Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

Though known to host the occasional concert (Aviici, the Beach Boys, Rilo Kiley have all played here), this multi-purpose 1950s-era venue is better known as an event space—the Academy Awards set up here in the 1960s—for conventions and trade shows (LA Cat Show, anyone?). A major renovation project is in the cards for sometime in the next two years—we (and the cats) hope.