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
  • Jazz
  • Miracle Mile
  • Recommended
One of L.A.’s best free live-music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its three-decade run at the museum. Seating for the program is available in the museum’s plaza on a first-come, first-served basis, though you’re welcome to picnic on the grass, too (you won’t really be able to see the show, but you’ll still hear it). You’ll find the series on Friday evenings in LACMA’s welcome plaza (just behind Urban Light) throughout the summer.
  • Music
  • Pop
  • Inglewood
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended
Now that her astonishing Coachella set is behind us, Angelenos can partake in the mayhem too: Lady Gaga will bring her Mayhem Ball tour to the Forum this summer. Expect Mayhem’s dance-pop return to work its way into much of the set alongside plenty of old favorites.
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  • Music
  • Classical and opera
  • Angeles National Forest
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended
Listen to classical and jazz in a dome more than a mile above L.A. during this mountaintop concert series. The Mount Wilson Observatory is hosting monthly concerts this summer inside the dome of its 100-inch Hooker telescope, which was the largest telescope in the world for much of the first half of the 20th century. Tickets cost $60 (that also includes access to the exhibit at the observatory) and it’s highly recommended that you buy them in advance since seating is limited. You’ll need to be able to climb 53 steps to reach the dome, and children under 12 aren’t permitted. 
  • Music
  • Rock and indie
  • Inglewood
  • price 3 of 4
Jared Leto and brother Shannon Leto’s music project 30 Seconds to Mars was a rock-radio staple in the early aughts, but you can be forgiven if you’ve forgotten about them in the meantime as Jared focused on his film career. The band actually released a 2023 album and toured last year without stopping in L.A., but the siblings are rectifying that this year with a one-night-only hometown show at Kia Forum to celebrate the 20th anniversary of A Beautiful Lie (that’s the album with singles “The Kill” and “From Yesterday”), which they’ll play in full for the first time onstage, joined by special guests. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 18, at 10am.

The latest L.A. music news

  • Music
  • Music
If you’re after party music on the biggest stage possible, look no further than Post Malone’s upcoming Coachella set. The pop-rap-country phenom will close out the music festival this weekend with a show of discography-spanning hits. Here’s everything we know—plus some pretty decent hunches—about Malone’s headlining Coachella performance. What day is Post Malone performing at Coachella? You can catch him during the fest’s second weekend on Sunday, April 20; he already hit the stage during weekend one on Sunday, April 13. What time will Post Malone play the Coachella stage? Post Malone will take the stage at 10:25pm on Sunday. There are a couple of sets on other stages (Polo & Pan, XG, Dixon back-to-back with Jimi Jules) that technically start later, but for all practical purposes, Malone has the honor of closing out Coachella.  Has Post Malone played Coachella before? Yes. Though he’s only officially appeared on the Coachella lineup once before, he’s no stranger to the Empire Polo Club: In 2018 he played the Sahara tent, and he returned in 2023 as an unannounced guest during Bad Bunny’s headlining set. And—given his recent turn toward country pop—he actually played last year’s Stagecoach Festival, held on the same grounds as Coachella and just a week later. Any news on Post Malone’s setlist for Coachella? We don’t know exactly what Posty will perform during his second weekend set at Coachella, but we can certainly look to his first weekend set for a pretty good indication....
  • Music
  • Music
Travis Scott’s return to Coachella has been a long time coming. The Auto-Tune–wielding rapper was supposed to top 2020’s canceled edition, and though it seemed all but certain he’d play the music festival’s 2022 return, he didn’t actually end up on that year’s lineup (which was announced only a couple of months after the fatal crowd crush at the rapper’s Astroworld Festival in Houston). But now he’s heading to Indio with a “designs the desert” credit to his name on the fest’s lineup poster. Here’s everything we know—including just what that cryptic tagline means—about Scott’s headlining Coachella performance. What day is Travis Scott performing at Coachella? You can catch him during the fest’s second weekend on Saturday, April 19; he already took the stage for weekend one on Saturday, April 12. What time will Travis Scott play the Coachella stage? Hopefully you don’t mind staying up late: Travis Scott is slated to take the stage at 11:40pm. Though Green Day, who’ll perform on the Coachella/Main stage before Scott, are technically the Saturday night headliner according to the lineup poster, Scott will really be the last to perform on that stage (he essentially has the equivalent of an “and…” credit in a movie or TV show).  Has Travis Scott played Coachella before? Yes, in 2017 he played the Outdoor Theatre—where he arrived on the back of a giant bird puppet. In addition to that very crowded, high-energy set, he appeared as a guest during Kendrick Lamar’s headlining slot...
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  • Music
  • Music
No, you haven’t traveled back to the ’90s. Green Day is indeed headlining Coachella this year, in a welcome throwback to the fest’s more rock ‘n’ roll roots—and serving as proof that even after 38 years, punk icons Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool are perpetually, well, cool. Here’s everything we know—and a few things we predict—about their performance before the band takes the stage again in Indio. What day is Green Day performing at Coachella? They’ll be performing on Saturday, April 19, during the festival’s second weekend (the band already played a high-energy set on Saturday, April 12, during the fest’s first weekend). What time will Green Day play the Coachella stage? Green Day will take the stage at 9:05pm and is scheduled to perform till 10:45pm. They’re playing the Coachella—a.k.a. the main—stage after Charli XCX and before Travis Scott’s late-night set. Though Green Day regularly plays almost-three-hour shows on tour, a one-hour 40-minute festival set still allows lots of time for the band’s greatest hits.  Has Green Day played Coachella before? Surprisingly, the band had never played Coachella before this year’s headlining gig. Armstrong, however, did make an appearance back in 2014 as the Replacements’ special guest. Any news on Green Day’s setlist for Coachella? For a sneak peek at what the band will play this weekend, look no further than the 18-song weekend one setlist. After opening strong with “American Idiot” (Armstrong got a big reaction...
  • Music
  • Music
Brat summer may be over, but Charli XCX is still riding the wave of pop-star girl power with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Now the English singer and songwriter is bringing her buoyant beats and catchy refrains to Indio for Coachella 2025—and though she’s technically not Saturday night’s headliner, she’s by far one of the most anticipated acts this weekend, especially after her standout set last weekend. Here’s everything we know—and a few things we predict—about her performance before she takes the stage again in Indio. What day is Charli XCX performing at Coachella? She’ll be performing on Saturday, April 19, during the festival’s second weekend (she already played Saturday, April 12, during the first weekend). What time will Charli XCX play the Coachella stage? Charli will take the stage at 7:20pm and is scheduled to perform till 8:15pm. She’s playing the Coachella—a.k.a. the main—stage after T-Pain and before the penultimate act of the night, Green Day. Has Charli XCX played Coachella before? Yes—Charli played Coachella just two years ago, when she also performed on the main stage but earlier in the evening, before Rosalía, Blackpink and Calvin Harris. Any news on Charli XCX’s setlist for Coachella? The setlist hasn’t been released for Charli’s weekend two performance, but we have a pretty good idea of what she’ll be playing from looking at the first weekend’s setlist, most of which came from the Grammy-winning Brat and also Brat and it’s completely...

Where to see live music in Los Angeles

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Music festivals near Los Angeles

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