The London West Hollywood concierge Sarah Dandashy provides great tips for audiophiles wanting to experience the most of LA’s music scene.
The Hollywood Bowl is an iconic outdoor venue. (Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association)
Musical Venues
“My favorite places to catch a show are at the Hollywood Bowl and The Wiltern. The Hollywood [Bowl] is a classic outdoor music venue. … It is one of the best ways to see a concert—under the stars and in the balmy Los Angeles evening weather. Most … guests arrive a few hours before the show to enjoy a picnic and make an experience out of the evening. The Wiltern Theatre is an intimate concert hall in a historic art deco building. Concerts are usually standing room only, and since the space is limited, you feel as though you are jamming in a living room with your favorite artists. I suggest to arrive early for shows so that you can stand as close to the stage as possible.”
The Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard has a RockWalk, their version of the Walk of Fame. (Courtesy of Guitar Center)
Instrument Shopping
“Hands down, the best place in LA to spot musicians is at Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard. This music store is legendary and … chock-full of musical equipment. It’s not uncommon to walk inside and see a famous musician testing out a guitar. A cool feature of this specific store is the RockWalk, their version of the Walk of Fame dedicated solely to musicians. See the handprints of some of the world’s best musicians from Aerosmith to Jimi Hendrix to Hall & Oates.”
Iconic Landmark
“The Sunset Strip in West Hollywood is the heart of music history in LA. It’s home to the famous Whiskey A Go Go, The Viper Room, The Roxy and even the Rainbow Room [officially known as the Rainbow Bar and Grill]. So much rock ’n’ roll history started on The Strip and continues to this day. Even the famous Tower Records used to have its flagship store on the Sunset Strip. For any music lover, the Strip is the place to visit.”
