Let's cut to the chase... Obviously the other reviews here were written by the owners.
I was only a resident here for a couple months, and moved out after my band broke up, but I still wanted to share my band's experience here. I've been to quite a few monthly lockout spaces around LA, and I can confidently say - this place is a dump.
The bathrooms are beyond gross. If you've ever wanted to experience the aftermath of an Andre the Giant Poo-splosion, then make sure to visit one of the "bathrooms" at Black Diamond - if you can find one that's not out of order that is. Would it really be too much to ask to drop a couple urinal cakes in those bad boys to keep the bowl from turning black-ish green? Or put some soap in the soap dispensers? Or towels in the towel dispensers? Seriously... some of the nastiest ish I've ever seen.
Or how about taking out the trash, or sweeping/mopping/vacuuming the common areas more than once a decade?
I know it says they have AC, but it only comes on when the owners are there, if then. The rest of the time it's super HOT and stuffy. No ventilation, etc... which works great for anyone who really needs a lung-full of cigarette smoke and bathroom methane fumes. Oh yeah, did I mention people smoke indoors here? Cuz they do. Idiots.
And then there's the winter. Make sure you bring a heavy coat, because they don't use the heat either.
The rooms are not sound proofed at all. Which wouldn't be a problem except we felt surrounded by grindcore bands, practicing their blast beats for hours on end. I guess you really gotta build up your stamina if you wan to play all those death metal gigs in LA... said no one ever.
I hope you still have an AOL account, because the "wifi" is actually a dial-up modem connected to a wireless router.
The "pool table" is literally in cobweb covered pieces, and I'm confident it will remain that way until these jokers get their game together.
The fact that their major selling point is that it's a "creative" space is laughable. It's impossible to create in a space that doesn't have potable water (or a drinking fountain for that matter), isolation, clean/usable bathrooms, secure parking, or even a vending machine.
The only "potential" this place has under the current management, is to be the musical equivalent of a Venice bathhouse... only without running water... which really only leaves room for some sweet sweet homeless sex. But hey, whatever you're into. read more
