Coachella a no-go? Hit up these L.A. events to quench music thirst

By August Brown

April 12, 2013 12 AM PT

As L.A.’s center of musical gravity shifts east to Coachella for the next two weekends, night life in the city will finally get some breathing room. No lines at the bar, cabs when you need them, an entire population of trustafarian party people otherwise occupied — why, it’s a veritable Eden of going out close to home.

Take advantage of the reprieve by hitting up some of these local events. Some are deliberate ripostes to Coachella, others just happen to fall on the calendar this week. But all will feel as refreshing as a cold beer in a 110-degree desert field.

Tribute to Coachella at the Satellite, Tuesday

The artists at this installment of the Silver Lake club’s monthly tribute series (a round-robin covers night that in the past has laid alms to Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath and more) will tackle the tunes of artists such as Nick Cave, Blur, New Order, Local Natives and other acts playing at this year’s Coachella fest. Get the same songs at none of the price (it’s free admission) or commute, courtesy of a varied bill of locals. https://www.thesatellitela.com.

TIMELINE: Coachella and Stagecoach

Zero Film Festival, Wednesday

This anti-Cannes highlights micro-micro-budgeted indie shorts. Ranging from mumblecore-relationship vignettes to apocalyptic disaster flicks, the festival is a rare chance for the smallest movies to get big screenings. The fest kicks off Wednesday at Space 1520 in Hollywood, but the party moves to the Standard Hotel downtown for DJ sets by Tim Sweeney (of DFA Records) and members of the post-punk quartet Warpaint.

Booka Shade at Sound, Thursday

The German house duo Booka Shade is known for adding live instrumentation to its minimal, spacious and often funky productions. It’s playing the actual festival in full regalia, but DJing an extra date at the Hollywood club between the fests. The two have been the tip of the spear for deeper house sounds for years, and now the genre seems to be catching up.

Brokechella at Six01 Studio, April 20

The third installment of this locals-only fest is quickly earning a reputation as the Puppy Bowl of Coachella season counterprogramming — the must-see show for everyone who doesn’t care for the main event. Held at the arts complex just east of the L.A. River, it culls some rising residency-circuit acts like Kera & the Lesbians, Body Parts and Mystery Skulls with a newly expanded hip-hop lineup (L.A. spitfire Nocando) and dance bill. Best part? Tickets are just $10, about the price of a sandwich in Indio this week.

Record Store Day, April 20

Is it convenient or lamentable that Record Store Day, the annual money-bomb event for local music stores, falls right in line with the two weeks everyone in L.A. is already spending tons of money on music? Neighborhood stores such as Origami Vinyl, Vacation Vinyl, Wombleton Records and others will host exclusive items, performances and sales to replicate the sweet Coachella feeling of dropping unexpected amounts of coin on some new jams.