Echo Curio

Can anyone send me Grant’s (Echo Curio owner) Phone # or E-​mail?
It was an awesome place!
Thanks,
Preston

Alas, you’re history. Yet you still garner 5 stars. Why? Coz we love you!

Fun and funky! Cool laid back, down-​to-​earth gallery space. This place seeks to inspire aspiring artists to keep going by giving everyone a chance.

She had dark hair. Red red lips. Short shorts and brightly colored leggings.
She was the singer.
The guitarist.
A rockabilly fashion dream.
And my friend knew her… and…
her boyfriend :(
(Will he share?)
I was curious about what was in the area and a character posted he was going to this. Upon listening, I knew I should stop in.
The space itself is probably as big as my living room. It’s quite astounding that it fit that many people that night. It was sweltering. So much so that I refrained from dancing simply because I didn’t want to work up even more of a sweat.
Thankfully I’m an M&M. (The green kind). Melt in your mouth and not in your hand.
There isn’t a bar here but you are encouraged to bring libations from elsewhere if so desired. There’s a few LQ stores in close proximity or the Gold Room is down the street.
This doubles as an art gallery. And although some of the pieces were quality, they were not of the caliber you would see in somewhere not a teensy hole in the wall gallery.
For those bands that are making their first rounds about the town, play here. The venue is small and the shows are cheap. But it makes up for it in heart.

I’m quite torn about how many stars to give echo curio.
I’ll start by saying the echo curio has always confused me. I’ve passed it hundreds of times at night not really understanding what was going on. Why are there so many people outside? Why are they shouting at me while I pass? Are they watching something inside? Are we allowed inside? Is there a security guy patting everyone down before entering? Did Barney’s set up a really really underground display window that’s keeping them all visually stimulated?
JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON?!?
with that being said, echo curio is kinda one of those places you have to know about… not like YOU sir HAVE to know about it or you’re not cool. I mean, if you’re gonna go, it’s cause you already know about its existence. they have a website and all, but who outside of echo park is google-​ing ‘echo curio.’…oh you were? my b.
anyway, echo curio is where small obscure bands of LA can play to many an unprotected ear (etymotic research people. get into it). sure, a few may be there to support friends, but it’s also just a place to show up to see what random bands are playing that night. the dig is also an art space, but I didn’t notice much of that while I was there. I think it’s a kinda ‘crafty art space by day, mystical underground passageway to music by night!’ dun dun duuuuuuuun – cue daunting howard shore score.
it’s a relaxed atmosphere where people can bring they’re own adult beverages. Something I took a mental note of so that next time i come prepared with Zima in hand.
The place is $ 5 donation… but it’s implied that you will pay $ 5. However, I kinda forgot before going and really was there just to see my cousin play, so the door guy was kind enough to let both my friend and I in for five bucks. Besides, I’m not really going to gripe about donating to a small space supporting local artists. I can dig it.
With all that said, I’m still not sure what to rate echo curio. It’s not like ‘venue’ venue for bands. It’s not a showy place for fireworks. It’s simply a quaint place for people to hang out and listen to good and bad bands. So we’re landing in the middle with 3 stars.

Love the intimacy of this venue. Only a $ 5 donation asked for shows and BYOB. If you forget to bring something there’s a liquor store catty corner from the venue.
The décor is fun and artsy, not sure what they had displayed at the time because it was so packed.
Coming back for sure, just not sure who I should see

Been here a couple times, mostly to support friends’ bands’. the suggested donation is $ 5. you can bring your own beer, thats the best part. you can bring a 6 pack, drink up and enjoy some cool local or touring bands, then when your done you can walk to the bars. The Short Stop, Little Joy and Gold Room. There is typically a young crowd. I suggest you check out this place !!!
Bottom LINE:
pros–
cheap
you can bring your own booze
good atmosphere
ample street parking
liquor store across the street
cons–
small venue

I had a great time here last night. Went to see a friend’s band play — I guess it was noise band night. Cheap show, byob, they provide paper bags to stash your bottle in. Door guy was awesome. Sound inside was good, it gets beyond jam packed in there, so if you have any claustrophobic issues I wouldn’t recommend going inside. Don’t stand by the door because people keep opening and closing it and you will be continuously shoved into people next to you. There’s a bathroom in the back and not much else. I will definitely return for more shows here!

When you’re wrong, you should admit you are wrong.
I was wrong.
My band got booked at the Curio through some friends of ours. I talked to Grant, the owner, about the complaints in my last Unilocal review. He explained to me that they just get incredibly busy with show requests. If a band has a specific date they are thinking about, it is easier to put a show together than if they just say, «We’d like to play there sometime» Good to know.
He apologized for past mis-​communication and I apologized for my venting Unilocal review.
We had a great show. He split the profits from the door between the Echo Curio and the bands. This is the type of stuff that makes this an artist friendly venue.
I can’t wait to play here again.
One more note: Apparently, there was a line around the block last night to see Partners in 818, Kepi Ghoulie and Andrew Jackson Jihad. After the show finished at 11:30 pm, they restarted the show all over again with the same bands. That way, the people who were stuck outside would have a chance to see to see the bands they waited all night to see.
I challenge any club in Los Angeles to do something that cool.
We could use more venues like this one.

We came here to see a friend (Terry De Castro, plus The Jet Age) play, it was a great night and very cheap.
Cost us five bucks to get in and we were told to bring our own booze.
Man, five bucks for five bands and no extra cost for alcohol???
It’s like being back in 1972.
Can’t believe some people complain because it’s a «donation».
Yeah, I’d much rather pay a minumum $ 20 entrance fee to get in and then pay $ 7 for a warm Bud in a plastic cup
Anyway what the place lacks in «professional» sound and a stage, it more than makes up for with character.
I’ll definetely come back again, hopefully somebody else I know plays here soon.

