The Wiltern

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Hollywood's historic music venue retains its classic Tinseltown charm after a first-rate facelift.. The Appeal
This breathtakingly beautiful theater is one of L.A.'s most beloved historical cultural monuments, with its amazing art deco architecture from Hollywood's Golden Age. Although it originally opened in 1931 as a movie theater, and has been featured in numerous films, it's most famous for hosting music concerts from the Rolling Stones to Radiohead.
 
The Experience
Renovations in 2003 to the tune of $1.5 million only added to the glamour of this legendary venue. The orchestra seats have been removed, allowing for a large, albeit still intimate, standing-room-only space for 2,200. The upward slanting, five-tiered floor is ideal for crowd interaction, and balcony seating is still available. The pristine design and decor and first-rate sound system are still intact, while modern touches like plasma TVs, lounges, a smoking patio and roaming waitresses have been added to increase the concert-going experience.

Recommends

digdoug2001

Joined 11 years ago

Great venue for seeing and hearing.. This is one of those old school venues that was built for sound and has great seeting. The location isn't the best but it could be worse. Go see one of your favorite acts there. You will have a blast.

Recommends

cbucka

Joined 8 years ago

If you love small venues, The WIltern is KING. If you like small venues like I do, the Wildern is the best place to go. Right at Wilshire and Western, at a Metro stop, The Wiltern brings a historic presence as well. I would rival it with the Fillmore in San Francisco as my favorite spot of all time to catch a concert.

Doesn't Recommend

zerkdave

Joined 10 years ago

One of the WORST live music sounds in the Nation. I have seen the Kings of Leon, Secret Machines, Tragically Hip and many other top-notch live bands in the Wiltern and the sound is extraordinarily HORRIBLE. The sound system and accoustics make these phenomenal bands sound mediocre at best. It sounded as if the bands were beating on banjos and tin cans. I was extremely disappointed. I just don't get why this venue deserves any respect. Again, in comparison to the hundreds of live venues I have been to, I would rate this one right at or near the bottom with the Austin Music Hall. Don't watch your favorite band here or there, you will leave very bitter.

Recommends

jmnla

Joined 11 years ago

1 OF BEST PLACES TO SEE A SHOW IF.... I'VE BEEN TO THE WILTERN ABOUT 10 TIMES NOW, AND I MUST SAY IT IS AWESOME PLACE TO SEE A SHOW. IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THE FRONT THOU GET THERE EARLY, A LIMTIED NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED ACCESS TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE, THE TIER SYSTEM, IN MY OPINION KINDA SUCKS, I PREFER AN OPEN FLOOR SIMILAR TO THE PALLADIUM, BUT IT'S NICE NOT TO BE SMASHED AGAINST INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU! ALL IN ALL AN AWESOME PLACE!

Doesn't Recommend

cocovan

Joined 10 years ago

How about "WON'T-tern?". I'm furious and amazed about the way I was treated here. I feel like a complete sucker. The tickets were 35 bucks! I know, WAY too expensive, I'm an idiot, but I figured for that price, I'd have a trouble-free night. It was so jam-packed with people, I started thinking that there had to be a mistake and hoping a fire didn't break out. Clear Channel, the new owners, actually tore the seats out of the Wiltern in a thinly disguised attempt to cram more people in, and therefore rip off more suckers (of which I'm one). I never was able to see the band, becuse everywhere I went, some bouncer grunted "can't go here." Screw this.

Doesn't Recommend

luckyfriendno2

Joined 10 years ago

WHAT show?!!??. i can't believe i paid over $70 for 2 tickets + $8 to park, just to be PACKED into the Wiltern like i was. I'm really insulted. They CRAMMED so many people in there, i couldn't believe it. i knew it was general admission, but i naively thought that for that price, at such a cool place, they wouldn't GREEDILY SMASH in as many people as possible. WRONG! i moved around many times, and i never was able to see anything, i couldn't find my friends, so i left after 5 songs. i don't mind smaller venues being crowded, like the Troubadour, because it's usually $10-12, and you can see the stage from anywhere, but this Wiltern fiasco was a complete outrage. BE WARNED. It's also beyond me how these money-grubbing weasels could rip the seats out of this classic Los Angeles treasure purely out of greed.

Recommends

volv101

Joined 11 years ago

Willreturn to the wiltern. Saw the Foo-Fighters here, and I thought the venue was great. They had an annoying policy of not allowing you to re-enter the lowest teir if you leave in the middle of the show, but other than that, it is a great place to see a show.

Doesn't Recommend

kmnyc

Joined 11 years ago

Grand Reopening=Grand Ripoff. DO NOT PAY TO SEE ANYONE HERE. It will ruin your experience completely. Supposedly there were seats in this venue, but when I went the seats were ripped out and I had to deal with a ridiculously stupid multi tier system while the stage was still about ground level. Absolutely NO visibility and the policy about not being allowed to enter during songs is just plain dumb.

Recommends

Laydie_Kriss

Joined 11 years ago

Every seat is a good seat. I went to see Pink, and she rocked. We had good seats, but all the seats were great. It's big enough to hold a lot of people, but small enough so that you feel you are right there no matter if you're on top in the back or whatever. The lobby ceiling is beautiful.. I wouldn't hesitate going there for another concert. You never have to strain your eyes, or wish you were a little closer. It's recommend it to anyone.