Avalon Hollywood

Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, but oddly enough, its nightclub scene didn’t mature until recently. For a long time, LA paled in comparison to New York’s embrace of dance music, and was more known for underground events and desert parties.

Avalon is one of the spots that turned the city’s electronic music scene around in the past decade. This historic venue has been around for almost 100 years, starting out as The Hollywood Playhouse in 1927 and undergoing several transformations before it became Avalon in 2002. This venue has seen it all, with everyone from The Ramones to Frank Sinatra to Skrillex performing here.

Deorro at Avalon Hollywood, Los Angeles, California © Demxx | Flickr

If you want to see Avalon at its best, check out one of their CONTROL events, which have been praised for their unique blend of dance, hip hop and bass music. I got to enjoy the sounds 12^th Planet during one such event. Having been to Avalon a few years before, I can say the 2014 renovation was a huge improvement, and really cements the club as one of Los Angeles’ best.

While the exterior retains its classic, Spanish colonial architecture, the sound system inside has been overhauled, along with an amazing system of lights and lasers. The venue is big, but also gets pretty crowded, thanks to a 24-hour license. The place empties out a bit after 1 a.m., but retains its energy. Although there are some dead zones around the edges, the sound is top notch on the dance floor.

Avalon hosts CONTROL on Friday nights, a great time to check out this L.A. club.