Shrine Auditorium '60's & '70's

665 W. Jefferson Blvd., L.A.

Privately owned -  Al Malaikay Center

Opened in 1925

6,500 seats

The Shrine was once Los Angele's premier performing arts auditorium. Built in 1930, the 6,500 seat theater has the largest proscenium-style stage in North America. It also has a large free standing balcony, 192 ft. tent-like ceiling from which hung a huge crystal chandelier. 

For many years the Shrine housed the best in grand operas, orchestras and ballet. It had been used to host the Grammy Awards and the Academy Awards.

Then, in 1964 - the 3,200 Music Center opened. The modern Dorothy Chandler Pavilion now showcased many of the performers who once played the Shrine. Compared to the Pavilion, the Shrine's interior looked shabby,  the neighborhood more sketchy. Bookings at the Shrine became sparse and attendance dwindled. Many called it the white elephant next to USC.

It was rented to touring ballets companies, operas and religious gathering. It was also rented for rock concerts. 

Today the Shrine survives as a beloved historic monument. It continues to be used for auto shows, trade shows, seminars, conventions, dinners and award ceremonies.

A sampling of Shrine Auditorium shows 1962 - 1978.

1962

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (seasonal)

San Francisco Opera (seasonal)

Bolshoi Ballet (seasonal)

George Shearing Quintet, Four Freshmen, Nancy Wilson FEBRUARY 9

John Raitt, Jane Morgan MARCH 10 

Modern Jazz Quartet MAY 4

Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Dick Gregory JULY 20

Ray Charles and the Raeclets JULY 27

Kingston Trio, Martin Denny, Keely Smith  SEPTEMBER 21

Ray Charles and his Orchestra DECEMBER 26

1963

San Francisco Opera (seasonal)

Bossa Nova music Festival w/ Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie JANUARY 5

Henry Mancini, Christy Minstrels JANUARY 25

Jimmy Smith Trio, Nipsey Russell, Nancy Wilson, Oscar Brown Jr.  MARCH 1

Ray Conniff MARCH 29

Nat King Cole AUGUST 8

Barbra Streisand DECEMBER 7 

Jimmy Smith Trio, Gerry Mulligan, Dakota Staton DECEMBER 14

Ray Charles DECEMBER 28

1964

San Francisco Opera - touring

Leningrad Ballet - touring

Dick Gregory, Jackie Moms Mabley,  George Shearing, Joe & Eddie MARCH 6

Count Basie, Miles Davis APRIL 3

Moms Mabley, Godfrey Cambride AUGUST 29

Ray Charles and the Raelets SEPTEMBER 20

Nancy Wilson DECEMBER 26

1965

Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson Trio  FEBRUARY 1

Fundraiser for Freedom From Humger Committee w/ Alpert & Tijuana Brass, The Byrds, The Kingsmen, The Everly Brothers, Gary and the Playboys, Dick and Dee Dee, Sonny and Cher, Jackie de Shannon, The Chamber Brothers JUNE 4

Count Basie and Band, Joe Williams, Earl Grant, Sarah Vaughan AUGUST 6

1966

Grand Ole Opry w/ Buck Owens, Minnie Pearl, Roy Clark, Loretta Lynn, Sonny James JANUARY 29

Eddy  Arnold, Dottie West, George Hamilton  FEBRUARY 25

Ray Charles APRIL 30

Della Reese Show, Lou Rawls, Les McCann Trio MAY 7

Leroy Van Dyke, David Houston, Red Foley OCTOBER 8

Rusty Draper, Pat Buttram, The Dillards, Stonewall Jackson, Meannie Seely  NOVEMBER 5

Debbie Reynolds, Jane Powell NOVEMBER 11 & 12

Lou Rawls NOVEMBER 25

Marty Robbins, Sonny James, Connie Smith, Leroy Van Dyke  DECEMBER 2

Myron Floren, Art Van Damme Quintet Charles Magnante DECEMBER 11

Ray Charles DECEMBER 26

1967

Nancy Wilson FEBRUARY 4

James Brown FEBRUARY 11

Jimmy Smith, Dick Gregory MARCH 11

Richard Pryor, Carmen McRae, Sm Fletch MARCH 24

Rick Nelson, George Jones, Glen Campbell, The Dillards JUNE 10

Buck Owens, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Jan Howard AUGUST 27

