CLUB REVIEW : Grounds Zero: Hippy, Dippy and Trippy

H omey isn’t a word that usually comes to mind when describing the live music clubs on Sunset Boulevard, but Grounds Zero is trying to change that. A mixture of hippie, dippy and somewhat trippy, the 5-month-old club has the advantage of doubling as a coffeehouse (thus the pun), and the aromatic blending of java, incense and down-to-earth music gives the colorful spot its comfy edge.

Although Grounds Zero isn’t breaking any new ground--it offers your typical coffeehouse fare of poetry readings, open-mike nights and offbeat wall art--it’s located on a stretch of Sunset that can definitely use a sense of community. With the rock ‘n’ roll Ralphs and an equally infamous Denny’s nearby, the neighborhood attracts groups of teens who hang out day and night on the street corners flanking the club.

Since Grounds Zero is an all-ages spot and usually cover-free, some of them are seeking refuge at the one-room coffeehouse, which offers them a chance to listen to the acoustic rock of such acts as Peyote Road and Engidi--two of May’s regularly featured acts. On the second and third Sundays of the month from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., a variety of local club deejays spin house, trance and techno music--a few of them popping in after working all night at after-hours clubs.

* Grounds Zero, 7554 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. All ages, cover varies. (213) 874-2261.