Old Towne Pub

On our list of the best live music venues in Los Angeles.

Down an alley off Fair Oaks in Old Pasadena, this dive bar has booked live bands since 1973, running through rock, punk, reggae and whatever else fits between sets. Brick walls and dim lighting inside give way to a patio out back, a quieter option when the stage gets loud. Finding it means walking past the storefronts to the alley entrance.