L.A. is already full of great places to see concerts, but a new music venue opening is always great news. And one in arguably the most charming suburb of Los Angeles—we’re talking about South Pasadena—is even more exciting. And the best part: One of the city’s coolest concert bookers and promoters is behind the new space—the “fiercely independent” Sid the Cat—which promises a lineup of nightly concerts by both local and national acts.
The San Gabriel Valley isn’t rich in options when it comes to live music, so Sid the Cat Auditorium will be filling a need for music fans of all ages when it opens this fall. The idyllic small city of South Pasadena is perhaps best known for its old-school Fair Oaks Pharmacy—which has sat on the corner of Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue since 1915—and the retro soda fountain is joined by a picturesque row of boutiques and eateries on Mission Street.
And soon, right around the corner from the main drag, you’ll find Sid the Cat Auditorium, situated across the street from the South Pasadena Public Library (and boasting ample parking). The new club will bring life back to the former South Pasadena Elementary School, which was originally built in 1885, rebuilt in 1928 and decommissioned as a school in 1979—and now it’ll school Angelenos on up-and-coming bands to know.
The shows will take place in the original auditorium in the school’s east wing, which has been upgraded with a state-of-the-art sound system and can fit an audience of up to 500. Thirsty patrons can cross a covered arcade and patio to find Sid’s Bar, a full bar set up in one of the school’s original classrooms.
Sid the Cat Auditorium won’t be the only occupant in the old school though. It’ll be in good company with an upcoming outpost of coffee roastery the Boy and the Bear, “craft pubhouse” District Brewing Co. and—most exciting of all—the fourth location of Michelin-recognized and foodie-favorite Villa’s Tacos.
Oozing with indie cred, Sid the Cat has been behind countless concerts since 2015, championing songwriters and hosting acts including Bright Eyes, boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers, Big Thief, Jackson Browne, Jim James, Mac DeMarco, Moses Sumney and Ty Segall. Till now, it’s been holding its shows in dozens of different venues, from Permanent Records Roadhouse and the Highland Park Ebell Club to out-of-town spots like the Ojai Valley Woman’s Club and Pioneertown’s Pappy & Harriet’s. Earlier this year, Sid the Cat produced an Eaton Fire relief benefit for musicians affected by the fire, boasting a talent roster that read like a who’s who of indie rock. More recently, it fittingly curated a lineup of free live music at the Eclectic Music Festival & Arts Crawl—South Pasadena’s annual street fair.
And now, the promoter will finally have a home of its own. “We always knew that we would need our own space in order to produce the highest quality events for concert-goers, and having a home base will give us that,” said Sid the Cat co-owner and talent booker Kyle Wilkerson. “Our vision is to celebrate music and art the way that sports are revered and celebrated.”
Speaking as a music lover and L.A. concertgoer, Sid the Cat is a local treasure—a breath of fresh air in the age of corporate promoters and algorithmic curation. The founders add a personal, tangible touch to the live music scene, even crafting custom matchbooks and artist trading cards to enhance the experience at its intimate concerts. The company is currently raising money via its GoFundMe to help offset the cost of construction (you can donate here—or get your name immortalized on a bar stool in the venue for a cool $5,000).