This post looks back at a local legend who once rocked this small cantina in Manhattan Beach, CA.
Sometimes, you just have to enjoy truly great things while they exist. You know they are going to end sooner or later and it’s important to take advantage of them while they there for your enjoyment, because it’s not going to last forever.
That’s true for in anything in life, but in some cases the rush to pleasure is more pressing than with other things.
Such is the case with a phenom known as Little Jimmy. He’s a guitar player of extraordinary talent who graces a little cantina in Manhattan Beach, CA, known as Pancho’s. He leads a band called Day After Daze and when he gets on a guitar solo, he flips his head back against his shoulders, opens his jaw wide and cuts loose like Jimy Hendrix. The music is rock cover tunes and blues, all performed to a high level that often numbs the tiny bar area (the capacity is less than 50 people).
The guy really is phenomenal and visitors who hear him for the first time can’t believe locals don’t camp out there for daze on end to hear the guy night after night. As it is, the bar is a small add-on to a sort-of high-end Mexican restaurant and locals use it as one of the many bar stops in North Manhattan Beach (or El Porto, as longtimers refer to the area). Little Jimmy’s name on the marquee and texts alerting others that he’s playing does, however, bring a spark to regulars to “meet at Pancho’s.”
The problem with Little Jimmy is that he can’t get out of the way of himself. He’s had continual drug issues that have him disappearing for months on end, only to reappear again.
And now, he’s gone again, having ticking off both the bar manager and the band. Sadly, it looks like he won’t be back for a while. The bar manager and the band are fed up with him and locals are left to cherish the great music Little Jimmy has provided us over the years.
But hey, the band is still good. Jim Wheeler still shines on sax (he recently toured with Kenny Loggins), Coco is on bass, the new guitar player does a pretty good rock lick and the drummer is always good, be it “Sideshow Bob” (a guy with a haircut that reminds one of Bart Simpson’s nemesis) or any guest appearances by the likes of Todd Sucherman of Styx.
Related Article: Manhattan Beach Bars
Awesome buddy!
Damn straight I did.
Thursday, November 14th at Molloy’s in Hermosa. Gotta be there!!
JCG
I’ll be back in the area on November 14th. Patrick Molloy’s in Hermosa is having an awesome live music night and I’m bringing a spectacular bandit there for the return engagement this next Thursday. Spread the word if you can.Last month we had an amazing turnout of Pancho’s peeps.
Let me say that Little Jimmy is and awesome guitar player and always thrilled the audience at Pancho’s!
Oh..and I didn’t “tick” anybody off. I left of my own free will and my career has only elevated since. I appreciate the love though. Cheers!
I wish I had known this was up and getting responses like this. I will be at WitZend in Venice on the 20th and Saint Rocke on the 25 of this month, September 2013. I had to quit after 10 years and so many great memories. They weren’t willing to negotiate after turning that place from a Jimmy Buffet nightmare to a mini concert venue so it was time. now I DO play mini concert venues!! Thank you so much!! BTW the capacity of Pancho’s was 185. lol
Glad you like it Krista! Check with Saint Rocke; he pops up there on occasion. Cheers!
Thank you for this article. Do you know if Jimmy is playing anywhere else now. My husband and I would LOVE to see Little Jimmy play again.