Listen to Echo Curio founders and curators Grant Capes and Justin McInteer tell the story of how live shows at the art gallery are currently on an indefinite hiatus after four years in Echo Park.

The troubles began Aug. 9 when musician Bobb Bruno played to a crowd of approximately 40 at the Echo Curio. Some attendees were drinking inside the small gallery, in compliance with their B.Y.O.B. policy. 

Two LAPD vice officers approached McInteer asking for their liquor license. 

“I told them that we weren’t selling alcohol and didn’t have one,” McInteer said. So the police issued a warning and told them they were in violation on two counts: one for not having a liquor license and two for not having a live entertainmnet permit.

“We tried to create this familiar living room environment,” McInteer said. “We ask for a donation at the door and if people want to drink a beer, we let them. It’s never been a place where people get raunchy drunk.”

Because they were not selling alcohol, Capes and McInteer never applied for a liquor license. Nor did they obtain a café entertainment license, the permit required by the LAPD that states “any business which regularly provides any form of live entertainment including karaoke is required to have a live entertainment police permit (p519).”

After that, the Echo Curio went dry but continued live performances.

“We felt the liquor thing was a bigger deal in their eyes, so we stopped allowing drinks,” Capes said.

However, on Oct. 1 during a birthday party, the police returned to the Echo Curio, this time to see their live entertainment police permit, which Capes and McInteer still did not possess. They were forced to end the show early and stop live music altogether.

They began researching the license.

“It applies to a whole other realm of performance that is either larger scale venues like the Echo or Spaceland, or strip clubs and places like that which have their own rules but fall under the same permit,” Capes said.

“The permit seems vast,” McInteer said. “We never set out to be anything like the Echo and really didn’t want to be a venue. We’ve always referred to this as a space, and I think that is a big distinction.”
 To them, the Echo Curio was never about selling alcohol or tickets, which was part of the rationale for not applying in the first place.

“This is about friends supporting other friends’ creativity,” McInteer said.

“And supporting touring groups and touring artists,” Capes adds.

The city sees it differently and the Echo Curio must comply with the proper documentation.

Now the founders are applying for the live entertainment police permit, a process that could take months and includes an orientation class (they’re schedule for Monday) as well as a police inspection.

“We’re on the same page as the city,” McInteer said. “The last thing we would want is someone to get hurt in this space.”

In the meantime, the gallery will continue hosting art openings and workshops, at least through November. Most of their previously scheduled performances have been relocated to friends’ spaces.

“We’re definitely going to try our best to work within the spectrum,” McInteer adds. “Our main focus is trying to keep this alive and going and active.”

Supporters of the Echo Curio are encouraged to email Councilmember Eric Garcetti.

“If the police inspection is outrageous and won’t work with the space, we’re hoping that somehow Garcetti can help us find some common ground where we can still have performances,” McInteer said.

But for now, the Echo Curio's future is still undetermined.

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