The Best of Los Angeles in 2018: Concerts
Experience the biggest acts in music at L.A.'s world-class venues
Updated on January 1, 2019
Los Angeles welcomes world-famous acts and rising stars for another stellar year of concerts. Throughout the year, iconic venues like the Hollywood Bowl, STAPLES Center and more will be hosting performances by acts from around the world. Read on for highlights of the best concerts you can enjoy in L.A. in 2018.
Walt Disney Concert Hall at The Music Center
Designed by Frank Gehry, the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown L.A. is an architectural and acoustic marvel. In addition to classical concerts by the acclaimed LA Phil throughout 2018, LA Phil’s Creative Chair for Jazz, Herbie Hancock will perform on Jan. 27. Other jazz performances include a Thelonious Monk centennial birthday celebration with MONK'estra (March 9), Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Chick Corea (March 23), and Crosscurrents featuring Zakir Hussain, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Shankar Mahadevan and more (April 27).
As part of the World Music Series, Argentine and Uruguayan collective Bajofondo returns to WDCH for the first time since its sold-out performance in 2010 (April 28). The Songbook Series features singer-songwriter Glen Hansard with the LA Phil on March 11, and Art Garfunkel on April 29. And in conjunction with Oscar® Week celebrations for its 90th Anniversary, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® teams with the LA Phil to present this year’s nominated scores live in concert on Feb. 28. The program will include suites and video from each nominated film.
111 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012//} ?>
PAUL MCCARTNEY - DODGER STADIUM (July 13, 2019)
Paul McCartney brings his "Freshen Up" Tour to Dodger Stadium on Saturday, July 13. Fans will enjoy nearly three hours of the greatest moments from the last 50 years of McCartney's solo, Wings and of course Beatles music catalogs.
Located at the spectacular L.A. LIVE entertainment complex in Downtown L.A., STAPLES Center is the home of the NBA's Lakers and Clippers, the NHL’s Kings, WNBA Sparks, and hosts world-class performances throughout the year. Highlights of the 2018 season include Calibach (Jan. 20), Brad Paisley (Jan. 25), Gabriel Iglesias (Jan. 26), Pepe Aguilar (Jan. 27), The Killers (Feb. 1-2), Lorde (March 14), P!nk (May 31), Tim McGraw & Faith Hill (July 21), Shania Twain (Aug. 3) and Sam Smith (Aug. 28).
THE THEATRE AT ACE HOTEL
Located adjacent to the Ace Hotel in Downtown L.A., The Theatre at Ace Hotel opened as the United Artists Theatre, the flagship for United Artists, the film studio founded by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith. The stunning 1,600-seat movie palace was retrofitted with state of the art sound and lighting and hosts a wide range of concerts, performances, and movie screenings. Highlights for 2018 include: Raekwon x MNC Skateboards Official Launch Party Concert (Jan. 3), Murray Hidary (Jan. 13), Andrew Solomon (Jan. 18), Gabriel Kahane (Jan. 20), Streetlight Manifesto (Jan. 25-26), Meow Meow & Thomas M. Lauderdale (Feb. 2), Demetri Martin (Feb. 3), Goapele (Feb. 10), Kimbra (Feb. 14), Beth Hart (Feb. 15), Antonio Sanchez & Migration (Feb. 17), Real Estate (Feb. 28), Idan Raichel (March 1), David Rawlings (March 3), k.d. lang (March 5), Taylor Mac: A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (Chapters 1-4: March 15, 17, 22, 24), Jake Bugg (March 27), Bianca Del Rio (March 31), Eighth Blackbird (April 21), Cigarettes After Sex (April 27), Angelique Kidjo: Remain In Light (May 5), "Weird Al" Yankovic (May 10-11), Natalia Lafourcade (May 23), and Yann Tiersen (June 20).
929 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90015//} ?>
The Wiltern
Originally built in 1931, The Wiltern is located near Koreatown at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue. The Wiltern and the adjacent 12-story Pellissier Building are considered among the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the country, and have been named to the National Register of Historic Places and declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
From alternative and indie to classic rock and world music, The Wiltern is continues to book a wide range of acts in 2018: Gramatik (Feb. 16), G-EAZY (Feb. 22-23), Van Morrison (Feb. 26-27), Celebrating David Bowie (Feb. 28), AWOLNATION (March 16), OMD (March 29), Imparables El Show (April 27-29), Franz Ferdinand (May 15), Peter Hook & The Light (May 18) and The Dust Brothers Present "Fight Club" + Live Score (May 19), and Erasure (Aug. 26).
