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Downtown L.A.—specifically the area between Chinatown and Mission Junction—has a brand-new music venue. Tvg Hospitality, the brainchild of Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett, has transformed a warehouse into a concert hall with a 750-person capacity and a second-floor balcony built from scratch. The neighborhood is simultaneously off-the-beaten-path and central, bordered by the the L.A. River and train tracks on the east. Named after L.A.’s historic Red Car railway system, Pacific Electric aims to connect the community through music. On the lineup is a mix of up-and-coming talent and established names; the venue hopes to become a destination for arena-filling artists who are seeking somewhere to play a more intimate show.
Pacific Electric has joined the ranks of neighbors Majordōmo and Apothéke with its own stylish bar, Mitsi, which is serving up cocktails, sake and sushi in a gorgeous plush space. Meanwhile, concertgoers can order from the “Secret Indian Food Window”—an outpost of Badmaash serving up longtime favorites like chicken tikka poutine, as well as venue-exclusive street tacos (order the catfish). And the bar inside the venue itself is serving up ’90s classics like Long Island iced tea and my go-to, the sex on the beach.
For a new venue, Pacific Electric already seems to have found its footing and its audience right off the bat. At the two shows I’ve attended there so far, the venue feels comfortably full but with plenty of room to breathe and move around. The illuminated patio offers a chill and welcoming place to hang out before the show starts. And bonus: Parking is a breeze—$15 in a spacious lot right next door.