Highlights from Day 1 of the Playboy Jazz Festival. Just watch for the flashing light to tell you when the show is ready to start, and take your cue from others whether it is appropriate to sit or stand. Venue Facts . Maybe that’s true in most music venues, but I’ve seen this space filled with couches, tables and chairs or totally open, and it’s a whole new vibe every time. Whether they're pumping out dubstep and trap at Control on Fridays, or big-room house and trance on Saturdays, Avalon's speakers — designed by club owner John Lyons — deliver crisp highs and enough low-end whomp to blow your hair back. — Patrick James, Jagwar Ma on Santa Monica Pier; Credit: Courtesy of Twilight Concerts at the Pier, There’s nothing quite like seeing a concert at the Santa Monica Pier. 1735 Vine St., Hollywood, avalonhollywood.com. Nevertheless, the comforts of the intimate space and dedication to artists shall remain. Best Music Venues in San Diego, CA - The Casbah, Lestat's West, Prohibition, Music Box, The Holding Company, Humphreys Backstage Live, Listen Shows, U-31, Humphreys Concerts By The Bay, Greene Music Admittedly, parking is often a pain in the ass, but the Observatory more than makes up for it with reasonable ticket prices, including free shows, and unbeatable intimacy — especially in the 300-person capacity (and that’s pushing it) Constellation Room. There are venues whose history extends back 100 years, and there are others built in this century. — Britt Witt, Control night at Avalon; Credit: Photo by Kelsee Becker, Thanks to the EDM explosion, swanky new dance clubs have sprung up all over Hollywood and DTLA in recent years — but nearly 12 years after it first opened, Avalon remains the best of the bunch. Sound is good from the floor, less so from the balcony, and although the place can get stuffy when it's at capacity, a huge courtyard provides ample breathing room, even when the smokers are out in force. With a sizable dance floor up front and two stair sets that lead to a pair of small balconies, the space is comfortable and easily navigable even when packed. Although pricey festivals like Way Over Yonder have taken root on the pier in recent years, music always sounds better when it’s free, especially during the summer Twilight Concerts series, which has featured Charles Bradley, No Age, Patti Smith, Dr. John, La Santa Cecilia, The Zombies, Dick Dale and, fittingly, Best Coast. Yelp Delivery. Parking in the lot under the pier can quickly sell out, and the music can die out quickly in the damp air if you’re too far from the stage, so it’s best to arrive early. The Chicago Kid, and Lee Fields), as well as the occasional (and quick to sell out) open-to-the-public show. 3900 W Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, www.fabulousforum.com. — Mary Carreon, Café NELA is located just far enough from the pay-to-play clubs of the Sunset Strip and the self-conscious hipster hangouts of Silver Lake and Echo Park for real music to happen. Throw in all the great acts that grace their stage and you have a venue worthy of every music fans' bucket-list. One of the most historic venues in the world. Nightlife. This 200-capacity room sits nondescriptly in its Glendale neighborhood and is easy to miss driving by. (Father John Misty even named a song after the place.) #acehoteldtla #discoverla, A post shared by Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles (@acedtla) on Apr 10, 2018 at 8:18am PDT, The Theatre at Ace Hotel is perhaps the premier live music location in Downtown LA. Backstage POV #DTLA #orpheumla #theatre, A post shared by Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles (@orpheumtheatrela) on Mar 28, 2017 at 11:58am PDT. California is a big place and Californians are huge music fans. . NIVA participants in Los Angeles include the Bootleg Theater, Teragram Ballroom, the Regent, Zebulon, and the Troubadour, among the dozens of venues, promoters, and festivals in … Sort: Recommended. — Mary Grace Cerni, Every year, the Observatory and adjoining Constellation Room are hosts to the majority of Burger Records' events, a list that never seems to stop growing. 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Located in the heart of Los Angeles and one of Southern California’s most noteworthy venues for various events, Taglyan Complex offers beautiful European-inspired décor replete with a custom-made 5,000 square foot stained glass ceiling. It qualifies so gosh durn hard. — Andy Hermann, The Hard Way performing at the Whisky; Credit: Photo by Timothy Norris, First, a confession: In high school, I often told people the first show I ever saw was Agnostic Front at the Whisky, when in truth it was Bush and Veruca Salt at the Forum. Their stage is an odd shape but the room is an intimate size and it's a great place to see the next up-and-coming band, and maybe some old favorites. Owner Dave Travis has performed for many years in the local underground scene as a cellist in such stubbornly uncompromising bands as W.A.C.O. 1. Fortunately, for the citizens of LA, there are a multitude of places where you’re rarely ever liable to run into any of those aforementioned issues. See resident DJs @jeremyburke, @itscamtang, & @djsteviebe as well as special guests, AMIKA AKAYA & HONEY, from the awesome hip hop weekly party, Cyber Ceremony. If you’re able to watch from the balcony, we recommend it; you can see the entire stage and your view is less likely to be obstructed. Over the years, country artists like Shooter Jennings, Todd Snider, and Billy Joe Shaver have played at House of Rock. ?” Look, Pappy and Harriet’s remains one of the best destination venues anywhere within 500 miles of Los Angeles, so it qualifies. It’s too bad the club is tucked away in a nondescript Little Tokyo shopping mall; here’s hoping they can move to a new site sooner than later. It was significantly refurbished after World War II due to severe damage. Look, Pappy and Harriet’s remains one of the best destination venues anywhere within 500 miles of Los Angeles, so it qualifies. With good natural acoustics, a capacity of about 6,000, and a history dating back to the 1930s, the Greek draws drastically different crowds from event to event, catering to the fans looking for a complete concert experience that's similar to the Hollywood Bowl but smaller in scale. 