By Karan Singh
A great concert experience isn’t just about what’s happening on stage—it’s about where you’re positioned as audio, architecture, and ambience collide. The best live music venues in Los Angeles offer that sweet spot: a cloud of feedback at the Moroccan Lounge, a breeze drifting through the open-air Ford Theatre, or the beautifully sculpted hall of the recently defunct Mayan.
If you know where to look, LA offers it all. If you don’t, our curated list of the city’s best live music venues will point you in the right direction.
It wants better content.
The Wiltern
Los Angeles can indeed seem quite ugly depending on where you are, but architectural marvels like The Wiltern force you to hold back from passing judgment. An emblem of the city’s tendency to catch people off guard, the striking turquoise façade of this Art Deco landmark has made it a monument as much as a concert venue.
With musicians from every corner of the world passing through, The Wiltern has established a legacy of never favoring one artist category over another. Going strong since 1985, there’s no telling whose name will appear in bold on the marquee—the odds of it being The Flaming Lips are just about as high as Poppy. Situated on the border of Koreatown, the historic entertainment center is currently operated by Live Nation.
- Coming up: Cory Wong, Lost in the World Tour, April 25, 2026
- Capacity: 1,850
- 3790 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
The Bellweather
The Bellwether arrived quietly on the fringes of Downtown, although its cultural impact was immediate. Modern, well-run, and largely unblemished by weathering, the concert room opened its doors in the summer of 2023 and has already hosted some of the biggest names in the business despite its modest capacity of 1,500. Unlike the majority of spots in the same league, making your way through the floor or along the balcony here doesn’t feel competitive at all. Conversely, the experience is stress-free because the venue’s design is congestion-proof. Up-and-coming independent artists, blockbuster stars, and multi-day festivals have all passed through, most likely because it feels trustworthy to musicians and attendees alike.
- Coming up: Peaches, No Lube So Rude Tour, March 20, 2026
- Capacity: 1,500
- 333 S Boylston St, Los Angeles
Orpheum Theatre
Another of LA’s historic arts and culture temples, every square foot of the Orpheum Theatre is stunning. From the marble walls in the hallway to the rich, elaborate ceiling arching over the audience, there is an extravagance here that makes it feel a little more exclusive and selective than other theatres of a similar size. Most events are seated, so it isn’t exactly ideal for high-energy performers who encourage dancing at their shows. That said, it’s perfect for acts with theatrical and cinematic productions rather than something raw and dirty. The Orpheum is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and its calendar is expected to expand throughout the year.
- Coming up: Cat Power, ‘The Greatest’ 20th Anniversary Tour, February 17, 2026
- Capacity: 2,000
- 333 S Boylston St, Los Angeles
Dolby Theatre
Best known for hosting the Academy Awards, the Dolby Theatre doesn’t present many concerts. Funnily enough, its measured output in the live music department is precisely what makes attending those performances so special. Artists who land a slot on this stage are virtually guaranteed to deliver a spectacular show.
If the venue’s name isn’t already a dead giveaway, its sound quality and acoustics rank among Los Angeles’s very best. Although the setup makes it seem much more formal than the other selections on this list, the types of gigs that take place here belie the exclusivity of the optics. Positioned right beside the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and across the street from El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, the Dolby Theatre perfectly captures the glitz and luster of LA’s show business circuit.
- Coming up: Natalia Lafourcade, Cancionera Tour, June 26–27, 2026
- Capacity: 3,400
- 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles
RELATED
The B-52s and DEVO prove New Wave never gets old with extended Cosmic De-Evolution Tour
Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Easily the most intimate pick of the lot, the Masonic Lodge is a spectacle unto itself. Attached to the famed Hollywood Forever cemetery, where countless stars of the entertainment industry have been laid to rest, the concert room is almost a century old and can hold just about 150 people. There’s an off-the-beaten-path feel to this location, so the chances of artists booking a slot there while on tour are highly unlikely (unless the trek is themed around playing small and cozy venues, which certainly does happen from time to time). Given its limited capacity and unusual layout, one-off shows or album-release parties make much more sense at this occult-shaded building. Attending a show at the Masonic Lodge is pretty much guaranteed to stay with you, because there’s really nothing else quite like it.
