Best Live Music Venue

​In a city full of historic theaters, the Wiltern is unique. Officially known as the Pellissier Building, the theater and office complex was designed as a vaudeville house. The Wiltern Theatre opened its doors on Oct. 7, 1931, as the Warner Theatre, but the theater went dark only two years later, due to the Depression. In 1956 the building was sold to Franklin Life Insurance and by 1979, with tax benefits exhausted, Franklin Life Insurance decided to file for a permit to demolish the building and sell the vacant lot. Developer Wayne Ratkovich bought it, and his architect Brenda Levin began massive renovations. Today Live Nation, the behemoth promotions company based in Beverly Hills, hosts a wide variety of events -- not just concerts, but everything from benefits and galas to Lebowski Fest. Eight decades in, it's both a reminder of, and a contributor to, our local cultural history. -Lainna Fader

Source: LA Weekly

Add a Comment

Connect with facebook to post a comment. 

Login

Submit

Saving your comment...