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Orpheum Theatre
Rating Details »
Categories: Music Venues, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown842 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(877) 677-4386
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
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73 reviews for Orpheum Theatre
I don't go to a lot of shows, but of all the venues I've been to in LA, the Orpheum is probably my favorite.
The theater is incredibly opulent with heavy red velvet curtains, twisted gold banisters, a prodigious Wurlitzer (?) organ. And it manages to be brilliantly lush without being gaudy or mickey-mouse (the entire time I was at The Mayan, in comparison, I felt like I was in line for one of Disneyland's ambitious recreations).
And just as importantly, the sound quality has always been very good.. I last saw Tegan and Sara here, and they managed to make their crunchy guitars and hamster-high voices sound beautiful.
A complaint: Although I can't exactly fault the theater, it seems like the space between the seats here are a bit too narrow to accommodate, um, individuals of generous proportions .. My date and I were stuck in our seats with no options to escape because we were effectively boxed in by a bunch of, um.... ah, screw it-- fat people are a fire hazard.
There's no doubt that the architecture of the Orpheum is spectacular, but their will call procedures were total crap. There were two windows open, but lines moved extremely slow. I ended waiting close to 45 minutes to pick up my tickets and almost missed the opening act. In fact, I'm sure a lot of people missed out as the line stretched half the block.
On the plus side, the inside of the theatre is gorgeous and the seats from the upper level provided pretty good views. Drinks were moderately priced. They filled my wine glass to the brim for $6 and the double long island was $16. Just remember to bring cash! Apparently they don't take credit for drinks. =(
Overall, had lots of fun watching the Roger Daltrey concert here. Though, if I were to come back, I would leave ample time for will call and be prepared with more cash on hand.
I really enjoyed this old theatre. I saw the two Thom Yorke shows here last month. The first show I sat in the back of the orchestra and thought the sound quality was great. And even though we were in the back we still had a good view. One of the best parts of these old theaters is that you are almost always guaranteed a good view. The performer will never be a speck at least.
The second night I sat in the balcony and enjoyed another great show. I could see the entire stage more clearly, without having to strain over people's heads.
I also really enjoyed the artwork and paintings of the walls, ceilings and the carving work done throughout the theatre (I forget the name for it). All in all it's a great and intimate theatre with a lot of history located on the southern edge of downtown. It's a good place to start off a night and feel like a rich man from the '30s.
My wife and I saw David Gray at the Orpheum a week ago. The show was excellent and the theatre was awesome. Old school like place with intimate seating and great sound. This is my third show at the Orpheum and I love the place. I have sensitive hearing and as the show was about to start realized I'd left my ear plugs in my car. I asked security at the front door if I could run back to my car to get them. Instead security team gave me a pair of theirs. Also, my wife lost her ID at the show. A few days later in the mail the ID showed up along with a very nice note saying thanks for visiting the Orpheum and please come again. You bet your ass I'll come again.
There is so much to love about old theaters: their eye-poppingly ornate chandeliers, flocked wallpaper, gilded columns, white marble balconies, carpeted ascents and descents, timeless marquees, and (of course) the fact that there's isn't a bad seat in the house. The Orpheum is situated in a lovely art-deco-building-lined stretch of downtown Los Angeles and, by night, the place is lit up like Christmas. Which is to say that the lines for booze resemble those in a certain David Sedaris short story featuring Santa Claus, and the special needs bartender upstairs didn't help things any. I'm not sure you can pour a vodka on the rocks any more slowly than he, but I am sure that if he hadn't *just* managed to sell me a drink before the show started he would probably would be minus a finger. When I'm impatient I get bitey.
Last night on my virgin expedition to The Orpheum I witnessed one of the best live shows I've seen in a while (well, since Peaches played Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace in June): Thom Yorke with his maybe-side-project-band featuring Beck drummer Joey Waronker, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, percussionist and Forro in the Dark lead Mauro Refosco, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea on bass. And me in row P, playing air drums and backup dancer. Holy crap, the sound was incredible, and with ~2,000 people, this was the most intimate show starring Mr. Yorke that I've yet seen.
