02.23.08
west side music scene
LAist had a provocative article several months back about the dearth of good music, and good music venues on the west side, in the context that tickets were still available to a Rilo Kiley show at the Santa Monica Civic Center.
Rilo Kiley have a new record out, their first video for it “Moneymaker” was hot as hell (see below), and pretty much every new band name checks them as a band and definitely Jenny Lewis. Plus they’re bringing two other really good bands, The Bird and the Bee, and Grand Ole Party with em. So why aren’t the kids from the westside filling the joint?
Because the westside is soft and has no taste. Just as always, just as it will always be. Bet ya Good Charlotte would sell out in minutes there. Bet Daughtry could pack the place overnight. It’s all why there are no great clubs over there, it’s why there aren’t any good bands coming from there, it’s why real bands don’t want to play there.
There is truth to this — the “east side” — Hollywood, Silverlake, and Echo Park — certainly dominate the live music scene in Los Angeles. After spending a year in Los Feliz, walking to wonderful venues like The Derby, Tangier, the Greek Theatre, etc, moving to the West Side was disappointing for seeing live music. A few bars had small corners for live music, with dry rock music or even jam bands, but nothing like the vibrant indie scene going on 8 miles east.
But lately I’ve found some venues that have been booking good bands, and with local support, have the potential to bring more shows over.
The Air Conditioned Supper Club on Lincoln Blvd., not to be confused with the Air Conditioned Wine Bar on Pico Blvd, is a popular night club in Venice. There are crowds of attractive people lining up to get on the weeknights to dance to club/hip hop music. But on Tuesday nights, their stage turns over to rock bands and the occasional pole dancer. They have a taco special and no cover, so its a good bet to check out.
The Temple Bar consistently books excellent hip hop, rock, and world music at their beautiful bar in Santa Monica on Wilshire. Parking is pretty easy at metered spaces, and the covers are usually $5 or $10, cheaper if you get there earlier. I recently saw The Elevaters, a 6 piece live hip hop/soul group that had the best live performance I’ve seen in a long time. The trio of MCs played off each other beautifully with charisma I’ve not seen in a hip hop group. Their performance features falsettos, soul, rapid fire verses, beat boxing, and congas. Check out the Temple Bar website for upcoming shows.
Good Hurt, on Venice Blvd in Mar Vista, has a nice interior with a bar, booths, a pool table, and a stage. The acoustics are mediocre, and they have a tendency to charge $10 bucks cover on a weeknight for no-name bands, but they do book live music on an almost nightly basis. I question their marketing, which heavily emphasizes the female bartenders with nurse outfits that emphasize cleavage. Not that there is anything wrong with this, but I don’t think a single bartender — no matter what her bra size — is enough to get this place going, and I’ve yet to see more than 20 folks attend a show. Then again I’ve never been on a weeknight, and looking at their website, last night they have a 20 piece Brazilian percussion band, and played “BRAZILIAN BOOTY SHAKIN’ DANCE PARTY,” which, to these ears, is totally dope. Looks like they are coming back on March 7th — cya there?
And. . . thats all I got, west of the 405. Am I missing anything? Let me know.