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

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

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

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

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

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
  • Silver Lake
  • price 3 of 4
The Silverlake Lounge hosts rising Brooklyn rockers Geese on Friday night, with L.A.’s own Frank Pellegrino opening and Reverberation Radio DJing till late night. The night is the first of a run of benefits planned by Well Wishes that will donate 100% of ticket proceeds to the LAFD Foundation. The next planned show—headlined by Idles and Cat Power on Sunday, February 2—is sold out, but you can join the waitlist for tickets here.
  • Music
  • Latin and world
  • Lincoln Heights
Head to Benny Boy Brewing for a free Lunar New Year concert by multilingual singer and accordionist Jessica Fichot, who channels the swing era of Shanghai with her band. Expect to hear classic Chinese New Year songs, jazz songs sung in Mandarin and Mandopop. Pair pours from the Lincoln Heights brewery and cider house with food from Zef BBQ (1–8pm) and the Dumpling Dream (6–11pm). 
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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Pasadena
  • price 3 of 4
The aughts indie nostalgia shows no signs of stopping, so it’s no surprise that Just Like Heaven—a music fest that’s featured basically every beloved 2000s indie band—is coming back for its fifth edition. The fest will take over the golf course next to the Rose Bowl on May 18, 2025 with a lineup that’s largely pulled from your old iPod: Vampire Weekend, a reunited Rilo Kiley, Empire of the Sun, Bloc Party and TV on the Radio top the lineup, with additional sets from Slowdive, the Drums, Courtney Barnett, Panda Bear and more. Given the Pasadena setting, Goldenvoice will offer wildfire first responders two complimentary passes, while supplies last. Tickets go on sale Friday, January 31 at 11am.
  • Music
  • Rock and indie
  • Hollywood
Do we wish all of these amazingly-programmed wildfire charity concerts were arriving in L.A. under better circumstances? Absolutely. But it’s hard not to get genuinely excited about the lineup for G*VE A F*UCK LA, a benefit and auction that heads to the Hollywood Palladium on February 5.  John C. Reilly hosts an evening that includes performances from Courtney Barnett, FINNEAS, St. Vincent, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Jenny Lewis, Lucy Dacus, former Girls singer Christopher Owens, the Linda Lindas, Fred Armisen, Juliette Lewis, Kevin Morby, MUNA, Perfume Genius, Reggie Watts, Rostam & Sasami, Scout Willis, Symone and Phantom Planet (surely they’ll play “California,” right?). Fat Tony and Harmony Tividad open the show with DJ sets, while Rico Nasty and Dylan Brady headline the official afterparty. All proceeds benefit Altadena Girls, Friends in Deed, One Voice and the Pasadena Humane Society, and service fees will be waived for the Live Nation-produced event. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 28 at noon; if you’re not able to score tickets, there’ll be a livestream available on Veeps for only $5. And if you are able to attend, you’re encouraged to bring a plant-based canned good with you to donate via Support + Feed. Courtesy Live Nation

