my letter to the Star
Shygirl @ The Wiltern [3/24/23]
Coco & Clair Clair @ El Rey [3/23/23]
When tapping into the ever-evolving tastes of Gen Z, Atlanta-based duo Coco & Clair Clair’s eclectic Y2K sound is nothing short of genius. In the last few years, Y2K aesthetics have dominated social media, and Coco & Clair Clair’s brazen pop-rap sounds straight out of the early 2000s. Their satirical mean-girl lyrics float over their…
Christian Kuria @ The Troubadour [2/25/23]
As a cradle Catholic, I grew up going to vacation bible school and religious retreats. Usually, at these retreats, we would always have a concert-like worship: praising the Lord, hands held up, people would scream and cry to the songs that connect them deeply to their faith. Surrounded by blankets of blue & purple and…
JAWNY (/Wallice/Devon Again) @ El Rey [3/4/23]
Outside El Rey at 7:15, I plugged in my borrowed headphones waiting in line for the door. I hadn’t yet listened to Jawny’s new album, It’s Never Fair, Always True, which was only released the day before the show. I might as well know what I was getting into: I was lightly battling nerves for…
Mau P @ Night Trip, Academy LA [2/18/23]
Mau P @ Night Trip, Academy LA As LED screens blared the statement “House Music All Night Long”, dancers and bass shook the pavement. However, when the clocks struck midnight, the whole venue stood still, and so did the music. Suddenly, the crowd was engulfed in a shower of red lighting, as the stereos projected…
Blondshell @ The El Rey Theater [2/11/23]
Leah Sokol Have you ever imagined getting a private concert in the comfort of your own home? Although the El Rey Theatre doesn’t quite offer the luxury of my living room couch, Blondshell’s intimate performance evoked a similar sense of intimacy. Preceding the headliner, Suki Waterhouse, Blondshell exceeded her title as “opener.” Never before have…
Charlie Havenick live review — folk, shoegaze aesthetics rage against orchestral sincerity
Charlie Havenick’s music is like….rain on a blue tarp. A dog blissed out in a patch of sunlight.
Truth or Consequences
We moved as an amoebic mass into a plush blue velvet room with a DJ spinning house music in Muay Thai shorts. It was a Lynchian dream sequence, complete with a bicycling dancer in an orange bodysuit throwing glitter on the floor.
Sammy & The Friends @ The Fonda [11/13/2022]
What do you do after a 23 mile hike at Big Sur, you go to a Sammy Rae & The Friends Concert. I went with Harry Frahn, who was also on the camping trip with me. As I quickly shoved myself to the front before another wave of people came in – Miki Ratsula, the…
Tei Shi @ Zebulon [12/10/22]
My first and prevailing predominant thought over the course of the night: this venue is way too cool for me. Zebulon Cafe holds an intimidatingly good looking [and potentially pretentious] queer crowd. The cafe’s composition works perfectly for a low-key concert with a distinct separation of space between the performance and eating area, each with…
Gen-Z American Superstar
Wallice @ Lodge Room [12/6/22] “LA is my favorite show ever,” Wallice says. Up on stage, she towers over a sea of cowboy hats, unif jackets, and Tik Tok inspired fits. Tonight, the Lodge Room is a Gen-Z mecca, where hundreds of Zoomers are gathered to see Indie-Pop darling Wallice. Although Los Angeles native Wallice…
Soccer Mommy @ The Wiltern [12/13/22]
Photos by Soph Russo, Art by Skye Schoenhoeft At around 7pm on December 13th, the 720 bus spits us out at the entrance to the Wiltern — I’m grateful the driver did not notice we didn’t pay our fare. We picked up our tickets and went inside. Eyeing the incoming crowd, I see a lot…
Weyes Blood is for Mature Audiences Only
Weyes Blood @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel [12/09/22] Over the past few months, I’ve had to learn my fair share of unpleasant truths about adulthood. A lot of my adult life so far has been spent being devastated by the doldrums of tedious part-time jobs, failed job interviews, and the regular case of FOMO,…
Coco and Clair Clair @ The Echo
“Who tonight is feeling sexy” It’s really hard to feel sexy when you’re freezing in 50-degree weather. I spent the first half of my Wednesday night shivering in a jean skirt on a two-hour bus ride to Echo Park. When I decided to go see the iconic bedroom pop duo, Coco & Clair Clair, I…
Giving Thanks to the Self with Rina Sawayama
Rina Sawayama @ The Hollywood Palladium [11/23/22] “Rina is an iconoclast that is reshaping the concept of a ‘popstar’ in her own image.” It is the day before Thanksgiving, and everyone and their mother has gathered to give thanks to Japanese-British Royalty, the venerated Rina Sawayama. DJ Alex Chapman warms up the audience with a…
The Backseat Lovers @ The Wiltern [11/17/22]
Photos by Jackie Pierce Even blocks away, it was near impossible to miss the neon glow pouring from the blue and red letters of “The Wiltern.” Towering over all the surrounding streets, the iconic Old Hollywood style theater held a presence that almost demanded to be known – a presence further amplified by the never-ending…
Taking the Night Shift with Lucy
[Lucy Dacus @ the Wilten 11/18/22] Photos by Emily Chang Tonight in LA, tomorrow in San Diego, then it’s over. Lucy Dacus’ Home Video Tour has been around the world in a dogged march since the summer of 2021. The Commonwealth hailing musician delves into the cleavages of strict faith, a nostalgia for home, and…
Bad Habits Pay Off
Steve Lacy @ The Greek Theatre [11/11/2022] Photos by Audrey Berry “Damn, my nipples are hard right now!” These words were spoken by one of the world’s hottest artists right now as he stood in front of the sold-out Greek Theater on Saturday night. On this brisk evening, it is Steve Lacy’s final show of…
Can’t Resist the Pit
Turnstile & Snail Mail @ Shrine Expo Hall [11/4/22] As a five-foot nothing girl I was terrified. But as a punk fan, I was ecstatic. Approaching the Shrine, I saw groups of Turnstile fans of all ages wearing all black thick eyeliner. After spotting more than 15 concert-goers with septum rings, my friend turns to…
Don’t Over Think Shit!
Kenny Beats @ The Shrine [11/5/22] Photos by Angela Kan Don’t Over Think Shit! People often say these words when they’re offering advice, which for many, is easier said than done. However, Kenny Beats and his friends echoed these words throughout the night in a different context—almost as a command or a prerequisite for enjoying…
Kid Bloom @ The Troubadour [11/3/22]
Photos by Angela Kan In crooked Old English lettering, “Troubadour” towers above as I enter Doug Weston’s iconic venue. Behind me, trails of a faint conversation between a concert attendee and a security guard float by. Concert-Goer is protesting, incredulous she’s being asked to spit out her gum. Security Guard’s answer is succinct and final:…