All right, I’m not really a music reviewer so forgive me if I’ve mislead you by the subject header…but I really wanted to talk about the Avalon. I went there to see Sigur Ros. It was a free ticket and I’ve never been to the Avalon before so I was curious…I’ll just start with a little bit about the show.
Apparently Sigur Ros has quite a following and I had never heard about them before. Their opening act was these four women who played beautiful, ethereal music that you’d expect women dressed in prom gowns with Macs and violins to play. I’m not sure what they called themselves (Amina, I think) but the music soothed me and, I swear, made me float out of my body.
Anyway, then Sigur Ros follows up. They were so mellow and yet their fans were so surprisingly boisterous and rowdy. I thought it would be funny if people broke out into fistfights, but alas no luck. So, the music was all right. I liked the opening act better, I have to say. But SR had great stage production. I only liked a couple of their songs. Why is it that listening to something like Nine Inch Nails soothes me but then listening to quiet, sleepytime music just makes me really irate? Remote control culture? Hmm.
After awhile I decided to explore the venue. I was really curious about the infamous Spider Club since that’s where Nicole Richie’s fiance spins and where Lindsay Lohan parties alongside Paris Hilton…oh wait, they’re competing bff’s…. But the bar was gorgeous. I wish I had a real digicam with me but I had to satisfy myself with my sucky-ass cameraphone. The ceiling was the open sky as the roof looked to be a rolled-back canvas. The lounge was decorated like Rick’s from Casablanca — plush couches, rattan tables, decorative tiles EVERYwhere, wonderful basket-type hanging lanterns….my little fuzzy picture doesn’t do it justice. Looks like a bunch of spaceships, I know.
!https://photos23.flickr.com/33349048_d72e7d10bb.jpg(my picture of Spider Club lanterns)!
Since there was a show on, I had the chance to enjoy the lounge in an unusually low-key moment. The Sigur Ros crowd was equally low-key, dressed in their jeans and shirts..and tattoos. But the Avalon venue seemed very versatile. With its large general admission floor and benches/stairs, I could imagine how this concert hall could double as a dance club. The platforms where people were now lying around to listen to SR could be the dancefloor for a rave…the area where the light technicians worked the show could be the place where the djs spin.
The drinks were moderately priced: $6 for a Newcastle, $8 for a Jack and Coke. The staff seemed really nice. I liked how the waitresses dressed in black corsets, it set off nicely with the decor. But I’d be curious to visit this venue again when a club is going on.
1735 Vine St
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 462-8900
Cross Street: Hollywood Boulevard