3790 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010//} ?>
Hollywood Bowl
The world-famous Hollywood Bowl has been one of L.A.’s top summer concert destinations for generations. The 2019 season includes highlights like New Kids On the Block (May 26), Playboy Jazz Festival (June 8-9), Opening Night with Fireworks (June 15), Andrea Bocelli (June 18-19), Hootie & The Blowfish (June 25), July 4th Fireworks Spectacular with Nile Rodgers & CHIC (July 2-4), and Hugh Jackman (July 19-20).
2301 N. Highland Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90068//} ?>
El Rey Theatre
First opened as a movie house in 1936, the El Rey Theatre was designed by Clifford A. Balch, who designed more than 20 Art Deco movie houses around Southern California. After nearly 50 years as a first run movie theater, the Art Deco gem was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1991 and was converted to a live music venue in 1994. The El Rey continues to book an exciting mix of acclaimed musicians and rising stars, including Princess Nokia (Jan. 18), ZOSO - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience (Jan. 20), Two Feet (Jan. 23), Joyner Lucas & Dizzy Wright (Jan. 24), Victor Wooten Trio (Jan. 25), The Radio Dept. (Jan. 29), Alex Aiono (Feb. 1), Wallows (Feb. 2), Howard Jones (Feb. 3), Rex Orange County (Feb. 7-8), Drive-By Truckers (Feb. 9) and Bruce Cockburn (Feb. 10).
5515 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036//} ?>
The Greek Theatre
The historic Greek Theatre is one of L.A.’s premier outdoor music venues, named Best Small Outdoor Venue for the seventh time in eight years by Pollstar Magazine in February 2017. Opened in 1929, the 5,900-seat venue offers an intimate concert setting, with state-of-the-art acoustics and excellent sight lines, surrounded by trees in a picturesque setting within Griffith Park. Highlights of the 2018 season include Cole Swindell (opening night, April 7), Enrique Bunbury (April 28), Jeff Dunham (May 5), Khalid (May 9-10), Tom Jones (May 24), Jethro Tull 50th Anniversary (June 1), Barenaked Ladies (June 15), Sylvan Esso (July 10), Niall Horan (Aug. 7-8), and Charlie Puth (Aug. 14).
2700 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027//} ?>
Royce Hall
Built in 1929 as one of UCLA’s first campus structures, Royce Hall hosts a wide-ranging, eclectic lineup throughout 2018. Highlights include: Alarm Will Sound (Jan. 27), Antonio Sanchez: Birdman Live (Feb. 16), Tony Kushner & Sarah Vowell (Feb. 22), Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya in Tribute to the Jazz Epistles (March 3), Kronos Quartet (March 9), and Colson Whitehead (April 19).
340 Royce Drive Los Angeles, CA 90095//} ?>
The Forum
For many years, The Forum was regarded as one of L.A.'s greatest sports and events venues, the home of the "Showtime" Lakers, the Great Gretzky, the "Miracle on Manchester" and countless music concerts. Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, The Forum celebrated its Grand Reopening in January 2014 with a six-night stand by the Eagles.
The Forum's 2018 calendar includes iHeartRadio ALTer EGO on Jan. 19 (Mumford & Sons, Cage The Elephant, Beck, Spoon, WALK THE MOON, The National, Dashboard Confessional), Shakira (Feb. 1), Gerardo Ortiz (Feb. 3), Miranda Lambert (Feb. 10), Los Temerarios (Feb. 11), Queens of the Stone Age (Feb. 17), Demi Lovato (March 2), Romeo Santos (March 30-31), Maluma (April 7 & 11), Justin Timberlake (April 28), U2 (May 15-16), Pink (June 1), Maroon 5 (June 4-5), Kesha & Macklemore (June 8), Harry Styles (July 13-14), ELO (Aug. 4-5), Weezer & Pixies (Aug. 8), Game of Thrones: Live Concert Experience Featuring Ramin Djawadi (Sept. 9), and Def Leppard & Journey (Oct. 6).
3900 W. Manchester Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90305//} ?>
Rose Bowl Stadium
The famed Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena has hosted five Super Bowls, gold medal matches for two Summer Olympics, two FIFA World Cup Finals, superstar concerts and the annual Rose Bowl Game for which it’s named. On May 18 and 19, GRAMMY Award winning artist, Taylor Swift brings her Reputation Stadium Tour to Rose Bowl Stadium. Swift's close friend, Ed Sheeran kicks off his 2018 North American Stadium Tour at Rose Bowl Stadium on August 18. Named Spotify's most-streamed artist of 2017 (6.3 billion), Sheeran is featured along with rapper Future on Swift's hit single, "End Game" from "Reputation."
1001 Rose Bowl Dr. Pasadena, CA 91103//} ?>