The Guide to Outdoor Music in Los Angeles
Fireworks at the Hollywood Bowl | LA Phil
The Greek Theatre | Photo: Francisco Saiso Alva/The Greek Theatre
Dance DTLA | Photo: The Music Center
Thanks to the beautiful year round weather, Los Angeles is home to some of the best outdoor music venues and events in the country. Whether you’re in the mood for pop, jazz, blues, alternative or EDM, there are music events taking place day and night that will keep you in the groove all the way to the fall.
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is the largest natural amphitheater in the United States and is renowned as one of the world's premier outdoor cultural venues. The Bowl hosts the greatest artists from all genres of music, with Gustavo Dudamel and the acclaimed LA Phil at its core.
Highlights of the 2024 season include: Ballet Folklórico de México (July 18), Disney 80s-90s Celebration (July 19-20), Chaka Khan (July 26), "Barbie" in Concert (July 27), Outlaw Fest (July 31), Reggae Night XXII (Aug. 4), Seal (Aug. 9), Herbie Hancock (Aug. 14), The Gipsy Kings (Aug. 16), Gary Clark Jr (Aug. 21), Pink Martini (Aug. 23-24), Mt Joy (Aug. 25), "Singin' in the Rain" (Aug. 27), Marvel Studios Infinity Saga Concert Experience (Aug. 30-31), Toto (Sep. 1), Trombone Shorty (Sep. 4), Vance Joy (Sep. 8), Fireworks Finale: Boyz II Men (Sep. 13-15), Ms. Lauryn Hill & The Fugees (Sep. 17), Rodrigo y Gabriela (Sep. 18), "The Sound of Music" Sing Along (Sep. 21), Noche de Cumbia (Sep. 22), Anderson .Paak (Sep. 24), Camilo (Sep. 26), Jungle (Sep. 27), Mitski (Sep. 28), Justice (Oct. 4), Omar Apollo (Oct. 5), The National + The War On Drugs (Oct. 7), Porter Robinson (Oct. 11), Eric Clapton (Oct. 12), KYGO (Oct. 17), Joni Mitchell & The Joni Jam (Oct. 19-20), Imagine Dragons (Oct. 22-23 & 26-27) and David Gilmour (Oct. 29-31).
BMO Stadium
Located at Exposition Park, BMO Stadium is the home of MLS's LAFC and Angel City FC of NWSL. Easily accessed from the Metro E Line, BMO Stadium is LA's first new open-air stadium since Dodger Stadium opened in 1962.
Upcoming concerts include ATEEZ (July 20-21), Foo Fighters (Aug. 9 & 11), Kane Brown (Aug. 24), Carin León (Sep. 13), Korn (Oct. 5), Junior H (Oct. 10-11), Grupo Firme (Nov. 2) and Los Temerarios (Dec. 6-7).
Dance DTLA - The Music Center
The Music Center's popular Dance DTLA series returns for eight Friday nights this summer (June 21 - August 16) with free lessons and dancing under the stars!
Taking place from 7pm to 11pm on Jerry Moss Plaza, Dance DTLA features top local DJs and bands playing live while the crowd learns new moves - Bollywood, Salsa, Reggaeton, Colombian Cumbia, Line Dance, Samba, Hip-Hop and Disco.
Dance DTLA is free and open to all ages. Wine, cocktails and other beverages are available for purchase on-site.
Dodger Stadium
One of the true cathedrals of Major League Baseball, Dodger Stadium has also hosted concerts by The Beatles, Elton John (as depicted in Rocketman), The Jacksons, David Bowie, U2, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Beyoncé and many more.
On Sunday, September 15, GRAMMY Award winning artist P!NK brings her Summer Carnival World Tour to Dodger Stadium. Tickets at Ticketmaster. The VIP Hospitality Package includes a premium reserved ticket in rows 4-10; priority check-in and entrance, P!NK carpet entry and photo op, pre-show reception, crowd-free march shopping and a collectible laminate and lanyard keepsake.
