Here, It All Works in Concert

Imagine if this city were silent. No rock ‘n’ roll on the Sunset Strip, no Afro-Cuban beats spilling out onto Wilshire Boulevard, no tortured poets working out their damaged love songs in the Fairfax District. Clearly, this scenario would be a drag. Lucky for us, L.A.’s got great venues for live music, in all shapes and sizes--some that have been around since the beginning of time (the Hollywood Bowl) and newcomers that also may stand the test of the time (the House of Blues, the Conga Room).

The venues that make this short list--where it’s all about hearing music and not being seen--do so by virtue of the following distinguishing characteristics: sound quality, quality of acts and a high level of comfort. The clubs that didn’t make the cut fall short of one or all of these qualities. For example, it may be a great accomplishment for a band to play the Forum, but like the Palladium, the Fabulous Forum is not known for its fab-o acoustics. And while we love the Viper Room and all the great musicians who grace its stage, the room’s not comfy, and on a packed night, many in the crowd are doomed to pass out.

So it’s time to offer up a round of applause to the true players out there, the clubs that strive to hit all the right notes:

SMALL VENUES

The Troubadour: While L.A. was busy taking the Troubadour for granted, the West Hollywood venue’s staff was busy making it vital again. Scan the photos hanging on the Troubadour’s walls, and it’s not ancient history anymore: Pictures of Fiona Apple and Jakob Dylan are looking down on a stage where the Riverside-based ska-core Voodoo Glow Skulls are brewing up an intense mosh pit and where breakout band Fastball is scheduled to play Sept. 8.

Here’s the deal-io: L.A. would suffer if the Troub didn’t exist, and you know why? We’d be forced to go to that sweatbox, the Roxy, more often (and then we’d form a picket line until they put in some A.C.). But the Troubadour has it all. First, there’s comfort--you can escape the noise by hanging out in the front bar, which offers a sonic separation from the main stage area. You can bring on the noise by hanging out in the performance area, and guests have their choice of an upstairs balcony to view the fun, and everyone knows the V.I.P. bar is the easiest place to crash (one guy I know keeps his Troub V.I.P. sticker pass in his wallet and uses it every time he shows up). Once upstairs, you can watch from the vantage point of a sound-softening window (and, hello, we all know this is an industry town, and those who go out seven nights a week appreciate one less dose of hearing loss). The bottom line here: The Troubadour, at 40, is still looking mighty good.

(Doug Weston’s) Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 276-6168. All ages, cover varies.

Spaceland: Actor Ian McKellen once said that either Shakespeare wrote all those great plays or some guy calling himself Shakespeare did. End of story. The point is well taken. It’s time to forget the backbiting politics and faux devil-may-care attitude of who’s who in the Silver Lake hierarchy. Spaceland was someone’s idea, and a good one at that. Mitchell Frank and pals came along at the right time, and no one can deny they’ve got an ear for music.

From the beginning, Frank mixed local acts with touring acts, giving folks a chance to check out the music that was right under their noses. It doesn’t matter who has since made it on to rock ‘n’ roll stardom, what really matters is that bands have a place to play seven nights a week. The fact that Spaceland is located in a down-and-dirty discotheque makes it perfect. Now, let’s raise that Silver curtain, and do a communal limbo.

Spaceland, 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., Silver Lake. (213) 413-4442. 21 and over, cover varies.

Largo: The question everyone wants to know is, who is this Flanagan? How can a guy with one name come to town, buy his old club back and turn it into one of the most successful places in L.A. in less than a year’s time? Ah, the lad from Belfast has ears . . . and can think for himself. That’s why producer/musician Jon Brion has been bringing down the house every Friday night, and now other singer/songwriters are making records and/or big names for themselves here, such as Largo regular Eleni Mandell (whose album was co-produced by Brion). To see this Fairfax district cabaret-style club in all its glory is to see Brion’s show, which his fans do again and again and again. To see it in all its naughtiness is to go tonight, when Tenacious D teaches us how rock stars should behave.

