The Puka Bar, located in the Wrigley District of Long Beach, has become a hotbed of diverse musical scenes. Under the gentle guidance of Ken Huntington (bar tender, talent booker, sound man, and gifted musician and songwriter in his own right), the little Tiki bar that could, has.
The bar ls classic Tiki kitsch, with dessicated blow-fish, shrunken heads, strange maritime trinkets, and an endless series of Hawaii 5-0 episodes on the flat screen TV. They also feature exotic cocktails, made to order.
The other half of the bar, however, is more practical. There, a full stage with some lights, monitors, a decent PA, and a semi-cavernous room that has seen nearly every great band that came out of Long Beach.
These days, Ken’s thinking outside the box. For example, he’s dedicated the first Monday of every month to experimental music. Thursdays feature karaoke and, on the weekends, the occasional touring band pops in for a gig. He even has a ‘band development night’ where groups can simply practice, live, on a stage in a club, and refine their performance chops.
Here, Ken gives us a brief run-down of the Puka Bar’s specific assets:
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The Puka Bar
710 West Willow Street
Long Beach, CA 90806
562.997.6896