Greek Theatre

The open-air Greek Theatre is one of the few L.A. concert venues where there are advantages to having both great and lousy seats. Dish out the big bucks to sit near the stage and you get an up-close view of the performer and a more intense, in-your-face sonic experience. You'll get neither if you sit up in the nosebleed sections. But in exchange for this more distant view, you get a soothingly picturesque look at the surrounding greenery. One of the Greek Theatre's principal appeals is that it's situated in the great outdoors of Griffith Park.

Generally speaking, the Greek tends to cater to more mainstream or older rock and pop fans. Every year from mid-spring to late fall you can count on acts like Santana, Chicago, Tina Turner and Los Lobos to venture through. But plenty of trendy or alternative groups have stopped in as well. Perhaps the biggest drawback to the Greek concert experience is the parking. Cars are stack parked, which can make leaving a long and tedious process. However, quick escape parking is available for a fee, though reservations must be made in advance.