Largo, 432 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A., (323) 852-1073. 21 and over, cover varies.

The Joint: The Joint, which opened nary three months ago, makes the hot list by virtue of its dime size and its big ambition. Booker Howy B keeps the music a-flowing seven nights a week, an average of four bands a night. The sound is huge, the attitude is casual, and it looks like a rock ‘n’ roll club should--glitzy, black and cheap. It may be doomed to become enormously popular, but that’s a good thing for the local music scene.

The Joint, 8771 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A. (310) 275-2619. 21 and over, cover varies.

MEDIUM VENUES

House of Blues: Two words for you: John Pantle. Maybe it’s going too far to give Pantle all the credit for saving this Sunset Strip nightclub from musical damnation, but the young booker from Orange County has done a lot to keep the House of Blues vital and cutting edge, even overshadowing some of his high-profile neighbors.

Bringing rock en espan~ol to the arty theme restaurant and nightclub was an excellent move, and the musical acts performing at the 4-year-old spot appreciate the plush dressing room the club provides, the excellent sound system (which was recently upgraded to the tune of a $250,000). The view from the outdoor balcony is always L.A. dreamy and a nice place to catch one’s breath and survey the landscape. The recent ousting of House of Blues high-profile founder Isaac Tigrett wasn’t easy on many staffers, but the club keeps chugging along, booking very varied music--from Ozomatli to Alice Cooper, from KRS-One to Jethro Tull (which performs two sold-out shows on Friday and Saturday). On musical muscle alone, House of Blues is a winner.

House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 848-5100. Age limit varies, cover varies.

Conga Room: This 6-month-old spot is a happy little success story. The colorful nightclub--which books Latin music exclusively, from salsa to Afro-Cuban jazz to anything with a tropical Latin twist--is in the Miracle Mile area of L.A., turning a former Jack LaLanne Health Club into a music lover’s paradise.

The colors decorating the club are as bright and happy as the music, and the guests are won over by the combination. Chicks go to meet men, men come to meet chicks. The music’s good, and everyone gets what they came for. Wow, what a concept.

It’s been years since a club managed to create an environment that was conducive to people mingling without being somewhat sleazy. The Conga Room eliminated the sleaze factor by giving ‘em something they can feel. Art, music, romance, food and color, color, color. Sure, it’s got star backers, but what really matters is the music, from Cuba’s Bambeleo to renowned artists Celia Cruz, Albita and Poncho Sanchez. And, like Spaceland but on a larger scale, its owners keep their ears open for local Latin acts, teaming them with bigger-name touring bands. And any place raising L.A.’s musical profile is a good thing.

Conga Room, 5364 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., (323) 938-1696. 21 and over, cover varies.

Palace: This grand ol’ Hollywood heirloom is priceless--just ask its owners, husband and wife Kate and Bill Nelson, who have sunk millions of dollars into keeping its once-decaying, newly revamped torch lit. The 70-year-old club has given up its stage to all the greats, from Ice Cube to Smashing Pumpkins, who said to heck with the Forum three years ago and chose a more intimate three-night warmup, no better indication of its greatness.

It also helps that L.A.’s hottest concert promoter, Goldenvoice, books frequent shows at the Palace, with most shows selling out. In addition, the 18-and-over dance clubs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays draw another 600 to 700 youths each night, with Friday night’s KROQ tie-in featuring deejay Richard Blade proving consistently popular. The former Art Deco theater has so many great features that it’s difficult to summarize them all. Perhaps the easiest way is the comparison/contrast method: If there was no Palace, you’d have to go to the Palladium a lot more often. Mull that one over for a minute.

The Palace, 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood, (323) 462-3000. Concerts all ages, dance clubs 18 and over, cover varies.

