Kevin Bronson on April 21st, 2014

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Saturday was, quite possibly, make or break for Brokechella. And, by extension, a lot of idealists in the Los Angeles underground who stage DIY events without the benefit of deep pockets, political connections or alliances with big-time promoters.

||| Top gallery by Zane Roessell; more galleries below

Conceived four years ago by the Cartel, a multi-discipline arts collective, as a cheap weekender for those who get shut out of Coachella, Brokechella got ambitious this year. The event was staged at the graffiti-strewn abandoned warehouse complex (often used as a film location) on Santa Fe Avenue across the street from Villains Tavern in downtown L.A. It’s the same locale where the Jubilee – formerly the Silver Lake Jubilee – crashed and burned in a pile of debt last June.

Production costs, permitting, security, staffing, last-minute curveballs thrown by uniformed guardians of public safety – any of those pitfalls could have sabotaged Saturday’s Brokechella. But they didn’t.

Brokechella, which attracted a crowd of about 4,000 (the final count has not yet been released) for a headliner-less festival, was the best $10 you spent, or could have spent, on Saturday. The fare, a mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic and singer-songwriter music along with visual art, comedy and interactive pastimes, attracted a widely diverse crowd. There were vendors, food trucks, live-painters and performance artists (like soap bubble maestro Dr. Froth, above).  There was little in the way of pandemonium; the only hitch seemed to be the long line to get into The Lounge, the only locale where beer (reasonably priced) was being sold.

It was like a warehouse party, only legal. And well-mannered.

The main, outdoor stage boasted a lineup of emerging L.A. rockers, and it was energetic when the likes of Francisco the Man, the Singles and StaG played their tight sets in the daylight hours and then more frenetic for the evening sets, when Kera & the Lesbians  and HOTT MT each did their best to steal the show.

The warehouse that was home to the hip-hop and soul-oriented Brownies & Lemonade Stage went off most of the night. The Shifty Rhythms stage, which shared a room with a beverage-sponsored skate ramp and kids doing their tricks, thrummed with cutting-edge EDM. And after exploring smaller rooms that housed installation art, many attendees hung on the couches in The Lounge, sipping beers and enjoying songwriters and comedians.

At press time, Brokechella organizers were still doing their post-mortem on the event. Its attendees can only hope it lives to be broke another year.

Another music gallery:

And random scenes from throughout Brokechella:

Photos on the jump by Bronson