Dance, dance revolution

Ask any dance music devotee and they’ll tell you, there was nothing quite like the turn of the millennium in Southern California. Warehouse parties were jam-packed and marquee talent like Paul Oakenfold, Groove Armada and Carl Cox were drawing record numbers to L.A.’s raves. But it was the advent of the super-club that made the rest of the country sit up and take notice.

At Circus Disco on Santa Monica Boulevard, ticket lines for Dave Dean’s Giant club snaked up and down the parking lot as the venue’s massive sound system thumped in the background. Skinny, pigtailed girls wearing pants big enough for two queued up with porcupine-haired, fake-baked muscleheads just waiting for an excuse to remove their shiny shirts. Step out of line and you got sent to the back. Get through the line and another awaited you around the corner.

It was a mainstream dance music explosion the likes of which this town had never seen, but after a string of local partnerships gone bad, the global effect of 9/11 and the passing of Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s RAVE Act in 2002 (which gave authorities power to prosecute club owners as they would drug dealers for narcotics-related infractions in their establishments), the scene lost some of its luster. Lately, however, a new generation of technically savvy, musically eclectic scenesters has helped stimulate L.A.’s club culture.

With the help of underground veterans Red, Circus Disco pulls in a solid share of Saturday night partygoers, while Dave Dean’s Giant now has a home at the ultra-deluxe Vanguard. In addition to Dean, Vanguard has partnered with seasoned SoCal rave promoter Pasquale Rotella (Insomniac Events) and local bookers to curate each of the venue’s four areas. Just down the road at Avalon, Garrett Chau -- in conjunction with Spundae, Liquified, Go Ventures and One Promotions -- is cultivating a different kind of late-night aesthetic with Avaland. Although the last seven years have seemed like a big game of musical chairs, the current landscape guarantees that dance music fans will have no shortage of options for big room electronic entertainment.

Memorable nights

Since opening in the fall of 2003 at the site of the old Palace Theatre, Avalon has used rock ‘n’ roll know-how, a top-of-the-line EAW Avalon Series sound system, and a versatile stage setup to create a concert-like atmosphere for some of the world’s biggest DJs. Techno legends Richie Hawtin and Jeff Mills played in front of a “Tron”-inspired neon backdrop, complete with futuristic go-go dancers, while the production crew replicated a subway station for New York City legend Danny Tenaglia. On Sept. 1, John Digweed graced his followers with a marathon set that rolled over into the early morning hours. But Chau is quick to discount the notion that Avaland is only interested in booking the industry’s biggest names.

“After 9/11 there was a flame-out that carried over from Europe to the States, and the U.S. promoters wanted to go for the safe bets because that helped them fill the club,” he explains. “The problem when you do that is that you’re not making an investment in new talent.”

The lineup for Avaland’s “Fall/Winter Series” is testament to that investment. Along with crowd favorites like Sander Kleinenberg (October), Nick Warren (November) and Erick Morillo (December), Chau and his team have booked in a diverse selection of cutting-edge dance music artists to round out the remainder of 2007, including Eric Prydz, Loco Dice, M.A.N.D.Y. and a live performance from Denmark’s Trentemøller. A residency with tech-house darling Matthew Dear is on tap for 2008.

“We’re really trying to push a more underground sound that doesn’t necessarily have that mass commercial appeal,” says Liquified’s Damian Murphy, who also organizes a popular “Made in Brazil” night at Avaland every few months.

When the mezzanine is open, Avalon’s holds about 1,500 clubbers, including 300 on the semi-outdoor terrace upstairs, where the Urban LA Nights and Droog DJ crews can be heard. If you fancy a more refined experience, reserve a table at Honey, the upscale bistro located adjacent to the club, and fill up on a plate of seared goat cheese-stuffed chicken or a slice of banana walnut chocolate cake. VIP bottle service with the best view of the stage is also available inside Avalon.

“If you have a great party and put together all the right elements, you have a memorable night,” says Avalon co-owner John Lyons. “I believe the thing that makes people go back to a place and make a scene grow is a string of those memorable nights.”

Electronic buzz

Formerly the cavernous warehouse space Qtopia, Vanguard debuted on Hollywood Boulevard in the summer of 2005. From the 50 dedicated VIP areas to the epic Funktion One sound system, CEO Jordan Birnbaum has spared no expense in making it a premiere West Coast destination for dance music. Though its capacity is about that of Avalon, its sprawling horizontal layout (21,000 square feet) and multiple rooms provide more dedicated areas for patrons to mingle. At the north end, a lush outdoor patio features a full bar with music from the main room piped in at a conversation-friendly volume. Upstairs, the One-Up Lounge has a glass-partitioned balcony that overlooks the main room, and a newly remodeled front room -- called the Front -- combines modern design and old-school charm.

The most noticeable change, however, has to do with the music selection. While the upcoming lineup for Dean’s Giant includes A-list talent like Roger Sanchez, Bob Sinclar, Armand Van Helden (and a live set from Sasha and Spooky in the main room), the other areas will feature less electronic fare. The One-Up Lounge will spin a mix of hip-hop and R&B;, while the Front will showcase a blend of indie, dance-rock, and mash-ups.

Giant regular Jason Kaufman, 24, noticed a few more pork pie hats and push-up bras, but nothing that would alter his opinion that Vanguard is “still the place to be on Saturday night.”

