Phoneboy @ The Roxy (05/16/25)

Photos by Caroline Sanchez “Is there just one Phoneboy?” my roommate asks. “Three,” I answer, “And one Phonegirl.”  The four-person alternative/indie rock band from New Jersey is made up of Wyn Barnum and Ricky Dana (guitarists/vocalists), James Fusco (bassist), and Jordan Torres (keyboardist/vocalist). Phoneboy’s first and self-titled debut came out in 2021; I found them…

Yo La Tengo @ The Novo 5/8

Photos by Julia Steinhouse We found ourselves at yet another concert where we were the youngest ones there by a mile. It’s not surprising that the crowd was composed of largely older Yo La Tengo fans this night at the Novo, given that YLT formed over 40 years ago in 1984. The group first came…

Momma @ The Fonda Theatre [5/9/25]

Photos by Dylan Simmons From LA to New York, Allegra Weingarten and Etta Friedman’s friendship has provided the foundation for their indie rock project, Momma. After founding the band in 2015, the two singer-songwriters/guitarists were joined by bassist and producer Aron Kobayashi Ritch and drummer Preston Fulks. The group’s latest LP, Welcome to My Blue…

Riovaz @ The Echoplex [5/3/25]

Photo by Krystal Vasquez (@krystalcaptures) You know that Jack Black quote, “As a child, I yearned for the mines?” Yeah well, as a child, I yearned for the club — or at minimum, live music. I would turn the lights off, let the LEDs flash, and bounce around to the blasting speakers at the tender…

Ichiko Aoba @ The Wiltern [4/27/25]

Words by Ethan Kung / Photos by Leila Farhi There was a humor in walking up to the entrance of the Wiltern and the hecticness surrounding it, knowing that such a bustling place was housing Ichiko Aoba. The Japanese folk singer-songwriter’s music is famously naturalistic and fantastical, evoking mental images that completely oppose Koreatown’s bustling…

Velvettica @ The Viper Room [4/25/2025]

Inside Sunset Boulevard’s iconic Viper Room, Velvettica delivered an authentic, sonically unique performance to the Los Angeles music scene last Friday night. Emily Krueger, the creator and singer behind Velvettica, contributed to The Viper Room’s iconic history of hosting rising stars in the rock and alternative music space. Krueger’s smooth vocals and raw lyrics balanced the venue’s edgier nature, resulting in an empowering yet vulnerable performance.  

An Interview with Riovaz @ The Echo

Photo from @riovaz by Kayla Menze Five years after TikTok hit “Prom Night” launched Riovaz into stardom, the 21-year-old stands in constant innovation — each release a bold reinvention of his distinct sound. Impossible to tie down, Riovaz melds house, Jersey-club, dance tracks, and even alt-rock influences, creating his own space in the music scene…