SHOW TIME: What better way to make...

SHOW TIME: What better way to make a splash for a new concert venue than to open with a concert by Ice-T? His hard-rock band Body Count--of “Cop Killer” notoriety--will be on stage July 24 when a new series of concerts is inaugurated at the old El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. The group has signed to play at the 1,200-seat facility, a one-time vaudeville and movie house, which will go under the name Electric Ballroom for pop concerts. The opening weekend will also feature a July 25 concert by pop group Cause & Effect and a July 26 marathon featuring 10 unsigned bands that are regulars in the Sunset Strip rock clubs.

Mike Maize, co-owner of the Rock Vision promotions firm, says that so far he’s had no resistance from authorities about the booking.

“I’ve talked to the North Hollywood vice squad and the fire marshal and the police commission, and they didn’t bat an eye,” Maize says.

Still, he will be calling in triple his usual security forces to oversee the event. “We want to assure that the neighboring businesses are well taken care of,” he says.

Those businesses certainly remember the last rock concert that was held at the site: a 1989 show by punk group Bad Religion that was shut down by fire marshals who thought the building was overcrowded. Disgruntled fans went on a rampage, breaking windows at several nearby businesses.