At 5'8" I have to agree with the other reviewers that the leg/knee zone is a bit scrunched for the dollar. Also, the very tall man in front of me made it impossible for me to see the stage while seated, without leaning heavily to one side, so I was relieved that this particular show allowed me to stand up and, for the love of god, DANCE.
A note regarding the event staff: WTF? They seem to have been instructed not to let you touch anything except the cheap stadium seat you rented for the evening. Upstairs there were three people whose sole responsibility appeared to be preventing people from leaning over the balconies, and once, in the middle of the concert, I leaned up against the wall and a burly jerk yelled at me to "get off the wall" and then tried forcing all of us who were dancing beside our seats, in the wide aisle, to "take our seats." I guess he hadn't heard Thom Yorke's admonition of the audience for sitting down. "I made a dance record!" he announced. Relieved and euphoric, the crowd rose to their feet and danced, danced, danced.
I had the pleasure of seeing David Gray in concert here last night. The Venue was wonderful with not a bad seat in the house. We sat in the balcony dead center and loved our seats. We got there early to figure out the parking situation, It was a breeze found a lot for $6 be sure to check what time they close, the first lot I pulled into was closing at 9pm that would have been bad. You can get beer, wine, and the stiff stuff all inside for reasonable prices. but its a simple bar, no fancy drinks or umbrellas here. I didnt see food so to speak but they did have snacks, Chips, Candy.... Get here early so you can walk around inside take a few pictures and enjoy this venue before your show. I can't wait to see another show here. Minus 1 star for the lack of leg room in the isles but mostly for the (thrift store smell) in this place.
As top class as it gets! This beautiful old vaudeville theater has been completely restored.
Saw Rodrigo y Gabriella here - Fantasic! I want to buy tickets to something else, just to go back to the Orpheum.
They have $8 chicken sandwiches and $3 cokes, $6 beer and wine (with a generous pour). The Broadway bar is right next door, and there is a taco stand nearby.
Every God damn thing I love about downtown L.A. I saw The Avett Brothers here which was simply amazing. This band was just perfect for this venue. Go catch a show here and make sure it's your favorite band. No joke this whole building is simply timeless, will put you back in time when men were wearing suits, hats, a pocket watch, & women wore dresses every day. Awesome.
In a bad part of downtown, pretty deserted area. Inside, plenty of restrooms, bit bland in the bars and waiting areas. The theatre is nicely restored. The seats between having little knee space, and drink holders in the back of the seat in front of you make it necessary to stand to let others pass to their seats. I saw Roger Daltry, My wife and I were all the way in the back on the orcestra level and could see and hear fine.
What a beautiful theater! ;)
When I walked inside, I was in such awe and humbled by the beauty. What beautiful golden interior, what a beautiful chandelier, what great seating set-up, what great acoustics.
Everything was just so awesome about this night. I had purchased tickets to go watch Broken Social Scene which is one of my favorite bands and just had a wonderful time.
http://www.brokensocia.../
Parking is at one of the lots near the establishment. Be prepared to pay anywhere from $5-$10 maybe even more depending on which night of the week and how packed it is.
I know there is some history to this place and someone once told me that there is a special rare organ that exists in this theater.
I love this place... Seedy old LA... great venue!
Make sure to stop for a drink at the Broadway Bar before you enter (bar to the left-hand side of the theater). Also, make sure to explore the entire place, especially the basement.
CWK.
I just got up 10 minutes ago and I'm writing this review right now, this very minute, with last night's concert fresh in my mind. I ask you. How is it possible that I've lived in this city of mine for 35 years and I'm still discovering fantastic venues?!?!?! One's that I've never even heard of?!?!
The Orpheum Theatre is one of those places that can, if anything, re-ignite that love of live music...if you somehow lost it along the way. As soon as you step through the front doors, you realize that this place is not your usual theatre. I mean, it's an absolutely stunning venue. The architecture, the layout, the attention to detail. All of it. I found myself standing there and looking up many times just to take in the space. It makes you imagine what this place was like back in the 1920's when Ella and Duke were playing away.
