Frogs Proves to Be a Mecca for Old-School Punk Rockers

It’s hard to be a punk in the South Bay these days. Nearly every nook and cranny from Manhattan Beach to Redondo is filled with yuppie bars, yuppie clubs and yuppie eateries.

That’s OK if you’re a yuppie. If your musical and aesthetic sensibilities demand environments that are a bit less sterile and a lot cheaper, at least there’s Frogs. You might not find your prince (the gentlemen here prefer plaid, as in bondage pants), but you’ll find some great shows.

Located away from the beach, natch, in the heart of Lawndale--a reasonably tough little town and the home of the pioneering SST punk-rock label--Frogs has slowly been building its own punk mecca for about two years and in recent months has developed a steady and solid lineup, offering about four nights of live music each week. It’s a 21-and-over venue, which isn’t great for the kids but is a happy factor for many of Frogs’ customers--first-generation punkers with a “been there, seen it” attitude. They’re not necessarily jaded, but they’re not looking for fights with 15-year-olds. (Still, the crowd gets pretty raucous, and that’s where the four beefy security dudes come in handy.)

The loud club has been everything from a cowboy bar to a metal hang to an “exotic dance” club. Now a few bucks will get you in the door to see such acts as the Anti, an old-school South Bay band, Butt Trumpet and Sluts for Hire (who performed last weekend). And for those who really want to dwell in the past, upcoming acts include the Untouchables, Dickies and Stalag (who have dropped the 13, by the way).

* Frogs, 16714 Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale. 21 and over, cover varies. (310) 371-2257.

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The Buzz: Remember how we declared the Union a no-cover-charge venue some time ago? Well, it still is every night except Wednesdays, when promoter Brent Bolthouse charges a $5 fee for “Soap,” a lounge affair with cool deejays. But those who still haven’t taken advantage of seeing Toledo’s midnight set on Monday are borderline loony. This free show is the best show currently happening on the Strip. The smoky, sexy jazz poet, whose debut album “Fishnets and Cigarettes” is due out on Moonshine in September, won’t be here forever. Snooze and we guarantee you will loose on this one.

* Union, (213) 654-1001.