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Take a look inside The Bellwether, a new music venue opening in L.A. next week

July 6, 2023

In the weeks leading up to the official opening of a new Downtown Los Angeles concert venue, things are starting to take shape inside.

The plush green couches have been delivered, the individually made crystal chandeliers are lit and the eye-catching wallpaper is neatly hung. There are just a few final touches to be done before The Bellwether hosts its debut performance with synth-pop duo Phantogram on Tuesday, July 11.

“I still can’t believe we finally have the couches and decor, it’s been a long process, but it finally feels real,” co-founder Michael Swier said while plopping into a corner booth upstairs of what will soon be a VIP room for guests. “Still can’t believe we’re almost at the finish line.”

Located just off the 110 Freeway at 4th and South Boylston streets, The Bellwether will serve as a 1,600-capacity concert hall with a massive roundabout bar in the foyer, a custom-built sound system and a restaurant lounge. There’s also a private event space that Swier hopes will be an addition to future music festivals at the venue, which also features a stunning view of Downtown Los Angeles in the open-air seated lounge.

The lobby bar inside The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

The interior of The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

The view from the patio at The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

From right, Michael Swier and Nick Barrie pose for a photograph at The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

The lobby bar inside The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Wallpaper on the interior of The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

From left, Nick Barrie and Michael Swier pose for a photograph at The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

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Co-founded by Swier, the man behind independent Los Angeles music spots The Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge, and Gregg Perloff, who operates Another Planet Entertainment and the Outside Lands Festival in the Bay Area, the partnership happened organically and “clicked right from the start,” Swier shared.

“It was important for me, when looking at spaces, that we could grow an event space from The Moroccan or The Teragram, we wanted to have the foundations of independent music promotion still and when Another Planet came into the picture, everything came together so naturally,” Swier added. “Knowing their history of independent promotions up in the Bay Area and what they are still doing up there, it just made sense.”

In the mid-’90s, Swier opened what would become iconic independent venues, beginning with the Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom in New York, both similar in size and stature to their sister venues in Los Angeles. With The Bellwether, the space is capable of supporting acts of multiple genres as they transition from playing the 275-capacity Moroccan and the 600-capacity Teragram. The new addition is a crucial part to the booming ecosystem of local venues, he insists.

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“Right now, for me in this market, there’s a preconceived notion of growing bands through The Bellwether,” Swier said. “Because if you start at The Moroccan, you know there’s this place to look forward to. So there’s this pathway for people and the industry knows that. We will see what happens beyond us, but we know it’s all a stepping stone for not just rising artists but well-known artists as well.”

As for demolition, design and construction on The Bellwether began in December 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were eased. Nick Barrie, talent buyer of the venue, pointed excitedly to the new light fixtures that were recently installed.

“Every time I was coming in, which was about once a month or now once a week, there was always something to look forward to,” Barrie said with a grin.

Having announced the venue’s initial lineup of talent, Barrie’s been pleased with the feedback. There’s already more than 30 acts booked, including Tyhcho (July 13), Mild High Club (July 26), Porter Robinson’s three-day takeover (July 27-29), Lany (Aug. 1), Isaiah Rashad (Aug. 17-18) and Silversun Pickups (Sept. 27). Tickets for acts like Haim (July 17-18), Drama (July 22), The Midnight (July 30), Carly Rae Jepsen (Aug. 11-13), Wilco (Oct. 11), Slowdive (Oct. 14-15) and others have already sold out.

The Bellwether feels like a homecoming of sorts for Phantogram, as Los Angeles has been a prominent hub for the New York-based duo’s ever-growing audience.

“We’ve been coming to Los Angeles since day one on our first tour and have been able to create such an important fanbase out here that are just absolute music heads,” Sarah Barthel of Phantogram shared during a phone interview. “For us, playing in the city here is so much fun — we’ve played here so many times we can’t even count — but this time is extra special.”

Opening night will be the band’s first show back in the area in more than three years. They’re excited, too, since they recently reissued their 2010 debut album “Eyelid Movies” and a previously unreleased outtake from the album, “Suzie,” which will undoubtedly end up in the setlist. Though they’re used to headlining shows worldwide, Phantogram’s Josh Carter acknowledges that it’s a big deal to part of The Bellwether’s history.

“Over the years, it’s pretty easy to become a little jaded after playing so many shows, but thinking of the actual importance of opening a venue like this and what it means to fans is so cool,” he said. “It’s an honor.”

For Barrie, getting such a positive response from not only the fans buying tickets, but the artists themselves ahead of the venue opening has been encouraging.

“It lets me know that people want to see a new venue and they want to experience something new,” he said. “The fans are elated to be somewhere different, especially hardcore fans of the acts we book, they also understand the history of The Teragram and what (Another Planet Entertainment) does up north. I’ve noticed people online saying, ‘If the Teragram dudes are behind this, the sound and atmosphere is going to be great.’ Being able to reach those fans is important to not only me but the whole team.”

Swier and Barrie agreed that they haven’t had the proper time to digest all that’s happening in the moment, but expect to fully savor it on opening night when lights dim, fans scream and music plays. For Swier and everyone on the team, The Bellwether symbolizes a new beginning for music lovers in Los Angeles to feel a part of something that’s made specifically for them.

“This is special to me, I don’t just identify with the need for a larger capacity (venue), it all comes down to how you fulfill the needs of fans and everyone that walks through the door,” Swier said. “It’s doing the best with what you can and every time we grow or build something, we learn something new. This is our pinnacle right now, and I think we’ve touched all bases here.”

The Bellwether

Where: 333 S. Boylston Street, Los Angeles

More infromation: thebellweatherla.com

Orange County Register

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Take a look inside The Bellwether, a new music venue opening in L.A. next week

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