Sylvan Esso at 30 Days in LA
Photograph: Jakob N. Layman | Sylvan Esso at 30 Days in LA
Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

The 19 best live music venues in Los Angeles

Your complete guide to live music Los Angeles style, from concert calendars to iconic venues and more

Michael Juliano
Written by: Kate Wertheimer
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When it comes to live music venues, Los Angeles reigns. Ours is a storied history, from the rambling folk history of Woody Guthrie to the rock ’n’ rolling, raunchy ways of bands like the Doors, Van Halen and Motley Crue. And to this day, the city remains one of the best for amazing concerts—and amazingly free concerts—not in small part due to its wide array of venues, from gorgeous outdoor amphitheatres to hole-in-the-wall clubs and dive bars. There’s a steady stream of impressive local talent here, and no big-name artist completes a tour without stopping in L.A. We’ve got it all, when it comes to live music in Los Angeles and we’re damn lucky—see for yourself below.

Top live music venues in Los Angeles

  • Things to do
  • Event spaces
  • Hollywood
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

This gorgeous outdoor amphitheater has been hosting concerts since the LA Philharmonic first played here in 1922. Nestled in an aesthetically blessed fold of the Hollywood Hills, the 18,000-seat venue can bring out the romantic in the terminally cynical. It’s the summer home of the LA Phil, but it’s hosted everyone from the Beatles to Big Bird. Today, summers at the Bowl are a mix of classical concerts and the biggest names from all genres, from rock and pop to country and musical theater.

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  • Downtown Historic Core
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

When the Ace Hotel opened in early 2014, we didn’t just gain a super hip hotel in DTLA: We also got a jaw-droppingly beautiful 1920s movie house-turned-performing arts space, which has since billed an impressive lineup of performances, concerts, movie nights, lectures and more. The former flagship United Artists Theater is a 1,600-seat house perfect for folk acts, solo artists and beloved indie bands.

  • Music
  • Music venues
  • West Hollywood
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

This storied club has a rich musical history: Randy Newman got his start here, and Elton John made his U.S. debut on its stage in 1970. It hasn’t lapsed into irrelevance in the time since, often showcasing bands on the rise—those shows sell out quick. The sound is great and the views are decent from almost anywhere in the room—just stay out from under the balcony.

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  • Music
  • Music venues
  • Griffith Park
  • price 2 of 4

This pleasant, open-air, 6,000-seat theatre stages big summer shows by acts both national and local. It’s a bit like seeing a concert in the woods, and rivals the Hollywood Bowl in terms of L.A.’s most magical outdoor music venue. The only downside: The “stacked” parking means getting out of the parking lot often takes longer than the show, and VIP “Quick Parking” is a pricey $100.

  • Attractions
  • Cemeteries
  • Hollywood
  • price 2 of 4

Aside from popular posthumous celebs, Hollywood Forever is also home to summer outdoor movie screenings; Cinespia-hosted sleepovers with projected films, live music and games; as well as a number of unique concert events (past performers include Bon Iver, Lana del Rey and Karen O, to name just a few). Whether on the lawn or in the Masonic Lodge, seeing a show here is a little bit magical, and the bands booked here are always top notch and perfectly suited to play to a crowd of both living and dead.

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  • Music
  • Music venues
  • Downtown
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

As the $274-million crown jewel of the Music Center, Disney Hall opened in 2003 to rave reviews. The novelty hasn’t yet worn off: Both inside and out, this is a terrific venue. Designed by Frank Gehry, the hall features a 2,265-capacity auditorium with an open platform stage and a stunning pipe organ. The hall is the home of the LA Philharmonic and the LA Master Chorale, but the schedule is surprisingly varied (Björk, Sigur Rós, Sylvan Esso, Nick Cave and Iron & Wine have all played here).

  • Comedy
  • La Cienega
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

We like venues that take good care of their performers, and that’s clearly the case at L.A.’s home for cultured, bankable singer-songwriters and brilliant comedians. The likes of Aimee Mann, the Watkins Family, Andrew Bird and perennial hot-ticket artist-in-residence Jon Brion ply their trade in the remarkably intimate 280-seat space.