The stage area is just as great. If you're lucky enough to sit in the orchestra level, you'll find that the acoustics of the place are phenomenal...as I'm sure they are anywhere else in the venue. As others have stated, great sound all around which allows you to appreciate your favorite group even more. The stage is low and the lighting is minimal. On a nostalgic tip there's a very classy, red curtain that comes down in between sets. In an effort to "keep things real," the other yelp reviewers have it right on the seating. It's cramped as the spacing between rows is pretty bad. For reference purposes, I'm 5 foot 7 . That said, I spent most of the night standing, enjoying the band, so it didn't take to much away from the show.
Fair warning: The Orpheum can easily bump your favorite venue off your list and replace it with itself. I know. It happened to me.
My favorite venue in Los Angeles. Intimate, great acoustics, healthy drink selection, next door to siptea and many excellent bars/restaurants within walking distance, affordable parking ($10-$4 buck lots), friendly employees and an absolutely stunning theater.
Minus one star for the discomfort in seating which doesn't bother you (at least if your 5'4) until a solid hour into the performances.
Consider yourself lucky if any artist of remote interest is playing here but if it's someone you love- your in for a treat!
One of my absolute favorite venues. wonderful sound system, &perfectly sized to make the evening more intimate and personal. seats were nice a bit small, but the events I go to...I'm not sitting very much soooo.. no complaints!
I'm always looking forward to attending concerts at the Orpheum.
I had no idea about this place, but when I found out one of my favorite bands was playing here I was excited to check out a new venue.
Man, I wish more bands I liked played here! What an awesome place to see a show!!
Obviously the theater is gorgeous. The whole place is just a treat for the eyes, and you really do feel transported back in time when you walk in. The sound during the show was fantastic and the minimal lighting and the cool curtain really added to my enjoyment of the show.
The drinks were pretty reasonably priced ($6 for a bottle of beer, $8 for a cocktail...honestly, I was expecting to pay more), and the bathrooms were clean and large. We found a close parking lot for $3, and there was an ample array of drinking and dining options within walking distance.
Apparently I lucked out with seating. I'm a tall drink of water, but our seats were in the front row of the mezzanine, so no seats in front of me. I was able to spread my long legs out all over the dang place, and never felt crowded or cramped. I guess this is the key...it sounds like I would have had to fold myself in half had our seats ended up being anywhere else.
I REALLY enjoyed the concert-going experience at the Orpheum and I look forward to seeing more shows here...if bands I like are playing. Seeing a show here was a real treat.
There should be a disclaimer on their front doors: WARNING - must be size of oompa-loompa to fit comfortably in seats.
Now, I am not an amazon - I'm only 5'9". But the minute you sit down in one of their seats, be prepared to have your knees immediately rammed into the seat in front of you. And the Orpheum, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put insipid drink holders onto the back of every seat, so that not only are your knees rammed into the seat in front of you, but you can't move them to the left or right because you're blocked in by the cup holders. Now, call me a nut, but I thought this was the Orpheum not a Regal Cinema.
The Orpheum is a beautiful theater, but given that one spends the majority of their time in the Orpheum sitting in a seat, you would expect the seats to be somewhat comfortable. I'm not asking for a barca-lounger, just a seat that would at least give me as much leg-room as a coach seat on an airplane. Seeing a concert at the Orpheum reminds me why I much prefer GA than seats.
Let me tell you how great it is to come home from a concert without your ears ringing. I could hear everything so great. I was sitting on the balcony toward the middle (for the Andrew Bird show) and I could see everything great. Clean bathrooms. You can even hear the concert as you're peeing in them.
This place is also pretty easy to get to by public transport if you don't mind walking a few blocks, it totally beats paying downtown parking prices. I took the redline and got off at pershing square station, it was only a walk of five smallish blocks.
Yes the chairs are squashy--I'm five feet even and even my knees were dangerously close to the chair in front of me. I was right next to the aisle though so lucky me, i just had to shove the boyfriend over every time i wanted a bathroom break or some water.
