Kevin Bronson on February 11th, 2022

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This weekend, the heart of Hollywood got another shot — and this one was whiskey.

The Bourbon Room has reopened as a music venue, speakeasy and restaurant, having gotten a rebranding and a nip-and-tuck since it debuted in 2019 as a home for the staged musical “Rock of Ages.” The second-floor space at 6356 Hollywood Blvd. — formerly Cinespace back when Dim Mak Tuesdays were a thing — includes a 200-seat theater that will be home to music, comedy and stage shows.

The venue’s vibe nods to the history of the Sunset Strip. Metal mashup band Hollywood Gods N’ Monsters kicked off things last weekend. Guns N’ Roses vet Gilby Clarke debuts the weekly residency of his new band the Keef Richards on Feb. 23. The English Beat have a pair of nights scheduled in early March; the Blasters visit in May; and the venue’s lineup includes the likes of the Spazmatics, the Dan Band, Which Ones Pink?, the Pettybreakers and Led Zepagain.

Thanks to the success of “Rock of Ages,” the Bourbon Room was off to a roaring start in 2019-20, but COVID-19 took its toll. “Rock of Ages” star Nick Cordero died in July 2020 of complications from the virus. And the pandemic shutdowns posed hurdles for the venue.

“After the loss of our talented, dear friend Nick, and being denied financial assistance from Save Our Stages, and repeated shutdowns, it has been an uphill battle,” said Matthew Weaver, owner of the 8,000-square-foot venue. “Although the pandemic has been devastating, we used the opportunity to remodel and rebrand; and are ready to present locals and tourists with the ultimate live music and culinary entertainment experience.”