Live music venues in Los Angeles are everywhere! After all, many of the world’s top musicians live in or around our city. We’ve got everything from small rock ‘n roll stages to outdoor venues to massive stadiums. Here’s just a few:
Travel down the Sunset Strip and enjoy a bit of rock history. It’s where bands like Motley Crue, Jim Morrison and The Doors, Van Halen, Guns n Roses, and Frank Zappa played to excited fans. Spots like Gazzarri’s, Pandora’s Box, Billboard Live, and Starwood are long gone, but The Whisky A Go-Go, The Viper Room, The Roxy, and The Rainbow Bar and Grill are still going strong. One of the venues on this stretch that’s been reincarnated from past clubs is the current 1OAK. Just down around the corner on Santa Monica Blvd., one can also find the world-famous Troubadour.
Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip
As mentioned in our previous post, some amazing outdoor venues include The Hollywood Bowl (about 18,000 seats), The Greek Theatre (5800 seats) and The John Anson Ford Amphitheater (1200 seats).
Even larger stadiums for major touring concerts by musicians like Madonna, Taylor Swift, U2, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce, will most likely take place at The Forum in Inglewood, The Staples Center and Microsoft Theater in Downtown LA, The Coliseum, and The Rose Bowl in Pasadena. A more intimate spot is the historic Wiltern Theatre.
Staples Center Los Angeles
The Music Center, also in Downtown Los Angeles, is comprised of The Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Ahmanson, and The Mark Taper Forum. Look for musicians, stage shows, live theater and the philharmonic orchestra at these venues. Same thing goes for The Palladium, The Dolby Theatre and The Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, The Wallis Annenberg Theater in Beverly Hills and The Geffen Playhouse.
Walt Disney Concert Hall in DTLA
Smaller scale venues like The Hotel Café, Echo, Largo at the Coronet, and Rockwell Table and Stage, might let you catch a rising singer/songwriter before they hit it big.
Because it’s Los Angeles, and there’s so many talented folks, this is just a very small sample of what’s out there. Check local calendars in papers and online with sources like L.A. Weekly for up-to-date venues and schedules.
Glitterati Tours can put an emphasis on LA rock ‘n roll history during any of our popular city tours!
