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The Bravery @ the Wiltern 11/05/09
Only in Hollywood can a building's facelift earn it an award. Citysearch has dubbed The Wiltern as Los Angeles' Best Live Music Venue. Why? "Hollywood's historic music venue retains its classic Tinseltown charm after a first-rate facelift."
The Wiltern's "facelift" wasn't just a barely noticeable nose job. It was a full-scale re-do. The 1931 building was completely renovated five years ago, bringing state-of-the art sound to the venue that desperately needed it. It can now hold up to 2,300 concert-goers and can be reconfigured for more intimate shows.
Yes, The Wiltern is gorgeous, with all its art-deco flair. Yes, The Wiltern is famous among architects all over the world. It's even really popular with all the landmark people. BUT - is it really the best live music venue in Los Angeles? Citysearch points out that while their editorial choice for Best Live Music Venue in L.A. was The Wiltern, Citysearch readers picked The Roxy.
Hmmm. The Wiltern, The Roxy. The Roxy, The Wiltern. Check out all The Wiltern shows that LAist has covered & check out all The Roxy shows that LAist has covered. A tough call, right?
With so many excellent live music venues in LA, we can't help but feel some of the best ones were overlooked. What's your pick?
Photo by chellyc via Flickr
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spaceland ftw.
2. the echo
3. troubadour
4. el rey
5. wiltern
Troubadour
the wiltern is great for someone like Ryan Adams where you just sit back and listen but that separation in the front just kills the energy for bands that feed off the crowd.
I like the Echo(plex) best.
The Echoplex has been disappointing to me, but I do like the Echo upstairs. Spaceland gets my vote.
In defense of the Wiltern, it draws acts at a certain level of popularity and thus would attract mainstream crowds that would render them uncool. Still, the times I've been to the Wiltern (Wolf Parade, Franz Ferdinand, Travis) I've enjoyed it. It's nice to be able to sit and enjoy a show once in a while. In fact I'm going this Sunday to see David Gray. Thanks for the tickets, KCRW!
im gonna make a lot of enemies with this but, whatevs
1. spaceland
2. viper room
3. safari sam's
4. the greek
5. the el rey
the wiltern was better before they yanked out the seats in the front two sections
- Largo
- McCabe's
There was a time when the Echo/Echoplex, the Roxy and the El Rey were some of my favorite venues, but I'm just so sick of fighting crowds for a view of the band. Especially when the average concert-goer takes such an apathetic stance these days. Maybe if LA crowds were the dancing-types, but eh . . . these days, I'm lovin':
1 - Spaceland
2 - Largo
3 - Troubadour
4 - John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
5 - Safari Sam's
the greek is my favorite for overall vibe. there isn't really a bad seat and it embraces the fine la weather.
now if you could just bring your own food and drink to the greek like you can to the ford theater...
Troubadour, for being able to see and parking availability.
John Anson Ford - like a mini Greek
Henry Fonda - rooftop bar for chilling before the show, balcony with seats
the greek would be okay if it didn't take an hour and $20 just to park your car and several hours to exit the horribly stacked lot in a dustfield. ick, i go there as little as possible.
echoplex is good in theory, but it's literally impossible to the see the stage for half of the room if the show is sold out...bad planning and disappointing sound quality, especially compared to the echo, in my opinion.
also, i want to give an honorable mention to silverlake lounge. great dive bar for local acts. downfall: cash only bar.
debaser - SO true about the parking at the greek. a complete nightmare. but if the parking were good...how great would it be?
el rey. the lighting is gorgeous
Pappy & Harriet's. It's a drive, but there's nothing quite like it in L.A. proper.
Closer to home? Spaceland.
Among larger venues, give me a summer evening at the John Anson Ford.
what? the roxy? seriously? the roxy fucking blows. they have a shitty configuration, the employees are assholes, they make you buy a two-dollar drink ticket even if you're under 21 and can only redeem that ticket for a cup of water that's 90% ice, and they have never started a show on time in the history of shows. or time.
fuck the roxy.
I love the Troubadour, been to a lot of great shows there, easy location, easy parking.
Henry Fonda is pretty cool except for the fact they are bitchy about the stuff you bring in. You can bring a lighter but not a pen?
Also, regarding parking at the Greek:
Earlier this year, some friends and I found street parking in Los Feliz, met for dinner at Fred 62, then walked to and from the show. The walk was only about 15 or 20 minutes and, of course, good for burning off the Juicy Lucy.
the el rey
i like the el rey but the chatter from the bar area is too easily heard. The sightlines can bad too, but I usually stake out my place on one of the steps so I can see over the gigantic guys that inevitably decide to stand in front of me.
Also I'd like to give a shout-out to the Glass House in Pomona. It's not in LA but it's still LA county. SGV rocks!
glass house is good, but the lack of booze there = horrible.
no one has mentioned BOARDNERS...on Cherokee and Hollywood blvd
they just remodeled the inside and the sound is amazing on the patio
"glass house is good, but the lack of booze there = horrible"
I agree. They used to serve booze (or am I misremembering) and sundry food items but now it's an all ages venue. That has its benefits, though. Young 'uns can be the most devoted fans but their love for the music translates into silence. Still compared to LA venues where many concertgoers come to be seen, the Glass House attendees come for the music.
The sound quality in the Wiltern is pretty bad. It did not improve with the facelift.
To actually watch the band, and expect good sound quality, even if the place is packed, I think the Whisky is by far the best. Too bad there hasn't been a show there worth going to in several years. Most of those come to the Troubadour, which is just about as good.
Mr. T's Bowl is comfortable and funky, and tends to book the bands I like to see, but I admit it could use a better PA.
As for bigger pads, I loved the Shrine. Great layout, amazing sound. But again, they've stopped booking much of any interest. The brand new Nokia Theater is pretty good, although the no-smoking policy can lead uppity patrons, and the parking is as bad or worse than Staples Center. So Gibson (Universal) Amphitheater remains my pick for best large venue, just edging out the Greek for better sound.
Viper Room, I haven't been in several years but the velvet rope environment made me nervous, and there's nothing I hate more than being made to stand in line in front of a club that, once admitted an hour later, turns out to be half-empty.
Troubadour wins for being one of the only venues that gives you an alternative way to buy tickets over ticketmaster or ticketweb! Their weekly email is also the most informative of any venues' and they post set times on their website...that's how you become the biggest asset to the music community in my book.