Where to Be Merry: Last Thursdays of the Month @ Opposite LA

The Merriment: Dope bar scene with amazing hip-hop, R&B, reggae, rap … and a piñata

The Vibes: Casual, chill, relaxed, classy, fun, energetic

The Crowd: Up-and-coming industry folks

With-Whom-to-Go: A friend or two or three

The $ Factor: $FREE.99 before 11pm, $5 after

I’ll Be Back…: To try my luck hitting the piñata

I’ve done The Wobble.
Busted out the two-step to R. Kelly’s “Step in the Name of Love.”
Why, I’ve even bent down low to do The Jerk and The Reject. 

And the best part is, I’m not alone.

Everyone is right there with me, excitedly shrieking and getting their dance on. 

Opposite LA is one of those functions where good music, good people good vibes go hand in hand. Although it’s smack in the middle of Tinseltown, it’s certainly not your typical, pretentious Hollywood scene. Ran by the friendly actor/comedian Tahir Moore (pictured below, right) and hosted by the animated actor Leo Breckenridge, it’s held in the unassuming Bronson Bar, a rather hole-in-the-wall dive bar that comfortably squeezes in 50 to 75 people and serves fairly strong, averagely priced cocktails.

Hands down, I’d say one of the best aspects of Opposite LA is the music. I mean really. DJ Ron “Rtistic” (pictured below) kills it on the turntables. He knows precisely when to play a little old school West Coast rap before switching it up to the latest hits …Then he’ll throw in a little bit of Go-go and a few reggae songs before properly ending with R&B slow jams like Case’s “Touch Me Tease Me.” Plus, unlike some DJs who get bent out of shape and super offended when you request a song, he kindly obliges and actually plays the song. He gets an extra ten points for that. 

The crowd itself certainly adds to the greatness of Opposite LA as well. I’ve been when it’s been literally been packed shoulder to shoulder, and when it’s been more on the quiet side, with a handful of people huddled in their respective groups. Yet whether cracking or more subdued, I’d say it's still always good times. And, every time I’ve gone – I kid you not – I’ve ran into someone I’ve know... so I'm sure you’ll probably run into someone you know, too. 

I highly recommend a trip to Opposite LA whenever you’re in the mood to hear great, real R&B/hip-hop/rap in a grown-and-sexy yet still lively ambiance, all while catching up with a few friends.

Hey – perhaps I’ll see you there next Thursday! 

For more info: Opposite LA, @OppositeLA

*Photo credits: Opposite LA