Ms Lev recently visited The Edison club that we posted about recently, and put her review of the venue in the comments – however I’m so glad she took the time to write, I’m going to put it in a post of its own. Her opinions are of course, her own – particularly with respect to concerns about future clientele. smiles

“After reading about The Edison here on Brass Goggles, I decided that it would be a good place to go on a Valentine’s day dinner with my boyfriend, Kit (who you guys might know as artist/designer Anachronaut, mentioned on this blog a couple of posts back).

The journey to The Edison was surreal in its juxtaposition of rich and poor…

As we walked from the car, we passed by two homeless people, sleeping on the pavement under blankets. An elderly homeless lady with short hair and high socks wheeled her shopping cart across the street, while a group of well-dressed LA types crossed the adjacent street. Downtown LA at night feels as sinister as it looked in Blade Runner, only emptier; it’s interesting to note that the tunnel that Deckard drives through is located near the Edison.

The entrance to the building was in an alley called Harlem. There was a huge bouncer in a well-fitting suit standing outside. This man was so big, his mass blocked the entire door. He examined our ID’s, and I could see his eyes going over our clothes, our shoes, in evaluation. He stepped aside and let us in.

The interior was everything that I hoped it would be, and more. A giant chandelier made of amber-tinted lights loomed in the lobby, and everywhere I turned there were luxurious antique leather couches and armchairs. We descended downstairs, into the basement of the building. From there, it was room after room after room of industry-meets-luxury. The ceilings were impossibly tall, and there were silent films projected on the stone walls. There were giant, open rooms with scattered clusters of antique-looking bulbs, and the power plant’s original machinery remained intact decorated the different rooms. There was one room that looked like it was filled with rows of metal generators (I’m not sure what they were, I’ll ask next time). There were giant mirrors with ornate frames, with paintings of silent film stars like Louise Brooks painted over the glossy surface. Even the bathrooms maintained the theme, with artwork on the walls and polished and stained wooden bathroom stalls! There was a big stage built for bands playing, and a large dancefloor. I remember passing by a display case that contained an old gramophone horn and some old bottles.

It would be my dream to go to an industrial club night here, or to see Meredith Yayanos play her violin up on that stage. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll happen. The amount suited-up bouncers, and the general look of the patrons (all of whom looked like Hollywood Doucehbags) signals to me that this place will be VIP, and it will be for rich people, not alternative culture. It just opened last week and you can walk in for free, but I predict that it won’t be long before they start charging admission to get in, and being selective about admission, and before the place starts being rented out for private parties filled with more Hollywood Douchebags.

Nevertheless, my friends and I will dress up in our finest and go there while we still can. Maybe it’ll become a place for us to go. Maybe not. I’ll keep you posted.

Nadya Lev”