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L.A. City Beat: Club Scene Los Angeles (Avalon, Spundae, Vanguard, Nacional etc)
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http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.p...66&IssueNum=175
Comparison Clubbing
Forget pricey Top 40 joints – these dance spots are the real deal
~ By DENNIS ROMERO ~
Photo by Alexx Henry
~ Scenes from a nightclub: Dancers, fans, and an ultimate fighter named Rocco (with fists) at Avalon ~
If clubbers acted more like consumers and less like cattle, many Hollywood hipster venues would be ghost towns. Ultimately, what does a night at one of these spots get you? You pay $15 to $20 for valet parking (or sometimes just for lot parking), another $20 or so to get in, maybe $20 or more to bribe a bouncer, and at least $10 per drink (that is, if you don’t spring for the $250 bottle service/table reservation, a true steal). And what are you treated to for your hard-earned dollars? Music you can hear on Top 40 radio, rude bartenders, and, perhaps, a chance to see Paris Hilton. Hot.
Now admit it: The same people who shell out needlessly for this abuse spend the rest of their time trolling eBay for deals and waiting for the Barneys summer warehouse sale. What gives? Next time you go out, consider music, price, and service. Here’s our shopping list:
Avalon Hollywood. The 1,400-capacity venue is essentially Los Angeles’s first “super-club.” And by that we mean it’s been a pioneering big room dedicated to modern DJ culture. Sure, other large clubs accommodate DJs – and we will stipulate that Avalon is a dual-use room with a separate live system for concerts. But the venue’s principals have witnessed the evolution and profit potential of e-music culture and have justly given folks like Sasha, Ferry Corsten, and Kazell a home with proper sound (the city’s best) and lighting. What’s more, the venue, which just celebrated its third anniversary in Hollywood, multitasks with VIP tables, the conjoined hipster spot called Spider Club, and an attached restaurant, Honey. Why would other places put money into décor and remodeling, and then hook up with promoters who have little more to offer than Top 40 tastes? Clubs like Avalon, with in-house booking and promotion on Saturdays, prove that if you build it patiently, they will come. (1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood. 21+. Info: 323-462-8900 or Avalonhollywood.com.)
Vanguard. If Avalon is the big-room champion, its title is not undisputed. When Vanguard officially opened in the summer of ’05, it rattled Avalon’s cage with its own world-class sound (a U.K.-bred Funktion One system), claims of a larger, 1,500-plus capacity, and a sublime outdoor patio with a fountain and giant Buddha keeping things Zen. If only it allowed DJs outdoors. Vanguard also has top-flight DJ bookings on Saturdays (Giant) and Sundays (Deep), with high-energy drum ’n’ bass nights holding down a Wednesday promotion called Funktion. And, like Avalon, the bookings are made with the heavy influence of in-house personnel, namely club partner Pasquale Rotella, a veteran of electronic-music massives. The spot also has a VIP room, Asian American nights on Fridays, and other bling-crazed parties that can only subsidize the good stuff. (6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 18+. Info: 323-463-3331 or Vanguardla.com.)
Circus. Only five years ago, Circus was king of the dance clubs by default. With a capacity of 1,800, it was arguably the largest dance floor in the city, and on Saturdays Giant brought super-club-style nights to L.A., with DJs ranging from Carl Cox to Paul Van Dyk. The ownership was happy to have the full-house crowds and the spotlight, but it never really seemed to “get it.” Several promoters later, the ’70s-era disco has been leapfrogged by venues that do, despite minimal remakes, claims of larger capacity, and even an EAW Avalon series set-up. (They must be flattered over on Vine Street.) Some feel that if the venue invested in a serious remodel, it could be tops again. Saturday night’s Spundae promotion crew, however, is earnest and true to the music. Fans of trance and cutting-edge, up-tempo DJs from around the world will certainly get their money’s worth. (6655 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. 21+. Info: 323-462-1291 or Circusdisco.com.)
