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DJ Mag Top100 Clubs
13
Exchange LA
4

Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Capacity: 1,500

exchangela.com

The Pacific Stock Exchange had no idea what happened to it after almost 25 years of vacancy, when its hallowed halls turned into DTLA’s superclub, Exchange LA. The area feels like it’s experiencing an ongoing earthquake on the few nights a week Exchange is open for business. The tight streets feel tighter, with the queues three deep and the velvet ropes tangling with pedestrians wondering what’s happening here?

Insomniac’s crown jewel of nightlife venues, upon entry the perpetual activity on Exchange’s groundfloor might seem like the central attraction. Or perhaps its the side rooms, dark and dank, offering left-of-centre sounds. But it’s up two flights of stairs and past a gracious atrium that the cavernous space station of the main dancefloor awaits.

Four sweeping RGB 6w lasers and 70 heart-stopping spotlights make the metallic accessories of the room flash. A high balcony around the perimeter of the room looks down onto the constantly moving dancefloor, itself surrounded by 15-foot-tall projection mapping. The talent ranges from Armin van Buuren to Duke Dumont, Oliver Heldens, Eats Everything, Andy C, Noisia, and Matrix & Futurebound. There are some recurring favourites at Exchange LA, among them, Gorgon City, Green Velvet and Nora En Pure.

The sound is on-point with a Funktion-One system featuring new EVO6 speaker cabinets coupled with Sound Investment AV and Exchange’s own line array system, which hangs from the 40-foot ceiling. Yet elements of the original Exchange still remain intact with the four key sculpted figures in the lobby ceiling: Speed, Accuracy, Permanence, and Equality. Not bad icons for a Top 100 Club.