The Cobalt Cafe

22047 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA
www.cobaltcafe.com
818.346.1698 

The Cobalt Cafe is an all ages venue in Canoga Park, California that caters to local bands that range from punk to Heavy metal to alternative. Some of the bands that got their start there include AFI, Jimmy Eat World, Less Than Jake, Incubus, Strung Out, Linkin Park (as Hybrid Theory), Avenged Sevenfold, Hoobastank, California Redemption, Shrouds Of Silence, and more. Hoobastank also included a prank call to Cobalt Cafe on their early release of Muffins EP

Early History
The Cobalt Cafe was founded by Dave Politi on January 17, 1991 - three days before the Gulf War. The Cobalt was one of the first coffee houses that started in the sleepy San Fernando Valley and was fashioned after the same manner of coffee house that San Francisco is known for. The original location of the Cobalt was on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, California where it remained for three years. The style of the Cobalt then consisted of acoustic music, weekly poetry readings, as well as an open mic night. Celebrities such as Mick Taylor from the Rolling Stones played there and Angelo from FishBone read poetry. January 14, 1994 was the Grand Opening of the Cobalt at its current location in Canoga Park, just three days before the Northridge earthquake.

Today
The Cobalt holds shows priced between 6$ and $8 almost every night of the week and has an open mic reading night on Tuesdays hosted by Rick Lupert

The Cobalt Cafe hosts a Battle of the Bands every Sunday of each Month. 15 Bands are involved 5 Bands play each of the 3 Sunday's and the winner of each Sunday move to the finals on the 4th Sunday, where cash prizes are awarded to the best bands.