Kevin Bronson on November 24th, 2015

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Hollywood is known for its tourist traps, nightclubs and bars that come in three varieties — designer, sports and dive. It has its large concert theaters, but outside of the consistently quality fare at the Hotel Café, it’s not a haven for club-sized rock ’n’ roll.

That could change with the advent of the Hollywood Music Hall. With a capacity of about 450 (counting the bar and patio areas), a good sound system and a neighborhood-y vibe, the room — at 1715 N. Las Palmas, just north Hollywood Boulevard — has been hosting free live music (although bookings have been uneven) since it soft-opened about six weeks ago.

(At last Wednesday’s first week of the Andy Clockwise residency [left photo], one veteran club-goer remarked, “How did this happen in Hollywood? This is a great room.” That reaction was typical among other first-time visitors.)

The space is the brainchild of Thomas Ryan Kean, a musician-turned-bartender-turned-bar manager who had been GM/booker of the Piano Bar on Selma Avenue since 2008.

“We’re in our very early stages,” Kean says of the new space via email. “I want to get our local, seven-day-a-week schedule solidified, with no cover and music residencies, before opening ourselves up to possibly two or three ticketed shows a month as we build it up.

“I want to provide an artist-friendly environment representing the center of Hollywood, while the Echo and Troubadour hold down the east and west sides. This has been all grassroots and built on passion and inspiration for music.”

The performance portion of the room, boasting a slightly elevated area with couches at the back, is flanked on the north by the bar and on the south by a generously sized patio/smoking area [pictured at bottom]. Each is within view (and earshot) of the stage.

||| Live: Andy Clockwise continues his residency Wednesday at the Hollywood Music Hall, joined by Paper Pilots.

View of Hollywood Music Hall’s patio area (and through the windows, the stage area)