“Live At The Smell” Trailer from Adam Cornelius on Vimeo.

For many experimental, noise and local bands, the Smell isn't just a venue, it's a way of life. Tonight, the Downtown Independent presents an insight into Smell culture with the release of the Live at The Smell DVD. The all-ages premiere starts at 8pm located at 251 S. Main (right next to the Smell), and features live footage of Mae Shi, Foot Village, Ponytail, Abe Vigoda, High Places, Gowns, BARR, No Age, HEALTH, Captain Ahab culled by Il Corral founder and musician Bob Bellerue.

The Smell is an endangered species that stays alive despite downtown gentrification and development at its doorstep. The Live at the Smell DVD is a veritable yearbook commemorating over 10 years of creativity and passion pouring from this special space in a urine-drenched alley. Catch it while you can.

From the Cold Hands Video site (with videos added):

Featuring over 2 hours of live bands from Los Angeles and beyond, “Live at The Smell” captures the live energy that pumps through LA's legendary independent DIY all-ages venue. Recorded in high-quality audio and video over a month period in Fall 2008, the DVD gives you the feeling of being immersed in one of the many gigs presented there each week for over 10 years. The music is clean and powerful, the footage is raw and wild, and the energy is LIVE.

Presented on a gorgeous 6-panel Digipak with superb all-mural photographs by Wild Don Lewis and liner notes by Jim Smith (owner / operator of The Smell), “Live at The Smell” is a collector's document, something you won't want to miss. Even if it gets on NetFlix, even when you find it on your favorite torrent site, it won't be the same as holding it in your hand. 6 murals are represented – featuring artists Cali deWitt, Jesse Spears, and some unknown dude from the 80s when it was a caballero bar.

The bands featured on this movie are the cream of the indie-alt-rock / experimental bands that play the club on a regular basis: Mae Shi, Foot Village, Ponytail, Abe Vigoda, High Places, Gowns, BARR, No Age, HEALTH, Captain Ahab (in order of appearance). Culled from 20 hours of live concerts, the movie is at times slick broadcast-quality so to speak, and othertimes fuzzy and blown out, all the while with clean and loud audio, mastered by Mike Lastra. We harnessed the sun and the moon for a little while with all our mighty little cameras, and we bring you their shining lights and their madness in all our audiophonic fidelity.

Proceeds from the sale of this DVD will help support The Smell's operations, so buy them while you can. The Smell is a money-losing for-profit venture; its profit is in the heart of the LA freak-noise-punk-art-music scene.

“The music has been stuck in my head for all the time we've been working on this project. Now it will be stuck in yours too.” Bob Bellerue, director

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