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There's Now A Big Window In The Middle Of The Elliott Smith Wall
Nothing lasts forever, unfortunately. And the same goes for the Elliott Smith Wall in Silver Lake—you know, the one with the mural featured on the cover of his 2000 album Figure 8.
We first heard rumors of change back in November, when it was reported that a bar was moving into the space, and that a portion of the wall would be cut out. Though, perhaps we weren't quite prepared for the real-life results:
Yes, about half of the wall is now covered in what seems to be glass block windows, that holdover from the guidebook of '80s architectural motifs. According to The Oregonian, design elements such as "glass blocks are not yet vintage, kitschy or retrending. They shout: Remember when tall ceilings had out-of-reach plant shelves?" At the Life of an Architect blog, architect Bob Borson says that there's a practical (if misguided) purpose with glass blocks. "So why would someone want to use glass block? It is typically used for creating some sort of visual screen (like glaucoma) between spaces to provide privacy while allowing light to pass through," wrote Borson.
If you're an Elliott Smith fan, it's worth noting that the bar moving in will be Bar Angeles—the name takes a nod at a track—"Angeles"—off of 1997s Either/Or. Also, the portion of the wall that's been cut out will be integrated into the interior decor, according to Consequence of Sound. So, it seems like the owners (who are also responsible for Horse Thief BBQ in downtown, as well as Cafe Birdie in Highland Park) are well aware of the significance of that space. And it seems like a part of the wall has indeed been moved inside:
How are the locals taking it? "I think it's bad when anything historic goes down, but it's good that they're preserving some of it," said an employee from one of the nearby establishments, who didn't want to be identified. "You see it all the time around here, obviously. But we wish them all the best. And I just hope it'll be good for the neighborhood. Maybe the bar will teach people about Elliott Smith, if they don't know him already." The employee added that installation of the window began about two weeks ago.
According to Eater LA, Bar Angeles will not only be bringing libations, but also a menu including pizza, squid-ink fried rice, and vegan-friendly sandwiches. The space was originally slated to open this January, so we assume the opening date is coming around the bend.
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We reached out to the owners of Horse Thief (and Bar Angeles), but no one was immediately available for a comment.
And hey, here's Elliott:
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