Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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MIDSIZE CONCERT VENUES
The Avalon Hollywood Formerly known as the Palace, this 1,200-capacity theater
and nightclub—near the famed Capitol R ecords tower—was the site of numer ous sig-
nificant alternativ e-rock sho ws thr oughout the late '90s and has been giv en a much-
needed makeover. Club nights feature famous DJs like Moby and Paul Oakenfold. 1735
N. Vine St., Hollywood. & 323/462-8900. www.avalonhollywood.com.
Club Nokia This is the smaller of the two Nokia venues at L.A. LIVE, holding about
2,300 concertgoers in one open r oom. For pre- or post-sho w entertainment, there are
touchscreens in the lobby to scroll through the history and preview future events. Since
it opened in 2008, acts like I ndia.Arie, Joss Stone, and Staind have played here; Prince
closed out a trifecta of back-to-back L.A. LIVE shows here in 2009. 800 W. Olympic Blvd.,
Downtown. & 213/765-7000. www.clubnokia.com.
El Rey Theatre Another restored relic of L.A.'s old Art Deco movie theaters, this small
venue holds about 1,500 for such per formers as L ucinda Williams and The Aquabats. It
offers upstairs and downstairs views of the stage, but plan on standing all night as there are
usually no seats available. 5515 Wilshire Blvd. & 323/936-6400. www.theelrey.com.
Hollywood P alladium For such a storied v enue—Frank S inatra and Tommy
Dorsey Orchestra performed at the opening show in 1940, and it's hosted everyone from the
Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin to Madonna over the years—there was a threat that it would
be torn down to make way for condos. Luckily, Live Nation took over the 4,000-person venue
in 2007, and after a multi-million dollar r enovation, reopened it in 2008 with a concer t by
Jay-Z. 6215 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. & 323/962-7600. www.livenation.com.
House of Blues With three great bars, cutting-edge Southern art, and a key Sun-
set Strip location, there are plenty of reasons music fans and industry types keep coming
back to House of Blues. Night after night, audiences ar e dazzled by performances from
nationally and internationally acclaimed acts as diverse as Jeff Beck, The Black Eyed Peas,
and M otorhead. The food in the upstairs r estaurant can be gr eat (r eservations ar e a
must), and the Sunday Gospel Brunch, though a bit pricey, puts a mean raise on the roof.
8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. & 323/848-5100. www.hob.com.
The Mayan Theatre Perhaps the strangest y et coolest concer t venue in to wn, with
an elaborate decor in the mode of a M ayan temple (or something), this former mo vie
house is a fine relic of L.A.'s glorious past. It seats about 1,000 for such performers as PJ
Harvey, hip-hop DJs on F riday nights, and salsa ar tists on S aturdays. The place is in a
part of Downtown that most people don't usually visit, but there's plenty of parking and
the interior makes it seem like another dimension. 1038 S. Hill St., Downtown. & 213/746-
4674. www.clubmayan.com.
The Wiltern Saved from the wrecking ball in the mid-1980s, this 1930s-era Art
Deco showcase is perhaps the most beautiful theater in to wn. Countless national and
international acts such as B eck and Audioslave have played here. In addition, plenty of
non-pop music events such as Penn & Teller and Cedric the Entertainer complement the
schedule. 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. & 213/388-1400. www.wiltern.com.
THE CLUB SCENE
With more small clubs than you can swing a Stratocaster at, Los Angeles is the place for
live music. Check the L.A. Weekly (www.laweekly.com) to see who's in town during your
visit. Unless otherwise noted, listed clubs admit only patr ons 21 and over.
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