Bill Cosby SEPTEMBER 29

Johnny Cash, Sonny James, Glen Campbell, June Carter, Carl Perkins 

NOVEMBER 25

The Doors, Iron Butterfly, Sweetwater, Bluesberry Jam DECEMBER 23

1968

Margie Singleton, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Waylon Jennings JANUARY 27

Jimi Hendrix, Electric Flag FEBRUARY 10

Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians FEBRUARY 23 & 24

Moms Mabley FEBRUARY 25

Tammy Wynette, George Jones MARCH 9

The Cream MARCH 15

Dolly Parton, Dave Dudley, Porter Wagoner MAY 4

Chamber Brothers, Velvet Underground, Dr. John MAY 24 & 25

Flip Wilson, Miriam Makeb JUNE 14 & 15

Merle Haggard, Tex Williams  JUNE 22

James Brown JULY 27

Steppenwolf, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Three Dog Night SEPTEMBER 1

Ray Charles DECEMBER 28

1969

Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Waylon Jennings JANUARY 24

George Jones, Tammy Wynette MAY 23

Moms Mabley JUNE 7

Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Lynn Anderson, Jan Howard NOVEMBER 15

1970

Hank Snow, Connie Smith, Sonny James, Conway Twitty JANUARY 24

Moms Mabley MARCH 29

Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan JULY 3

Lee Michaels, Captain Beefheart SEPTEMBER 26

Hank Williams Jr., Ray Price OCTOBER 31

In 1971 there was a hold on rock concerts at the Shrine after an incident. There was fear there may be damage to the building.

1972

Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones (concert to aid Angela Davis) MARCH 4 

Cat Stevens SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

James Taylor OCTOBER 27 & 28

1973

Nancy Wilson, Billy Paul, Johnny Guitar Watson, Cannonball Adderley Les McAnn 

FEBRUARY 24

James Brown APRIL 15

Stevie Wonder APRIL 21 

Bobby Womack APRIL 27

1974

Cheech & Chong, Tower of Power (benefit for United Farm Workers) JANUARY 19

Frank Zappa and the Mothers FEBRUARY 23

Curtis Mayfield MARCH 3

The Pointer Sisters, Dan Hicks  APRIL 27

Kinks MAY 10

Ten Years After JUNE 14 & 15

Black Oak Arkansas, Foghat AUGUST 23

Suzi Quatro SEPTEMBER 16

Freddie Hubbard OCTOBER 5

Rory Gallagher, Wet Willie NOVEMBER 23

Electric Light Orchestra, Canned Heat NOVEMBER 27

The Eagles, Joe Walsh, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg DECEMBER 31

1975

Genesis JANUARY 24

Robin Trower MARCH 16

Joe Walsh APRIL 19 (Elton John joined in on stage)

Blue Oyster Cult, REO Speedwagon MARCH 26

Ohio Players, Graham Central Station MARCH 29

Joe Walsh, Emmylou Harris APRIL 19

Golden Earring, The Strawbs APRIL 27

Jackson Browne, Phoebe Snow MAY 10

Crusaders, Gil Scott - Heron MAY 26

Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin MAY 30

Gentle Giant SEPTEMBER 12

Blue Magic and Tavares SEPTEMBER 29

Blue Magic OCTOBER 4

Uriah Heep, Buddy Miles, Status Quo OCTOBER 19

Gentle Giant NOVEMBER 1

Jefferson Starship, Floe & Eddie  NOVEMBER 5

1976

Peter Frampton APRIL 21

Bob Marley MAY 27

The Tubes MAY 28

Rufus JUNE 5

Donovan, Phoebe Snow JULY 8

Parliment AUGUST 14

Quincey Jones SEPTEMBER 11 & 12

KC & the Sunshine Band, Ohio Players OCTOBER 13

Grateful Dead OCTOBER 14

Rory Gallagher NOVEMBER 18

Jackson Brown, Orleans NOVEMBER 26

1977

Nancy Wilson, Bill Withers JANUARY 14

Glen Campbell, Roy Rogers, Marty Robbins JUNE 23

Santana, Journey OCTOBER 28

1978

Grateful Dead JANUARY 10

Patti Labelle, Richard Pryor FEBRUARY 4

Santana, Journey FEBRUARY 25

Be-Bop Deluxe, Horslips  APRIL 14

REO Speed Wagon, Rainbow MAY 18

Little Feat, John Hall JUNE 18

Atlanta Rhythm Section, Sea Level OCTOBER 28

Richard Pryor, Patti LaBelle DECEMBER 30

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