The theater is a sight pretty. My mom used to come watch movies here and she said it was rundown in her day, with seat springs digging nicely into one's back, but this isn't the case anymore. Lots of things have changed in downtown.
I just got back from a great concert at the Orpheum, and must say, I'm a fan! What a beautiful theater and you would never believe it until you actually go inside. A very 1920's Great Gatsby feel which I love. There is gold detail all over the walls, ceilings, everywhere. There are 2 huge chandeliers, gold of course, in the middle of the theater. I couldn't keep my eyes off the architecture and design, that's until Alanis came out. The sounds was great and I could hear every detail from any angle. It's also very intimate, surprisingly, and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in sight. If you want drinks head to the bar and you can even take back it to your seat if you're in the mood.
Parking can be a drag, but c'mon, it's downtown LA. I circled like a cheapo that I am but couldn't find anything. I finally gave in and paid for parking. I got a great spot so I was happy that I forked over the cash.
I'm sweating from all the dancing and singing I did. I was really happy about going tonight and loved the performance Alanis gave. I've been a fan for years and she never ceases to amaze me. Wow, what an fabulous night.
Was here in November for the Alanis Morresette concert. This theater hiding itself away in the busy streets of downtown LA is definately an historic assets to the county. It's older venues Architect is abosolutely beautiful!
The sound systems was absolutely clear and great!
Parking is just next to the theater with barely any walking distance and the Broadway Bar right next to the theater.
Located in Downtown's theatre district, which is trying desperately to hold off more degradation, is the Orpheum. One of your older venues, with the beutiful stained glass, and vaguely Versailles-like interiors.
As a music venue its not half bad.
Entry was easy, no line, the seats are small and close together reminding us how fat and tall we've gotten as a people.
Anyway, nothing stood out to me as amazing or terrible, but it was easy to get in and out, and parking was on the street about a block over, easy peasy.
This place is indeed a lovely venue for seeing artists in the downtown LA area. My only gripe is that the seats were NOT made for people over 6 feet tall. My legs were SO cramped at the show I saw here. Good thing the band was awesome and I just did lots of standing.
See a show here!
ITS GORGEOUS!
A beautiful theatre (yeah, spelt R before E, all fancy like), decorated Baroque-like with the fleur de lis all over and crap. Its such a pretty place in the middle of dirty downtown.
We parked a block away for $5.
The crowd outside wasn't out of control and entry was a cinch.
A friendly usher helped me to my seat.
The sound in the theatre was perfect. It wasn't too loud. Its not a nightclub, right?
The seats weren't so uncomfortable for me. We didn't get drinks, but the cupholders are on the seat in front of you, at your ankles.
The seating is really steep. So you can clearly see the stage from any seat in the house. Unless the couple in front of you keeps leaning over to eachother to whisper things to eachother and kiss. I wanted to punch them in the back of their stupid heads.
I can pretty much sum up this review with one word: GORGEOUS.
But you know I can't go out like that!
I had the pleasure of seeing Flight of the Conchords at this theater last Friday and I was not only blown away with the 'Kiwis' performance, but also with the acoustics & amazing decor. The sound was really quite amazing and there didn't appear to be a bad seat in the entire place. I would say the only draw back is that the leg space is a little cramped....but if you're a midget like me you won't even bat an eye!
Really, if you have the chance to see someone perform here jump on it--it's really a gem in the shit hole that is Downtown LA. (sorry kids, but it's the truth)
Wow......
I was speechless when I first walked in. I have never seen a building so amazing in my life! The intricate molding and details had me intoxicated.
I went here to see Cake, blast from the past yeah? It was funny to sit and watch everyone walk into the main theatre, and see the heads go up down and all around. It is almost too much to take in with only two eyes!! And to be in the same room that Judy Garland performed in, wow, it was breathtaking for me
The sounds were great too, great acoustics and shit
I have been dying to go back, I will go see anything just to be back in time!
Beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. I get why some people would call the theater cheesy, but I can only get goosebumps and wonder if I had the chance to experience it during the theater's peak in a past life.
