Rock and roll through Los Angeles, New Orleans, and even Greece in Amazon Prime’s “Daisy Jones & The Six.”
Take a hit of the 70’s and ride a musical high to electric avenues on the road to Los Angeles, and New Orleans in Amazon Prime’s “Daisy Jones & The Six.” Adapted from a novel of the same name, watch as struggling artist Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) joins The Six, fronted by the charismatic and complicated Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin.) Framed as a documentary, the band recounts their rise and slow, maddening spin to “legend” status without fear of becoming “has beens” because the idea of obscurity due to not trying terrifies them completely. Hop in their groovy van as they take you on a gorgeous musical journey with these locations from season one of “Daisy Jones & The Six.”
SPOILER WARNING!
The Whisky
A band playing at The Whisky was Daisy’s “musical awakening.” At the ripe age of 15, Daisy was already using her sexuality to her advantage to get inside this club. Much like her passion for music, the Whisky has yet to fade. The Whisky, also known as The Whisky A Go-Go, was built in 1964 on Sunset Strip and has been a staple of Los Angeles ever since. This packed house was the first-ever live music venue to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It was also the first stage to feel the leather of Go-Go boots, hence the added subtitle of A Go-Go. The Whisky states that the idea of a “go-go dancer was born on that stage, down to the iconic white heels. It has inspired many artists with the bands that perform on its stage. From its original house band The Doors, to Janice Joplin, all the way to Guns N’ Roses; the crowds including Daisy, must have felt special, possibly moved to pursue dreams of owning the stage and mesmerizing the crowd in the same way young Daisy was.
The Telegram Ballroom
The Telegram Ballroom in LA becomes the famous Staircase, where The Six plays their first gig as a semi-popular group. This is the first performance since changing the name from The Dunne Brothers to The Six because of new keyboardist Karen Sirko (Suki Waterhouse.) The band with the addition of Daisy, plays other famous venues in the latter half of the season, but we the audience do not see as much of them, including The Viper Room, (or as it was called back then Filthy McNasty’s,) The Riot House, and even The Troubadour where the gorgeous Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be) belts out a number for the first time, and then The Troubadour features again in all the montages of touring and performing for crowds, from the tiniest bar to the crowd at Saturday Night Live. Daisy and The Six, leave a scorching trail wherever they play and you can feel the energy as it hangs in the air. The Telegram Ballroom has its own magical presence. According to its website, the venue hosts a multitude of Rock alternative bands, like the Six before Daisy added her folksy vocals. While The Telegram Ballroom may not have the rich history like its predecessors, but I don’t think we’ve heard the last word from this venue yet.
Sound City Studios
The Sound City Studios also known as Studio City Sound are modeled in the show as the location where the magic for the band was first created. The band spends an entire three-episode arc, desperately writing and recording their debut and supposedly last album. The complex opened in 1969 in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles and has recorded legendary artists such as Elton John, Nirvana and the fan speculated inspiration for the novel, Fleetwood Mac. This studio is still a working recording booth for performers so the model had to be built, but this studio also plays host to some very real tension between Billy and Daisy. We see it when they first write Honeycomb, when Billy kisses her so she will come back inside and when Billy breaks his sobriety and kisses her again. It seems as though when the two connect the tension melts like a sugar cube.
The 101 Coffee Shop
The 101 Coffee Shop is the cafe in downtown LA where Daisy works. Like every up-and-coming performer, she needs the extra money. It is in this very shop she hears “Look At Us Now” on the jukebox. After episode four, Daisy’s time waitressing is not given a second thought, but 101 Coffee Shop should be. It is a historic venue in itself, known as one of the finest American diners. The 101 is no stranger to cameras as the TV show Entourage used this cozy shop on multiple occasions through the series’ run.
The Diamond Head Festival
The Diamond Head Festival in Oahu, Hawaii is the first time since recording “Look At Us Now,” that Daisy Jones and The Six play together live. As you can imagine it causes friction between Daisy and Billy. They both want to do the set their way and aren’t great with criticism. If looks could kill, Billy would have burst into flames. But none of that affected their performances and the festival and one may conclude their faces are red due to sunburn. The Diamond Head Festival in Oahu was a live event back in the early 1970’s. It was often referred to as the Hawaiian Woodstock, with music from Carlos Santana, the Styx, The Dead and more. Today, Hawaiian music festivals are tied to celebrating culture, such as The Aloha Festivals or The Merrie Monarch Festival.
