'Monday Nights: L.A.'s Scene of the Century, 2005–2016" Opens at Leiminspace This August

Sean Carnage Monday Nights photo exhibition at Leiminspace in Chinatown August 2, 2025

Between 2005 and 2016, anything could happen on Monday Nights. The weekly series of DIY shows presented by Sean Carnage brought together synthpunk, metal, noise, hip-hop, unexpected cover bands and so much more. Locals like Health and Captain Ahab played Monday Nights, as did touring artists like Dan Deacon and Future Islands. The shows were influential on a wave of L.A. musicians coming up in the ’00s. They were influential for myself as well, as I covered the shows often early in my journalism career. So I’m excited to tell you now that I’m co-curating, “Monday Nights: L.A.’s Scene of the Century 2005=2016,” an exhibition set to open at Leiminspace in Chinatown on Saturday, August 2. Check out the press release below, mark your calendars , tell your friends and join us for the opening party.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Event Opening: August 2, 2025, 4-8pm
Location: Leiminspace, Chinatown, Los Angeles
Contact: Sean Carnage – sean@seancarnage.com

“Monday Nights: L.A.’s Scene of the Century, 2005–2016”

New Photography Retrospective Honors a Decade of Creative Chaos in L.A.’s Underground

Los Angeles, CA – June 21, 2025 – Leiminspace in Chinatown is proud to present “Monday Nights: L.A.’s Scene of the Century 2005–2016,” a groundbreaking gallery exhibition and photo retrospective opening August 2, 2025, and running through August 23. This immersive show documents a vital yet often overlooked chapter in Los Angeles cultural history: the Monday Night experimental music shows presented by Sean Carnage that shaped a generation of underground artists, and launched the careers of Dan Deacon, HEALTH, Future Islands and Chelsea Wolfe. Heavily featuring cult acts like The Mae Shi, No Age, Mika Miko, Abe Vigoda, IE, Juiceboxxx, Captain Ahab, DJ Kyle Mabson and 1,200 other cutting-edge performers, this one is not to be missed.

TV and movie personalities Val Kilmer, Eric Andre, Orville Peck, Anthony Kiedis, and many more also made Monday Night appearances and are represented in the show.

Co-curated by Sean Carnage, Liz Ohanesian, and Miguel Rodriguez, the exhibition highlights over a decade of wild performances, raw creativity, and fearless community-building in Echo Park at the dawn of the 21st century. Through photographs, flyers, video, ephemera, and newly commissioned installations, “Monday Nights” chronicles a D.I.Y. ecosystem where no genre was off limits and every night felt like the future.

“These weren’t just shows. They were rituals, experiments, and a lifeline for hundreds of artists,” says co-curator Sean Carnage. “We were documenting the evolution of L.A. in real time—without knowing it.”

The opening night Saturday, August 2 will feature over 200 photographic images — many never seen before — plus interactive displays turning the gallery into a space as electric as the community it celebrates. A 120-page zine with Monday photos and writing by Liz Ohanesian will be released to coincide with the show and will be available on opening night.

Additional programming to be announced soon.

Leiminspace is located in the heart of Chinatown (443 Lei Min Way, Los Angeles, CA 90012). Entry is free, and all are welcome. Bring your flip phone!