Los Angeles · Nightlife

The LA Phil's outdoor amphitheatre in the Cahuenga Pass, running from summer into September. You may bring your own food to any event, and outside wine and beer to LA Phil-presented shows, though 'Lease Events' marked with special house rules bar outside alcohol; containers must fit under your seat and no glass or cans are allowed.

Small West Hollywood rock club that has been booking new and touring bands for decades, with listings and tickets on its own site rather than resold. Current shows run roughly $15 to $125 depending on who is playing, so it is easy to gamble on a name you do not know.

8433 Sunset Boulevard, running since 1972 across three separate rooms — the Main Room, the Original Room and the upstairs Belly Room — often with different line-ups on the same night. Buy from the club directly; they state plainly that third-party tickets are never accepted.

Two connected rooms at 1822 W Sunset Blvd in Echo Park, covering indie, hip-hop, electronic and emo nights, plus the long-running Grand Ole Echo on Sundays. It is the reliable place to find a cheap midweek show without crossing town to Hollywood.

Bars stop serving at 2am statewide, and the distance between Echo Park, West Hollywood and Santa Monica is the thing that ruins evenings here — a single crosstown hop can eat 45 minutes each way. Decide on one area, park once or take Metro in, and use a ride-hail for the trip home.