Dave Stuckey Plays to a Packed House at the New Lindy Loft!

On Friday, February 27^th, the floor at Dax and Sarah’s Lindy Loft was crammed with dancers enjoying the sounds of Dave Stuckey and the Hot House Gang.

I would describe the crowd as a mix of beginner/intermediate-level twenty-somethings, a few downtown L.A. hipsters, and a pretty large contingent of veteran Swing dancers who came to see Dave.  Some dancers came up from Orange County.  The crowd was quite friendly, and I danced with of new folks as well as old friends that I usually see at Joe’s Bar and other Swing venues.

Dave Stuckey and the Hot House Gang is currently one of the most popular bands in the Los Angeles / Orange County Swing dance scene.  In my 2013 band poll, they came in third place in terms of popularity. I reckon’ they’d move up a notch if I did the poll today.

At the Lindy Loft, they did not disappoint!  They played a mix of songs with more moderate Lindy Hop / East Coast Swing tempos, rather than the more Balboa-centric tunes they play at the Culver Hotel.  It was well-suited for the crowd though, and I personally enjoyed the variety.

The dance floor was packed to capacity for much of the night, especially early on. I would say it was somewhat “combat” conditions.  But despite the crowding, bumps, and feet getting stepped on, everyone seemed to be having a great time.  Some people even danced in the hallway outside the entrance!  The packed floor was great to see and indicative of a kickass event!

For many people I talked to that night, it was their first time at the new, slightly bigger Lindy Loft space.  Although the floor didn’t seem all that much bigger to me, the room has a much better layout, with the stage at the far end and no “bend” the in the room like the old place had, so almost everyone has a direct line of sight to the band.  In addition, there is the welcome addition of a seating area where people can rest.  At the old location, I remember standing around a lot with no place to take a break. So, “yay” for the new layout!

During one of the breaks, Dax and Sarah did a dance performance to the delight of the crowd.  During another break, there was the obligatory (but always fun) Shim Sham performance.

Even though the Lindy Loft is supposed to end at midnight to avoid noise complaints, Dax coaxed Dave to do one more song after midnight, so we got a late night bonus dance! (Hopefully the neighbors were cool with it.)

The only slight glitch of the night for me was that the downstairs buzzer wasn’t working when I got there.  Eventually, a group of six or seven dancers congregated, waiting to get in before someone exited the building and opened the door.  In the end, it was no big deal.

Parking for the Lindy Loft is either on the street or in one of the many paid lots.  The lots range from around $6 to $10.  If you want to look for free street parking, I recommend first cruising up S. Main Street to see if you get lucky and find a spot.  S. Main is a very well-lit, active street with lots of restaurants and bars, so it’s pretty safe.  If that fails after a few blocks, you can make a right and go back down S. Los Angeles Street where there is more parking.  However, this street is a bit sketchy.  I ended up parking there but walked back via S. Main.

If you continue venturing southeast where there is even more parking available, the situation gets scary pretty quick, with dark abandoned streets, boarded up businesses, and lots of folks camping out. I don’t recommend parking that far away, especially if you are going alone.  Find a parking lot instead.

Or, even better, take the Metro! Lindy Loft is near the Pershing Square stop.

Overall, I had a great time at the Lindy Loft, and I highly recommend checking it out, especially when top-shelf bands like Dave Stuckey are playing there.  Downtown L.A. is becoming a real happening place, and I could easily see grabbing a bite nearby then walking to the Lindy Loft afterwards.

For some great photos of the night, check out Jennifer Stockert’s awesome pics at the Lindy Loft Facebook page!

There is no live band playing at the Lindy Loft in March due to Inspiration Weekend and the Roaring 20’s Street Jam, but on April 10^th, they will be hosting Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five Featuring Hilary Alexander, another night not to be missed!

The Lindy Loft is located at 560 S Main St Apt 9N, Los Angeles, 90013. Cover for this night was $15, which included a lesson at 8PM.  Band started at 9PM.

What did you think of Dave Stuckey and the Hot House Gang at the Lindy Loft?  Did you have a blast? – Brian