Before the show had even begun, with the likes of Lil Peep and XXXTentacion blasting throughout the cavernous Vermont Hollywood, it became clear that Nick Rattigan, under the moniker “Current Joys,” would be departing from the melancholy indie pop that dominated his early career. This inclination was reinforced by Current Joys’ latest release, the album…
In the vibrant city of Los Angeles, an air of anticipation surrounds the legendary Lauryn Hill as she graces the stage at the Crypto.com Arena. Arriving at the venue, I am feeling giddy and restless as I imagine witnessing a woman who has impacted so many artists in generations to come. Tonight, we are celebrating…
“I was thinking about the lyrics like, ‘goddamn’ can’t cry cause you gotta sing” (Dustin Payseur). Payseur, the frontman of the Indie rock band, Beach fossils, succinctly encapsulated not only the relaxed, confident mannerisms of the band itself with this statement, but also facilitated rumination on the dichotomy between Beach Fossils’ danceable, hazy productions and…
Photos by Julian Bajsel It’s not everyday that you witness a concert crowd adorned in fairy wings, an unapologetic amount of cat ears, and… Oscar Mayer cosplay? But on Tuesday, October 31st, the sixth night of Fred again..’s unprecedented residency at The Shrine—that’s exactly what the average concert-goer witnessed. And it was incredible. On Halloween…
As the Los Angeles Pandemonium tour show vacillated from a romantic atmosphere to a rave-like experience, Joji demonstrated that regardless of how eccentric, playful, and even vulgar one can be, we all experience the intense depths of emotions from love and loss. The October 6th concert at the Crypto.com Arena began with openers Lil Toe…
Overhead outside the Lodge Room: “I always wondered where the cool people in LA went…” Depending on your definition “cool,” he wasn’t wrong! By the time GUM, aka Jay W. Watson took the stage, the eclectic venue was packed to the brim with handlebar mustaches, overgrown haircuts, patchwork tattoos, and loafers. It was exactly the…
Nestled in the heart of Los Angeles, the El Rey Theatre stands as a charming gem in the city’s vibrant tapestry of music venues. This historic theater, with its iconic marquee and intimate ambiance, has long been a beloved destination for music enthusiasts and artists alike. The lights draping its walls are colorful and ethereal,…
Inspired by the sounds that have historically dominated house shows and alternative spaces, Cherry Glazerr’s raw and powerful discography fuses elements of lofi with grunge and punk rock. A veteran of the LA indie rock scene, Cherry Glazerr frontwoman Clementine Creevy is playing her first show following the release of her fourth studio album, I…
After taking a 50 minute bus ride from Westwood, I’ve arrived at my destination: Macklemoreville, CA. Tonight, Macklemoreville is conveniently located within the Hollywood Palladium. This is my first time at the Palladium. I’m very impressed by the venue. It’s beautiful and everyone here is ready for a show. I stop by the bar to…
Unlike its title, DOPE LEMON’s song “Kids Fallin’ in Love” is not an accurate picture of the millennial crowd that flocked to the Bellwether Monday night. Despite the cityscape that surrounded the venue, the group matched the aura of the band’s music and dressed in bohemian attire reminiscent of a desert music festival. The band’s…
To experience Slow Pulp’s music is to plant oneself beneath a warm summer sun, luxuriating under thick beams of light despite an impending tornado promising to wreak havoc on an ephemeral peace. Masters of metaphor, the Chicago-based, indie band’s productions echo the emotional roller coaster that is life, bolstered by hazy shoegaze riffs and an…
The shoegaze movement undeniably peaked in the early 90s, and some would even say it died as a genre. Yet, its brilliance lives on in the “shoegaze renaissance,” its legacy manifested in nu-gaze, dreampop, and space rock bands, with new generations drawing influence from its classic distortion and feedback-ridden sound. However, one band in particular has…
The Breeders @ The Wiltern [10/19/23] Photos by Abigail Tran “Breeders” is a tongue-in-cheek term used by the gay community to describe straight individuals. The name that Kim Deal chose for her band pokes fun at heterosexual relationships, reducing them to their primitive purpose of breeding. A return to our origins, of sorts. In a…
From playing sets for EDC Las Vegas and the Ultra Music Festival, to dropping his first full-length album, House of Glass, 2022 proved to be a monumental year for Wax Motif. A year in which Motif’s momentum climaxed, the “build-up” cresting prior to an explosive drop that was the launch of his 2023 “House of…
“It feels like we’re all in a little living room together.” It makes sense for an artist to say this about a jazz club or local dive bar, but the Greek Theatre? Undaunted, LA based Natalie Mering, known professionally as Weyes Blood, is headlining the Greek with an impressive 6,000 people in attendance to witness…
Photos by Evan Ibarra “I am going to make it / through this year / if it kills me.” Hearing the chorus from “This Year” by the Mountain Goats a few days before both turning 17 and turning in college applications all on November 30th felt like the band wrote it with me in mind.…
Photos by Asher Cohen and Ria Bose Turning the corner on Sunset and Argyle, my eyes dart across the never ending line of eager concert goers. This sold-out show is the 21st stop of the international “Space Heavy” tour, and the excited assembly of King Krule fans shuffle their feet in anticipation. Krule, the musical…
Photos by Chloe Gonzales The first time I had heard of the hip-hop/rock duo Paris Texas was when BROCKHAMPTON had announced they were opening for their later-canceled HERE RIGHT NOW tour. Half a year later in March 2022, someone sent me a playlist with the song “HEAVY METAL” in it. The rough guitar riff and…
The best nights are those that open up gradually, like flowers blooming, a promise of beauty that manifests itself as you reach the root of the night. Seeing Japanese Breakfast, the musical project of Michelle Zauner, was undoubtedly one of those nights. After getting the opportunity to attend this concert a mere day before, my…
“I am full of fear And contradictions Easier to hear Beautiful fiction” What sort of sentiment do these lyrics conjure? Despair; introspection; confusion? Well for Surf Curse’s crowd, packed into the standing room offered by The Novo, practically oozing an amalgamation of youthful frustration and excited tension, the answer to the question above appeared to…
Chance The Rapper @ Kia Forum [9/21/23] Photos by Timothy Norris / Kia Forum Photos It’s a magical night tonight within LA’s historic Forum. We’ve gathered here for a very momentous occasion: the 10th anniversary of Chance the Rapper’s breakthrough mixtape, Acid Rap. Chance The Rapper comes out strong with one of his biggest songs,…