Garage surf rock, dream pop, the Burger Records collective and under-age bands that have permeated the music scene of LA over the past few years have a very special venue to thank for the rise of their success. The Smell has been around since 1998, run by the community and volunteers to keep an active art venue open to the public. The alcohol-free space has provided music and art lovers of all ages a place to engage and interact with new and popular artists alike without the party vibes that can occasionally run too deep in our lackadaisical city’s ethos.
Late last Friday afternoon L&R Group of Companies put demolition warnings on the businesses inhabiting the 200 block of Main St. in Downtown. The development group is known for building parking lots all across the city, and gave no notice as to when and how they would be moving forward.
The Smell is now raising funds towards buying a new building in Central Los Angeles in the hopes of keeping their community alive without the fear of eviction again. You can support their efforts through multiple avenues, all spelled out on their Go Fund Me campaign.