8.03.2009

WORTH THE HYPE? The Hollywood Bowl


The Gist: Tucked between the hills of the Cahuenga Pass is one of the grandest amphitheatres in the West: the Hollywood Bowl. A concert and performance venue, this space is absolutely key to every Los Angelenos summers. They host a range of different shows, from musical reviews to full-fledged rock concerts.

Pros: $7 tickets? WHAAAAAT??? The great prices you can score on tickets are an absolute steal. Regardless of where you are in the Bowl, you can bring your own goodies (food, drinks, booze) and party down. The atmosphere is very friendly and open: it’s like you’ve been at a four-day music festival—without the sleeping in tents and not showering. The Bowl is very secure and an interesting piece of Los Angeles architecture and—regardless of where you sit—has fantastic sound. Thanks, ancient Greece!

Cons: $7 tickets that are so far from the stage you need a telescope? WHAAAAAT?? These steal of tickets are usually met with discomfort and disappointment. Parking is somewhat of a nightmare because, regardless of how you stack it, you’re in a bad situation: if you pay the money to park close, you’re met with the exodus congestion; if you park far, you have to walk quite a distance and get the runoff of the exodus traffic; and, if you park in one of their lots, you ride a bus, get your car, and run into to exodus traffic. The large amount of people in the Bowl can be a bit overwhelming, too. And, naturally, everything for purchase there is incredibly over priced ($21 for some stank ass Sangria in a plastic cup: come. the. shit. on.)

Verdict: TIE. The prices and acts the Bowl puts up are irrefutable: they’re stellar, they are fun, and they make an LA summer a true summer. It’s a headache to get to and leave from and usually ends with you spending more than you’d like, but it’s worth a go once or twice. If you live nearby or within walking distance: you’re in primetime. Buy a season pass and abuse the hell out of it!

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