Music on LoanFists punch the air in...

Music on Loan

Fists punch the air in unison at a Cypress Hill concert inside the Vault 350, which has attracted the headlining hip-hop group largely due to its laid-back, un-corporate feel. Open for nearly three years, the 1,000-person venue is housed in a 1927 bank building on bustling Pine Avenue. “It’s intimate--people are live out here--it’s just a good vibe,” says B Real, Cypress Hill’s lead rapper. He’s relaxing after the show in one of several old bank vaults with original steel doors in the club’s maze-like basement. Upstairs, fans file out of the main room and wind down the stairs from the mezzanine to enjoy dinner and drinks in booths with fabulous views of the stage. In the cozy VIP lounge, Power 106 wraps up a live broadcast. “This venue is real,” says DJ Felli Fel. “It’s the perfect size to throw a concert like this--the bar is just behind you, and the stage is right in front of you.”

THE VAULT 350, 350 Pine Ave. (888) 80-VAULT

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AN UPSWING IN DOWNTOWN

In April the Urban Land Institute’s magazine, Urban Land, named downtown Long Beach among the top 10 downtown turnarounds in the country. About a decade ago the area was filled with vacant buildings and got little foot traffic. Redevelopment efforts have added 1,500 residential units in the past four years.

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ART & ARCHITECTURE

The East Village Arts District lies just east of Pine Avenue. There you’ll find the Museum of Latin American Art as well as a series of tiny galleries and a collection of funky shops and restaurants. The neighborhood association will host a tour of the area on June 9. For more information, go to www.eastvillage artsdistrict.com.

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ONE THING TO DO

It’s Shaken, Not Stirred

It would be a crime to drink anything less than the finest of cocktails at the bar inside the Madison restaurant. The 1920s bank building (yes, Long Beach has a thing for converting bank buildings) is stunning in its elegance. The towering mahogany-paneled walls, painted ceiling and antique crystal chandeliers speak to a more decadent time, while the giant bar brings a literal meaning to the term “top shelf liquors.” As customers twirl the olives in their martinis--which, as seems proper, appears to be the most popular drink in the place--the bartender rolls a ladder along the wall and climbs it to reach a pricey bottle of cognac. 102 Pine Ave., (562) 628-8866.

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MY FIND

Designer toys are picking up steam as collector’s items. This Qee, designed by graffiti-inspired artist Jeff Soto, is part of a set of 11 (several are painted by street artists) that have been out of production and sell as a group at Alpha Cult for $250. 408 E. 1st St., (562) 432-9144.