Roy Jurgens on February 27th, 2020

0

Palm Springs has a reputation of being tourist-friendly, retiree-friendly, snowbird-friendly, art-friendly, gay-friendly, recreation-friendly … and air-conditioning-mandatory.

But the town, along with the other Desert Cities, is not known as a mecca for emerging indie music — the annual incursion of a world-famous festival notwithstanding. While adjacent to the High Desert artistic scene, it’s a hike up the pass to Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown, or to Joshua Tree itself, home to (among other things) the renowned Rancho de Luna Studio, which has hosted the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Autolux, Warpaint, Afghan Whigs, Foo Fighters and Iggy Pop, along with homies like Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal and the Desert Sessions collective.

The emergence of a new music venue in Palm Springs might be giving emerging bands a foot in the door.

The Alibi, located at the north end of downtown Palm Springs (369 N. Palm Canyon Drive), has been booking shows on Mondays and weekends, offering a variety of fare one might find in Los Angeles clubs.

The venue is the brainchild of two music industry veterans, Melanie Tusquellas, a former music exec turned bar-restaurant entrepreneur (Edendale Grill, El Chavo, Gold-Diggers) and Elizabeth Garo, the VP and longtime talent buyer for Spaceland Presents.

The pair met in the early ’90s when they shared office space at Restless Records. Garo was in publicity and Tusquellas was an executive assistant, but their fervor for new music led the boss to promote them into the A&R department. The two remained pals, and over the years they often discussed opening a venue together, thinking that Los Angeles would be the obvious choice.

“We had been looking on and off for a creative space in Los Angeles and had given up,” Tusquellas explains. “When I found the Alibi property through a local Palm Springs friend and saw it, I thought of Liz, and it was a natural choice considering our past aspirations and her remarkable booking and programming skills.”

Residing in the landmark Palm Springs Telephone Company building, the Alibi is a venue that has keenly recognized their high-end surroundings. Craft cocktails spill across the stylish indoor and outdoor bars, and a rotating pop-up menu that runs the gamut from Asian fusion to Mediterranean to Hawaiian to gourmet pizza, mezze, French dips and tacos, delivers small-plate snacks. The indoor music/dance space a capacity of 200; the rectangular bar on the patio makes people-watching an excellent spectator sport.

“I had been coming to Palm Springs for years as a child and teenager and had seen it go through many changes,” Tusquellas says. “I can remember when the ‘rug’ rolled up at 9 p.m. in downtown and there was no place to go. It was always a magical place that had a sense of quiet escape. Once I spent a few months here I realized and experienced its recent renaissance. I saw an amazing opportunity, much like I did when I opened Edendale in the then-ungentrified Silver Lake.

“Once I started to research, I realized Palm Springs was becoming an incubator for creative and unique businesses. I then convinced the rest of the team to join, which wasn’t hard considering the natural beauty and proximity to L.A. My close friend Mark Bautzer, who is a longtime resident, found the space and helped introduce  me to the old timers he knew along with the growing artistic and liberal scene of the city. All welcomed us with open arms.”

The Alibi is getting an equally warm reception elsewhere, too.

“There’s been a lingering thirst for a venue like this in the Coachella Valley — so much so that until these past couple months, DIY backyard shows have ruled the area,” says drummer Ross Murakami of the young Coachella Valley-bred duo YIP YOPS, who are making their Alibi debut on March 13. “It’s actually one of the big reasons why YIP YOPS had opted to NOT play hometown shows for a year and a half. We’re glad to finally have a solid stage to play on and to see great bands that I’d normally have to drive a couple hours to see.”

Adds Ison Van Winkle, Murakami’s partner-in-tune: “We have been needing a venue like this is the desert for years. The venues that have been here, at least in my opinion, just haven’t been able to continue putting on interesting shows outside of a very specific audience.”

Thus far, the venue has hosted shows by artists ranging from L.A. indie-rockers Palm Springsteen (of course) and Healing Gems, to folk artist Jim White, to Bay Area indie greats Imperial Teen, to local legend Jesika Von Rabbit, to Best Coast, who are playing a sold-out show there tonight. Dance nights figure to be in the mix, too. 

Garo, who’s been booking shows for almost 20 years, perceived that void, too, although she is proceeding with the distinct knowledge that Palm Springs is not Echo Park. “It felt like there was a missing link in Palm Springs,” she says. “There are a lot of creatives and interesting people. The bookings represent our taste but also music that just needs some exposure.

“The response has been supportive, but it’s an interesting market. We listen to all the feedback and aim for a balance between people’s suggestions and what we want to have represent the Alibi. But it’s not a ‘We’re going to show you how to do it’ type of thing.  It’s more just where we come from, building a community with music and a cool space for people to go to. There’s an appreciation for something beyond the top 40 DJ/cover band format.”

With the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and the ancillary events it spawns just around the corner, the Alibi is planning to be right in the fray. “We have some things in the works,” said Garo, “We are hoping to have some branded events, parties, special performances, but it’s still a work in progress.”