The Saban Theatre

The Saban Theatre is the tall white Art Deco tower at 8440 Wilshire Blvd, on the Beverly Hills side of La Cienega. S. Charles Lee designed it, and it opened in 1930 as the Fox Wilshire, a movie palace. The name changed to the Saban in 2009. After dark the neon marquee does most of the talking, and it's easy to spot from a block away on Wilshire.

Sterling Venue Ventures books the room today under its Where Music Meets the Soul banner, the same outfit that runs The Canyon in Agoura Hills. The calendar leans toward legacy soul and folk acts, touring comedians, tribute shows and film-with-orchestra nights. Seating runs across an orchestra floor and a balcony, and headliners usually take the stage at 8, with any opener about an hour before.

There's no walk-up box office on normal days. The window only opens in the 90 minutes before a show, so buy ahead from the venue's own site or AXS, and be careful with resale sites that look official. Anyone under 18 needs to come with an adult who also holds a ticket, and even babies need a ticket.

Parking takes a little homework. The closest garage is the Flynt building at 8484 Wilshire, $17 a car after 5 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends. The Chase Bank garage at 8500 Wilshire, entered from La Cienega, runs a $10 flat rate. Meters on Tower, Gale and Hamilton south of Wilshire are free after 6 PM unless event signs go up. The venue's advice is blunt: if a residential block has no meter, don't park there.