Now you can combine your big show with a more intimate dinner and listening experience. The Hollywood Palladium, an Art Deco music venue graced by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Richard Pryor, Jimi Hendrix, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z since 1940, has debuted an elegant lounge known as the Vinyl Room.
Inspired by the Japanese high-fidelity (hi-fi for short) listening rooms of the 1970s and operated by entertainment company Live Nation, it is a space where concertgoers can dine, drink and enjoy a vinyl DJ set before, during or after the ticketed event at the same location.
With a name like Vinyl Room, you can expect to see vinyl records everywhere.
“You are in [for] a whole night of music,” says Geni Lincoln, president of Live Nation's California region, adding that her team put “a lot of thought” into the sound and design of the space, which was in development for more than two years.
“I've been coming to the Palladium since I was a teenager, so it's really special to see it,” he says.
Upon entering the Vinyl Room, it feels like you're entering a secret speakeasy for music lovers, one with iconic musical memorabilia, a well-thought-out food menu, and superior sound quality. Do you want to check it? Here are five things you should know.
Everything inside Vinyl Room is inspired by the sounds and musicians who have played the Hollywood Palladium since 1940.
1. Vinyl Room is open exclusively to members and concertgoers with upgraded admission.
Vinyl Room is open only on Hollywood Palladium show nights, starting 90 minutes before doors open and remaining open one hour after the concert. Admission is limited to concertgoers who purchase an upgraded ticket, which starts at $35. It is recommended to reserve in advance.
Vinyl Room also offers annual membership packages, which start at $2,000 and come with various benefits such as complimentary guest passes to the Vinyl Room, access to an exclusive menu, valet parking, in-lounge table reservations, an exclusive private entrance, complimentary cloakroom and concert ticket credits.
Tip Dunn, also known as DJ tenSpeed, played records during opening night at the Hollywood Palladium's Vinyl Room.
2. Hi-fi is having a moment in Los Angeles and Vinyl Room delivers quality sound
From Common Wave Hi-Fi in Boyle Heights to Slow Jamz Gallery in the Arts District to the Gold Line bar in Highland Park, hi-fi venues and experiences (a 1950s term used to describe high-quality sound reproduction) have been slowly popping up in Los Angeles in recent years. Vinyl Room joins a short list of places where audiophiles can go to listen to music on hi-fi equipment, which many claim is the best way to experience it.
Like the Hollywood Palladium, known for its top-notch sound, Vinyl Room also makes sound a priority. The lounge uses high-fidelity sound equipment, including Master Sounds Clarity-M speakers, to ensure records sound as clear as possible. Live DJs spin records on a set of turntables, which helps create a richer, analog sound that is closer to the original track than compressed versions like MP3s.
Ruthie Embry, Live Nation's vice president of architecture and design, says the records and other memorabilia inside the space “connect you directly to the history of the place the moment you walk through the door.”
3. All the decoration is related to the music and the rich history of the Hollywood Palladium.
With a name like Vinyl Room, you can expect to see vinyl everywhere. Records line most of the walls and shelves, drinks are served on vinyl-shaped coasters, and tables and light fixtures are themed. There's even vinyl wallpaper in the photo booth. In one corner of the room, you can browse records under a neon sign that says, “But have you heard it on vinyl?”
Ruthie Embry, Live Nation's vice president of architecture and design, says the records and other memorabilia inside the space “connect you directly to the history of the place the moment you walk through the door.”
Some notable items include a Red Hot Chili Peppers show flyer, a Hollywood Palladium postcard signed by the late musician and host Lawrence Welk, and a photograph of the late singers Bonnie Baker and Orrin Tucker at the venue. Even the bathroom makes for a memorable photo moment: Booths are filled with photos of musicians, and a studio sign that says “on air” lights up when a booth is occupied.
Vinyl Room's menu, created by Chef Ryan DeRieux, is inspired by Asian flavors and includes dishes like the “Vinyl Roll,” which is made with spicy tuna.
4. Don't worry about dinner plans before or after the show. Vinyl Room has you covered
Eliminating the need to find a restaurant before or after the show, Vinyl Room has a full Asian-inspired menu created by chef Ryan DeRieux.
Think sushi tots (like crispy tuna but with tater tots instead of rice), tuna poke nachos, crispy chili chicken wings, and shiitake tempura burgers. There's also a delicious 10-ounce American wagyu skirt steak served with shishito peppers, pickles, and roasted carrots. For dessert, try taiyaki, a popular Japanese street food shaped like a fish, served with a delicious passion fruit cream that I wanted to bring because I liked it so much.
Signature cocktails at Vinyl Room, inspired by popular songs, include Superfly, Escape (if you like pina coladas), and Smoke on the Water.
5. Craft cocktails are not only delicious: each one has a story
Vinyl Room's vintage style is made with Nikka Yoichi whiskey, which is made in Japan.
The cocktail program, developed by third-generation bartender Sean Kenyon, is inspired by songs created by musicians who have graced the stage of the Hollywood Palladium. A nod to the 1970s, Superfly is a fizzy, citrusy work based on Curtis Mayfield's 1972 track and is made with Roku Gin, yuzu, and sencha syrup. Other signature drinks include the rum-based Escape (if you like pina coladas) with coconut oolong syrup, pineapple juice and miso, and the tart but sweet Smoke on the Water, reminiscent of Deep Purple's 1972 song. The bar also offers an espresso martini (called MT Joy), a signature old fashioned (made with Nikka Yoichi whiskey), and a Japanese whiskey highball (made with Hibiki Harmony whiskey). The bar also offers several non-alcoholic options.
