Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

What 4th&B will be

One-time House of Blues honcho John Lyons has designs on 4th&B.
One-time House of Blues honcho John Lyons has designs on 4th&B.

John Lyons, one of the owners of the venue who will take over 4th&B, has an unusual challenge. He will be competing for business with the nearby House of Blues, a chain he cofounded with Dan Aykroyd and two others 21 years ago.

Lyons has teamed up with longtime local EDM impresario David Dean to create the new venue, Avalon. Lyons says Avalon will host electronic dance music shows, concerts, special events, and movie shoots. The 1500-capacity venue is named after Avalon Hollywood, the 76-year-old venue that Lyons has co-owned since 2002; that was where the Beatles played their first West Coast show. When it was known as the Hollywood Palace, it hosted a ’60s ABC-TV variety show of the same name. It is now one of the premier EDM venues in L.A.

Lyons will be installing his own sound and light systems at Avalon, something he says he has done at over 300 locations. John Lyons Systems has installed high-end audio and light systems for Mandalay Bay, Mirage, and the Venetian hotels in Las Vegas.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The business partners did not disclose all their plans, such as the motifs that will define Avalon or whether the old stadium-style seating would be removed. “It will be sensibly elegant, not gimmicky,” says Lyons. “In a lot of cases, some designer talks [nightclub owners] into something that is interesting at the moment but goofy in two months. There are certain immutable laws of nightclub design, including the quality of circulating air. It can’t smell like a beer hall. Plus, you can never be static. A nightclub experience must be ever-changing.”

Avalon Hollywood, one of L.A.’s premier EDM clubs, has a rich history.

But what about that Big Box thing? “We look at that as an amazing asset, to have that kind of room to really develop something unique,” says Dean. “There are no columns or low ceilings to deal with that you find at most other venues.” Lyons says he has developed around 50 nightclubs over his 35 years in the business, and Dean’s track record of hosting heavy-hitter DJs, such as Paul Oakenfold and John Digweed, at EDM havens for the past 25 years in London, San Francisco, L.A., and San Diego, will help them come up with the right formula.

Neither Lyons nor Dean would commit to an opening date. “We are moving as fast as we can,” says Lyons. “We would love to see it happen this fall.”

Regarding live shows, the two said they will welcome all outside promoters and that no decision has been made as to whether there would be an in-house talent-buyer.

Lyons says he has experienced firsthand how many nightclub owners lost their way. “I never took up drinking, so I didn’t have to find a way to stop.... The worst is a nightclub owner’s arrogance. It is not a license to be mean to people.”

One of the clubs Lyons operated was Boston punk club Spit. “We were with the Ramones from start to finish. We would have them, like, three or four times a year. We did the last Ramones show ever. It was two days before Joey died.”

The two have applied to the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to import a so-called 48 license to Avalon, which (like 4th&B before) allows it to have a full liquor license with no commitment to sell food. The House of Blues, on the other hand, must have half of its sales in food.

“San Diego can definitely support another EDM venue,” says FLUXX GM James Thorp. “We love seeing downtown San Diego continue to grow and bring more people into the Gaslamp. It benefits everyone.” Thorp says FLUXX would not do anything differently once Avalon opens. “Some of the main factors that contribute to FLUXX’s success with EDM nights is the level of talent we book and the setup and size of our venue. At FLUXX, you can have an up-close-and-personal interaction with the DJ.”

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Centennial Salute to San Diego’s Military, East Village Block Party, Birding Basics Class

Events March 29-March 30, 2024
One-time House of Blues honcho John Lyons has designs on 4th&B.
One-time House of Blues honcho John Lyons has designs on 4th&B.

John Lyons, one of the owners of the venue who will take over 4th&B, has an unusual challenge. He will be competing for business with the nearby House of Blues, a chain he cofounded with Dan Aykroyd and two others 21 years ago.

Lyons has teamed up with longtime local EDM impresario David Dean to create the new venue, Avalon. Lyons says Avalon will host electronic dance music shows, concerts, special events, and movie shoots. The 1500-capacity venue is named after Avalon Hollywood, the 76-year-old venue that Lyons has co-owned since 2002; that was where the Beatles played their first West Coast show. When it was known as the Hollywood Palace, it hosted a ’60s ABC-TV variety show of the same name. It is now one of the premier EDM venues in L.A.

Lyons will be installing his own sound and light systems at Avalon, something he says he has done at over 300 locations. John Lyons Systems has installed high-end audio and light systems for Mandalay Bay, Mirage, and the Venetian hotels in Las Vegas.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The business partners did not disclose all their plans, such as the motifs that will define Avalon or whether the old stadium-style seating would be removed. “It will be sensibly elegant, not gimmicky,” says Lyons. “In a lot of cases, some designer talks [nightclub owners] into something that is interesting at the moment but goofy in two months. There are certain immutable laws of nightclub design, including the quality of circulating air. It can’t smell like a beer hall. Plus, you can never be static. A nightclub experience must be ever-changing.”

Avalon Hollywood, one of L.A.’s premier EDM clubs, has a rich history.

But what about that Big Box thing? “We look at that as an amazing asset, to have that kind of room to really develop something unique,” says Dean. “There are no columns or low ceilings to deal with that you find at most other venues.” Lyons says he has developed around 50 nightclubs over his 35 years in the business, and Dean’s track record of hosting heavy-hitter DJs, such as Paul Oakenfold and John Digweed, at EDM havens for the past 25 years in London, San Francisco, L.A., and San Diego, will help them come up with the right formula.

Neither Lyons nor Dean would commit to an opening date. “We are moving as fast as we can,” says Lyons. “We would love to see it happen this fall.”

Regarding live shows, the two said they will welcome all outside promoters and that no decision has been made as to whether there would be an in-house talent-buyer.

Lyons says he has experienced firsthand how many nightclub owners lost their way. “I never took up drinking, so I didn’t have to find a way to stop.... The worst is a nightclub owner’s arrogance. It is not a license to be mean to people.”

One of the clubs Lyons operated was Boston punk club Spit. “We were with the Ramones from start to finish. We would have them, like, three or four times a year. We did the last Ramones show ever. It was two days before Joey died.”

The two have applied to the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to import a so-called 48 license to Avalon, which (like 4th&B before) allows it to have a full liquor license with no commitment to sell food. The House of Blues, on the other hand, must have half of its sales in food.

“San Diego can definitely support another EDM venue,” says FLUXX GM James Thorp. “We love seeing downtown San Diego continue to grow and bring more people into the Gaslamp. It benefits everyone.” Thorp says FLUXX would not do anything differently once Avalon opens. “Some of the main factors that contribute to FLUXX’s success with EDM nights is the level of talent we book and the setup and size of our venue. At FLUXX, you can have an up-close-and-personal interaction with the DJ.”

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Nation’s sexy soldiers stage protest at Pendleton in wake of change in Marine uniform policy

Semper WHY?
Next Article

Summit Fellowship wants to be a home of belonging

Unitarian Universalism allows you to be exactly who you are in the moment
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.