The Historic Belasco is Booming (in a quiet way)

I had the pleasure of touring the grandiose Belasco (1050 S. Hill) and talking with the enthusiastic, efficient, multi-talented General Manager, Danielle Rubio. The Belasco was purchased by Live Nation in early 2020. After a total of 3 events, the venue shut down because of the COVID pandemic. Before the pandemic, The Belasco Theater was primarily known as the home for Hillsong LA Church services.

Danielle oversaw the renovations of this 1926 building to remake the inside design and décor to show off its polished historic self. And WOW! You must visit to appreciate its true grandeur! (Note: SPNA is planning a Valentine event at The Belasco.)

In 2022, The Belasco /Live Nation self-promoted 125 events and had 2-3 private events/film shoots per month. Danielle shared, “they like diverse programming. Most of our events are concerts with some club night programming.  Most events are for all ages with a few restrictions on club nights.”

The venue offers 4 separate rooms that can be booked independently or together with a maximum of 1300-person capacity. If interested in booking an event, contact NicolettePalermo@LiveNation.com.

         The Belasco employs 10 full-time managers, 2 full-time talent buyers, plus 8 part-time administrative and show support staff, with approximately 125 part-time production and security staff for events. And, “we are always hiring.”

Danielle shared some of the challenges operating in South Park and her objectives for 2023.  “South Park is a metropolitan area, and our events take up a lot of space and require a lot of logistical coordination with our neighbors. We have done a lot of troubleshooting with where to park buses, where to direct our lines, and how to release people into the area late night with the most minimal disturbance.  We value the great relationship we have with our neighbors.”

Danielle said, “I’m aware that living in a community with a large concert venue isn’t always the best experience, and myself and my team are very committed to being easy to work with, keeping our area clean, and continuing to physically improve our building so it represents the community well.”

The Belasco is a tremendous asset for our South Park Neighborhood. Danielle and The Belasco are committed to building stronger relationships with the community, and we with them. Danielle can be reached directly at daniellerubio@livenation.com.

by Marty Goldberg