A student recently asked me to write about my five favorite venues to see live music in LA for the school newspaper. I had a good time writing it, and thought you might enjoy sharing your top picks also.
1. Largo — Great music. Great ambiance. I liked the old location on Fairfax a little better (it was more intimate), but the new theater on La Cienega is great too. Jon Brion on Friday nights is a must see.
2. The Mint – Classic. This place has been a live music venue since 1937! Many great performers have graced its stage over the years and they still have great shows every week.
3. The Baked Potato – Get yourself a baked potato smothered in cheese and enjoy the show! It’s great that nerdy jazz fusion music still has a home in LA.
4. The Mayan Theater — Thought I’d include a larger theater in the list. Built in 1927, so you got the history factor. Plus, it’s so “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” in there…I’m always waiting for the wall to open up and that big rock to come try and squash me.
5. The Lighthouse – In Hermosa Beach. Looking at my list, I realize that I’m rather nostalgic, and partial toward historically significant venues. But anyway…the Lighthouse was the home of West Coast Jazz in the 50’s and 60’s. Although it’s not the great jazz or artistically significant venue it once was, they still have live music. It’s a cool spot just a few steps from the sand for well-dressed Sunday brunchers and beach bums alike…oh so California.
My RIP’s – these are venues I enjoyed that have closed since I’ve lived here:
The Temple Bar, the Jazz Bakery, the old Catalina’s Bar and Grill, and the Knitting Factory.
One Comment
Man, those are some pretty awesome venues. I’ve been to the Jazz Bakery and the Catalina, many years back. I was sad when each of them closed. It’s not easy to find a great venue for Jazz, they seem few and far between…