In a boom era for big music venues, the Shrine gets a facelift for its 100th anniversary

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Last Friday evening, L’Impératrice, a popular French disco band, performed at the Shrine Expo Hall, surrounded by towering LED screens. Over 5000 enthusiasts, adorned in silver sequins and fishnet attire, filled the dance floor for a two-hour blast of energetic, bilingual club tunes.

On that Friday, the concert venue near USC, known for its long history and popularity, seemed to have undergone some enhancements. The sound might have been clearer, the stage more adorned, and the air conditioning working at full capacity. Some fans may have discovered a newly constructed VIP bar, designed to harmonize with the venue’s exotic Moroccan themes. The members of L’Impératrice probably enjoyed their upgraded dressing room, featuring stylish ’70s furniture and a shower larger than many apartments in Paris.

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The annual Coachella Music and Arts Festival will be back at the Empire Polo Club in Indio from April 11-13 and April 18-20, 2025. Some well-known performers joining the lineup are Missy Elliott and Charli XCX.

Over the past year, Goldenvoice, the L.A. concert promoter, has been making subtle yet significant improvements to both the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, bringing them up-to-date with contemporary and luxurious standards. As this iconic venue prepares for its centennial anniversary next year, these updates are a thoughtful modernization that fans will surely appreciate.

It’s not just about getting ready; it’s also a strategy to maintain our venue among the top choices for local concerts, considering the numerous significant investments recently made in Los Angeles performance spaces.

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Besides simple preparation, it’s also a tactic to uphold this complex as one of the premier concert venues in the local area, given the recent surge of substantial investments in LA live venues.

Melissa Ormond, Goldenvoice and AEG Festivals’ chief operating officer, emphasized that we should honor the Shrine even more. “Venues may change,” she said, “but this is an established pillar in L.A.’s cultural landscape. It would be challenging to recreate it today. That’s why it has stood for a century.

In the annals of Los Angeles entertainment, the Shrine is often overlooked but deserves more recognition. Established in 1926 by the Al Malaikah Shriners (who are part of a fraternal Masonic group that still manages the property), this venue has seen numerous iterations of the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys. Ray Charles and the Grateful Dead even recorded live albums here. The iconic ape from “King Kong” was first seen within its walls, as well as scenes from two versions of “A Star Is Born.

It’s not hard to understand why – the Shrine features grand desert murals, winding wooden balconies, and elegant chandeliers, creating an enchanting atmosphere for concerts and performances. With two rooms, you can either enjoy a formal seated show or dance the night away on the crowded club floor (an outdoor setup provides additional options).

Goldenvoice assumed control over the Shrine’s reservations and management activities towards the end of 2012. More recently, it has been attracting notable artists such as Billie Eilish and Fred Again…, who gained massive popularity and became stadium-level sensations. In fact, Fred Again… played an impressive nine consecutive nights in 2023 before selling out the nearby Coliseum last year.

Speaking during a tour of an empty auditorium that he once visited ten years ago to watch Jamie xx perform, Spencer Knox, the Shrine’s assistant general manager, reminisced about the experience. “That concert was significant for me as it sparked my love for live shows,” he said, relaxing in his seat. “It’s incredible to be involved now and understand how these events come together.

In some areas, a 100-year-old venue appeared older or could gain from modern structural enhancements. Over the period from 2023 to the end of the previous year, Goldenvoice invested $2 million in installing updated acoustic insulation and a flexible sound system for the venues. This is crucial for the type of heavy bass music that has become popular there. The addition of new flooring and adjustable lighting rigging offers numerous options for stage arrangements and production setups, such as concerts held in-the-round in the Expo Hall. Furthermore, attendees who danced to LCD Soundsystem’s four-night residency at the Shrine last year might have enjoyed the new, cool air conditioning system installed.

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Unfortunately, two significant neighborhoods in Los Angeles’ music scene were devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires in an ironic twist of fate.

Last year towards the end, we hosted a gaming event, and the team who attended expressed their delight with our preparations. Initially, I was apprehensive about filming in the space due to its unique challenges. However, now, I’m thrilled at the prospect of their return. Jennie Perkins, the Shrine’s general manager, made this comment. This feedback validated our efforts, as sometimes you don’t appreciate changes until they occur. Each returning guest makes us feel like we’ve magically transformed the room once again.

Although regular fans may not have access to the luxurious wood-paneled artists’ dressing rooms (which are more like backstage apartments), they could potentially visit the revamped downstairs speakeasy, a dimly lit space adorned with ornate wrought-iron designs that once served as a changing room for chorus dancers at past awards ceremonies.

As a movie enthusiast, I used to find myself in a mere space, echoing loudly and lacking the charm for meaningful conversation with the agents. It lacked an exclusive, captivating ambiance. We yearned for that essence. Now, there’s so much scope to infuse magic down here; it’s like we’ve been given a whole new canvas to paint on.

Despite the recent enhancements at the Shrine, these developments are simply another round of improvements in the post-pandemic effort to modernize live music scenes in Los Angeles. The Intuit Dome and YouTube Theater, both newer venues situated near SoFi Stadium, have similar capacities to the Shrine, making them viable competitors for hosting events either partially or entirely.

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Mikael Wood and August Brown attended the FireAid charity concerts held at both Inglewood’s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum, where performers such as Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Stevie Wonder took the stage along with several others.

Towards the end of last year, Goldenvoice and rival company AEG, represented by Live Nation, unveiled a $525-million renovation project for their venues. A significant portion of these improvements involves transforming standard seating areas into VIP zones. During the third quarter of 2024, Live Nation’s VIP clubs reported a 19% increase in revenue.

Although some fans may grumble about expensive concert tickets, many are ready to shell out extra for premium experiences or a more comfortable show environment. As Ormond explains, “This is in line with what our fans are asking for.” We aim to keep regular admission tickets affordable, but there’s definitely an audience seeking something more.

Despite not having brand-new structures, the Shrine excels in adaptability and beauty, located in a neighborhood undergoing transformation due to Olympic preparations and development projects like the Expo Park and the nearby Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which are enhancing transit accessibility.

I firmly believe that this initiative nurtures our artistic talents. Los Angeles is not just our home, but a thriving concert market that caters to artists at every level. It’s like an extension of our festivals such as Coachella, offering complementary programming. This setup benefits both major acts and intimate performances, providing us with the perfect spaces to truly unleash our creative potential.

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As I sat in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, I found myself eagerly waiting for the Compton rapper to take the stage. Throughout his 13-minute performance, there was an intriguing tension as he danced around the possibility of playing his 2024 smash hit about Drake.

During my time at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, I watched with anticipation as the Compton rapper entertained us with a performance that left everyone guessing whether or not he’d perform his popular song featuring Drake from 2024.

For the upcoming few weeks, the refurbished Shrine will be hosting the Screen Actors Guild Awards on February 23 (which can be streamed live on Netflix), as well as the Arc World Tour gaming series and performances by artists such as 070 Shake, Two Friends, and Refused.

For artists planning tours from 2025 onwards, there aren’t many alternatives besides performing under the immense shadows of Judy Garland and King Kong.

According to Perkins, I’ll be visiting this location for work purposes, and it seems that passersby are intrigued by the exterior of the building, often expressing curiosity with a puzzled yet fascinated expression, as if asking, “What is this place?

In a more conversational style, Knox asked, “Since there’s also the YouTube Theater and the Peacock Theater, what makes us unique?” His response was, “It’s our level of sophistication or prestige.

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2025-02-19 14:32