Wandered in here on Halloween night, slightly drunk with two Tecates in my purse. I had just ditched a house party that tried to charge me $ 5 cover and wouldnt let me bring my own drinks… Lame.
Happily, I sauntered into the Echo Curio, scanned the cheap vinyl on sale, and started dancing with a man in a welders mask.
My only regret is not making out with the hottie dressed as David Lynch.

I can’t review this as an art gallery… only a performance space for music.
As a performance space, it’s not great. There’s no stage. There’s no lighting. The singers have no monitors. It can get loud quickly. But, it’s a DIY thing, so I can sorta let that stuff slide, even though the issues with lighting and sound are easily fixed.
As someone else noted, the $ 5 «donation» thing is lame. Just man up and charge $ 5, or truly make it a voluntary, you-​decide-​how-​much donation. I’d probably give more than $ 5 most of the time. But, I’m not going to give more than $ 5 if they tell me how much the «voluntary» «donation» is going to be.
But here’s the big problem: You absolutely cannot rely on what time the bands are playing. Just tonight, we were told a band would go on at 10pm. We got there at 10:15pm and the band *BEFORE* them wasn’t even at the venue! Rather than do the smart thing and scratch the band, Echo Curio was just wasting everyone’s time waiting for someone who may never show up.
This is not an isolated incident. One time we showed up for a 9:30pm set at 9:30pm (rushed over there). The band wasn’t there and there was no ETA. Another time, a band was supposed to play second. They were there. But, inexplicably, they had been moved to last…2 hours later.
Little annoys me more than a business who has so little respect for my time.

What a great little nook and cranny gallery /​music venue. I am very content, a happy fan of Echo Curio. I saw the Finches, Anna Oxygen and a couple of super snazzy Canadian folksy female singers play here last night. The venue is small and intimate — like you’re in the musician’s living room and they are giving you a special performance. The cover is basically a donation. I paid $ 5. It’s a heavy hipster demographic crowd, byob or tea or Orange Crush, and most importantly have fun.
I am looking forward to future events at the Echo Curio. Good stuffin!

Echo Curio is a tiny performance space that promotes a lot of primarily local artists, musicians, and bands. It’s located just down the street from the Echo, just near the Little Joy. It’s BYOB and it’s always pretty casual and cool. They don’t charge for the shows per say, but ask for donations at the door. Not sure who runs this place but I like it. Great vibe, fun place. I’ve seen several shows here, mostly of artists I had never heard of before. It’s nice to have a venue that promotes that.
Just an FYI in the summer it gets crazy hot in this place. They don’t have central air so be prepared to sweat.

We presented our first show at Echo Curio last night and we can’t say enough about the way this venue keeps things so casual. Grant and his crew of volunteers slash friends create a relaxed environment of music, art, and conversation. It’s the kind of warm and inviting place where you leave with a few more friends than you had before you walked in. And that’s the kind of place we need more of in Los Angeles.
We love Echo Curio.

My boy is having a few pieces up here right now so I went up yesterday to the opening. I love little hole in the wall underground art galleries like this. You see some of the weirdest shit which is pretty awesome. The folks running the gallery were really nice and there was quite a variety art to check out. I love the back room where you can listen to the wax covered radio and draw a picture to go up on the wall.
Oh and free 2 buck chuck! I love it.
They don’t charge to get in but ask for donations, and I think it’s pretty important to support your local artists and venues. If we all could support places like this there would be more of them around.

Amazing place.
Grant & Co. run a great little spot where quirky, awesome little bands have shows and BYOB-​ing is encouraged. They provide a fantastic vibe as purveyors of musical curiosities and have since become one of the main musical venues in the neighborhood. The Curio is probably the most experimental and indie, which says a lot considering that the other venues happen to include The Echo and The Echoplex.

My favorite Echo Park hangout and a fantastic place to check out an intimate show. They have fun and creative stuff to look at in the gallery; they once did an exhibit showcasing dioramas! Grant, one of the owners, is a funny and laid back guy, always fun to talk to. Brown bagging is welcome. Often times for the more laid back shows you can sit on the floor to enjoy, I love that! love love love the Echo Curio.
One note — if you’re not into noise you may want to check out that night’s lineup before heading out here. Not that they play noise all the time, but it’s pretty popular here. Though, when I come and I’m not into the band that’s playing inside, chillin outside is good times, too.

What is most compelling about this venue is that the proprietors, aka The Curians, esteem artistry of all ilks. While they are primarily a purveyor of visual arts, they are generous of spirit in providing sporadic space and encouragement to performers.
They charge a suggested donation of $ 5, so attendees pay what they wish. The performers receive any proceeds over $ 50, which is what the house needs to clear just to pay costs.
So if the audience is not especially generous on any particular evening, the entertainers may not make anything. However, in light of the fact that many venues in Smell-​A are «Pay 2 Play», as a performer myself, I find it refreshing not to be pressured into do the venue’s job of getting bodies in the door. (Yes, that’s right, boys and girls. It’s not «normal» anywhere else, except maybe the Big Apple, for bands to have to pre-​sell tix, like at local rip-​off venues such as the Roxy, the Whiskey, The Viper Room, The Key Club, et al, ad nauseum…)
So, please support the Curians. Attend their art receptions and support the performers who appear under their roof sporadically. There is a cause no more noble than artistry for artistry’s sake.

This gallery is great!
Exactly how art galleries should feel.
I played here on May 9^th and had a great time with 2 other bands who all sounded wonderful.
PLUS! The owners are also midwesterners so we had many a midwestern thing to talk about.
The art being shown was super cool and there’s a plethora of liquor stores around, so BYOB!
Now Unilocal has a new art gallery to attend.