The 2024 L.A. concert schedule offers something for everyone

Los Angeles is widely acknowledged as a significant center for entertainment, especially in light of its well-known music sector.. From little venues along the Sunset Strip to big stadiums hosting notable bands, Greater LA offers a variety of concert and entertainment locations ideal for famous performers and emerging talents. This year presents another selection of must-watch shows in different music styles, such as rock, hip-hop, and classical. 

The Hollywood Bowl is arguably the most famous of Los Angeles music venues. The curved, shell-shaped open-air theater located in the Hollywood Hills has welcomed a wide range of performers, including Billie Holliday and The Beatles since it first opened in 1922. Many people from Los Angeles have summer recollections of crowded picnic meals and singing along to the soundtracks of different periods, often with the help of wine. The upcoming schedule for the 18,000-person stadium includes alternative rock bands Primus, Puscifer, and A Perfect Circle in April. Popular artist Sarah McLachlan will perform in May, followed by concerts including singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, country musician Chris Stapleton, and a special Roots Picnic event celebrating hip-hop in June.

Downtown’s Crypto.com Arena, originally the Staples Center, is one of the busiest concert stadiums globally. The arena, which can hold more than 18,000 people, has welcomed famous performers such as Bruce Springsteen when it first opened in 1999. In its relatively short 25-year existence, Crypto.com Arena has already welcomed more than 84 million visitors, according to conservative estimates, solidifying its status as a popular entertainment destination. This spring, alternative metal quartet Tool returns for two nights in February. Global Latin pop phenomenon Bad Bunny takes over for three shows in March, answering the prayers of his legions of Gen Z devotees. Mexican icon Luis Miguel performs in April, while country singer Zach Bryan plays multiple June dates. 

To the north of downtown, Rose Bowl Stadium is also a popular music venue when baseball is not in season. The 56,000-seat stadium, known as "America's Stadium," welcomed famous performers such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles during its early years. In recent decades, it has become a site for major music festivals, drawing over 100,000 fans. This May, British new wave legends Duran Duran and post-punk icons Interpol lead the Cruel World Fest lineup at Rose Bowl Stadium. A few days later, this stadium hosts the Just Like Heaven festival starring indie favorites The Postal Service, Phoenix and more.

The Greek Theatre in Griffith Park offers a more intimate outdoor concert setting beneath the trees. Legends from Elton John to Carlos Santana have graced the 5,900-seat stage since it opened in 1929. Highlights of the Greek’s 2024 lineup include Southern rock icons The Black Crowes in April and new wave pioneer Adam Ant in late April. Rising pop star Madison Beer performs in June alongside singer-songwriter Upsahl.  

Even classical music shines brightly on LA’s concert circuit at downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. The curved steel walls of Disney Hall, which were designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, enhance the sound of the Los Angeles Philharmonic to higher levels. In February, the LA Phil hosts several concerts featuring renowned film composer John Williams. Performances of works by Brahms, Ravel and more round out Disney Hall’s early 2024 calendar.

Beyond the major venues, Los Angeles offers a wealth of one-of-a-kind concert experiences. At the historic Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the Masonic Lodge hosts Grammy-nominated duo Johnny swim for a special Valentine’s Day show in February. Indie artists like Cinder Well and Terry Allen also have shows at the unexpected cemetery venue in the coming weeks. The prospect of live music and dancing amidst tombstones might seem surreal, but Hollywood Forever’s concert series has become wildly popular.

Downtown’s Novo Theater provides a more personal concert setting with space for 2,300 guests. Upcoming shows at The Novo include country-rap stylist Bailey Zimmerman in February, funk collective Lettuce in early February and hip-hop performer Isaiah Rashad later in the month. R&B quartet Blackstreet takes The Novo stage on Valentine’s Day, followed by electronic duo Hippie Sabotage in March. The Novo offers fans a happy medium between cramped club shows and overwhelming stadium concerts. 

These events merely scratch the surface of Los Angeles’ nonstop music action in 2024. From the newest rising talents to the biggest chart-toppers, an incredible range of artists flock to the city of angels to share their sounds. For local fans and visitors alike, Los Angeles offers no shortage of live music magic all year long. 

Beyond traditional concert venues, LA hosts a range of boutique music experiences combining intimate performances with lavish spaces. Companies like Fever Original present their popular Candlelight Concert series, melding live music with candlelit wonder in venues like the Altar Long Beach, Skirball Cultural Center and other hidden gem event spaces. Valentine’s Day week brings a tribute performance to beloved Swedish pop icon ABBA. Later in February, timeless crooners Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole are honored downtown at the Historic Women’s Club. Candlelight Concerts offer a profoundly memorable experience for couples, families and friends of all ages.  

LA’s music scene diversity stems largely from its massive wealth of homegrown talent. Visit any late-night open mic or mini backyard festival in Los Angeles on a given weekend, and you’ll likely catch glimpses of the next big national star. The Journey, The Doors, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue, Van Halen, Linkin Park, Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, and more all trace their origins to the LA music ecosystem.

The city also owes tremendous gratitude to its most passionate music fans. While the biggest concerts sell out faster every year, smaller local venues rely on dedicated communities to survive and thrive. Long-running Eastside punk and hardcore institution The Smell faces continuous threats of closure from noise complaints and gentrification. But its crowds of sweat-soaked young moshers refuse to let their beloved underground venue go quietly into the night. LA concertgoers recognize that a city’s music legacy lies as much with its small stages as its large ones.   

For a sprawling metropolis often maligned as lacking culture, Los Angeles furnishes persistent proof via its concerts. The sounds of the city weave an audio tapestry as diverse and colorful as the populace itself. Global superstars may come and go, but LA’s spirit of the musical community and artistic inspiration endures generation after generation. That communal passion explains how a 22-year-old Frank Ocean could ascend from anonymity to stardom in 2011 the old-fashioned way - by uploading a mixtape recorded in his bedroom. From Hollywood anthems like “Hotel California” to Compton classics like “Nuthin But a G Thang”, the songs of Los Angeles revolutionize genres while uniting millions in the joyful refrains.        

So, as the days grow longer and warmer in the coming months, Angelenos need not look far for world-class entertainment. A stacked calendar of concerts, both mammoth and intimate, awaits locals hungry for a properly euphoric 2024 summer soundtrack. Whether it’s a bucket list legacy arena act or some rising indie wunderkinder at a hole-in-the-wall club, Los Angeles summons the rhythms to meet every musical appetite. The only challenge will be choosing which of the year’s countless epic shows to experience first.