BUZZ CLUBS

Sting rocks the Roxy

It’s not every night you get to see Sting play the Roxy. Yeah, that’s right, Der Stingle got up and rocked the house on Monday, with a fresh young band and some vintage Police songs. You just knew it was gonna be a swell show when you’re already bumping into Dave Grohl and Tony Kanal in the parking lot. Rockin’ out to such Police classics as “Message in a Bottle” and “Spirits in the Material World” -- a song that seems even more relevant today -- were Robert Downey Jr., Mackenzie Phillips, Courteney Cox, Rosanna Arquette, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rita Wilson and Police bandmate Stewart Copeland. The party was a kickoff for Sting’s “Broken Music” tour.... The Sunset Strip nightclub also hosted a gig by Billy Idol on Friday night. With vintage motorcycles lined up outside, Idol blazed through his hits and was joined by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones on a cover of the Generation X classic “Ready Steady Go.” ... In more cool news from the Strip, Jimmy Eat World played the Whisky on Tuesday night. Go figure!

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Keeping up with the Smiths

Jay-Z, Beyonce and Tom Cruise were among the A-listers who kicked it with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith on March 12 at the grand opening of the Smiths’ new recording studio in Burbank, the Boom Boom Room.... The “Lebowski Fest” hit the Knitting Factory in Hollywood on Friday night. An homage to the Coen brothers film “The Big Lebowski,” the event drew actor Jeff Bridges, who performed for fans. The festival has already hit half a dozen cities, and we hear guests drank so many White Russians (the “Dude’s” drink of choice), the club had to go on a milk run. Moo.... Viper Room promoter Dayle Gloria says not to miss 22-year-old Brett Helling when he plays the room April 8.... And get ready for Big Bills, a new downtown bar from Marc Smith and Andrew Meieran. Located in the basement of an old bank vault that once was the Los Angeles Trust & Savings, we hear it’s gonna have a speak-easy vibe with plenty of soul. Smith, who also owns Three Clubs, North and co-owns the Golden Gopher, says Big Bills is due this summer. And next on his horizon is Harlem Place, a bar he describes as Sherlock Holmes/post-industrial. Scheduled to open in fall, Harlem Place will be located in the Higgins Building at 2nd and Main Streets and will feature an enormous power generator in the middle of the room. Talk about packing heat.

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-- Heidi Siegmund Cuda