Time For Some Live Music, Orange County

If you love live music, Orange County tourists, then you may be wondering about the best spots around to catch some tunes. We’re here to clue you in on the best music venues in the O.C.

We start our list with The Wayfarer, in Costa Mesa, formerly known as the Detroit Bar. The first thing of note is that this is a venue where you can enjoy some delicious eats and beverages before you shake it up on the dance floor. Taco Tuesday is always a joyous occasion, with specials like three Jamaican jerk chicken tacos for five bucks. There’s a wide variety of beers on tap, mixed drinks, and there’s a couple of pool tables as well. As for the music, some legendary names have graced the stage, including Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One, Modest Mouse, and Cold War Kids. Great entertainment is guaranteed in this come-as-you-are establishment.

Next is Observatory OC, in Santa Ana. This is a venue with two stages, the main concert hall and the smaller Constellation Room. Part of the appeal here is that you can catch up-and-coming artists who are just starting to establish themselves on the national scene. Observatory hosts more than 700 shows per year with the two stages combined, and many of them are all ages, which is sure to appeal to the younger members of your party. Guests say they like the intimacy, as you can get right up close to the performers, and the acoustics are perfectly balanced for the optimal listening experience.

Our third pick is the House of Blues, in Anaheim. This is concert-going on a much larger scale, as this venue, part of the popular House of Blues chain, features a music hall with a capacity of 2,200. Some of the concerts are all ages, while some are eighteen and over or twenty-one and over, depending on who’s playing. It’s true that the tickets can be a bit more expensive for some of the bands, but the fact remains that there are some acts who come here that opt not to play smaller venues at this point in their careers. There’s a full bar, a VIP area, and artists representing just about every genre of music imaginable have graced the stage, including rap, country, rock, punk, and jazz.

One of the best things about the O.C. is that there are so many different venues to discover. Whether you opt for the bigger, bolder musical experience, or whether you prefer to bounce and groove in cozier confines, it’s all about seeking out the spot that speaks to you. Happy hunting, and we’ll be back next time with some more of our top picks.