Red-Hot Opium Den Is Really Smokin’

When word first got out that promoter Brent Bolthouse was going to open a new club at the old Gaslight location in Hollywood, the news was met with the usual dose of scenester cynicism. The truth is, as much as this city thrives on change, any night-life additions are immediately subject to intense scrutiny. Most club crawlers like their underground music clubs just as they are--equipped with lousy sound systems, dingy interiors and plenty of rock ‘n’ roll soul. Like the Central in West Hollywood, now the home of the Viper Room, the Gaslight--a pivotal underground club of the ‘80s and early ‘90s--was one memorable dump, a hard place to have a bad time.

It’s been a year since Bolthouse and his partners officially opened the Opium Den as a live club with a performance by the Geraldine Fibbers, and although it took a lot of convincing, the club is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Despite Bolthouse’s connections--the promoter was an original owner of the star-studded restaurant Babylon and ran the popular floating disco dance club Saturday Night Fever--it wasn’t an easy road. No matter who you know in L.A., it’s the regular clientele who makes or breaks a club. And if there’s no buzz on the street directing them to a venue, it’s D.O.A.

Wisely, the Opium Den directed its effort toward the music. The immediate changes to the club were directed at clearing up its bad acoustics and sound. A brick wall separating a small billiard room from the stage area was removed and a touring quality sound system was installed.

“I got tired of seeing all my friends’ bands play at clubs that made them sound terrible,” says Bolthouse, who also manages local bands. “I would think to myself, ‘I know this is a good band, and I can’t listen to them sound so bad.’ So I opened the Opium Den with that in mind.”

Surely, the bands have benefited. Monday night’s promotion, a KROQ tie-in called Zeke’s Backyard--named after deejay Zeke Piestrup, who showcases local bands weekly--has evolved into one of the most forceful nights of live music in the city. The breakout bands that perform at the club on Mondays are pretty staggering--such L.A. artists as No Doubt, 311, the Eels and New York’s Helmet have performed surprise sets at Zeke’s.

But it’s not simply the name acts that make this club worth noting. Despite all the usual “the scene is dead” allegations, the Opium Den provides a comfortable space for local bands to develop their sound by booking acts in their infancy and allowing them to return frequently.

Although on Fridays and Saturdays the Opium Den turns into a deejay-driven dance club for the weekender crowd, Thursdays offer one of the best dance parties in town. Ozomatli, one of the hottest bands on the circuit, has blown up during its three-month stint at the Den. An L.A. phenomenon, Ozomatli is a Latin jazz, hip-hop, funk-driven ensemble composed of a dozen musicians and vocalists that packs the place solid; among the regulars are Wesley Snipes, Alyssa Milano and Leonardo DiCaprio.

But the band is outgrowing the space and will be moving on by the end of May to a bigger venue. If the Opium Den keeps on track, however, it’ll be scouring the streets for the next big club thing in its place.

BE THERE

Opium Den, 1605 N. Ivar Ave., Hollywood, (213) 466-7800. 21 and over, cover varies.