With Chapel Rowan’s arrival in Los Angeles, the city’s bustling nightlife scene becomes interesting

Back in 2022, Chappelle Rowan walked into Amy Ordman and Jess Panettone’s new party.

“She came to our second night,” said Ordman, co-founder of roving nightclub Vooch, now located at El Cid in Silver Lake. Even before Rowan became one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, her reputation for exotic underground nightlife was on the rise.

“I came up to her and told her I loved the Pink Pony Club,” recalls Ordman, still a little eager to get that certification so early in Futch’s existence. “Whenever her song comes on at our concert, people start screaming, jumping on stage. This sense of tangible community is what FOOTCH was born from.”

This weekend, Rowan will move to a much larger stage for two nights at Brookside at the Rose Bowl, the leafy Pasadena park typically used to hold full festivals for dozens of artists. “Good luck, babe!” The singer’s return to Los Angeles would conclude with a short North American tour where the venues finally seemed to suit her status as one of the decade’s breakout pop acts.

On Friday, Futch is counting on Roan’s legion of fans to keep the party going At her event at El Cid After the show. For the offbeat and eccentric nightlife of Los Angeles, these shows are a rejuvenating occasion to enjoy the dolls despite the harsh political moment and the generally depressing mood of going out in Los Angeles

“It’s a very stressful time, and we need spaces like Fooch and Chapel Rowan at the Rose Bowl to celebrate queerness, and be around other people who understand what we’re going through,” Ordman said. “When I was searching for that but didn’t know where to go, our concert was born from that feeling. Chappelle’s singing is about experiences that only our community can deeply understand.”

Los Angeles’ buzzing nightlife scene has been making a generational comeback, with new clubs like East Hollywood’s Honey’s at Star Love, parties like Hot Flash, Lez Croix and Personal Best and cultural events like the Verse4Verse poetry night arriving to meet the demand for new spaces and scenes.

However, in January, Ruby Fruit, the Silver Lake bar that became a national trendsetter, closed unexpectedly, due to the economic effects of the wildfires. They eventually reopened, but widespread malaise — economic, political and disaster-driven — contributed to the closure of dozens of bars, clubs and restaurants across the city. Recently, the popular Gay Astrology party on mobile went on hiatus as well.

Rowan is probably the biggest, weirdest woman in pop music right now. Taking the city by storm on its ‘Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things’ tour could do for these clubs what an Oasis reunion did for British rock fans in Los Angeles – galvanize them back into supporting the music and nightlife scene under a lot of pressure.

“It’s a really interesting time in nightlife right now, as people are afraid to spend money and jobs are hard to get,” said Mo Volk, of Honey’s at Star Love. “This is an opportunity to get out of your head and forget everything else for a moment, to be with people who are there for the same reason.”

Folk Club throws itself Chappelle-themed event on SaturdayWhich was an “easy decision,” Faulk said. “Why would anyone say no to Chappelle? Our DJs are friends of hers, and her community is integrated into our community. It will just be a close gay celebration for them to leave satisfied and joyful.”

Rowan played Coachella last year, won a New Artist Grammy and released two singles this year — the country ballad “The Giver” and the hazy pop song “The Subway.” A 2023 follow-up to “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” still seems a long way off, so the glamorous nightlife scene is racing to capitalize on Chappelle’s return to Los Angeles.

If you’re really committed to tagging along for Chappell-mania this week, you can get a custom tattoo at Cultural Space Prep in Glendale on Friday (“Ink your devotion to a living gay icon,” they said). At the Echoplex on Thursday, he will host the National Folk Tribute Party Stan Society An official warm-up eventwith proceeds going to nonprofits for trans youth (a sector in desperate need right now, while under heavy attack from the federal government).

“Our community is looking for safe, welcoming spaces where they can celebrate their favorite music and feel fully seen,” said Michael Weber, who runs the Stan Society with Jeffrey Lehman. “The audiences for these events have grown and deepened over the past few years as fans crave real, personal connection.”

For younger fans shaking off despair by immersing themselves in L.A.’s quirky nightlife scene, the Rose Bowl shows (which coincide with National Coming Out Day) will be a lively entry point. We hope that many will take the opportunity to explore the culture more deeply here.

“Chappelle has done so much for our community, especially for younger kids. Knowing who you are is exciting, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not exposed to a safe entry point,” Volk said. “Honey’s is a great place to start; it’s been a springboard for young artists to come explore and try new things like Chappelle did.”

For promoters, Chappelle’s global popularity (along with the wave of pop hits like Doechii, Reneé Rapp and others) was a signal to try to grow their scene domestically and abroad. Futch has toured internationally, with recent gigs in the UK and Canada. Ordman doesn’t expect a return visit from Roan this weekend to Futch. (Can you imagine the absolute ruckus at the door?)

But knowing that thousands of fans will be looking forward to the party continuing after the Rose Bowl show, who knows if the next Chappell Roan will tour El Cid on Friday.

“It’s incredible to see sapphic artists breaking through and taking over on a level never seen before,” Ordman said. “Under an administration that targets minorities, we need joyful places like this to celebrate active resistance. When a couple comes up to me in Foch and says they met there, it’s magical.”