Birnbaum believes the changes will deliver the best of both worlds. “It’s our intention to be an electronic music dance club from here to eternity,” he says, “but I think bringing a different pace and a different energy is much more compelling.”

“The music will always evolve, but the venue has to evolve with it,” adds Dean, who was voted best American club promoter in ’00 and ’01 by e-music bible Urb Magazine. “Ironically, Giant is doing better than ever after seven years.”

Furthermore, Dean’s partnership with Insomniac’s Pasquale Rotella will help galvanize Giant’s reach beyond the 21-and-older club setting. This weekend’s 13th annual Nocturnal Festival, Rotella’s famous 18-and-older motley massive, will be hosted at the same downtown location as Giant’s New Year’s event, and is expected to draw upward of 20,000 people.

“I think there’s a whole load of American kids who were brought up with electronic music happily coexisting with all types of music,” says Tom Rowlands of festival co-headliners the Chemical Brothers. “They feel repetitive electronic music can be just as much fun as Green Day. They don’t have the prejudices of former generations.”

Plenty of business

The epicenter for the super-club boom early in this decade, Circus Disco has seen more than 20 million people come through its doors since it opened 30-plus years ago. Because Gene La Pietra owns the property and isn’t saddled with a hefty rent payment, Circus can keep its drink and cover charges reasonably priced. Gay nights on Tuesdays and Fridays offer a mix of disco, hip-hop, house and Latin music in the venue’s three rooms, but Red on Saturday night keeps things strictly electronic, with house music upstairs and a mix of high-energy techno and trance downstairs. While you’re more likely to find the latest “it” DJs performing at Vanguard and Avalon, Red continues to book quality artists like Filo & Peri and Underworld cohorts Pig & Dan. This weekend sees hard acid trance veteran Micro hitting the decks.

“We don’t have to be the leaders in the music industry,” La Pietra says. “Someone else can do that. Once we find out what works, we’ll pick out the good stuff. We want to play music people enjoy, and we don’t use our customers as guinea pigs.”

You may run into a few patrons that bring their own light show, but the Day-Glo candy ravers who once ruled the outdoor patio are long gone. (The patio’s taco vendor, thankfully, is not.) The club’s main room has recently been outfitted with a new 10,000-square-foot white oak dance floor, and La Pietra is continually making tweaks and additions to the lighting setup.

When asked whether the burgeoning scenes at Avalon and Vanguard will provide stout competition to his Santa Monica Boulevard institution, La Pietra just smiles. “After you’ve been around 34 years, the word ‘competition’ doesn’t come into your dialogue,” he says. “A lot has to do with our mentality of not looking at the competition. We stay focused on taking care of the people right in front of us, not looking over our shoulder.”

If three super-clubs weren’t enough, Crobar, the longtime Chicago staple that once thrived in New York and Miami, soon will be getting a Hollywood Boulevard address. Many have said that the scene can’t support another super-club, but some see the positive benefits.

“It’s important to have a couple of big clubs in a city like L.A.,” says Digweed, who will ring in the L.A. New Year for the sixth year in a row. “It keeps the promoters on their toes to keep the standard high at their events, which in turn is great for the crowd.”

La Pietra agrees. “We live in a city of 4 million and a county of 10 million,” he reasons. “Believe me, there’s plenty of business for everybody.”

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Bringing back the beat

Saturday night’s all right . . .

Avaland at Avalon

This week: Victor Calderone and Dan De Leon. 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood. 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. $5 to $25.

Upcoming: Trentemøller in concert, Ivan Smagghe, Ryan Elliott (Oct. 6); Martin Buttrich (live), Loco Dice, Droog (Oct. 13).

www.avalonhollywood.com.

Red at Circus Disco

This week: DJ Micro. 6655 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. $15 to $20.

Upcoming: Jon Bishop (Oct. 6); Lexicon Ave. (Oct. 13).

www.circusdisco.com.

Giant at Vanguard

This week: Colette (live) and Andy Caldwell

6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. $15 to $25.

Upcoming: Sasha + Spooky live (Oct. 6); Above & Beyond (Oct. 20).

www.vanguardla.com.

Festival fare

Nocturnal Festival

Featuring the Chemical Brothers, Paul Van Dyk, Carl Cox, Junkie XL and others. 836 Francisco St., downtown L.A. 18 and older. 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. $50 to $65 general admission; $80 to $150 VIP. www.nocturnalfestival.com.

Neighborhood Festival

Featuring the Faint, Chromeo, Spank Rock, DJ AM and others. Exposition Park, 3911 S. Figueroa St., L.A. All ages. 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. $40 general admission, $80 VIP (21+). www.neighborhoodmusicfest.com.

Weekly picks

Monday

The Monday Social at Nacional, 1645 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood.

www.budbrothers.com.

Tuesday

Dim Mak Tuesdays at Cinespace, 6356 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

www.dimmak.com/events.

Wednesday

Bassrush at Cinespace, 6356 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

www.bassrush.com.

Thursday

Dance Right at La Cita, 336 S. Hill St., downtown L.A.

www.danceright.net.

Friday

PYT at Jimmy’s Lounge, 6202 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood.

www.myspace.com/pytfridays.

Saturday

Check Yo Ponytail at Echoplex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park.

www.myspace.com/checkyoponytail

Sunday

Deep at Vanguard, 6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

www.deep-la.com.