5/3/18 @neilfinnofficial and @liamfinn, A post shared by Largo (@largolosangeles) on May 4, 2018 at 4:38pm PDT. — Artemis Thomas-Hansard, See also: The Smell: DIY Club Tries to Keep It Real (PHOTOS), You'll find the best small-club sound in L.A. at the Bootleg — at least in their front room, though the larger theater space in back is good, too. — Falling James, Mack Sennett Studios; Credit: Courtesy of Prismatics, The glamour of old Hollywood is revamped for the millennium at the 100-year-old Mack Sennett Studios. With a capacity around 80 and no stage, it gets humid and real snuggly. — Heidi Darby, When it comes to intimate music venues, no room in L.A. is cooler than the Echo. Jazz Cafe, London 24/07 - 15/10/2021 View more info for Leee John of Imagination Buy Tickets. The large theater got a full restoration around 2014 and is currently one of the most opulent venues in the entire city, with its vaulted ceilings and ornate plaster and metal accents that evoke a gothic-Spanish sensibility. It served as a Moose Lodge for a time. Like any local venue, their Monday night residencies are always worth checking out, but their knack for foreign artist showcases, like their recent Japan Nite, is where the Bootleg really thrives. #thetroubadour #soldout, A post shared by Troubadour (@thetroubadour) on Jun 18, 2018 at 2:24pm PDT. ✨ Sign up for our A-list for all things Ace, including news from our latest Kyoto project. Sound permeates every crevice here: front and center is the spot for a full-on throb or thrash attack (sure was for L7’s reunion show recently), while the sides of the room provide a still-intense but slightly less immersive sonic perspective — stage left with booth seating and ladies' room, and right near the patio entry and bar, where you can even munch Two Boots pizza during the show if you want. Sort Venue Locations. Thank you, @wolfparade : @mathewtucciarone, A post shared by The Fonda Theatre (@fondatheatre) on Jan 21, 2018 at 10:42am PST. 2. Both drinks and parking are pricey, so it's not a cheap night out — but even for non-VIPs, Avalon delivers a top-shelf club experience. Before the show, the lobby makes use of its movie-house ambiance, selling popcorn and candy along with the requisite booze, while a DJ often graces the foyer with a backing soundtrack. 9009 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, www.theroxy.com. Perhaps most famous for being the club that hosted some of the earliest shows by The Doors, Whisky A Go Go went on to play a key role in the city’s music scene right up until the present day. — Gary Fukushima, Nick Cave at the Shrine Auditorium; Credit: Photo by Timothy Norris, Built in 1926, the Shrine's Moorish Revival architectural style makes it an L.A. landmark. Pier entrance is at corner of Colorado Ave. and Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, santamonicapier.org/twilightconcerts. In recent years, big names have started to come back to the Palladium, including The Black Keys, Slayer, Big Sean, The Replacements, Lily Allen, Sleater-Kinney and TV on the Radio. 6215 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, www.thehollywoodpalladium.com. The Theatre at Ace Hotel is perhaps the premier live music location in Downtown LA. The Roxy is owned by Lou Adler and Adler's son, Nic, who operates the club. 2301 Highland Ave., Hollywood Hills, www.hollywoodbowl.com. The sound system is both capable of unleashing the brain-frying bass of your favorite DJ and capturing the subtleties of arching free jazz, as proven by Kamasi Washington’s epic album release party last month. If rock bands aren’t your thing, there are plenty of DJ sets at night. Presumably because both of these spots have genuine soul, especially downtown's opulent Mayan Revival-style palace. Since moving, Brion still regularly performs here — and he’s definitely worth checking out if you can score a ticket — but the venue also hosts a diverse collection of comedians and musicians over the course of the week. With terrific sound and generally attentive audiences, Hotel Café attracts a consistently stellar mix of up-and-comers and nationally touring acts who are usually way, way underplaying out of loyalty to a place that, likely as not, gave them a shot when they were just starting out. — Philip Cosores, With its rippling layers of metal wrapped like billowing silver sails around a warmer, wooden interior, Frank Gehry’s design for Disney Concert Hall remains one of the L.A.’s most striking architectural achievements. The somewhat hidden independent venue, which opened in 2006, is home to screenings, live theater and music. It was given its current name after a 2012 renovation, and while the theatre holds non … Open Ocean Records . If you want to get up close and personal on a packed night, there’s a little space underneath the stage left speaker you can reach by slipping past the merch booth. It’s just the right size: You can always find your people here without searching all night, and make new friends too, giving it the feeling of a party as well as a concert. Price. — Lina Lecaro, Since opening for concerts under the Goldenvoice banner in 2009, the Fox Theater Pomona provides a 2,000-capacity standing room, tiered theater equidistant from Downtown L.A., Orange County, and the I.E. 2419 