I was there on the opening night for the Downtown Film Festival, which you should check out if you have the chance.
If you like anything 1920s, why have you not been here or to any of the other Los Angeles theaters from the period yet? You are really missing out!
I almost forgot to include some info on the seats. These seats are not very comfortable at all. In fact they are small and close together, with the cup holders being on the back of the seats in front of you instead of on the side. It is hard for even the smallest of people to easily cross their legs. If you are here, you are here to appreciate the theater, not the seats.
Also, the sound could have been a bit better, but you also have to keep in mind the amount of damage ipods and subs have done to our ears.
Yep, this place is another hidden icon that is surely reviving it's jewel-like status in downtown. My grandparents watched vaudeville here in the 30's, my mom saw the Everly Brothers here in the 50's and for the last 5 years, I been able to relish in the Orpheum's glory as a volunteer for the LA Conservancy. Every May/June the LAC's Last Remaining Seats show vintage movies at the Orpheum and many other historic theatres in the Los Angeles area. http://ww.laconservanc...
One last thing, check out the Broadway Bar next door! Did someone say cocktails?
Fabulous little theatre. Great acoustics and sight lines throughout. Even in the back, the view isnt bad. They allow beverages at your seats, which is a little weird to have movie theater seats with cup holders wedged between your legs in front of you. Also, the rows are close together so it's a tight squeeze. Expect to stand up if someone wants to get in your row.
Now for the stuff I look for in a venue. Cameras. The venues official policy is that they allow cameras... HOWEVER if the performer is against it, prepared to return to your car to put that sucker in the trunk. So that being said, the policy changes from night to night, and the Orpheum staff doesnt know what's going on until the night of the performance.
PARKING: plenty of surrounding parking in the lots, bring some cash and shop around for the best deal of the night.
This theater has amazing decor, great atmosphere, excellent sound quality, and great views of the stage. I came here two Fridays ago with fellow Yelper Sarah T. (and our men) to see Flight of the Conchords perform, and we all loved the venue. Drinks were a little pricey but not by any means astronomical (a glass of wine was $5 and a cocktail was $7). There was very little leg space so I felt a bit like a sardine, but then again (to warp a phrase from Yogi), I am taller than the average bear.
Highly recommended!
Absolutely beautiful theatre. I came here to see Ani Difranco and was blown away on how amazing my seats were. It's not too big so anywhere in the theatre allows you to see perfectly fine.
I had Balcony seats and loved it. The Orpheum topped off my Ani D experience.
GET ON IT!
It's nice and fairly, well restored. But, still not as glamorous as I thought that it would be inside. It's actually fairly small, which if you have bad/far seats is GREAT!! The box seats are pretty awesome. So, I'm giving this place a 3-star.
I came here on Saturday to see Margaret Cho and Liam Sullivan preforming their comedy act. The theater is so beautiful and lots of wonderful things to catch your eye.
the only thing that I had a problem with was the feet space in front of my seat. my knees were hitting the chair and bumping the people in front of me.
Not a good place for someone with ADD.
The inside is beautiful...with too many eye-catching details.
There's beautifully ornate chandeliers, latice tops, victorian furniture, marble stairs, big puffy couches straight out of a high-end production porno. It's too much for the eye to catch.
Parking can be bitch if you're not patient. We found a pretty cool spot near the theater for $10, which is the standard, I guess, but we drove around the block for a good 5, 10 minutes.
True to everyone's reviews, there's not a bad seat in the house.
Take this from someone that was in nosebleed for a Margaret Cho show.
The Orpheum Theatre is STUNNING. When you walk into the place you feel like you traveled back in time. We watched "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" @ the opening night of the 1st Annual Downtown LA Film Festival last night. Lots of people.. red carpet, paparazzi.. the whole 9.
The theatre was beautifully restored.. I could've easily spent a couple of hours just sitting in my seat staring up @ the detail on the walls and ceiling. They should invest in some surround sound speakers cause the 2 ginormous speakers in the front didn't cut it. The seats are a bit uncomfy for taller people (like me) cause they lack leg room and the backs of chairs are REALLY erect. I had to slouch a little to keep from falling forward... that's how bad they were.
