Music Venues in the Los Angeles and Hollywood Area

While some may not consider it a hobby, my favorite hobby is going to see live music. Of course I always love when it is a band I know and like, but even if it is someone I have never heard before, one of my favorite things to do is to go to concerts- especially at small clubs. I saw Green Day once at a large sports arena, and although they are awesome live and have been one of my favorite bands for about 12 years, it just didn't have the feeling of being in a tiny club with loud music bouncing off the walls and a bunch of sweaty people surrounding you.

Having gone to several concerts a month for many years, I have hit most of the venues in Los Angeles; some of them I have been to more times than I can count. The following is some information about the most popular venues. This information should be helpful to concertgoers, as well as to out-of-town bands deciding where to book shows.

The Avalon (formerly known as the Palace)
The Avalon is located on Vine Street, right in the heart of downtown Hollywood. It is right around the corner from the Pantages theatre. In fact, I recommend parking in one of the lots near the Pantages (they tend to be the cheapest).
The Avalon used to be called The Palace, but they changed the name a few years back when they remodeled. With red carpet and big dramatic curtains, it has the air of traditional Hollywood. Most concerts are all ages, but they do have a full bar. It has a large floor level in the front, and behind that are VIP tables. On the second story is a carpeted area with several levels, where you can watch the show in a more relaxed atmosphere. There is a large lobby where bands usually set up tables to sell merchandise. This is nice because it doesn't get as crowded, and you can actually hear the person you are talking to. Overall, it is a great place to see shows!

The House of Blues - Hollywood
The House of Blues is one of my favorite venues to see bands play in. It has a small square of floor that is directly beneath the stage, and then a level up from that is the bar and a lot more standing room for those who don't want to end up in the middle of a mosh pit. There is also a second story with limited standing room in a square walkway overlooking the floor. Standing up there is a great way to watch the action in the pit, but it is really hard to get a spot up there and it is usually squished shoulder to shoulder.

It is located on Sunset, right in the midst of the action of the Sunset Strip. Parking can be difficult, so pretty much be prepared to pay the valet.

The one thing that bugs me about this place is that they have one of those annoying bathroom attendants who hands you a paper towel when you are done washing your hands. I don't know why, but that just bugs me a lot. I guess I just like to take my time washing my hands and not feel like there is someone waiting for me to finish so they can hand me a paper towel. And then I feel bad if I don't tip, but honestly, doesn't it seem silly to tip someone for handing you a paper towel?
Anyway, it is overall a great venue. Because it is also a restaurant, you can have dinner there before the show, but it is a bit pricey and I recommend making reservations. The age limit for most concerts is 21, but many bands request for it to be younger. I have taken teenagers to shows there several times; just call the venue and ask if you have questions about a specific show: 323-848-5100

The Wiltern
The Wiltern is located in Los Angeles on the corner of Wilshire and Western (hence the name. Clever, huh?). This place is HUGE, but it still has the feel of a small club. It used to be more a traditional theatre, with fixed seats, but most of the seats have been removed. There are now five tiers on the floor level, and several seats up in the balcony. The nice thing about the tiers is that they can pack a lot of people in, and everyone still has a pretty good view of the stage.

There are a few drawbacks to The Wiltern, at least in my opinion. They have pretty strict security policies, which are good for keeping it safe, but I think they go over the top. They have the aisle ways marked with tape, and a security guard will come up and tell you to move if you have even one foot over the tape line. So when a tier is full, you really have no option but to go back a level. The bottom level (I suppose you would call this the pit, although it doesn't really feel like it) is very small and they only let the first people there stay there. So you have to get there really early if you want to be up close, and then they will wristband you so that you get to come back. Once they give out all the wristbands, no one else gets in. This really bugged me, because a bunch of young kids ended up in there at one show I went to, and my husband and I were in the level right about the pit. At the beginning of the show, all these kids got scared off by the intensity of the crowd up so close and they left. However, security still would not let new people take their spots. It was a little frustrating.

There is plenty of parking however, and it is in a fairly decent part of town. Many large bands play at The Wiltern, so there are usually representatives there from local radio stations, and they sometimes give out free stuff.

The Roxy
The Roxy is a much smaller club than the clubs previously mentioned, which can be really nice. The room has sort of an interesting set-up. It is a wide stage, placed diagonally, taking up about half the room. I tend to like a stage like this, because the band moves around more, making sure to interact with the whole crowd and keeping the show lively. There is a large open floor area, and behind that are tables and booths. It is an all ages venue, but there is a decent (although expensive) bar.

The Roxy is located on the Sunset Strip.

Glass House
The Glass House is a bit outside of Los Angeles and Hollywood, located in Pomona, right near Cal-Poly. It is a lot like The Roxy. One of the nice things about The Glass House is that tickets can be purchased through Goldenvoice, avoiding the high fees that Ticketmaster charges.

There are two rooms in the Glass House. The big room has a set-up a lot like the Roxy, with a wide diagonally placed stage. There is a small area with chairs in the back, but it mostly is just a huge floor. The second room is about half that size, and has a small stage in the front. Shows in the small room have a very intimate feel.

It is an all ages venue, and there is plenty of free parking. It seems far, but it is worth the drive.

The Key Club
The Key Club is another one of the clubs on the ever popular Sunset Strip. This is not one of my favorite places to see a show. It has an interesting set-up. The bathrooms and merchandise are downstairs in a narrow hallway. There is a fairly large front floor area, and then a small raised area in the back with the bar. It is always overcrowded and I find that the staff members are usually rude. It is possible to be a security guard and not be rude. For the most part, this is a 21 and up club, although many shows are all ages. For the under 21 crowd, there is a two drink (as in non-alcoholic) minimum, and I think drinks are like $3. It's sort of ridiculous. I will see shows here only if it is a band I really want to see, and only if they are not playing anywhere else in SoCal.

The El Rey
The El Rey is a small theatre in Los Angeles, on La Cienaga. It has a really cool art deco atmosphere. The balcony is a cozy atmosphere with couches. There is a very large, rectangular floor area. A couple of steps up there is a level surrounding the floor with chairs and a few tables. It's nothing fancy, but it is a "kick-back and relax" type of venue to see a show. We have seen mostly local bands play here, but it is usually a good show. The bar is not that expensive either, although they do not have the greatest selection. There is generally free street parking in the general vicinity of the theatre, but you may have to walk a block or two. If all else fails, there's valet.

The Whiskey a Go Go
This is one of the smallest, oldest clubs in the Hollywood area. It is on the Sunset strip on the corner of San Vincente. Valet parking is available behind the club, but it is way crowded and poorly organized. They lost my keys once too. That was very bad. Beware of parking on the street near there though; the signs are deceiving and you may get ticketed. I recommend parking in one of the lots further down the street.

This hole-in-the-wall joint has been the first stop for many bands that are now huge, including The Doors. I have seen many of my friends' garage bands play here, as well as some of my favorite smaller-scale rock bands. It is an all ages venue that also has a bar. It is really tiny. The cool thing about how small it is, is that you are right up close to the artists- close enough to see the expressions on their faces. The not-so-cool thing is that popular shows are a claustrophobics nightmare. No matter where you stand, there is no room to move. Getting across the room to the bathroom can be a real challenge. But when all is said and done, I love seeing shows The Whiskey.