Every time we pass Venice’s WitZend building on Lincoln, we do a double-take at its colorful signage, mistaking it again and again for some kind of club or restaurant. It turns out to be the home of WIT Animation, whose owner, once a Howard Jones-ian pop ghostwriter, recently applied for a liquor license to open his own live music venue there, according to Yo! Venice! So what’s in store for 959 Superba Ave. and Lincoln?
Jeb Milne, who spent the last few years cranking out animated characters for McDonalds, among other clients, spills the beans in a video on Wit’s website that he hopes to recreate the “relaxed uncompetitive atmosphere” of the London soul and R&B; clubs, Singer’s and Hanover Grand,that he founded in The Eighties, though “in a more organized, less debauched way.”
The Venice space incidentally used to be a nightclub called 4-H where the Doors played early shows and Gregory Hines lead the house band. Witt’s new venture, which has an open call to schedule performers now and looks to have seen a quiet show already, could be a key location for Lincoln, adding one more nightlife space on top of Air Conditioned, The Garter, and Trip Bar and possibly helping Lincoln turn into a destination for more than drunks, roving trannies, and outings from nearby halfway houses. We’ll let you know when an opening is in sight. See the video online.
Wit Animation via WitZend Live: New Live Music Venue in Venice [Yo Venice!]
