ABOVE: El Guincho photographed; notorious photo-unfriendly zone. Capture by Sung July 2010

Summer, 2000: One of the first shows I saw in Los Angeles was the Beachwood Sparks at Spaceland. Over the years I saw many wonderful shows at that venue. And time and again, after the blog started, we’d send photographers to shows there – always with the same results. Impossible room for photographs. I love that joint, everything about it. Shed a tear. We got this announcement today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8, 2010

SPACELAND HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

After 17 years of calling 1717 Silverlake Blvd home, Spaceland Productions the indie promoters who’ve booked some of the earliest shows for Beck, Weezer, Elliott Smith, White Stripes, Silversun Pickups, Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire and others – will be leaving the Silverlake venue which has become synonymous with the club night. The venue will now operate under the moniker of The Satellite and will have in house booking. Spaceland will have shows in the room through March, 2011 including a Melvins residency, the Los Angeles debuts of UK acts Vaccines and Yuck, and a dual Monday night residency in January with The Fling and Bell Brigade.

“It just reached a point where it was time for us to move on,” says Mitchell Frank who started Spaceland as a weekly club night in 1993. “We’ve had some incredible musical moments here, people met, fell in love, started life-long friendships, but it’s just time for a change.”

»continue reading R.I.P. Spaceland; Hello, Satellite

HEADS UP
Hit The Lights @ Knitting Factory Sun Oct 25

File under shame they can’t keep it going. Following Sunday if you want to check out the Knitting Factory you’ll need to be in Boise, Spokane, Brooklyn or, coming soon, Reno. Join us as we bid farewell to the venue and its three stages in the heart of Hollywood.

We have a few pairs of tickets to hand out at this time – and one grand prize winner will win a pair of tickets, free Hit The Lights merch and get to meet and greet the band if so desired (note: hitting the actual lights as you exit the Knitting Factory not included, though who’s to say that doesn’t happen as well). Simply put, if you’ve never been to the Knitting Factory over the last decade, this is your final opportunity. Entry instructions after the jump.

»continue reading Last Minute Ticket Giveaway: Hit The Lights @ Knitting Factory, Sunday: Last KF Show EVER

Thou Shalt Enjoy Live Music in Santa Monica Confines No Longer…

Temple Bar shuts its door end of September, further bolstering Santa Monica’s longstanding general disapproval of quality live music. Whether or not all of the acts previously booked on the west side will continue to crowd Little Temple (Silverlake; same owners) remains to be seen.

TEMPLE BAR: THE FINAL OFFERINGS
» The Soul of John Black Mon 9/29
» Farewell party w/Seneca; hosted by Carlos Niño (Dublab; KPFK Spaceways radio, Build an Ark, etc) with “Very Special Guests” Tues 9/30

» Myspace: The Soul of John Black
» Myspace: Fill The Heart Shaped Cup (Carlos Niño; Miguel Atwood-Ferguson)