It's black on the outside and as colorful as hell on the inside. It's sound system is perfect, it's Basement Bar is cozy, and the room always seems smaller than it should. A good thing. Notorious for a celebrity death and a famous former owner, the Viper Room is a jewel on the Sunset strip.

The other night at the Donnas show we met Viper booker Melissa Renee Hernandez who's super hot and friendly - but if you tell her that, be careful how you phrase it.

Booker: Melissa Renee Hernandez
Club: The Viper Room
Address of club: 8852 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
Capacity: 225
Who is the owner of your club: Private investors
How can bands/managers reach you: m3@viperroom.com

What sort of bands normally play your club:
We play rock ‘n roll here.

What are the most famous bands that have played your club:
Jeez... in 1999 Courtney Love re-opened the club after it was re-decorated. Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Prince, The Strokes, The White Stripes, Maroon 5....the list goes on.

If you go as far west as you can in West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd., right before you wind up in Beverly Hills you will see the Troubadour - one of the most famous rock clubs in the world - established in 1957.

Home of the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Elton John, and Linda Ronstadt in the '60s and '70s, the warm, rich club also saw the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Randy Newman among others. Lenny Bruce had even been arrested there for obscenity in the late '50s.

Many don't realize but despite the Troub's love for folk acts, it also opened its arms to metal and hard rock in the late '70s and early '80s with acts from KISS to Guns n Roses to Motley Crue gracing its small stage.

There are many places to hang out and hide at the Troubadour. There's the front bar, there's the back bar where you can even order food, there's the Attic, there's the seats in the balcony. There's so much history and so many rock n roll ghosts.

But the best part is the club is as vital as ever. This year alone has provided great shows from Dinosaur Jr., The Mars Volta, Crowded House and The Meat Puppets, among others.

As we continue our series on the men and women who bring the bands to you, we have Brian Smith of the Troubadour who answered our hard-hitting questions after the jump.

If you keep walking west down Hollywood Blvd past the nonsense of Hollywood & Highland, past the tourist and super heroes at the Chinese Theater and down the next block, you will find the Knitting Factory, tucked away beneath what was once a movie theater.

Boasting three stages and tons of bands every night, the Knitting Factory comes to us via New York and has hosted some shows this year that LAist had a great time at. Japan Night being our fave... so far. So join us now as we continue our series on the men and women behind the scenes, the Bookers who get the bands to play your favorite LA clubs.

Name: Chris Diaz
Club: Knitting Factory Hollywood
7021 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Capacity: 50 - 700+

What sort of bands normally play your club?
Currently we're booking all sorts of indie rock, hip hop, punk, ska, emo, electro, pop, psychedelic, rockabilly, country, goth and metal: The Draft (ex-Hot Water Music) with Dead to Me (ex-One Man Army) on OCT 17th, Volto feat. Danny Carey of TOOL on OCT 19th, Uh Huh Her feat. Leisha Hailey from Showtime's The L Word, & Camila Grey of Mellowdrone on OCT 26th, Fat Lip & Tre Hardson formerly of The Pharcyde on OCT 30th, etc

What are the most famous bands that have played your club?
Ashlee Simpsons, My Chemical Romance, James Blunt, Bright Eyes, The Flaming Lips, Danger Mouse, Deathcab For Cutie, Flogging Molly, Paramore, Plain White T's, Weezer, PJ Harvey.

How did you get your job booking shows?
I was originally hired by the Knitting Factory as a part-time FOH sound guy in 2003. One day I heard that management was looking for a new local talent buyer, so I applied and got the job of booking the Alterknit Lounge. After about a year, I began booking bigger shows in the other stages, and just recently was promoted to Senior Talent Buyer this past month. I love what I do - I make live shows happen for great artists. I've been going to concerts since I was 15, and now I'll produce them until the day I die!