ONCE Lounge & Ballroom (CLOSED)

This might be the most unlikely new music venue to come along in a decade: a catering space that suddenly began booking indie acts. But read the bio of chef-owner JJ Gonson–who spent years running a small label in Seattle and still seems to know everyone in the recording business (her sister in is Magnetic Fields and also manages the band–and it’ll all make sense. Those ties have led to shows from the likes of Kim Gordon, Amanda Palmer, and The Juliana Hatfield Three in a room decked out in crystal chandeliers and mirrored disco balls. The familial vibe of the space makes you feel like an insider rather than an interloper, and an attached lounge space serving dinner and drinks means you can make a night of it.