The Ford
Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, The Ford is second to none when it comes to sheer beauty and intimacy - no one at the 1,200-seat amphitheater is more than 96 feet from the stage.
Highlights of the 2024 season include: Highlights of the 2024 season include: Dilla Jazz (July 18), Guster with the LA Phil (July 20), Song Exploder: 69 Love Songs (July 24), Prateek Kuhad (July 26), Meridian Brothers (July 28), Marc Bamuthi Joseph & Daniel Bernard Roumain (Aug. 2), Boleros de Noche feat. José Feliciano & Los Caramelos (Aug. 3-4), "The Motherboard Suite" (Aug. 9), Los Cafres (Aug. 10), Bloco Obini (Aug. 11), Grandeza Mexicana: "100 Años de Libertad" (Aug. 17), TAIKOPROJECT (Aug. 18), "Princess Mononoke" (Aug. 23), "Spirited Away" (Aug. 24), "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" (Aug. 25), Jazz is Dead: The Mizell Brothers (Aug. 28), Michelle Dorrance & Friends (Sep. 6), Flypoet Summer Classic (Sep. 7), ¡Viva La Tradición! La Quinceañera (Sep. 14), ¡FIESTA! with Bob Baker Marionette Theater (Sep. 15), Jazz Está Morto: Marcos Valle & Azymuth (Sep. 17), Noche de Cumbia (Sep. 21), Inner Wave (Sep. 22), Blue13: "100 Seconds to Midnight" (Sep. 28), Un Fandanguito con Caña Dulce y Caña Brava (Sep. 29), Devendra Banhart (Oct. 2), Island Womxn Rise (Oct. 5), Bonny Light Horseman (Oct. 6), Jazz is Dead: Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas (Oct. 9), Alan Cumming & Ari Shapiro (Oct. 11), The Airborne Toxic Event (Oct. 18), Leith Ross (Oct. 19), Willow with Orchestra (Oct. 25), "The Shining" (Oct. 30) and "Young Frankenstein" 50th Anniversary (Oct. 31).
Grand Performances at California Plaza
Founded in 1986, Grand Performances presents music, dance, theater and more at California Plaza with a mission to "inspire community, celebrate diversity, and unite Los Angeles through free access to global performing arts."
Free seating is open and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserved seats in the VIP Balcony are available to Grand Performances members.
Guests are invited to pack a picnic, or dine-in / order to-go from the nearby Grand Central Market. An on-site bar will be set up on select evenings. For more info and the 2024 schedule, visit the Grand Performances website.
The Greek Theatre
Opened in 1929, the historic Greek Theatre is one of LA’s premier outdoor music venues. Located inside Griffith Park, the 5,900-seat venue offers an intimate concert experience with state-of-the-art acoustics, excellent sight lines, and a picturesque setting.
Highlights of the 2024 season include: Mac DeMarco (July 17-19), Ben Platt (July 20), Dwight Yoakam (July 25), Michael Franti & Spearhead (July 26), Lake Street Dive (July 27), UB40 (July 31), John Legend (Aug. 2-3), Norah Jones & Mavis Staples (Aug. 4), The Gaslight Anthem (Aug. 6), O.A.R. Summer Tour (Aug. 8), Charley Crockett (Aug. 9), Jon Batiste (Aug. 10), The Japanese House & Del Water Gap (Aug. 15), St. Vincent (Aug. 16), The Kingston Trio (Aug. 17-18), Taking Back Sunday (Aug. 21), Lucky Daye (Aug. 28), The Beach Boys (Aug. 30), Lainey Wilson (Sep. 1), Thievery Corporation (Sep. 4), Keane (Sep. 5), Ringo Starr (Sep. 8), Gracie Abrams (Sep. 9 & 11-12), Lindsey Stirling (Sep. 10), Chromeo & The Midnight (Sep. 13), Sturgill Simpson (Sep. 14), Bush (Sep. 15), Cuco (Sep. 16), Julieta Venegas (Sep. 17), OMD (Sep. 19-20), Bleachers (Sep. 21-22), Amos Lee & Indigo Girls (Sep. 23), Faye Webster (Sep. 25), Goose (Sep. 27), Beabadoobee (Sep. 28-29), Tems (Oct. 1), Andre 3000 (Oct. 2), Lauv (Oct. 3), Freddie Gibbs & Madlib (Oct. 5), The Sisters of Mercy (Oct. 6), Tom Jones (Oct. 7), Fletcher (Oct. 9), Niki (Oct. 11-12), Still Woozy (Oct. 13), PJ Harvey (Oct. 14), Remi Wolf (Oct. 16), Brittany Howard & Michael Kiwanuka (Oct. 18), Old School Block Party (Oct. 19), Suki Waterhouse (Oct. 23) and Joe Russo (Oct. 26).
Jazz at LACMA (Through October 2024)
One of the museum’s most popular offerings, Jazz at LACMA showcases LA's finest jazz musicians on Friday nights from May through October. Previous concerts have featured legends such as Wayne Shorter, The Yellowjackets, Quincy Jones All Star Orchestra with John Clayton, Arturo Sandoval, Jeff Lorber, Billy Childs, Tierney Sutton, Ernie Watts, and many more.
Jazz at LACMA takes place every Friday from 6pm - 8pm at the Smidt Welcome Plaza. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For the full schedule and info about the musicians, visit the LACMA website.
JazzPOP - Hammer Museum (August 2024)
Now in its 17th season, JazzPOP at the Hammer Museum invites luminaries of West Coast jazz and improvised music for Thursday night concerts in the museum's courtyard. The 2024 edition features quintets led by three innovative California bandleaders who explore a vast terrain in their dynamic, adventurous music: Jamael Dean and the Afronauts (Aug. 1), Beth Schenck Quintet (Aug. 8) and Dan Rosenboom's Polarity Quintet (Aug. 15).
KCRW Summer Nights
One of LA's most popular outdoor dance parties, KCRW Summer Nights features KCRW DJs and live bands at cultural landmarks across LA. This year's free, all-ages events include: Union Station (Jul. 20 & 27), The Music Center (Aug. 3), KCRW HQ (Aug. 17 & 24), CAAM (Aug. 30), Descanso Gardens (Sep. 6), The Autry (Sep. 13) and Century Park (Sep. 20-21).
Off the 405 - Getty Center
The Getty Center's annual outdoor summer series, Off the 405 features performances by up-and-coming bands, along with DJ sets to open the night. Upcoming performances include Helado Negro (July 20), Julia Holter (July 27) and Woods (Aug. 24).
All performances take place in the Museum Courtyard, with a cash bar offering beer, cocktails, and bites. Arrive early to enjoy the Getty Center’s spectacular views and explore the world-class art collection and exhibits. Free admission, register for tickets at the Getty Center website.
Original Farmers Market
"Meet me at 3rd & Fairfax" for Thursday Night Music at The Original Farmers Market from June through August. Shop and dine at the historic marketplace, then enjoy live music on the Plaza from Count Basie & Sinatra to 60s and 90s, Texas Blues, jazz, funk, hip-hop and salsa.
SoFi Stadium
The first indoor-outdoor stadium to be constructed, SoFi Stadium is the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. The state-of-the-art stadium hosted Super Bowl LVI, the College Football Championship Game in 2023, and will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl LXI in 2027, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.
Upcoming concerts include Kenny Chesney (July 20), HARD Summer Music Festival (Aug. 3-4), Def Leppard + Journey + Steve Miller Band (Aug. 25), Fool in Love Fest (Aug. 31) and Green Day Sep. 14).
Sunset Concerts at the Skirball
The 27th season of Sunset Concerts at the Skirball Cultural Center "explores the diaspora and identity of African and Caribbean artists whose music warmly embraces humanity’s inherent right to freedom." The 2024 lineup features El Laberinto del Coco (July 18), Bao L'Bluz (July 25), Waahli (Aug. 1), and the series' first-ever DJ dance party with Jauretsi. Doors at 6:30pm, the FREE concerts begin at 8pm.