Hollywood Palladium Unveils The Vinyl Room, a Retro Lounge for Music Lovers
If you've ever attended a show at the Hollywood Palladium without a VIP, fans can find it soul-crushing to queue up in the blazing sun before a gig to see their favorite artists. So when my Gorillaz superfan fiancé noticed a new section for something called The Vinyl Room, he booked the $60 tickets - sight unseen - in hopes that the extra cash would increase the chances of landing a coveted barricade position for the general admission show.
After making our way into the venue through a private entrance, we were delighted to discover a stylish lounge inspired by '70s Japanese hi-fi listening rooms. Instead of killing time on the vaguely urine-scented Sunset Blvd. sidewalk outside, we were leisurely sipping White Claws, taking pics in a free photo booth and enjoying some sweet, sweet air conditioning before the show.
We snagged a table near the bar alongside fellow fans who were decked out as the Gorillaz' animated avatars. (An Asian-inspired menu includes a spicy tuna roll served on a spinning ferris wheel, and something called "sushi tots.")
When I made my way to the bar, I noticed the mixologist was placing his concoctions on tiny rubber coasters shaped like vinyl records. "Can we take some of these coasters home?" another patron asked the bartender. (Guess he didn't know my golden rule: we ask for forgiveness, not permission.)
Even coaster-less, I still enjoyed testing out one of several music-inspired cocktails, "Golden Years," with rum, turmeric, pineapple, and edible gold glitter (which I've had a soft spot for since lusting after "Goldslick Vodka" in "Superbad").
The room - which will be open on Palladium show days - opens 90 minutes before doors and remains open after the show. Jumping on the boom in private clubs, the space offers a members option starting at $2,000 a year.
Once we closed out our tabs, we lined up in a long hallway within the Vinyl Room, chatting up the security guard and learning it was only the spot's second day.
We spent the rest of the night screaming our hearts out as Damon Albarn performed his band's latest India-inspired record, "The Mountain," in full.
