All those clichés you hear about Los Angeles are true. We can't deny it. That's why the kids who really care about organically grown culture and music are amongst the realest in the world. We stay classy despite all the bullshit constantly raining down upon us, and we've learned long ago that if you wanna get down in LA—like really down—you gotta think a little outside of the club box. So with that in mind, here are ten things I love about clubbing in LA.
In a city known to say "let's do lunch" with the sincerity of politician in a used car lot, committed relationships are a daunting prospect. Pop-up clubs are the ideal fling for the nightclub-inclined and commitment-averse who know it's better to love briefly and with passion than be saddled with the obligations of forever.
9. Private Car Services
Photo credit: Beto Lopez
There once was a time when you couldn't get a taxi in LA even if you had $100 taped to your forehead and Magic Johnson in your crew. Now, thanks to services like Uber and Lyft, not only can you get from point A to B with a tap on your smartphone, you can also knock back a couple extra drinks, dance a little harder, and not worry about how you're gonna get home. Plus, those once-recalcitrant taxi drivers are suddenly competing for your business. Now who's got the Magic?
Photo credit: James ChildersFrom Angelyne to the guy who dresses like he is Jesus, LA is full of characters. Henry Pearlstein is one such character: the Most Ubiquitous Flyer Guy in Town. You're leaving The Echoplex at midnight? He's there. Oh, you're crawling out of Avalon at 4 AM? Henry's there, smiling, waiting to tell you where to go next weekend. Throughout all the hype cycles in LA, there are dudes like Henry whose sheer love for music keeps this city dancing.
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6. The Desert
Photo via Runwhileyoucan.org
You know that storyline in Mad Men when Don Draper gets wasted at a random pool party in Palm Springs but then he has to return to his mundane life in dreary New York City? When you live in LA, you can live that fantasy any weekend you want (and you never have to go back to New York). Get on the 10 and head east for two hours. Turn left for a renegade desert rave or right for a chillwave party at a mid-century modern hotel pool. Sure, you might have to put up with a little psy-trance at the former and some wannabe celebutant scenesters at the latter, but it's a small price to pay for an exotic dance party getaway and one of the most fun/weird ways to spend a weekend.
5. 9 AM
Do you know what 9 AM looks like on a Sunday morning in Brooklyn after a night out? It's a rotten wasteland of garbage and rats. Here, it's glorious. Many Angelenos have hiked Runyon Canyon and are well on their way to a kale salad brunch by the time New York club kids are stumbling to the kitchen for a glass of over-chlorinated tap water. When nightclubs close at 2AM, being a fully-functioning human the next day actually becomes a possibility. Plus, when you live in a city as beautiful as LA, there's no reason to stay in a dark, dingy club until dawn.
Everyone Lives Here
When you make it in dance music, you move to LA. Wanna go to Zumba class with Pete Tong, or a party where Skrillex is just a guy named Sonny? You can get your groceries where Sebastian Ingrosso's staff gets his. Just play it cool and promise not to fanboy it up. LA is a creative mecca because so many of the people creating culture call it home. And when they're home, most are as down to check out good music at the club as you are.
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3. Warehouses
LA's underground dance scene lives and breathes in the industrial district east of Downtown. Despite the authorities' best attempts, this is where the city finds absolution: dark, cavernous rooms, shrouded in smoke and filled with the intrepid. Don't ask us for the address, though. You'll have to figure that out for yourself.
2. Rooftop Pool Parties
Nothing says, "I've made it, mom!" like sipping on a fruity cocktail atop The Standard Downtown while the sun beats down and you're lulled into comfort by the summery drone of inoffensive deep house. These kinds of parties are what this city (and deep house) was made for. Pool party season runs from March to November in Los Angeles. Keep that in mind next time you're stowing your parka at coat check in June.
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When you make it in dance music, you move to LA. Wanna go to Zumba class with Pete Tong, or a party where Skrillex is just a guy named Sonny? You can get your groceries where Sebastian Ingrosso's staff gets his. Just play it cool and promise not to fanboy it up. LA is a creative mecca because so many of the people creating culture call it home. And when they're home, most are as down to check out good music at the club as you are.
