Spaceland was an alternative rock/indie rock nightclub in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, that existed between 1995 and 2011. The club was formerly a gay disco called Dreams of LA. Spaceland's owner announced the end of the venue in late 2010, with the space continuing to operate under the new name The Satellite.
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History
The first show ever held at Spaceland featured Beck, The Foo Fighters, Possum Dixon and Lutefisk. The list of acts who have played Spaceland is quite long, ranging from veteran performers from the 1960s and 1970s like Arthur Lee and The Dictators to current major acts such as Supergrass, Jet, The Shore and The White Stripes. It was very important in establishing the career of Beck and the Silver Lake scene which followed in his wake.
Spaceland is considered "home" for many bands in the so-called Silver Lake "scene" over the years, including Silversun Pickups, 400 Blows, Pine Marten, Radar Bros., The 88, Biblical Proof of UFOs, Patrick Park, etc. The club features as the setting for the fictional band Munchausen By Proxy (lead singer Zooey Deschanel) in the 2008 Jim Carrey movie Yes Man. One of the final bands to play there is the New York Dolls, where they performed a rousing rendition of Bo Diddley's Pills. Photographer Kevin McCarty, in what is described as "advocacy criticism," featured the venue of the Spaceland in a series titled The Chameleon Club. A photo of the stage of the Spaceland, and other empty gay bars, appears in José Esteban Muñoz book Cruising Utopia.
Alternative comedian Neil Hamburger held a regular show at Spaceland the last Sunday of every month, inviting both mainstream (Tom Green, Tim and Eric, Paul F. Tompkins) and obscure acts to perform with him. The show continues at the venue under its new management.
After 17 years, Spaceland came to an end in late 2010 when owner Mitchell Frank decided to open a new space that would focus more on dance and electronic music. Frank's Spaceland Productions would continue to book shows at The Echo/Echoplex complex. Meanwhile, the space at 1717 Silverlake Blvd continued as an indie rock venue in 2011 under the name The Satellite, with shows being booked by former Spaceland booker Jennifer Tefft.
Spaceland recordings
Spaceland Recordings occasionally published live albums recorded at the club.