- Coming up: The Fiery Furnaces, February 27, 2026
- Capacity: 150
- 5970 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles
Hollywood Palladium
The Hollywood Palladium may not be pretty to look at, but its longstanding legacy has made it one of the premier live music destinations in Los Angeles and across Southern California’s entertainment circuit. Originally opened as a ballroom back in 1940, the venue was renovated in 2007 into the purpose-built spot most are familiar with today. In other words, this is a no-nonsense venue: a wide standing section in front of the stage with a handful of seats along the balcony upstairs. Things can get messy, but in the best possible way.
- Coming up: Gorillaz, ‘The Mountain’ Release, February 22-23, 2026
- Capacity: Up to 4,000
- 6215 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The stainless-steel skin of Frank Gehry’s masterpiece has become synonymous with classical music in Los Angeles. Home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Walt Disney Concert Hall was designed to capture every detail of the acoustics within. Arguably among the most advanced and high-quality music venues in the world, the Downtown venue’s charm lies in its off-brand productions. Watching symphonies and choirs is indeed an extraordinary experience, but it’s when artists from outside the classical sphere reinterpret their work through that lens that things become truly exciting. Faye Webster, Nas, Patti Smith, and Damon Albarn have all performed in this spectacular hall, reimagined with a different set of instruments to give their catalogues a temporary yet gorgeous makeover.
- Coming up: Herbie Hancock, April 14, 2026
- Capacity: 2,265
- 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles
The Novo
Club Nokia was rebranded as The Novo in 2016 and has since become the go-to venue for hip-hop artists across the board: veterans, independent favorites, rising stars, and even the occasional heavyweight. While it’s unlikely that Tyler, the Creator or Kendrick Lamar will host headlining shows here, both have made surprise appearances at performances by their peers. At the same time, the venue brings in its fair share of artists from different genres, proving that its reputation isn’t confined to any single scene.
- Coming up: The Prodigy, May 13-14, 2026
- Capacity: 2,300
- 2700 N Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
RELATED
The Hammer Museum’s ‘Made in L.A.’ biennial proves the city’s creative chaos is its greatest asset
Hollywood Bowl
Carved into the hills of central Los Angeles, the iconic Hollywood Bowl bandshell is among the most recognizable symbols of the city. A staple of American pop culture, it has appeared in video games, cartoons, and big-budget feature films since its 1922 debut. While the general admission floor section has limited capacity on the rare occasions it is open, the venue as a whole can hold approximately 17,500 people at once. Though some may complain about the lack of intimacy in locations this big, the Bowl is remarkably more accessible than most since ticket prices drop at a reasonable rate the farther you move from the stage. The world’s biggest artists perform here, and the opportunity to see them without taking out a loan is worth celebrating.
- Coming up: Rod Stewart with Richard Marx, One Last Time Tour, June 10, 2026
- Capacity: 17,500
- 2301 Highland Ave, Los Angeles
Kia Forum
Inglewood is slowly becoming the hub for live music, sports, and show business as a whole. Even though SoFi Stadium, the YouTube Theatre, and Intuit Dome all opened their doors in the past five years, the Kia Forum remains the city’s most culturally significant venue even in 2025. The Los Angeles Lakers, Kings, and Sparks had all moved out by 2001, and the circular, pillared building has since focused primarily on hosting the biggest names in mainstream music. With a capacity comparable to the Hollywood Bowl, its layout ensures that even the furthest seats feel reasonably close to the stage. While it isn’t among LA’s oldest concert halls, its track record may be the city’s most iconic.
- Coming up: Lady Gaga, The Mayhem Ball, February 18–19, 22–23, 2026
- Capacity: 17,500
- 3900 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood
