Forget your cousin’s band’s gig in the rec room of your local church; L.A.’s houses of worship and other ritualistic headquarters set themselves apart as some of the city’s most hallowed performance halls for established troubadours. Boasting ornate architecture and enigmatic iconography, these churches and temples cater not just to congregations and fraternal orders but to those who worship rock gods as well.
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Photograph: Jakob N. Layman
Towering and imposing on the outside, serene and solemn inside, this awe-inspiring Gothic hall has lent itself particularly well to singer-songwriter types (think Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis and Andrew Bird). A wood-carved vaulted ceiling and glowing chandeliers give the 1,750-seat stone space aesthetic warmth. Most shows take place in the cathedral, with the occasional intimate performance in one of two attached 100- to 200-seat chapels.
3300 Wilshire Blvd (Koreatown)
Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Photograph: Michael Juliano
Where else but in L.A. could a cemetery become a summer movie destination and its attached temple a top-notch concert hall? Formerly a gathering place for Freemasons, the Mission Revival–style lodge is a retreat for buzzy bands and headliners looking for an intimate venue, such as Ty Segall, Jens Lekman and Karen O. There’s a certain moodiness common among most artists who play the space—though maybe that’s just the unnerving Eye of Providence peering down from a stained-glass window above the stage.
6000 Santa Monica Blvd (Hollywood)
Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall
Photograph: Courtesy CC/Wikimedia/MikeJiroch
The Shrine was conceived as a larger-than-life entertainment venue in 1926, and since then the Moorish palace-like structure has also doubled as the headquarters for the Al Malaikah Shriners, an American-born, Far East–influenced offshoot of the Freemasons. That Orientalist pageantry has painted a sublime backdrop for luminaries like Radiohead and Bob Dylan in the striking auditorium, with a steady stream of EDM and hip-hop in the still-impressive expo hall next door.
665 W Jefferson Blvd (University Park)
Belasco Theater
Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Kansas Sebastian
Unlike the other sacred spaces on the list, this Downtown theater began its life as a secular playhouse. But as the then-beleaguered Belasco faced financial hardship and a temporary closure, it was converted into a church in 1950. You can still spot the neon "prayer changes things" sign on the corner, and Sunday services persist. But throughout the week, you’re more likely to encounter a regular rotation of hip-hop, punk and EDM shows, such as Pusha T and, ironically, the Damned.
1050 S Hill St (Downtown)
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