Stacked Weekend for LA's Underground Party Scene
LA’s underground party scene is like no other. On any given weekend, there is a chance you can catch some of the biggest names in dance music—or any other genre, really—in small, intimate venues such as warehouses. Sure, these events may not always have air conditioning; it may take forever to find parking; and occasionally they fail to live up to whatever expectations you had that night. But most of them are freakin’ awesome—including the two that happened over the last few days.
The first one went down on Thursday, May 4. It was a collaborative event thrown by the Skrillex-owned DJ label OWSLA and Free Grilled Cheese—one of the biggest players in LA’s underground event scene. The RSVP-only event was thrown as a celebration for the release of HOWSLA—a collaboration between Skrillex and Chris Lake, a 34 year old British producer/DJ.
If you were lucky enough to RSVP for the event—and receive the address via email—then you had a pretty rad night. Entry was $20, and it was probably the smartest way to spend $20 in LA. (Seriously, try to find another event out here that is going to give you all of this for only 20 bucks).
The party was in a two-story warehouse. Everyone in attendance had access to an open bar all night; free tacos and grilled cheese; as well as a fun-filled rooftop area equipped with a boxing ring, skate ramp and other things that probably aren’t smart to do while drunk (still fun, though).
The party aspect of the night was equally as dope as the amenities offered. The lineup was a complete surprise to those in attendance, and it consisted of a number of producers/DJs including Ghastly, Mija, Chris Lake and a few other big names. They didn't dissapoint, as the various rooms were constantly packed with a diverse crowd looking to dance all night. The sound and lighting at these kind of events is never quite up to par with typical LA nightclubs, but that’s okay. The emphasis on all of the other aspects of the party allows it to thrive and exist as a completely different kind of experience.
This can lead to some interesting encounters…
Adult film star Janice Griffith—a frequent attendee of these kind of events—could be found dancing and socializing in the main room for most of the night.
At one point, we overheard a guy bragging to his friends about cutting Ghastly in line for the the restroom; we don’t know if that was true, but the LA-based producer/DJ could be seen walking throughout the event while interacting with fans. That’s not a typical part of LA’s club scene, and it is moments like these that set underground dance events apart from LA’s other nightlife options.
Later in the weekend—on Saturday May 6—another LA-based company, Brownies and Lemonade, hosted a party called Double Cross with a headlining performance from Baauer—a 28 year old producer/DJ who has collaborated with the likes of Jay-Z and No Doubt. This one took place in an actual nightclub, Union in LA, but it still had that underground feel due to the fact the B&L has been throwing some of the scene’s most successful parties for the last few years.
Over the last year, B&L events have transitioned from warehouses to nightclubs, but the vibes—as well as the price of admission—have remained relatively the same. The event was free until 10 PM and $15 if you got there a little late (only about half as much as any of LA’s mainstream clubs).
While the food and drinks were not free, this event was just as much fun as the previous one. With a number of different rooms offering a wide array of dance music, the party was jumping from the moment people started to stream in. B&L can always be counted on to deliver a diverse lineup of up and coming artists, as well as some of the biggest names in the genre.
Diversity in the lineup leads to diversity in the crowd; diversity in the crowd leads to unique experiences as well as an atmosphere that everyone enjoys partying in. Whether you are a big time fan of dance music or not, you would have had fun at this event. Each room served as its own mini-party, offering something a little different from the last one.
Both of these events were awesome and affordable, and that’s hard to come by in LA. In addition to being fun and cheap, there’s just something unique and genuine about these events; the individuals throwing them can be seen throughout the crowd; they’re engaged and really seem to care about their product and the crowd that attends. It just feels right.
If you are a fan of dance music—or if you just like turning up—keep your eyes and ears open for underground events like this, and follow the companies that throw them.
