There's a magical place in West Hollywood, on La Cienega and Oakwood, as any good Californian would clarify. It is home to several musical, and comedic institutions that are of great value to the city of LA. The walls speak at this place, as legendary performers have owned the stage for years. It is a safe haven for vulnerable, yet bold, artists who wish to truly connect with an audience on a heartfelt level. The Largo at the Coronet, began as an establishment in 1989 on Fairfax as Club Largo, opened by Jean-Pierre Baccarat, later sold to Mark Flanagan who moved the venue to its current location at the historic Coronet Theater, it started as a restaurant/bar, serving a complete dinner service with live music as a bonus. when "Flanny", as he is known, moved the club to its current location, he wanted to make music the focus of the establishment and ended the food service. while this may seem like a loss to the club, Flanny knew what he wanted. To this day he makes intimacy and respect for the music the venue's top priority.
When you buy a ticket to see a show at the Largo, obviously you pay online with a credit card for what have you but there is no physical ticket to print. It's a will call only venue. however, their unique process involves seat assignments, which start about two hours before showtime. It's a strictly first come first served situation that allows early birds to have the best seats. It would seem that traffic, going home first etc. would cause latecomers to get a bad seat but that isn't the case at all, as the auditorium only sits 280 people. After receiving your seat assignment, you have about two hours to have dinner, have drinks or simply wait around the shady courtyard until the show begins. A variety of restaurants surrounds the Largo such as the vegan favorite Real Food Daily or Canter's on Fairfax just a few blocks away. When the venue doors open, and you step inside the auditorium, you may be reminded of being in your elementary school. You find your springy seat, and look around the walls at the pictures of people who have played the Largo throughout its existence: Elliott Smith, Flight of the Conchords, Jon Brion, Louis CK, Fiona Apple, Nickel Creek, Andrew Bird, John C Reilly, Zach Galifianakis, Jackson Browne, Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings, Milk Carton Kids, Punch Brothers, Grant Lee Phillips, Sarah Silverman, Tenacious D, Aziz Ansari, John Mulaney, Larry David, Benmont Tench, just to name a few. Some may be familiar and some may not but all are extremely important to the culture of the Largo. At this point, the host, Michael, welcomes the crowd and guarantees a beautiful night of entertainment. Then he reminds everyone of the most important rule of Largo: no photography or recording. This is absolutely strict and respected, thus keeping complete intimacy and connection to the music the best part of the Largo.
A large part of the Largo's scene are the musical residencies such as the Watkins Family Hour and Jon Brion's monthly shows. The Family Hour is a variety show where Sean and Sara Watkins of the bluegrass group Nickel Creek, along with an incredible group of session musicians, play moving sets of covers and originals. The show can easily begin with a comedian, a magician or a special surprise guest until the siblings are brought to the stage. Jon Brion's, on the other hand, may include, but does not require any special guest. I say that with great confidence. The man is an absolute genius. He sets up a full stage of instruments and loops himself on each one to create a one-man-band. The adds layer upon layer to create sonic masterpieces right before the audience's eyes. It's something that must be experienced in person.
Largo is a completely collaborative platform where multigenerational artists can play in a small room of people who aren't staring at a screen the entire show. Afterward, they often come out from backstage and into the communal courtyard to mingle with friends, family and fans. After a couple visits, it feels like a family. Artists begin to recognize you and genuinely appreciate your support. It's a hidden gem as far as music and comedy venues go and, like any other good thing in LA, it only requires a bit of searching for.
