LA Live is the newest attraction to open in L.A. Essentially, it's a $$2.5 billion lure, designed to get more folks to downtown Los Angeles. (Sidenote: You know you have run out of room in LA when you are building something in downtown.) While the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels are still under construction as are some residential and office spaces, much of LA Live is now open including the Nokia Theater which anchors the new complex and offers up the Nokia Plaza, a sort of miniscule Times Square with scrolling LED screens and pretty much anything you can light up, including trees. ]]> juliana 2009-02-03T15:20:28-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/8/10/212838/037

One of Philly's best mid-size concert venues, this (not-too) renovated movie theater is smack in the middle of South Street's always-on nightlife scene, and attracts an appropriately young and rowdy crowd.

Like a growing number of mid-size venues across the country, the 800-capacity Theater of the Living Arts has been recently acquired by Clear Channel spinoff Live Nation, much to the chagrin of local indie rock fans, but it should be noted that they haven't done much to corporate the place up as of yet.

In addition to local indie and hip-hop bands, upcoming shows at TLA include Ice Cube, Sonic Youth with The Hold Steady and "Crash" star Terrance Howard, who, if you didn't know, is apparently an "urban country" singer now.

Shows for national acts are often sold out, so it's a good idea to get tix beforehand.

Related Stories:
· Theater of the Living Arts [Official Site]
· Philadelphia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: pleonasticism]]]> BS 2008-08-11T13:00:08-05:00 39.9413050 -75.148678 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/8/4/10544/47479

For a city that's constantly trying to distinguish itself from NYC, it's unclear why Philadelphia went with the name The Manhattan Room for its newest hipster bar and music venue.

Whatever the reasoning, the spot has quickly established itself on the Philly music scene. Set in the increasingly hip-but-still a little sketchy Fishtown neighborhood, "The M-Room" is a new go-to spot for the city's indie rock fans.

The venue hosts live events every Tuesday through Sunday. The schedule is heavy on local acts like Johnny Action Figure and Red Ox, but also includes DJ dance nights, art openings and indie film screenings. In addition to a healthy roster of cheap brews, there's also a dinner menu of burgers, sandwiches and full plates.

Related Stories:
· The Manhattan Room [Official Site]
· Philadelphia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Tommy Draper]]]> BS 2008-08-04T12:00:04-05:00 39.9687168 -75.134968 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/5/6/21209/59673

Nothing quite says summer like traveling to your local pavilion, shed or whatever you want to call it, and parking yourself on a piece of green lawn to experience the sounds (and smells) of a concert. And if you're looking for a full concert experience with a healthy dose of nature thrown in, then look no further than the Red Rocks Amphitheatre just outside of Denver.

Situated between Ship Rock and Creation Rock, Red Rocks is arguably one of the world's most unique and stunning musical venues. These natural walls, each of which is taller than Niagara Falls, provide excellent acoustics as well as a natural beauty that is distracting no matter how talented the act. Playing on nature's stage this summer are acts ranging from The Police to Willie Nelson. (Speaking of concert smells...)

If you have grown tired of the more mainstream musical acts, the Monolith Festival may be more your style. Celebrating its second year at Red Rocks, the festival features two days of indie rock groups with headliners DeVotchKa and Silversun Pickups on day one, followed by Justice and TV on the Radio closing out the weekend. Tickets for both days start at $110, and the festival runs from September 13-14 this year, just in time to get in and out of Colorado without needing your skis.

Related Stories:
· Red Rocks Amphitheatre [Official Site]
· Monolith Festival [Official Site]
· Music Venues coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Uriah Welcome]]]> kjb 2008-05-07T16:00:01-05:00 39.665315 -105.20672 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/4/28/204817/071

Friedrich Nietzsche famously proclaimed "God is dead," and nowhere does his statement feel truer than along the abandoned-factory-lined waterfront of Buffalo. But the city embraces its darkness in black humor films like "The Savages" and "Buffalo 66," where neurotic, blue-collar intellectuals suffer the existential crises that Nietzsche invented.

So it makes sense that the epicenter of this angst-ridden city's counterculture culminates at Nietzsche's, a music venue for people who like their musicians local, talented and gimmick-free.

Located along narrow Allen Street, lined with bookstores and bars where owners still stand behind the counters, Nietzsche's authenticity is the antidote to faux-dive music venues where the mirrors are intentionally hung askew. Its trademark cobweb-covered candelabras have lit the venue for decades, with the exposed wiring to prove it. Get there soon--before the fire department shuts the place down.

Related Stories:
· Nietzsche's [Official Site]
· Movie Set Travel: The Savages [Jaunted]
· Buffalo Hotels [HC]

[Photo: Linden Tea]]]> ced138 2008-04-29T12:00:01-05:00 42.899220 -78.879364 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/27/213950/129

Built in 1907 in San Francisco's Upper Market district, Cafe Du Nord once served as a notorious Prohibition-era watering hole. Now, it looks the same inside with its decorated paneling, wainscoting and 40-foot mahogany bar, but you can swill cocktails without a reservation and catch live music seven nights a week.

The lounge attracts local and lesser-known indie bands, as well as bluegrass, jazz and singer-songwriter acts. Upstairs from Cafe Du Nord you can find Swedish American Hall, where the Cafe holds bigger concerts--this Saturday, Nada Surf will play an acoustic set.

Related Stories:
· Cafe Du Nord Music Calendar [Official Site]
· San Francisco Music Venues Map [Jaunted]
· Music Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Thomas Hawk]]]> Christine Mattheis 2008-02-28T12:36:55-05:00 37.766537 -122.43036 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/1/31/103538/314

Paul Schreiber's shows sound like the fantasy of high school kids yearning for a bit of rock. He invites musicians to play in his living room, brings over some friends and lets everyone party. That's how his House Concerts work--though they're a little different than your typical 11th grade rager. First, Schreiber is well out of high school (he's a software engineer at Apple), it's legal for him to serve wine at the shows and performers are more mellow acoustic than hardcore rock.

Capacity is about 30 people, so you'll need to RSVP on his website before dropping by. All shows begin promptly at 8 pm and end around 10. From there, guests are invited to stay and hang out. Sound strange? Not so much: At least 10 other towns around San Fran host house concerts.

The city's alternative paper, SF Weekly even gave Schreiber's makeshift venue the award of "Best House Concerts" in its 2007 "Best of San Francisco" awards issue. Probably because, as Schreiber says:

It's a wonderful way to experience music. You hear an acoustic sound in an intimate setting. There's no smoke, no drunks and no obnoxious suits.

Now that rocks.

Related Stories:
· San Francisco House Concerts [Official site]
· Best House Concerts [SF Weekly]
· San Francisco Music Venues Map [Jaunted]
· Music Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Sam Shaber: Paul Schreiber]]]> laurenuta 2008-01-31T12:30:02-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/