The underground electronic music scene is getting a new venue in the heart of Los Angeles.
Midnight Lovers is taking over Bar Franca to bring a new Hi-Fi sound bar experience. The first event kicked off on Oct. 19, featuring performances by Heidi Lawden, the LA-based DJ and producer known for her genre-spanning sets, and the soulful house and disco grooves of New York veteran DJ and producer Eli Escobar.
The reimagined space features a sound bar that aims to blend avant-garde music culture with a curated cocktail menu and an intimate design. It was designed by the warehouse party crew collective Midnight Lovers, the group behind some of the music-centric parties in downtown Los Angeles.
The bar utilizes a Danley system that incorporates technologies such as the synergy horn and tapped horn to deliver high-fidelity sound, similar to that found in large venues like stadiums and arenas. Midnight Lovers will curate the music programming, featuring a blend of jazz, funk, disco, house, and Balearic beats artists.
The ambiance draws inspiration from Franca Sozzani, an Italian editor and cultural icon, known for his blend of fashion, photography and quiet rebellion. Golden lighting and fresh florals lead the interior design, which also features canvas-like walls that showcase some sexy sketches.
Bar Franca’s cocktail menu is crafted by Gabriel Orta of Broken Shaker and Bar Lab Collective, along with Jonny Child, from Bathtub Gin LA. The menu features seasonal California ingredients and flavors that nod to its neighborhoods and culture, including the Lover, a mezcal-based mix of watermelon, hibiscus, and citrus cordial, and the Al Pastor Margarita, a tequila cocktail with pineapple and chorizo spice in tribute to DTLA’s late-night taquerias. Zero-proof creations include the Bonfire Water, a blend of Optimist Smokey Botanical and Lyre’s Orange.
“Midnight Lovers has always been about bringing people together through music and energy,” said Rolando Alvarez, founder of Midnight Lovers, in a press release. “With Bar Franca, we’re extending that spirit into a space where sound and connection meet over cocktails.”
Fans looking to dabble in specialty cocktails and genre-spanning DJ sets can catch events through November at 438 Main St., Los Angeles. For more information and future lineups, visit barfranca.com.
Here is the rest of the fall music lineup:
Saturday, Nov 1: Sisters Of Sound: Maddy Maia + Tottie
Sunday, Nov 2: Ray Kash + Dead-Tones (Día De Los Muertos)
Thursday, Nov 6: Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate
Friday, Nov 7: Club Tularosa
Saturday, Nov 8: Tiffany Roth of Midnight Magic
Sunday, Nov 9: TBA
Thursday, Nov 13: Marmalade Jams: Mungo Sound Machine
Friday, Nov 14: Dakota Dean (Birthday Celebration)
Saturday, Nov 15: Tavish
Sunday, Nov 16: Kamma + Masalo
Thursday, Nov 20: Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate
Friday, Nov 21: Secret Guest
Saturday, Nov 22: Xica Soul
Sunday, Nov 23: Chapter One Records: Max Coletto, Hazy, H.U.D.L
Thursday, Nov 27: Marmalade Jams: Mungo Sound Machine
Friday, Nov 28: Eddie C (Birthday Celebration)
Saturday, Nov 29: Masha Mar
Sunday, Nov 30: TBA