The Best Concert Venues in Los Angeles

By FIONA MORIARTY-MCLAUGHLINEl Rey TheatreOriginally a movie house, the El Rey Theatre is located in the heart of the Miracle Mile. With an appealing art deco design, it houses artists from a variety of genres, with a focus on hip hop and alternative music. The El Rey is general admission, standing room only and open to all ages. It has a private balcony for the artists' crew and producers."The El Rey is one of my favorite venues because it has some of the best new musicians play it. I really like the vibe," Zaid Milefchik ('15) said.House of BluesThe House of Blues, originally a bar and band venue, has now evolved into a place people mainly attend for concerts. It is different from other venues because it has many locations across the U.S. in cities such as Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas. The Los Angeles location has a foundation room which is covered with wood panels and provides an exclusive entertainment setting which includes skyline views, a fire place and fine dining.Orpheum TheatreThe Orpheum Theatre was the fourth and final operating house by the Orpheum vaudeville circuit in Los Angeles. It has a rare history of artists: in the 1940s it housed Judy Garland, and in the 1960s Aretha Franklin. Unlike many other venues, the Orpheum has been around for over a decade and many Los Angeles concert goers have visited this venue as well as their grandparents. Although this venue has been around for forever, it still seems to keep its classic 1940s essence alive while housing the modern artists of today.Hollywood BowlThe Hollywood Bowl first opened July 11, 1922. It presents multiple forms of art, including rock, pop and jazz concerts; symphonic and operatic music; dances; and musicals. One of the most famous is The Beatles when they newly arrived in the U.S. in 1964. The incredible thing about this venue is that people can picnic and schmooze while being entertained. The Bowl is also outdoors, which makes it different from other venues. This attracts concert goers of all ages."I like the Hollywood Bowl because it's a super cool stadium where a huge variety of musicians play. It's basically the only amphitheater I've been to," Milefchik said.