Los Angeles didn’t invent the word hip, but it certainly holds the patent on it. L.A. has some of the most cutting-edge clubs and bars in the world and is the polestar for the best and brightest in the music scene. Entertainment of all types — from Hollywood Bowl picnic performances to cool jazz venues, retro chic bars, and rock-‘n’-roll clubs — can be found in the following pages.

First you need to find out who’s performing while you’re in town. Check L.A. Weekly (www.laweekly.com), a free weekly paper available at sidewalk stands, shops, and restaurants. It has all the most up-to-date news on what’s happening in Los Angeles’s playhouses, cinemas, museums, and live-music venues. The Sunday “Calendar” and Thursday “Weekend” sections of the Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com/theguide) are also a good source of information for what’s going on throughout the city.

With more small clubs than you can swing a Stratocaster at, Los Angeles is the place for live music. Check L.A. Weekly (www.laweekly.com) to see who’s in town during your visit. Unless otherwise noted, listed clubs admit only patrons 21 and over.

Jon Brion Live — When it comes to real musical talent, few L.A. music lovers will argue that there’s a better all-around musician than Jon Brion. At a Los Angeles club called Largo at the Coronet, Brion performs an amazing one-man show that always leaves his audience in awe. Producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, he has an amazing ability to play multiple instruments simultaneously.

All That Free Jazz – There is free jazz concerts hosted Friday evenings at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The museum hosts free concerts in its open central courtyard every Friday night April through Thanksgiving from 6 to 8pm. It’s a great way to listen to good music with a glass of wine on a warm Los Angeles evening.

Dance Clubs

The once momentous popularity of Latin dance and swing has faded, with the former still enjoying a built-in audience of Latino Angelenos and other lovers of salsa, while the latter is now just a small subculture. Though the styles subtly change, DJ culture is forever on the rise locally, featuring noteworthy shows at some cool clubs; such dance clubs, however, can come and go as quickly as you can say “jungle rave.” Mere whispers of a happening thing elsewhere can practically relegate a club to been-there-done-that status.

Dinner and a Show and DJs and Dancing — For a truly surreal spin on the old dinner-and-a movie date night, or for a fun group outing, check out Hollywood’s Supperclub. Based on an all-in-one restaurant, DJ, performance art, and after-party dancing concept that began in Amsterdam, Hollywood’s old Vogue theater has been transformed into an avant-garde party space. The evening typically begins in the lobby with an amuse bouche and a shot, then moves to the middle staging room, before the curtains are drawn and guests are escorted to their “beds” (more like flat couches). A multi-course meal ensues while DJs spin everything from George Michael to Afrika Bambaataa. Interactivity is key; be it with costumed performers or flirtatious neighbors.