A group of girls in fur jackets and black skirts steps over puddles of questionable liquids beneath the downtown Los Angeles skyline. They make their way into a dark alley that is only lit by people taking flash pictures against the graffiti walls. They fall into the crowd of people waiting outside two large metal doors with the words “The Smell” spray painted above them.
Inside, two dogs are leashed to a large desk where a young man is taking $10 bills in exchange for a light blue wristband that he is delicately placing on the wrists of the concertgoers. This back alley concert venue emphasizes its all-ages policy, as most people making their way inside look like they are in the process of applying to college.
A flier next to the desk reads, “The smell is here for you! It needs you to help out every once in a while…help run the best club in L.A.”
Below that, a piece of paper says, “The Smell saved me!”
Voices echo off the brick walls into the exposed wood ceiling and the heavy still air emphasizes the old warehouse scent that fills the room. A wide hallway leads into a large open room with a stage at the end.
The first artist, Killing Wiba, comes out onto the stage and the room erupts in screams and claps. As they start their first song, all eyes are on the stage and it becomes clear that this isn’t your average concert venue. People are not only at The Smell for a good night, but to appreciate the music.
The Smell has been hosting shows at its current location downtown for almost 25 years. It opened in North Hollywood in 1998 after many other not-for-profit punk venues were shutting down.
The original location of The Smell was opened by Jim Smith and two of his friends. Today, he is the sole owner of the venue.
“Me and a couple of friends decided to open a space, at least temporarily, and see how it worked out or if something else came along that would fill the void..but it kind of took off and grew,” Smith said.
Smith’s work for The Smell is purely out of passion for the community and art. He said he does not make any money from his position and all funds go back into supporting the venue. He works at Teamsters, a union for UPS employees and waste truck drivers, during the day.
“There had been a few places in L.A. that were these legendary D.I.Y., all-ages spaces, and a few months before we opened a couple of them closed for good. It kind of left a void,” Smith said.
The Smell has had an impact on the L.A. music scene for multiple generations. Mark Williams, a 50-year-old Los Angeles resident, is the father of the drummer for the band Forsythia. Forsythia frequently plays shows at The Smell.
“I’ve lived here for like 15 years. And yeah, a lot of my friends who grew up here will always say this place is legendary,” Williams said.
D.I.Y. venues are a staple of the punk community. Volunteers, artists, and attendees actively contribute to the success of the venue.
“The artists and the promoters and the people that run the place. They are part of the same community and everybody kind of plays their part and keeps the space going. That’s kind of key,” Smith said.
One volunteer, Daryl Monroe, frequents The Smell as both an artist and an audience member. “It feels like a home to me and a lot of other kids,” Monroe said.
It is easy to become a volunteer at The Smell, according to Smith. People either sign up on their website or in a book at the front of the venue. It is not an easy task to run an event, but Monroe felt it was a great experience and opportunity.
“It was really hectic, not what I thought coming in. It’s really fun to actually be on the other side,” Monroe said while mimicking the motions of taking down names and putting on wristbands.
Five volunteers are working at each event, with Smith running the ship. Two work the door, one works the snack booth and the other two run the sound system. With the venue at its 130-person capacity, the five volunteers hold a lot of accountability.
There is a “no alcohol in or out” sign at the entrance of The Smell. With the venue being all-ages, there is only a small vegan snack bar. It is reminiscent of a high school football concession stand and everything is under $2. Oreos, pretzels, LaCoix and coffee are just a few of the options available, and a $1 water bottle at a concert is something that is unheard of in 2024.
The Smell doesn’t empty the pockets of the young adults who attend the events there. It keeps things cheap, which allows attendees to go to more shows and see more artists perform.
Samara Chaplain, a 20-year-old punk music fan, who was attending her second show at The Smell, got a KitKat before she went into the show.
“One thing I love about The Smell is I always get to discover small artists that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I really like how intimate the venue is,” Chaplain said.
Chaplain added that while there was no security at the venue, she still felt safe. Concerts are a place where she often feels unsafe due to the number of people and packed crowds, but that is not an issue at The Smell. People are there for the music, and even if there is a mosh pit, people still care about other attendees.
“The crowds are always super friendly, and I like that. It’s all ages too, so it feels really safe,” Chaplain said.
The overall respect for others is also reflected in the setup of the venue and its mission.
“It’s more focused on the music and the art and the community rather than, you know, you go to a bar and sometimes you can’t hear the band because people are just there to drink and talk,” Smith said.
When the last band, While We Sleep, steps onto the stage the crowd goes wild. The three boys in the band couldn’t have been over eighteen. The lead singer and the bassist were wearing white collared shirts with ties, while Woodruff wore overalls and, for a short time, a black sweatshirt.
By the second song, a few members of the crowd begin pushing outwards, opening up a large circle in the middle. They stand and wait for the chorus to hit before they grab the hands of the people making the inside of the circle, pulling them in. They begin pushing each other and moshing.
One man falls and his leg gets stepped on. Everyone around him begins to help him up and ask if he is okay. The companionship between the crowd members who were strangers just minutes ago exemplifies the sense of community that lives inside The Smell.
At the end of their set, the members of While We Sleep proudly announce they are “in the middle of applying to college.”
Original photography by Alex Lam.