Goodnight LA: Gaslamp Killer and Friends Live at Sonos Studio, Los Angeles

The countdown to the end of Sonos Studio LA has begun. For three years, this venue has truly made its mark on LA’s map as a well-kept secret that unassumingly provided some of the best shows in the city during its sleuthy reign. Packed appropriately with wriggling warm bodies, the space hosted a “last hoorah” party Friday night featuring a live set from Jennylee of Warpaint as well as dj sets from YACHT, Daedelus, and Gaslamp Killer. This event gave any randy New Year’s Eve club party a run for its money as it provided all the festive elements needed for a proper send off.

LA’s gem YACHT spends much of their set playing fancy electro disco numbers, keeping the crowd alert and upbeat. As always, free cocktails flow like waterfalls making it even more merry of a night. This intimate space has maintained a reputable profile as one of LA’s best small venues to catch live sets of anything from panels and up and coming artists to major big wigs in the industry for three strong years. It is a shame to see it end its stay, but a pleasure to see it go out with a bang. Colorful glowing light balls strewn about the floor whimsically decorate the space. A net full of balloons tops the room waiting to burst and fall all over the crowd like confetti, presumably saved for later in the evening.

Daedelus takes over for YACHT and completely changes the pace of the night. It goes from casually passing with a bob and a nod to a raucous dance party in mere minutes. The rectangular room grows more stuffy as the cocktails flow freely and dancing bodies swarm about. The main stage eventually loses focus, as Daedelus steals the attention toward his hidden position behind the glow boxes stacked at the side of the room. Anything from funk to hip hop and ethnically ambiguous instrumentals are all free game. The way he blends them all together is so magnetic that everyone in the room turns to that side space dj booth and dance in approval whilst taking selfies.

Adding to the merriment, interns walk through and pass out glow sticks to each party goer, ultimately illuminating the room with a rainbow spectrum. Perhaps the funniest moments of this night are the instances in which Gaslamp Killer approaches crowd members to ask how they are doing and if they are having a good time, but they all do not recognize the bearded mystery man and brush him off as they would an uninvited party guest. Despite the misguided snubs, Gaslamp Killer seeks to ensure that everyone has a fantastic time dancing and enjoying the last night at the original Sonos Studio LA.

What is up next for Sonos LA? That remains to be seen. However, Sonos assures that its work in LA is not done and that while it tries to figure out its next step, the London location is still alive, well and open for visiting.

Rachel Zimmerman: Rachel Zimmerman (Long Beach, CA) joined the mxdwn team in 2011 as a Live Concert Reviewer. It was the perfect intersection of two of her greatest passions- music and writing. Her love for anything artistic manifested early in life as she designed clothing, created ceramic sculptures, and curated personal playlists for her peers in elementary and high school. As an avid fan of live music, she always found a way to see her favorite musical artists play, whether it was by babysitting enough to pay for tickets to shows or by winning tickets on the radio. Several years, concerts and festivals later, she worked her way up to her current position as Concert Review Editor for music.mxdwn.com. She especially enjoys sharing her love for music with her young nephew who has an affinity for rock and roll and jazz. Rachel continues to review concerts, interview artists and annually attend SXSW in Austin, TX on behalf of mxdwn.
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