N. Broadway, Lincoln Heights, www.lowendtheoryclub.com. 3/19. There's loads of parking available on Sunset Boulevard, so don't pay for valet unless you're late for a gig. (before they blew up). Whether that means SZA, Vince Staples, Pusha-T, Joey Badass, Jaden Smith, if they’re going to perform in town, best chances are they’re going to touch down here. Are you with us for Day 2? There is no shortage of live music to be found in Los Angeles. It's no accident that both A Club Called Rhonda's “pansexual” dance parties and Das Bunker's dress-to-distress industrial nights call Los Globos home, or that the club books more quality underground metal shows than any other venue in town (except, arguably, Glendale's Complex). The Best Small Venues in Los Angeles. Its alleyway entrance is impossible to find. 1822 Sunset Blvd. For food, we recommend taking a short walk to renowned French dip haven Cole’s. You may know this venue for its high profile musical performances. There are many historic clubs around West Hollywood vying for your almighty dollar. Venues; Clubs; Rainbow Bar & Grill. While Mack Sennett doesn’t always function as a music venue, it doesn’t hold back on the production when it presents music events. It’s such secret moments at the Fonda that give it the edge. 2. Whether you're preferred concert-going experience is a sweaty dive or a swanky, historic theater, our city offers up a vast array of options every night of the week. For my money, there’s no better venue I’d rather catch a show in the Los Angeles area than the LA Forum. But over the years, Los Globos has consistently hosted the kind of music that doesn't always find a home in L.A.'s flashier venues. You never know who may pop in on any given night; major artists like Jenny Lewis or Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready could spontaneously jump onstage with whoever is performing. These retrofitted brick buildings are due for … — Falling James, While Jack White could have easily sold out a larger venue when he was on tour here last June, he opted to play both the Fonda and its slightly spookier urban jungle cousin, the Mayan. — Art Tavana, 33. It's also a hidden indie rock gem where hyped local acts like L.A. Witch, Street Joy, and Joel Jerome drop by from time to time. But when it comes to venues in which to hear that music played live, we are equally blessed. Latin music festival La Linea returns to London with an incredible line-up for 2021! Parking is in the back (along with the entrance), where people are constantly getting stoned, while the beer selection inside is always ranked among the area's best. All. 1906 Cypress Ave., Cypress Park, www.cafenela.net. Which COLD AND BLACK AND INFINITE NORTH AMERICA show are you going to? Open Now. Culture Music Los Angeles Los Angeles is concert city. Located near the top of Griffith Park, the venue has the warmth of listening to music in a friend’s backyard. This is a place by musicians, for musicians, and the sound here is the best of any area jazz venue (though sensitive ears should have earplugs handy). — Patrick James, Opening in 2014 with Spiritualized playing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, accompanied by a full orchestra, the Theatre at Ace Hotel has become known for such special one-off events. We began working on this list over a month ago, before the city's newest concert venue, Teragram Ballroom, had opened its doors — so even though early reviews of that space give it high marks, it didn't make the cut. Famous Los Angeles music venue, The Smell, stays open despite demolition plans Date: August 31, 2016 Author: Victor Lozano 0 Comments The Smell, one of the more popular DIY music venues in downtown L.A, is staying open despite receiving news earlier in the year with a demolition notice on their door. Host musicians who curate “Friday Flights” blur lines with their aural and visual installations in the architecturally eye-popping space. How DARE you! Although some complain about the sound, the multi-level venue offers unparalleled atmosphere in an intimate setting. By the ’80s, though, the ballroom was in rundown condition, with shadowy lighting and a notoriously muddy sound system. 1050 S. Hill St., Downtown, belascous.com. Spacious, dimly lit, and always well air-conditioned, the Echoplex continually books fantastic independent acts each week. Onizuka St., Little Tokyo, bluewhalemusic.com. Many are local musicians and just as many are emerging artists from around the world. There’s also a large outdoor smoking patio (yes, you can drink there), as well as several delicious post-concert food options close by (Two Boots Pizza, Tacos Arizas). It seems like every night of the week you can catch a wide variety of superstars, cult favorites, or up-and-coming artists in any one of the hundreds of venues spread out across the gargantuan city, ranging in size from the 50-person dive bar to the massive, 100,000-seat Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Why? In the ‘50s and ‘60s many early rock and roll greats would stop at the El Monte Stadium as… The Brass Ring. Completed in 1900, the auditorium is still considered to be one of the top venues for classical music in the world. You might think that a cemetery isn’t the most ideal location to take in a loud rock concert, but if you’re talking about the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, you’d be dead wrong. Top 5 Los Angeles Music Venues by KCRW DJ Anthony Valadez. — Jason Roche, Whether you walk down the alleyway on Glendale Boulevard or downstairs from the Echo, entering the Echoplex is a reminder of the venue’s devotion to subterranean sounds. Whether you want to rock, feel like dancing or just want to sway under the stars, the live music venues in LA make it easy to experience an exciting audio escape.