July 11, 1922: Hollywood Bowl Opens

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A good three decades-plus before rock ‘n’ roll was even heard by the general public, the Hollywood Bowl, one of the most famed venues in classic rock debuted with a performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As its website notes, the Hollywood Bowl is “a venue for showcasing artistic greatness and celebrating our global cultural heritage.”

Fast forward another decade or so to the big ones: Concerts by The Beatles on August 23, 1964 and August 29-30, 1965, which were recorded and came out on vinyl LP in 1977 as The Beatles Live at the Hollywood Bowl (which was significantly upgraded with its 2016 reissue).

Those are hardly the only significant classic rock events at the historic outdoor venue nestled into a hillside at the nexus of the L.A. basin and valley. On July 5, 1968, The Doors gave what many feel was one of their best concerts ever. Filmed and recorded for posterity, it came out in 2012 as Live at the Bowl ’68.

Over the years, it has hosted concerts by Ella Fitzgerald, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, and countless others.

It is also where on July 1, 2002, The Who played their first show after the death of John Entwistle on June 27, a day before the band were to begin a U.S. tour. Pino Palladino was recruited to replace The Ox for the tour and remained with The Who’s touring band for years.

The last two Genesis concerts of their 2007 reunion were at the Bowl on October 12 and 13, at the end of their Turn It On Again tour.

The venue also marked the final performance of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, who completed their 40th anniversary on September 25, 2017.

Willie Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday in 2023 with a pair of all-star concerts.

Nelson and Bob Dylan as headliners of the Outlaw Music Festival, Eric Clapton, and Joni Mitchell are among the acts scheduled to perform at the Hollywood Bowl in 2024. Tickets are available here.

Albums recorded at the Bowl, from some of music’s biggest stars, are available here.