The Courtney Villas
The Courtney Villas were transformed into the Chateau Marmont, Daisy’s “home” when she first joins the band, and where Billy first learns how triggering she can be for a recovering addict like himself. It was not just the amount of drugs and alcohol she surrounds herself with, but the parties and the drugs supplied at these parties. The villas offer a more tranquil experience to vacationers. They are located in the Hollywood Hills, a short walk away from the real Chateau Marmont which the crew couldn’t film in.
The Leo Carrillo State Beach
The Leo Carrillo State Beach is showcased in episode five titled, “Fire.” This beach is featured at least twice in the series and each time it helps to build romantic tension between the main couples within the show’s universe. The first is obviously Daisy and Billy, but the second took me by surprise. Graham, Billy’s younger brother (Will Harrison) and Karen. These two were flirty for the episode three and four but Karen made it clear that she wanted platonic affection. That is until the day at the beach, when Karen decides to crash Graham’s date with a groupie of The Six, named Caroline. Graham spends all his time teaching Karen to surf instead of his date, and sparks fly that leads to a hookup. Billy and Daisy aren’t as lucky. They come to the beach to write and end up fighting, leading to an almost first kiss. Leo Carrillo State Beach, in the west side of Los Angeles, is home to surfers, tortured souls longing for purpose, romantics and if you wish, you.
The Blayney Ranch
The Blayney Ranch is the scenery Camila (Camila Morrone,) Billy’s wife chose for their album cover with the title track “Aurora.” In the middle of the California desert, you think one would find peace, but all that Daisy Jones and The Six find is chaos. Billy and Daisy are fighting for dominance and to hide their kiss outside the studio. Graham and Karen are fighting awkwardness and the rest of the band is fighting Rolling Stone so they are not just known as the rest of the band. Located in the Antelope Valley, this ranch is known as a desert filming location and works to “protect and preserve this natural landscape and make it available for the filming arts.” It also holds a challenge to visitors to find the one fake rock in a sea of real ones. It’s up to you to sus out the secrets better than Camila.
Hydra, Greece
In episode seven, titled “She’s Gone,” Daisy disappears, leaving The Six wondering where the desert wind blew her. The answer: Greece. After receiving a distressing telegram from her, Simone races to the small island in Greece with Bernie in tow. Here we meet Nicky (Gavin Drea,) a member of Irish royalty who knows nothing of her fame. He also happens to Daisy’s fiancé, later in the episode, her husband. Much to no one’s surprise, the marriage is not a happy one. It is filled with drugs and unresolved parental issues. But at least Hydra, Greece provides a gorgeous backdrop for this wedding. Hydra is a small section of the Sardonic Islands, and even though we don’t see much of it in the show, it is always open for a vacation, or a destination wedding.
The Apple Pan
The Apple Pan is the restaurant Daisy and Billy use as cover to hide from the swarming fans. They find a quiet, corner booth and have a small amount of peace, a break from the fans, from writing and most importantly, the tension between them. Thank God, for the polite server who recognized they didn’t want to be bothered. This diner, located in Los Angeles, is “a quintessential 40s diner ambiance endures at this LA classic in West LA where efficient, long-tenured staffers dish out legendary hickory burgers, fabulous fresh cream pies and other back-in-time American eats from behind a U-shaped counter; it’s genuine nostalgia at its finest—and still a great deal.” While the nostalgia may be for the wrong era, but it was the right fit for the conversation filled with a whole meal of subtext.
The Roosevelt Hotel
The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans is a backdrop for the three episodes to end the series. The Roosevelt plays host to it all, the breakup between Karen and Graham and the shocking overdose that leads to the end of Daisy’s marriage. The show was shot entirely inside the hotel’s grand lobby, with the rest of rooms built with sets. The hotel has many more picturesque views than just of the lobby, including the French Quarter and a rooftop bar. Built in 1893 and once home to Louisiana’s legendary governor, Huey P. Long, these rockstars are not the only ones to have graced this building with their presence and they won’t be the last.
Stream “Daisy Jones & The Six” on Amazon Prime now.