Zanzibar. The area’s premier small-to-midsize room is another purpose-built venue. An image of a turntable even figures into the club’s branding. It’s a loungy, vibe-y spot with sexy service and an upscale crowd of Westsiders and Euro-tourists. The place is booked Tuesdays through Sundays with critically acclaimed DJ nights, including KCRW-FM DJ Jason Bentley’s bossa:nova parties on Fridays, the world-flavored Afro Funke night Thursdays, and Haul & Mason’s mix-and-match extravaganza, Quality, on Saturdays. Zanzibar has been so successful that people line up regardless of who’s promoting. That’s what we call building a crowd one record at a time. (1301 Fifth St., Santa Monica. 21+. Info: 310-451-2221 or Zanzibarlive.com.)
King King. Hollywood’s answer to Zanzibar is just as well booked, with Balance burning down the house on Saturdays, Compression hosting monthly techno sessions (techno cocreator Juan Atkins was a guest), and special shows and one-offs ranging from rock opera to cabaret filling out each week’s lineup. This is another operation that understands: You can’t have a dance club without serious, consistent dance music. The venue is minimal and airy, the staff is friendly, and the prices are some of the best in the Hollywood Boulevard party zone. (6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 21+. Info: 323-960-9234 or Kingkinghollywood.com.)
Little Temple. This is the Silver Lake-based little sister of Santa Monica’s acclaimed, live-oriented Temple Bar. The site of the defunct club Garage, now candle-lit and Zen-flavored, is focused and on-point – no revolving door for promoters here: The Root Down on Thursdays gives the city a needed dose of organic, jazz- and Latin-flavored hip-hop; Sonida Herra on Sundays goes progressively reggaeton; and there’s even a women’s night called Ladies’ Touch. (4519 Santa Monica Blvd., Silver Lake. 21+. Info: 323-660-4540 or Littletemple.com.)
Mor. This cozy, small-to-midsize Moroccan-themed club on Santa Monica’s Main Street provides a public service – mainly a respite from all the cheesy frat-hop and yuppie courtship happening down the block. Mor’s ownership is dance-centric, so it remains home to the Moontribe DJs’ always well-attended nights called, simply, $2 Tuesdays. The price, not to mention the tribal techno, is quite a contrast to the Hollywood and Vine scene. (2941 Main St., Santa Monica. 21+. Info: Themorbar.com.)
The Echo. The whole electroclash-meets-shoegazing-teenagers thing isn’t really ours, but we have to give The Echo credit for at least having vision, soul, and consistency. This Echo Park dive is the place to see new talents push the boundaries of DJ culture and electronic rock. At times it can feel like you’re in some postmodern CBGB (R.I.P.). The venue is home to the forward-thinking Bootie L.A. mash-up showcases, and it gives legendary house and dub producer Tom Chasteen a base at the Dub Club every Wednesday. If you arrive before 10 p.m. on that night, you’ll get in free. Long live The Echo. (1822 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. 18+. Info: 213-413-8200 or Attheecho.com.)
Ivar. A midsize venue with multiple personalities, Ivar’s mood lighting and translucent walls recall the superior club scenes of New York, London, and Miami. And yet, the place has suffered from promoter fatigue and a lack of direction. Serious dance nights don’t seem to be around long enough to get a grip. We’ll give the place credit for hosting Satisfaction on Thursdays, with progressive-house DJs in the mix. But we won’t hold our breath. (6356 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 21+. Info: 323-465-4827 or Ivar.cc.)
Nacional. It’s a typical Hollywood clubland story: Multilevel midsize venue opens amid much hype about Hollywood revitalization and becomes paparazzi-stalking hot spot with hip-pop as the soundtrack, only to turn, in its relative golden years, to DJ culture for sustenance. This age-old tale involved the revitalizing talents of the Monday Social and its founders, Mick Cole and Freddy Be, who know DJ culture like few others. So, while the rest of the world waits in line with a thousand other people to see the likes of star DJ Danny Howells (coming to Nacional October 29), you can rub shoulders with him at the buzzing Social. The end. (1645 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood. 21+. Info: 323-962-7712.) |
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