viper Room in West Hollywood, California on September 13, 2000.
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Paris Hilton and Nicole Lenz at the The Viper Room in Hollywood, California on March 12, 2003.
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Steven Tyler and Mark Hudson leave The Viper room April 30, 2002 in West Hollywood, CA.
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Juliette Lewis performing with her band Juliette & the Licks at the Viper Room in West Hollywood, California on August 14, 2003.
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Former "Family Ties" Star, Tina Yothers At The Viper Room With One Of Her Bandmates on April 9, 1998.
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Concrete Blond in Concert at The Viper Room in Hollywood, CA on October 13, 1993.
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Brendan Williams and Simon Rex during Play Station 2 presents "The Streets" at The Viper Room in West Hollywood, California on March 12, 2003.
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Stephen Baldwin at the Viper Room for AIDS benefit on April 9, 1994.
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Steve Jones and Iggy Pop performing with Neurotic Outsiders at the Viper Room on September 26, 1995.
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Hole and Courtney Love during Hole in Concert to Benefit the Center for Living at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA on January 9, 1999.
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Scott Weiland and a guest attending Hole in Concert to Benefit the Center for Living at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA on January 9, 1999.