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    The Greek Theatre - Netflix is a Joke - Leanne & Jerry

    The Greek Theatre

    (1.3k reviews)

    $$$

    Griffith Park

    I love the Greek Theatre! It feels big but intimate at the same time, and there is no bad seat in…read morethe venue. I've been to many concerts at the Greek over the years, and I've sat in different locations from the front, middle and benches to the side terraces. Every show there feels special. It's tucked into the mountain, away from all the city lights and traffic noise. It is a beautiful outdoor venue, and I think the sound is pretty consistently good there. There are food and drink options available. I went to RAYE on Wednesday 5/13 and had a double smashburger for $22 that came with a bag of Lay's chips. It was a very decent burger; marked up as usual for a venue but I didn't have time to stop elsewhere on my way there. The Greek has an 11pm curfew, so start times are pretty consistent. There are 2 concession areas and a beer garden that serves food, with additional beverage stands around the venue. The bathrooms are surprisingly big with a lot of stalls, so the wait is short if there is one. The only downside is getting in and out of the venue takes forever, but that is the trade-off of having a venue in such a special, beautiful, tucked-in location. And it never feels overcrowded to me. I definitely recommend going there early because there is essentially one road that is 1-2 lanes at different points that can get you to the parking lots by the venue. It gets backed up closer to the show, and I've been stuck there before listening to the start of a show. Parking is $40 per car these days, but there is also a park-and-ride shuttle that is $10 per person from a parking area east of the venue. The shuttle ride was about 12 minutes from the lot to the venue. It went a different route from the cars going to the parking lots (the cars are not allowed to go that way). After the show, we didn't rush and ended up basically at the back of the shuttle line to get back to our cars. The wait was about 45 minutes, but it was one line that moved pretty consistently. I was not upset about the wait - the cars driving out have to wait in their cars a little bit as well, especially with the stacked parking. The shuttle took the stress out of that situation and it was much cheaper for me! It does feel like a bit of an effort to get there on a weeknight because traffic is crazy, but it is worth it - just need to plan ahead and expect to spend a good amount of time in my car! Overall, I love the Greek and will happily visit when it's an artist I really want to see!

    Why only four stars? Well, basically parking. If you live far enough away that you have to drive,…read moreparking / traffic will be an issue. Pre-purchasing parking is strongly suggested. They also have ride share locations if you are okay waiting both coming and going. For those with deep pockets, Quick Park parking (~$125) uses the middle lane and the lane directly to the right of it on Vermont, leaving only the far right lane open for traffic to exit. But, if it is in your budget, it's totally worth it. Getting there early helps (at least 90 minutes before the show) if you are not paying for the high priced option. Even if you paid for Quick Park, getting there early is highly recommended. When you Quick Park, make sure you leave enough room to escape without needing the car in front of you to show up. Otherwise you could be there for a long time after the concert is over. Plus, you can sit in your vehicle before the show waiting for the lines to get in to empty out. Outdoor concerts are great and this is a great venue (again, less the parking issues). Prices are 2026 LA prices, two bourbon & ginger ale drinks and one glass of wine was just over $70 before tip. Sound quality is also great. Seating is normal except for the numbering. When you buy two tickets together, they won't be 5 & 6, they will be 5 & 7, or 6 & 8. This fools some people and they wind up with seats in different sections. Harder to make the mistake now as they let you pick your ticket virtually on their map. Buying from scalpers / resellers, might mess you up. Definitely a great place to see at least one show. We had a great time at the last show. Enjoy!