The latest L.A. music news

  • Music
  • Music
We could all use a bit of a pick-me-up right now. And a wildfire benefit concert that features a mix of L.A. legends and recent (and upcoming) Coachella headliners? It just might be the first jolt of excitement we’ve felt in days. FireAid, a benefit concert that’ll be staged simultaneously at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum on January 30, just announced its full lineup, and it’s big. The decades-spanning lineup includes Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Tate McRae playing at Intuit Dome; and then Alanis Morissette, Anderson. Paak, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks and the Black Crowes at the Kia Forum. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 22 at noon via Ticketmaster (not that there’s no presale). Tickets start at $99 and all proceeds—under the direction of the Annenberg Foundation—will be sent to a to-be-named list of short-term relief efforts for the Palisades and Eaton Fires as well as some long-term initiatives. (And don’t worry about the expenses of the event itself: The Clippers will be covering that cost.) View this post on Instagram A post shared by FireAidLA (@fireaidla) Since the shows only start an hour and a half apart (the Forum at 6pm, Intuit Dome at 7:30pm), you’ll only be able to attend one of...
  • Music
  • Music
As far as end-of-the-year lists are concerned, we’ll always be partial to the sort of rankings that remind us of our own tendencies throughout the past 12 months. Case in point: Spotify Wrapped, a marketing campaign, released annually since 2016, that recaps users’ listening habits on the music streaming platform throughout the year, also allowing them to share their personal rankings through social media. Although posting about your most listened to songs and artists is always fun, there’s something about being able to compare your own musical preferences with the city’s at large that tickles users fancy as well. To that intent, Spotify also releases lists of most listened to tracks throughout the year in entire cities. This year, that specific L.A. ranking is dominated by Jimin’s “Like Crazy,” clear proof that K-pop is here to stay. Hometown favorite Kendrick Lamar (who plays SoFi Stadium next year with SZA) lands at number two with “Not Like Us,” followed by Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso.” (Angelenos do, indeed, love Carpenter: The artist’s pop-up café arrived in L.A. last month alongside her tour dates.) Without further ado, here are the five most listened to songs in Los Angeles in 2024 according to Spotify (including yet another L.A. local, Billie Eilish): 1. “Like Crazy” by Jimin 2. “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar 3. “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter 4. “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish 5. “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan
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  • Music
  • Music
Keeping watch for the Coachella lineup to drop is normally a post-New Year’s sport, but—surprise!—word of next year’s performers has arrived nearly two months earlier than usual. Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone and Travis Scott will headline the 2025 edition of the festival. Coachella will once again stage two weekends of nearly identical lineups in Indio from April 11 to 13 and April 18 to 20, 2025. (Post Malone’s involvement was teased just yesterday when he included two shows in Indio in his list of tour dates.) Presale technically already came and went over the summer. But additional passes—also being dubbed presale—will go on sale Friday, November 22 at 11am. Including fees, general admission starts at $599 for weekend one—and weekend two actually costs less at $549. With a shuttle pass included, it’s $729 for the first weekend and $679 for the second. VIP costs $1,399 for weekend one and $1,199 for weekend two. It’s worth noting that all of these prices are listed as “starting at”; in the past, this has meant that prices increased slightly after the initial batches of tickets were snatched up. Back to the lineup, the smaller-sized names at Coachella are always just as interesting as—if not more so than—the headliners. This year’s edition includes the likes of Missy Elliott, Charli XCX, the Original Misfits, Megan Thee Stallion, Zedd, Benson Boone, the Go-Go’s, Three 6 Mafia, Japanese Breakfast, Jimmy Eat World and LISA and JENNIE—both listed solo as opposed to part...
  • Music
  • Music
It’s official: Oasis’s much-anticipated world tour will hit North America in the summer of 2025, and Los Angeles will be one of only few stops on the entire continent. The iconic Brit-pop group, who famously disbanded following a feud between members and brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher in 2009, will take over Rose Bowl Stadium on September 6, 2025. The band will also play concerts in New Jersey, Chicago, Toronto and Mexico City.  “America,” the band said in a statement earlier today. “Oasis is coming. You have one last chance to prove that you loved us all along.”  How to get tickets to the 2025 Oasis concert at Rose Bowl Stadium Fans can register for tickets to all North American tour dates on the official Oasis website right here. You have until Tuesday, October 1 at 5am to register for the presale ballot; if chosen, you’ll be sent a presale code, though you won’t be guaranteed a ticket. Otherwise, general sale will begin Friday, October 4 at noon on Ticketmaster. It’s important to note that the band has also released a statement saying that they’ve opted out of the dynamic pricing model that Ticketmaster usually employs for events of this size, which basically allows the cost of a pass to fluctuate based on demand for it. “Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing model will not be applied to the forthcoming sale of tickets to Oasis concerts in North America,” reads the statement. “We have made this decision… to hopefully avoid a repeat of the issues fans in the U.K. and Ireland...

Where to see live music in Los Angeles

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Music festivals near Los Angeles

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