Live Nation has added the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles to its growing list of clubs and theaters portfolio in Southern California. The promoter has signed a long-term lease agreement with the nearly 100-year old venue.
“With the addition of The Belasco, we now have the premier portfolio of clubs and theaters in Los Angeles, giving an artist the ability to grow from 200 capacity up to 4,000 capacity in a variety of unique and historical venues,” said COO of Live Nation clubs & theaters division Ben Weeden in a release. “The Belasco is a beloved venue, and we’re excited to be able to continue its remarkable history in 2020 and fulfill its modern potential.”
The Belasco is an ornate 1,300-capacity music hall, 500-capacity ballroom, 200-capacity club, speakeasy, restaurant, café, VIP area, patio and terrace spaces.
“Bringing great musical performers to our venues is something we work very hard at. The Belasco is an amazing venue with an extraordinary history. Its future is going to be even brighter,” added Weeden.
The Belasco Theater will add to Live Nation’s growing prominence in the club and theater space, which has seen the industry giant aggressively take on booking and lease agreements for more intimate spaces in recent years. In 2019, Live Nation’s clubs and theater division signed deals across the country with venues such Basement East in Nashville and the former Playboy Club in New York and upcoming spaces including the new Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville.
In Southern California alone, Live Nation has asserted its presence in the past year with the acquisition of independent L.A. promoter Spaceland Presents, as well as taking over booking for San Diego’s Soma, Santa Ana and San Diego’s Observatory venues and Orange County DIY all-ages space Chain Reaction. Live Nation has also signed on to reopen the shuttered East County Performing Arts Center in San Diego as the Magnolia.
The Wiltern, Hollywood Palladium, Echoplex, Echo and The Regent Theater are also part of Live Nation’s Southern California clubs and theater portfolio.
As ticket sales in the clubs and theater market continues to grow year-over-year, the Belasco provides Live Nation with a mid-size theater comparable to the popular 1,600-capacity Theater at the Ace Hotel. The Ace Hotel’s iconic theater in Downtown Los Angeles is booked by AEG’s Goldenvoice, Live Nation’s biggest competitor in the region. Live Nation also acquired the similarly-sized Regent Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles when it added Spaceland to the company in 2019.
Originally founded in 1904, the Belasco Theater was finally completed in 1926. The uniquely designed six-story edifice featured cast-stone decorations displaying a fusion of Churrigueresque, Spanish Renaissance, Moorish and Gothic details. Most of the building’s original detail has survived well to this day, including the dome ceiling. The venue underwent a major renovation in 2011 and has hosted shows from Megan Thee Stallion, New Found Glory, The Adicts and more.