    The Ford - From the back

    The Ford

    (200 reviews)

    $$

    Hollywood Hills

    The Ford may be to The Bowl as a quickie in the elevator is to a rose-petal trail to a big…read morehoneymoon suite bed. The "Cinderella" of venues, it takes the grand, outdoor setting of the Bowl (concrete Jerusalem gates carved into the Hollywood hills) and the intimacy of a backyard party. With 1200 seats (opposed to 17500), you're always under 100 feet from the stage. The seats being steeply raked means you are closer to the stage than the Greek. (The Theater, I mean, not loud, hairy Niko guy next to you). And being tucked into a natural canyon makes the acoustics extra crispy, which made Erasure (10 years ago today) one of my favorite concerts. Side note: I found the 3 tickets on ebay for 99 cents, something that pissed off the guy next to me who paid $200. He Loved to Hate Me. He called me "Biggie Fries" all night, referencing Wendy's Value Meal. Built in 1920 by Christine Wetherill Stevenson, a wealthy heiress who wanted to build a space for her play about he life of Christ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Calvary". No, it was "Pilgrimage Play" It burnt down in 1929 but rebuilt in 1931 to look like stone, making it feel like an ancient, rediscovered space. Anyway, it only hosted Christ plays (I would have called it "Nailed iT!") until the 1964 separation of church and state opened the venue to all arts. It was named after the county supervisor John Anson Ford, who was a champion of the arts. In the late 80's it was the "West Coast CBGB", hosting Ramones, Social D, X, Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction. If you need more bands, just use your first three Wordle guesses: Tacos Marry Happy opened for Radio Caulk Barfy. It unveiled a $80 million renovation in 2017, so if it was gorgeous in 2006, I am sure it is Gorgeouser now. In 2019, the LA Phil took over, so now it is the little sister of the Bowl and Disney Concert Hall. In 2020, it had its centennial, marking 100 years since Stevenson first staged a Christ play in that canyon. To celebrate, the partygoers turned wine into pee.

    Sometimes, I forget how much entertainment is available in LA, from theaters to museums to outdoor…read moreexcursions and more. I had previously seen advertisements for The Ford LA through various outlets, but I am frequently reminded of my introversion and often avoid driving through LA traffic. However, my wife wanted to check out the The Natural World of Studio Ghibli, and what a night it was! We have seen nearly all of Miyazaki's creations, but this was our first time watching "Howl's Moving Castle" in an outdoor theater. It was lovely! Fresh air, a few butterflies flying across the projector, stars in the night sky, and the iconic backdrop were some highlights to mention. The Ford is as fun as advertised, and I've already begun recommending it to my friends. This place has history, and you can feel it! Additionally, there isn't a bad seat in the house! We sat in Row P, and when I arrived, I took it all in. There's certainly a bit of magic here. The only negative is the parking. It's stacked parking, so you may end up waiting on other visitors to get to their cars before you can even think about moving. Otherwise, we already have plans to return to The Ford Theater!

    Independent Shakespeare - Part of the performance

    Independent Shakespeare

    (160 reviews)

    Atwater Village

    Long overdue review: we have been enjoying Free Shakespeare at the Park for a few years now. It has…read morebecome a must for our family to come, support the arts, and see these stories on stage. Indy Shakes does an incredible job making the stories relatable, easy to follow, and enjoyable. Currently playing Love's Labour's Lost - which was absolutely comedic and so well done. The actors are incredible! The interactions off stage are also fun to watch. We are actually planning to see them in December as well at their theater. Please go see them! Support the arts and make donations!! Take cash, buy their merch, you can even use the QR code to donate. Free Shakespeare at the Park can only stay alive if we continue to support. And truly, they deserve all the donations, praise, and support because what they do is incredible, especially for those who have never been exposed to theater growing up.

    5 stars prior to the renovation…read more Currently while they are relocation and remodeling i would give it a 3 stars. The temporary remodeling space is absolutely covered with ants, bugs, flies, mosquitos and more. Wasps and more. They will come for your food, and everything. The temporary stage is a much further walk without lights either and the stage is very small and 360 vs the larger space that is front facing. Once sunset passes though the majority of bugs do go away which is good. I believe the 2026 season the main stage will be back and the bugs will be gone! The parking, crowd, cast always wonderful!

    Empire Media Center - venues - Updated June 2026

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