Wiltern Theatre: Another grand dame of the city’s musical past, this venerable theater is proof that L.A. doesn’t destroy all of its past--just most of it. Ornate and quiet, the Wiltern is the kind of place to see one’s favorite band with no chit-chatting like at the House of Blues. At the Wiltern, with its theater seating and gracious beauty, people behave. That’s why Radiohead worked here. When it’s music for your head, the Wiltern is the place of choice.

Wiltern Theatre, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., (213) 380-5005. All ages, tickets vary.

LARGE VENUES

Hollywood Bowl: One of Hollywood’s coolest defining features is its impracticality. Only at a Hollywood barbecue would a guest arrive in 4-inch pink stiletto heels. The Hollywood Bowl is our metaphorical stiletto, stuck right in the heart of the hills of Hollywood--beautiful, impractical . . . and we love it. It’s the place to take relatives when they come to visit you in the land of the strange, as if to say, “Hey, we’ve got culture here, too, y’know.” And there’s no denying this cultured pearl of an outdoor amphitheater is an L.A. gem. The summer home of the L.A. Philharmonic, the seasonal venue also has a jazz series, an annual mariachi festival and rock shows (although not enough good rock shows). The parking borders on insane--it’s easier to bus in or walk up from the Hollywood Boulevard area than to park by the venue. And, of course, heels are a must.

Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, (323) 850-2000. All ages, tickets vary.

Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim: If you must go to an arena-size venue, then this is your best bet. The 5-year-old, 19,500-capacity home of the Mighty Ducks and WWF wrestling (its biggest moneymaker) was designed to offer as much comfort as possible in a situation that’s usually a nightmare, i.e., partying with zillions of other people.

Seeing U2 at the Coliseum last year was like going back in time to the gladiator days compared to the Pond. At the Pond, you didn’t have to pay some hustler 30 bucks to park your car so you’d be less than two miles from the venue. In addition, the Pond also bears this distinction: It’s not in Devore. Who wants to drive into the outer limits to see a rock show? Maybe 10-year-olds (because they’re not driving). The Arrowhead Pond made a quick name for itself with performances by such landmark acts as R.E.M. and Barbra Streisand. It also offered its services to such new-generation heroes as Green Day and No Doubt, which made its hometown swell with pride when it performed in ’97. The added touches of fresh-cut flowers and monogrammed towels in every performer’s dressing room are setting a new standard, as well.

Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, (714) 704-2500. All ages, tickets vary.

Greek Theatre: When one of your longtime favorite artists is passing through town during the summer months, you can only hope it’s at the Greek. An oasis in the middle of Griffith Park, the Greek Theatre’s timeless beauty and easygoing feel add up to a memorable evening for its guests, who return again and again to see such local traditions as a midsummer show by Los Lobos or a reggae festival. Time almost seems to slow to a mellow halt when you book a night at the Greek. No matter where you’ve seen a band before or where they might play in the future, it seems it’s the Greek shows that are the ones to remember, like the Black Crowes at the height of their fame or one of the Ramones’ last shows (yeah, right).

Greek Theatre, 2700 Vermont Canyon Road, (323) 665-1927. All ages, tickets vary.

Universal Amphitheatre: Universal makes the list, but just barely because it’s so darn sterile. When you wanna go nuts at a show, there’s always some fool behind you sniffing, “Can you please sit down?” The answer is no. The Universal Amphitheatre has got to loosen up its attitude a bit, stop trying to control everything that happens at shows. That’s not a very rock ‘n’ roll attitude, guys. But the venue next to CityWalk scores high for convenience; you can’t beat its proximity to Hollywood, the San Fernando Valley and even the Westside--it’s just over a canyon or two. It’s easy to park, and it’s a nutty stroll to the venue through a sea of capitalist Americana, so much kitsch in one place it’s simply staggering. Do stop and check out the cowboys at Country Star Restaurant; this alone is worth the price of admission to whatever show you happen to be attending.

Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. All ages, tickets vary. (818) 622-4440.