The best live music venues in Los Angeles in 2026 are the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre for outdoor concerts, Walt Disney Concert Hall for the LA Phil, and the Troubadour, the Roxy and the Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip for rock history. The Wiltern, the Fonda, the Echo and the Hotel Café cover every size of show.
LA has a venue for every kind of concert, from the 17,000-seat Hollywood Bowl to clubs that hold a few hundred. Summer is outdoor season at the Bowl and the Greek.
The famous shell-shaped outdoor amphitheater in the hills.
The Hollywood Bowl is a huge outdoor amphitheater with its famous concentric-arch shell. The LA Phil plays summer seasons, and big pop, rock and film-score concerts fill the calendar.
Picnics before the show are part of the experience.
Good to know: Take the Park & Ride shuttle; traffic and parking are tough.
2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068
An outdoor amphitheater under the trees of Griffith Park.
The Greek Theatre is a 5,900-seat outdoor venue in Griffith Park with a Greek temple-style stage, hosting rock, pop and world music from spring to fall.
It is smaller and more intimate than the Bowl.
Good to know: Stacked parking can be slow to exit; consider rideshare or shuttles.
2700 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Frank Gehry's steel-clad home of the LA Phil.
Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry, has some of the best acoustics in the world and is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Free self-guided audio tours let you see the building on non-concert days.
Good to know: Walk the rooftop garden before the show.
111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The legendary club where Elton John played his first US show.
The Troubadour opened in 1957 and has hosted generations of rock and folk legends. It is a small, standing-room club with great sightlines from the balcony.
It still books rising and established acts most nights.
Good to know: Arrive early for a balcony spot.
9081 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
An art deco theater with a big standing floor.
The Wiltern is a 1931 art deco landmark at Wilshire and Western, with a sloped general-admission floor and balcony. It hosts major touring acts.
The turquoise exterior is an LA icon.
Good to know: The Metro D Line stops right outside.
3790 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
An iconic Sunset Strip rock club since 1973.
The Roxy has been a Sunset Strip rock landmark since 1973, with a small stage and standing room. It books rock, hip-hop and indie acts.
The Rainbow Bar & Grill next door is part of the Strip legend.
Good to know: Pair with a drink at the Rainbow.
9009 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
The club where the Doors were the house band.
The Whisky a Go Go opened in 1964 and helped launch the Doors and many LA rock bands. It still hosts rock and metal shows nightly.
It is a living piece of rock history.
Good to know: Many shows are all-ages; check the listing.
8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
A mid-size Hollywood theater with a rooftop bar.
The Fonda is a restored 1920s theater on Hollywood Boulevard with a standing floor, balcony and rooftop bar. It books indie, rock and electronic acts.
Sightlines are good throughout.
Good to know: Visit the rooftop bar between sets.
6126 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
A big 1940 ballroom for major touring shows.
The Hollywood Palladium is a 1940 art deco ballroom with a huge dance floor, hosting big rock, hip-hop and electronic shows.
It is general admission, standing only on the floor.
Good to know: Use rideshare; parking nearby is limited.
6215 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Two Eastside clubs for indie and up-and-coming bands.
The Echo and the larger Echoplex below it are Echo Park's main indie rock clubs, with shows most nights and DJ dance parties.
Tickets are usually cheap.
Good to know: Echoplex enters from Glendale Blvd, below the Echo.
1822 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
An intimate room for singer-songwriters.
Hotel Café is a small Hollywood venue known for singer-songwriters and acoustic acts, with two stages.
Many well-known artists played here early in their careers.
Good to know: Enter from the alley behind Cahuenga.
1623 1/2 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
The round arena where the Lakers once played, now a concert hall.
The Kia Forum in Inglewood is a round arena built in 1967, renovated as a concert venue with excellent acoustics for its size.
It hosts major tours and residencies.
Good to know: Use the venue's paid lots or rideshare zones.
3900 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90305
The Hollywood Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills, is the most loved. Walt Disney Concert Hall is the best for acoustics.
Yes. Picnics are a Bowl tradition for most events, and you can bring food and, for many events, wine. Check the rules for each show.
The Whisky a Go Go, the Roxy and, just off the Strip, the Troubadour are the legendary rock clubs.
Crypto.com Arena downtown, the Kia Forum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Take the Metro B Line to Hollywood/Highland and walk up, or use the Bowl's Park & Ride shuttles from lots around the city.