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  • Music
  • Music venues
  • Highland Park

Eastside buzz bands, cult-favorite singer-songwriters and surprise stand-up sets from Dave Chappelle mix at the Lodge Room, an intimate concert hall housed inside a former Masonic lodge in Highland Park. Show up early—or stay late—for a drink and a bite to eat at the adjoined Checker Hall.

  • Music
  • Music venues
  • Inglewood
  • price 2 of 4

It had been a while since this 17,500-seat space was the city’s go-to arena. But after a $100 million renovation in 2014, the half-century-old Forum has become fabulous once again—enough so that it’s poached many major arena shows from DTLA’s Crypto.com Arena. Almost every massive touring act makes a stop here (Eagles, the Strokes, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, U2), and it’s really the best-case scenario as far as arenas go: The bowl nature of the auditorium keeps sightlines clear and near, and the acoustics are actually pretty good (unlike the disappointing sound next door at SoFi Stadium). Try to avoid the parking lot if you can, and instead pay for a lot a couple of blocks away.

The best live music by month

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Just announced

  • Music
  • Rock and indie
  • Hollywood
  • price 3 of 4
Phans, rejoice! This spring, the tireless jam-band vets hit the Hollywood Bowl with another crowd-pleasing set for their extremely loyal fan base. Fan culture at Phish concerts is the fuel of the band’s success, with euphoric dreadlocked attendees under the influence of more than just music. After all, there’s a reason the band’s light shows are out of this world. Should be a phun time for all.
  • Music
  • Rock and indie
  • Hollywood
  • Recommended
So far these dates at the Hollywood Bowl are the only double bill for LCD Soundsystem and Pulp, but even if they weren’t, we’d still consider this a must see. Catch James Murphy’s dance-punk outfit and Jarvis Cocker’s iconic, moody Britpop band on September 25 and 26 at the Bowl.
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  • Music
  • Rock and indie
  • Westlake
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended
The original masters of the viral music video are back on tour and taking over the Bellwether for two nights—their May 16 show sold out quickly, so they added a second on May 17. They’re promoting their first new album in over a decade, And the Adjacent Possible, but no matter how much time has passed, each new clip always blows our minds. TBD if the treadmills will make an appearance here, but either way expect a lively show from the playful power-pop quartet. 
  • Music
  • Punk and metal
  • Pomona
  • price 2 of 4
L.A.’s own feminist punk rockers, the Linda Lindas, have had quite the trajectory: After being discovered by Amy Poehler and going viral after performing their single “Racist, Sexist, Boy” in not one but two L.A. libraries—when the members were between 11 and 17 years old—they’ve gone on to play Coachella and Lollapalooza, open for Paramore and the Rolling Stones, and tour with Green Day. You can catch the girls at two SoCal shows this month—at the Glass House April 1 and at the Novo April 5—screaming about injustice and growing up.  

