San Francisco
Every night at the Castro, crowds roar as the mighty organ rises – and no, that's not a euphemism. Showtime at this 1922 art deco movie palace is heralded…
Must-see entertainment in Western USA
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Jazz legends and singular talents from Argentina to Yemen are showcased at North America's newest, largest jazz center. Hear fresh takes on classic jazz…
Salt Lake City
Hearing the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a must-do on any SLC bucket list. A live choir broadcast goes out every Sunday at 9:30am. September…
Las Vegas
Underwater acrobatic feats by scuba-certified performers are the centerpiece of this intimate 'aqua-in-the-round' theater, which holds a million-gallon…
San Francisco
The more San Francisco changes, the more this incredible indie record store, art gallery and performance space stays the same. Vinyl enthusiasts will want…
Las Vegas
Phonetically speaking, it's the French word for water (eau). With a lithe international cast performing in, on and above water, Cirque du Soleil's O tells…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Throw a stone in SF and you'll probably hit a writer (ouch) or reader (ouch again) headed to/from Booksmith. Literary figures organize Booksmith book…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
The landmark 1932 New Mission cinema, now restored to its original Timothy Pfleuger–designed art deco glory, has a new mission: to upgrade dinner-and-a…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
From the moment conductor Michael Tilson Thomas bounces up on his toes and raises his baton, the audience is on the edge of their seats for another…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead – they all played the Fillmore and the upstairs bar is lined with vintage psychedelic posters to prove it…
Northern Colorado
Reggae and bluegrass, jam bands and folkies – this place knows how to book acts that fit the natural surroundings of the canyon environment. It holds 900…
San Francisco
Uproarious, original political satire since 1961, combining musical theater, Japanese kabuki, slapstick and Italian commedia dell'arte. Performances are…
Hollywood
Summers in LA just wouldn’t be the same without alfresco melodies under the stars at the Bowl, a huge natural amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills. Its…
Denver Performing Arts Complex
Denver
This massive complex – one of the largest of its kind – occupies four city blocks and houses 10 major venues, including the historic Ellie Caulkins Opera…
Oakland
A phoenix arisen from the urban ashes, this restored 1928 art deco stunner adds dazzle and neon lights to Telegraph Ave, where it's a cornerstone of the…
Santa Fe
Many visitors flock to Santa Fe for the opera alone: the theater is a marvel, with 360-degree views of sandstone wilderness crowned with sunsets and…
Belltown & Seattle Center
Nearly old enough to be called a Seattle institution, the Crocodile is a clamorous 560-capacity music venue that first opened in 1991, just in time to…
Los Feliz & Griffith Park
The 'Greek' in the 2010 film Get Him to the Greek is this 5900-capacity outdoor amphitheater, tucked into a woodsy Griffith Park hillside. A more intimate…
Silver Lake & Echo Park
Few clubs can match the Dodgers' history (Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Kirk Gibson and sportscaster Vin Scully), success and fan loyalty, and this 1950s…
Marin County
Do you or did you miss the Marin of yesteryear? Terrapin Crossroads is your portal. Owner – and Grateful Dead bassist – Phil Lesh regularly plays here…
Westlake & Koreatown
Soaring confidently at the intersection of Wilshire and Western Blvds (get it?), this extraordinary, turquoise-hued deco landmark started life as a movie…
Silver Lake & Echo Park
Eastsiders hungry for an eclectic alchemy of sounds pack this super-packed dive, basically a sweaty bar with a stage and a back patio. On the music front,…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Baseball fans roar April to October at the Giants' 81 home games. As any orange-blooded San Franciscan will remind you, the Giants have won three World…
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
Hollywood
Founded in New York by Saturday Night Live alums Amy Poehler and Ian Roberts along with Matt Besser and Matt Walsh, this sketch-comedy group cloned itself…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Forget what you've learned about drag on TV – at this dedicated dragstravaganza venue, the shows are so fearless, freaky-deaky and funny you'll laugh…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Sit in total darkness as Stan Shaff plays his unique musical instrument: an auditorium constructed in 1962 as a living sound sculpture, lined floor to…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
For 45 years ODC has been redefining dance with risky, raw performances and the sheer joy of movement. ODC's season runs from September to December, but…
Denver
'No guts, no story' is the tagline of this award-winning theater company, set in a converted church. Plays pack a punch with thought-provoking stories…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Bragging rights are earned with breakthrough shows at the small but mighty Independent, featuring indie dreamers (Magnetic Fields, Death Cab for Cutie),…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Brava's been producing women-run theater for 30-plus years, hosting acts from comedian Sandra Bernhard to V-day monologist Eve Ensler, and it's the nation…
Las Vegas
You'd be hard pressed to find a better A-list collection of famous stand-up comedians than this year-round series of appearances at the Mirage, which…
North Beach & Chinatown
Snow White searches for Prince Charming in San Francisco: what could possibly go wrong? This Disney-spoof musical-comedy cabaret has been running since…
Aspen
Long the top nightspot in Aspen, Belly Up has built and maintained its street cred by bringing the best live acts to the Aspen people. That means…
Disneyland Resort
Disney California Adventure's premier show is the 22-minute World of Color, a dazzling nighttime display of lasers, lights and animation projected over…
Swedish American Hall & Cafe du Nord
San Francisco
The Castro was once known as Little Scandinavia after the sailors who docked here – and the secret to their community spirit was the speakeasy running in…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
The bottom of Potrero Hill tops the list for rocking with punk legends the Avengers, Pansy Division and Nerf Herder, and newcomers worth checking out for…
Marin County
Hosting Bay Area legends, visiting acts and up-and-comers since 1972, this lively venue (in a new location since 2012) is a must for lovers of good ole…
Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights
Part of the Music Center, the Mark Taper is one of the three venues used by the Center Theatre Group, SoCal’s leading resident ensemble and producer of…
Aspen & the Maroon Bells
On weekend nights, this unassuming guitar shop turns into an intimate one-room venue where the focus is all about enjoying great, usually acoustic, music…
Gold Country
This beloved and adorably quirky theater screens a matchless lineup of unusual films and is about a mile south of downtown Nevada City. It serves bowls of…
