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Alaska Travel

Chilkoot Charlie's: Equal Parts Famous and Infamous

July 9, 2008 at 3:00 PM | 0 Comments

What started in 1970 as a one room, Alaska themed wood cabin bar, Chilkoot Charlie's (known as Koot's to locals) has turned into Alaska's most famous drinking and live entertainment pantheon. When the original owner, Mike Gordon, bought the former piano bar, he promised to triple gross sales at his new establishment with the oil boom taking place on the north slope.

In the 38 years since, not only has Koot's tripled sales exponentially, but it's slowly consumed every business around, expanding into themed sections that include a Russian room, a swing bar (the dancing kind!), an outdoor patio and two areas for live music every night.

Previous performers have included everyone from Metallica to Eddie Money; Alaskan acts also take the stage. The long list of accomplishments has earned Koot's quite the reputation: In 2000, Playboy named it the best bar in America.

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Alaska Travel

Live Music Travel: Get Your Tooth On

July 7, 2008 at 11:30 AM | 0 Comments

The concept of getting a beer while you go see a movie is big in Europe, but here in the states, theater-pubs are few and far between. Leave it to the state whose motto is "The Last Frontier" to push the boundaries.

The Bear Tooth Theatre Pub is the spot in Anchorage to see a great movie on the cheap and have beers brought to your table/booth combo by young outdoorsy cuties. Located in the Spenard neighborhood of Anchorage--a place that was once known for its hookers and low-grade meth--the pub's part of a gentrification wave that also features espresso on just about every corner.

The Bear Tooth also happens to be one of the best places to see live music acts in Alaska. Case in point: On July 26th, Wilco will perform in the parking lot of sister location, The Moose's Tooth, just down the street. This might not sound that remarkable, but for Anchorage, it's like MC Hammer performing at your 8th grade dance in '91. Tickets are $35, but to see Wilco under the midnight sun with about 1,500 other people, that's a steal.

Related Stories:
· Bear Tooth Theatre Pub [Official Site]
· Moose's Tooth [Official Site]
· Alaska Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Sir Mildred Pierce]