We walked there so I can't speak on the parking situation.. but we did see a lot right next to the Broadway Bar. If they really want to bring The Theater back to LA Broadway they should spend the $$ to clean up Broadway itself. I felt so dirty walking around there that I had to take a shower when I got home.
this theater, as many others in los angeles of course, is rich in history. the orpheum theater received its name from a franchise of theaters across the country starting in the mid 1920's specialized in vaudeville performances.
all manner of acts including musicians, dancers, comedians, trained animals, magicians, impersonators, acrobats, one-act plays, even scenes from plays, athletes, lecturing celebrities, minstrels, and short movies featured at the orpheum during its first years later on featuring bigger acts including the marx brothers and judy garland.
when you visit this beautiful theater you can't helpt but think of times past when the place played host to such great artists as ella fitzgerald and duke ellington and visualize them playing, filling the beaux style design of the place with their amazing sounds, or the many vaudeville acts adding their phantasmagorical imprint to an already visually haunting and beautiful place.
i just recently visited the orpheum to watch a performance of the english electronica duo, goldfrapp and while multimedia technology has advanced much since they heydays of vaudeville, the feeling that you're part of the continuing history of such a beautiful venue is worth ten times the price of the performance itself.
the venue, with its awesome acoustics, well placed stage and excellent sound system continues on its historic tradition of being an awesome entertainment venue.
First, please allow me to give you a parking hint. Just north of the Theatre about 1.5 blocks on the same side of the street is a hard to see Public Parking Garage that is only $6 bucks - with an on-site parking attendant no less. Warning: Try to ignore the interesting "fragrances" because this parking tip will take some of the stress out of this downtown experience.
But I am telling you, you have to go to this Gem found in the Heart of Downtown Sketchiness. Once you step off the streets of Broadway, blink your eyes like Hero, and you will step back in time to an era that will come alive in front of your eyes. From the ornate ceilings, the chandeliers and the overall decor, take it all in because it has all just begun. Why you ask?, because when you enter the performance hall its beauty will take your breath away. They just don't make them like this anymore. Simply Amazing!!
This was all before the main act, imagine that? Even before you see the show you have shown up for, you feel like your ticket was already worth it - tell me, how often does that happen?
And for us? The true treat was to see a number of bands leading up to Cake. Most were enjoyable, but not notable, except for one - King City from San Francisco. This group is just FUN!! I guess I can some it up by saying they are a bit offbeat but on beat. Purely Entertaining.
And Cake? Gosh, what more needs to be said. What a great great show. How can I sum up the entire experience? Well, you guessed it.
Have your Cake and Eat it too!!!
Yes, 5 stars even though they only offer a Cash Bar with a very Limited Selection and downstairs fireplace has been bricked over (why did they do that?).
King City Link: http://www.kingcitysf....
Cake Music Link: http://www.cakemusic.com/
Had one of the strangest evenings ever here. Went to see Damien Rice, who RULES....the crowd was uber-rowdy and drunk....or at least they seemed pretty darn drunk. Which is fine but the theatre is so small it really took away from the show. In fact, Damien seemed rattled by the screaming drunkards (which again is fine but it did get annoying after a while) and actually forgot the words to a song, then walked off the stage for a while....he came back and was even better after he returned but it was still strange.
Anyway, back to the theatre, it is just gorgeous. It is intimate and the acoustics are amazing. The downstairs bar has some couches and chairs around it and looks rather inviting....which may explain why people were so buzzed. There is another bar upstairs that looked just as friendly. The bathrooms were small and of course the lines were long but whatever, you just deal with that...its almost expected. I wish more bands that I loved played here because it was some of the best acoustics I have ever heard. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house...we couldnt believe how close to Damien that we actually were!
Oh, and back to the drunk folks...the girl next to me pounded drinks the entire show.....screaming "i love you Damien" the entire time...spilled a drink, started bawling, and then threw up on the floor...just missed my shoes....and then she disappeared.....so, that right there sums up the crowd.
