.Best All-Ages Club: Where little guys get big treatment

Persuading mom and dad to shell out for a Stratocaster, music lessons, or studio time toward your rock ‘n’ roll dreams isn’t nearly so difficult when it’s at a slick facility like Red House Live. The state-of-the-art recording studio, rehearsal space, music store, and mini performance hall opened in Walnut Creek in late 2005 as a sort of catchall music club, bringing musicians together in a nurturing yet hip environment. Adorned in slick, ultramodern decor of aluminum accents, sharp colors, and sharper angles, the 5,000-square-foot Red House has more than a leg up on the average practice space. It provides opportunities for Bay Area musicians of all skill levels to collaborate, rehearse, record, perform, and learn through a hundred-person hall, a Pro Tools-equipped studio, three high-tech rehearsal and recording rooms, and five private lesson rooms — plus a cafe and multiple common areas. Though access isn’t cheap ($49.95 monthly membership, plus an initial $99), the rewards are ample. For young bands, that means guaranteed booking at one of the all-ages in-house shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Far from your parents’ garage, Red House’s club features a real stage and professional lights, gear, and sound. And because the maximum capacity is about 165, you can easily boast about selling out.