Photo:  S. Carlson, July 1999
Perl's in Bremerton
Bremerton, Washington

This is how Perl's appeared in July 1999.
Do you have a picture of how it appeared in the 60's?

Proprietor: Perl Maurer (R.I.P)

Some of the bands that rocked Perl's were:

The Beachcombers
Blue Sky
Beau Brummels
Chymes of Freedom
The Crisis
The Deacons
Don and The Goodtimes
The Gatormen
Heart
The Knickerbockers
The Fourth Day
Fragile Lime
Le Max
Mr. Lucky & The Gamblers
Noblemen
Painted Ship
Paul Revere & the Raiders
The Ramones
The Raymarks
The Regents
The Rogues
The Royal Guardsmen
Savoy Brown
The Sonics
Tiny Tony and The Statics
Stryker
Sugarloaf
Superband
The Titans
Totem
Merrilee and the Turnabouts
The Viceroys
The Wailers
It is sad to see this edifice now.  In its heyday, this was one of the "in" places to go and attracted the top bands on the Pacific Northwest music circuit.

We are in the process of compiling a list of the bands that performed at Perl's in the 60's.  If you had a band that played here, have a flyer or advertisement for gigs at Perl's, or remember seeing a particular band perform at this establishment, please let us know and we will add their name to the list of bands that performed here.  Send any information to our Webmaster.

"When we, the Sonics, would play there (Perl's), which we usually did about once a month, it would be packed to the rafters with dancers, and we would be playing as loud as we could. We could always count on Perl's wife to walk by the bandstand at least a dozen times a night holding a sign that she always kept in the back room that said, YOU ARE TOO DAMN LOUD!"

Andy Parypa, The Sonics, May 2001

Perl's was one of the "Pat O'Day circuit" hosting many, many NW bands and some national stars as well.  The last time I drove by it, the
building was still there, but the property is a storage site for Kitsap County road maintenance machinery - sad!

Dick Bowne, December 2008

The Chymes of Freedom played Perl's Ballroom 1967. Perl Maurer approached us on a break and said "you boys have to turn it down or you'll never play here again" we cranked it up, enjoying our moment in time.  The question was, did we really want to play there again?  The crowd loved it.  The bubble blowers inundated the crowd with massive bubble showers and my amp was so covered in soap I could no longer turn the knobs on the Vox Buckingham. I remember having flowers stuffed in around the framework of my amplifier.  Peace and Love

George Goins-Rhythm Guitar


If you have corrections, a neat photo or more information, please send it to:

Make a donation using PayPal.  It is fast, free and secure.

Credits: Andy Parypa, Sam Carlson, Jim Sola, Denny Randall, Denny Gore, Rudy Volkmann, Thomas Howell, Mark Black, Tom Walters, Jim Adams, Al Sprenger, Ken Huff, Ed Nodorozny, Walt Melewski, Bob Brannon, Tim Menees, Jeff Fleming, Joel Johnson, Dick Bowne, George Goins

Photo by:  S. Carlson
11 April 2009