The theatre is great though.......two huge thumbs up....easy to find parking and although the area is rather gritty, we were able to find close enough parking that we felt safe enough.
Just saw The Shins here.
Absolutely gorgeous place. It reminded me of an old opera house.
The parking was ridiculously close, which was wonderful since I always wear inappropriate and painful shoes.
Since the place holds only about 2k people, we didn't have to deal with a massive crowd.
I'm definitely not an expert on acoustics, but it sounded pretty good to me.
Go if you have the chance.
The Orpheum Theatre is one of my favorite places to watch a show in Los Angeles (the Hollywood Bowl is probably my other fav). I've been here twice (Cat Power and Andrew Bird/Handsome Family). The first time, I had pretty decent seats. The second time, I sat towards the back in the balcony and there really wasn't that much difference. It seems that every seat in the theatre gives you a good view of the stage, so don't be worried if you end up buying tickets towards the back. It's still worth it.
When you walk into the theatre, you can't help but notice the beautiful architecture inside. The lobby is gorgeous, but once you walk to your seat for the first time, you'll be in awe. It all has an old 1920's feel to it, and you'll really feel the history behind the Orpheum.
There are two bars, one downstairs, one upstairs, decent prices. Parking is convenient -- there are many lots within one block of the theatre. Check out their website at http://www.laorpheum.com. It includes photos, 360 views, and information on nearby restaurants and bars. Helpful when you're planning your night (dinner, show and drinks!) They do a good job.
Title of this post: Seeing Stars
Have you ever been to a baseball game and seen a wild fly ball head into the stands and wonder who the unlucky person was in the crowd that caught that bad boy in the eye? Yeah me too.
Here's a note to musicians of the world - stop throwing hard objects into the crowd. They hurt when you take them in the eye. Here's how this went down....
Me, two adult beverages in hand as to not have to traverse up the stairs of the Orpheum in my heels. The lights go down just as we find our seats so we sit a row farther back than supposed to, for convenience sake. We get settled just as Stars launch into their opening song - "Take Me to the Riot", one of my FAVORITES. I am just starting to think - this is going to be a magical show and PHWAP! My eye starts tearing up - then starts POUNDING. Um, did I just get hit with a BALL? Was that a RUBBER BALL??? Who throws BALLS into the crowd. Seriously, who does that? At a concert? Balls? Really?
Well, as it turns out as the show progressed the band threw FLOWERS into the crowd. Still, I couldn't figure out why I was thrown a ball, not one of the pretty stems the rest of the people were getting.... until halfway through the show I turned around and saw petal shrapnel strewn behind me. Are you kidding me??? That was one helluva bulb that attacked me & SERIOUSLY, we were sitting IN THE BALCONY, three rows back which would make the ball throwing make sense. To get a single flower that high in the air, all the way back to me took some serious flower-tossing skills.
So, the lesson learned here is - one must keep one hand open & their eyes on the stage at all times to deflect flying objects.
And yes, my eye is better and yes, the show was absolutely incredible. And yes, I will forgive Torquil and his super-human flower-flinging strength because he sang "The Night Starts Here", just for me - as if to apologize.
Oh - I suppose I should note (seeing as this post is supposed to be about the venue, not the show) - the Orpheum is BEAUTIFUL. It is draped in history and has been incredibly well preserved. Stunningly majestic. I have tickets to see Andrew Bird in about a month and cannot wait!
I highly recommend seeing a show there - just beware of kamakaze daisies.
Looks amazing! Sometimes you go to a show and wonder if the promoters booked the wrong venue...
I went to go see Devendra Banhart in what turned out to be a LEGENDARY show. He invited people to dance (which we did), stand on the chairs (which some did), and get up on stage (which it seemed all in attendance did). Management came out and said the show was over. Devendra said "no" and it went back and forth for about 15 minutes until the band just started to play after being told to leave.
The show went on.
One of the best shows of my life aided by the great acoustics of the venue. Special guest singer was Gael Garcia Bernal. You'll likely spot a celeb here, but I ain't even worried bout dat. Great venue.
