'It was by the kids, for the kids': Chain Reaction's former booker reflects on the O.C. club's legacy

My sanction is Jon Halperin. I booked and managed Chain Reaction from 2000 to 2006. It started by mishap portion I was moving a one-person grounds label. I went to the nine to spot the set Melee execute and the anterior endowment purchaser for the nine had conscionable discontinue that day. I told proprietor Tim Hill I’d bash it (having lone booked 3 shows ever astatine a java shop). We slept connected it, and I was hired the adjacent day.

I joined Ron Martinez (of Final Conflict). He was booking the punk and hardcore shows. I booked the indie, ska, emo, screamo and popular punk stuff. We made a large team. Best work-wife ever.

Story time. My person Ikey Owens (RIP) deed maine up and told maine that helium and the guys from At the Drive In were going to beryllium starting a caller band. I’d booked Defacto (their dub project) before, and we agreed to propulsion them connected a amusement and conscionable measure it arsenic “Defacto.” There were possibly 200 radical determination to spot the archetypal amusement for a set that would soon beryllium known arsenic the Mars Volta.

That wasn’t retired of the ordinary. Chain Reaction had galore artists grace that signifier that went connected to bigger things: Death Cab for Cutie, Avenged Sevenfold, Maroon 5, Fall Out Boy, Panic astatine the Disco, Taking Back Sunday, Pierce the Veil, My Morning Jacket. The database goes connected and on.

Jon Halperin, who booked Chain Reaction from 2000 to 2006, stands successful beforehand of the nine during its heyday.

(From Jon Halperin)

I utilized to marque a woody with the kids. Buy a summons to “X” show, and if you didn’t similar the band, I’d refund you. I ne'er had to. I knew my assemblage and they trusted my curation of the room. ... It was by the kids, for the kids, but I was 30 astatine the time. I had to deliberation similar a teenager. My person Brian erstwhile called maine “Peter Pan.”

Halfway done my reign, societal media became a thing. There was Friendster and a spot aboriginal MySpace. YouTube stated conscionable a fewer years after. But those archetypal fewer years of maine astatine the venue, it was connection of mouth. It was insubstantial fliers dropped disconnected astatine java shops and grounds stores. It was the flier successful the venue window. It was Mean Street Magazine and Skratch Magazine.

I’d tease the property erstwhile they wanted to reappraisal a show. If you don’t amusement up with a pen and paper, you aren’t getting successful (sorry, Kelli).

Most euphony manufacture went to the Los Angeles show, but astute manufacture came to us. Countless acts got signed pursuing their shows. You’d often spot the set gathering with a statement successful the parking batch adjacent their circuit van.

It was a adust country erstwhile I was there. No booze oregon weed whatsoever. We made lone 1 objection to the weed rule. An creator successful a set with Crohn’s illness who traveled with a nurse. Not saying bands didn’t portion backstage, connected stage, successful their vans (we seldom had buses), but what we didn’t spot didn’t happen.

Touche Amoré performing astatine Chain Reaction successful 2010.

(Joe Calixto)

We were often referred to arsenic the “CBGB’s of the West,” and for a batch of bands, locals and touring acts alike, we were conscionable that. We were the epicenter. There were different venues of course, but for immoderate reason, we were the venue to play. Showcase Theater successful Corona was edging toward its demise. Koo’s Cafe successful Santa Ana was done. Back Alley successful Fullerton wasn’t active. Galaxy Theater [in Santa Ana] was still, well, the Galaxy. There was nary House of Blues Anaheim. Bands would thrust a 1000 miles to play 1 amusement astatine Chain Reaction. We were wherever the section bands started arsenic archetypal of 4 connected a measure and would beryllium headlining america wrong a year. We were their jumping-off point. We were wherever the kids came out. The existent fans, galore of whom started bands themselves.

Thankfully, determination are different smaller venues retired determination contiguous fostering the all-ages scene: Programme Skate successful Fullerton, the Locker Room astatine Garden AMP [in Garden Grove], Toxic Toast successful Long Beach, the Haven Pomona, but it’s conscionable not the same. It was a infinitesimal successful time. A clip that volition beryllium forgotten successful a fewer decades, but for today, my societal media is being inundated with memories of a country that was a 2nd location for thousands of kids.

Zero regrets. It was the champion and worst times of my life. Working a time gig and past heading to the venue astir each time of the week was rough. Relationships and friendships were hard, being that I couldn’t spell retired astatine night. I couldn’t get a pet. I was perpetually tired. But I wouldn’t commercialized those six years for the world.

RIP, Chain Reaction.