Live Music in LA?

[jon134]

Lots of places are great venues for music, but check out THEPOPFIX.com for ideas. They often cover music and music related events. browse through their site so that you can get a better idea!

[Jaycie]

There are scads of cover bands out here including a few that include well established rock stars (see Camp Freddy). Some musicians I know that want to play original music complain that they can't get booked because all clubs want are cover bands. Silverlake/Los Feliz has some nice venues but it's hipsterland. The clubs on Sunset are either pay to play or bigger acts. I'd recommend the Valley. You will wind up traveling whereever you decide to settle but for cover bands and wedding gigs that's probably where the meat and potato bookings will come from.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by jc76

Steel Panther plays the Key Club every week I think. But all the times I have been in Hollywood there's always a bunch of crappy kid bands playing the Whiskey. You know, those kids who are destined to be big rock stars.

You know the Whisky's bad when you look at the calendar of who's playing and the only act you've heard of is Tiffany!

[Station 911]

The LA Live complex in downtown has a few things for musicians going it depends when it's happening.

[nickdahammer]

Downtown: Grand Performances is FREE, and the acts are usually top-notch. It's up from the Grand Central Market.

Schedule Overview - Sort by Date

Slow Motion's post was pretty accurate IMHO. Also, try the Spaceland Club in Silverlake. Some pretty good bands most nights.

http://www.clubspaceland.com/

[meyia]

sweet. thank you guys for all the info.

[lapommedeterre]

yeah, most of the club concert venues are in hollywood on hollywood or sunset, and yeah the whisky books a lot of bands to play and open for shows

[UB50]

Originally Posted by SlowMotionApocalypse

You will have to have a large following to play these places or buy advance tickets to sell to your friends, the good slots cost upwards of $1,000 and you can't really count on too much overflow from the other bands' draw - they will be outside smoking and hanging with their friends

I wondered if anyone was going to mention "Pay to Play" since it's so different from anywhere else in the country.

Around here, a lot of the clubs expect the musical acts to pay them to play on their stage.

If you don't have a local following, be prepared to put out some bucks to stand on their stage and play. THE CLUBS WON'T PAY YOU TO PLAY!!!!

They want the musical acts to pay them! It's like you are renting the stage!

This is totally opposite from anywhere else in the USA. In most places, the band is HIRED (and paid) to play music!

[SlowMotionApocalypse]

The Knitting Factory just closed and the Key Club may be closing.

[skyway31]

I'll let you in on a secret: Hotel Cafe.