The latest L.A. music news

  • Music
  • Music
French-originated concert series Cercle has staged electronic music sets in some unfathomably beautiful spots: an observatory atop the Alps, an ancient temple in Egypt, a waterfall in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a hot air balloon above Turkey and dozens of other locations that whip up our wanderlust. This May, it’s bringing a taste of those natural environments indoors with a new screen-encircled series bound for Los Angeles. Dubbed Cercle Odyssey, the debut event will see performances from Paul Kalkbrenner, Empire of the Sun, Moby, the Blaze and another to-be-announced artist. Cercle Odyssey will premiere in Mexico City (Apr 23–27) before stopping in L.A. (May 7–11) and then later Paris (May 28–June 1), but in each city the concept is the same: Large-scale nature-inspired projections (apparently inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, according to founder and creative director Derek Barbolla) will wrap around and above the venue thanks to a nearly 25,000-square-foot canvas screen. Renderings tease 360-degree footage of snowy peaks, forested hills and curling waves. Each show—staged here at the L.A. Convention Center—can accommodate up to 5,000 attendees. Rendering: Courtesy Cercle Rendering: Courtesy Cercle Tickets are already on sale for the L.A. shows, except for the final, TBA one. Prices start at $180. Check out the full lineup below. May 7 at 9:30pm: Paul KalkbrennerMay 8 at 5pm: Empire of the SunMay 9 at 5, 9:30pm: MobyMay 10 at 5, 9:30pm: The BlazeMay 11 at 5pm: TBA
  • Music
  • Music
Each winter, similar to the announcement of Oscar nominations, I await the unveiling of the summer Hollywood Bowl lineup with just as much—if not more—excitement. As an L.A. native, the Bowl has been a centerpiece of my summers since I was a kid. So hearing who’s going to be performing each year sets the stage for the season and gets me excited for warm nights with unparalleled music and picnicking. Several lease events have already been announced in recent weeks (they’re still Bowl shows—the only difference for you as a concertgoer is that you can’t BYOB or wine to these shows). But for over 100 years, the Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the LA Phil, and it just unveiled its full schedule of shows yesterday. The lineup doesn’t disappoint. As ever, there’s truly something for everyone. The 2025 lineup boasts Hollywood and Broadway A-listers, classical music, pop, rock, blues, hip-hop, jazz, soundtracks and more. Let me take you through some highlights. Off the bat, one intriguing entry that’s particularly exciting is We ❤️ LA, a free concert for “wildfire first responders and impacted community members.” The night’s lineup has yet to be announced, but expect an uplifting evening of love for Angelenos and the city, with Gustavo Dudamel conducting. Speaking of Dudamel, you’re going to want to make it a priority to catch at least one of his shows this year. The beloved LA Phil music and artistic director is decamping for New York at the end of the 2025/26 season,...
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  • Music
  • Music
Angelenos are pretty used to being able to see Tyler, the Creator. As much of a local cultural icon as he is a global rap superstar, the Odd Future cofounder runs his GOLF WANG store on Fairfax and even his own annual hip-hop fest, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. But even with all of that, filling six nights at an arena in Downtown L.A. is a pretty big deal—so here’s everything you need to know about his upcoming concerts in L.A. for Chromakopia: The World Tour. Where is Tyler, the Creator performing in L.A.? He’ll be playing the Crypto.com Arena in DTLA on February 14, 15, 17, 18, 20 and 21. Each show is scheduled to start at 7:30pm, with doors opening at 6:30pm. How much are Tyler, the Creator tickets in L.A.? Right now it depends on which date you’re looking at—and where you’re willing to sit. AXS is the original point of sale for the concerts, and they’ve added some last-minute seats at the top of the arena on the side of the stage that start between $89 and $179, depending on the night. Otherwise, you’ll mostly just find single seats scattered around the arena for the other shows, many of which climb above $200. If you don’t mind sitting toward the top, the shows on February 20 and 21 do have some seats together that are still available.   Are resale tickets available? That’s like asking if there’ll be traffic: Of course there are resale tickets available. You can check the usual resale outlets such as Ticketnetwork or Stubhub if you don’t mind paying a premium for...
  • Music
  • Music
Pop-punk’s resurgence continues, as do—much more recently—Southern California bands’ efforts to provide relief in any way they can for those impacted by the Eaton and Palisades Fires. That includes beloved San Diego County natives Blink-182, who are playing a benefit show in L.A. on Thursday, with proceeds set to benefit the LAFD Foundation, California Fire Foundation, Anti-Recidivism Coalition and Pasadena Humane Society. The band’s intimate upcoming concert at the Hollywood Palladium on February 13 was announced late last month, and of course tickets quickly sold out (a day late, a buck short, we suppose). So if you’re wondering whether or not you can still attempt to pick up tickets… well, it’s complicated. Here’s what you need to know. Can you still get tickets to see Blink-182 at the Hollywood Palladium? Tickets are sold out, and have been since they went on sale on January 27. Since the Palladium only holds around 3,700 attendees, expect any resale opportunities to be extremely limited and highly in-demand from other fans who are watching, waiting and commiserating. Speaking of resale, yes, it’s technically possible that resale tickets will become available—but we’d be very wary of perusing third party sites for them. That’s because the band opted to use Ticketmaster’s “Face Value Exchange” for the show, “to give fans, not scalpers, the best chance to buy tickets at face value.” Basically, if someone with a ticket can no longer go, they can list that ticket on...

Where to see live music in Los Angeles

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