Another Planet Entertainment, Michael Swier Team Up For New L.A. Music Club The Bellwether

The Bellwether co-founders Michael Swier of Teragram Presents and Gregg Perloff of Another Planet Entertainment. (Photo by Josh Withers)

Los Angeles will soon have a new music venue and nightlife destination near the city’s downtown area in The Bellwether, a 1,600-capacity club from Another Planet Entertainment (APE) and Michael Swier of Teragram Presents that is scheduled to open this spring.

“The Bellwether is destined to become a cultural institution in Los Angeles, featuring some of the greatest local and international talent,” Gregg Perloff, the CEO of San Francisco’s APE and co-founder of The Bellwether, said in a statement. “It’s been many years since I’ve spent time producing shows in L.A., and it took a building with the potential of The Bellwether to excite me enough to return. I’m thrilled to get back into the market, and I can’t think of a better location for what we’re setting to accomplish.”

Perloff and Swier, who boast experience and a wealth of knowledge of the industry, announced their newest venture Thursday. It is APE’s first venue in Los Angeles in the 20-year history of the company, and the company partnered with Swier, an influential club owner and impresario, to launch a new multi-genre venue near downtown at 333 S. Boylston St.

It will feature a main music room with unimpeded sightlines, a wrap-around balcony and a custom wooden dance floor. The Bellwether will have a custom-built d&b sound system and lighting specifically designed for the venue, which includes a private event space, VIP areas, a restaurant and bar and an open-air lounge area that provides guests with a view of Downtown L.A. and neighboring mountains.

The Bellwether will house on-site offices for operational staff and the L.A. offices for APE’s artist management arm, Another Planet Management.

APE is the largest independent promoter in the nation and has co-produced festivals such as Outside Lands in the Bay Area and Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas. Swier owns the Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge, two of L.A.’s most respected clubs. He also helped launch Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

“The Bellwether will be the next step for an artist in our LA ecosystem,” Swier said in a statement. “Artists can grow from the Moroccan Lounge to the Teragram Ballroom and now to The Bellwether. This is similar to what we built in New York City with the Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom and to APE’s venue infrastructure in the San Francisco Bay Area with The Independent, Fox Theater and Greek Theatre. In partnering with Gregg and Another Planet Entertainment, the largest independent promoter in the country, our visions of long-term artist development are aligned.”