In Los Angeles, we are lucky to be surrounded, sometimes even inundated, with a wide array of musicians, live concerts, and both independent and major level music industry resources. Some musicians don’t realize their full potential until they have been writing/recording/playing live shows well into their later years. Whereas other musicians are primed for rock ‘n’ roll destiny from a young age. These are their stories.
Note, all bands listed below feature at least one member who is 21 years old or younger and are based in Los Angeles or Southern California.
Words: Emily Saex
1. Cherry Glazerr
It’s crazy to think that a mere year ago, lo-fi indie trio Cherry Glazerr released their Burger Records bombshell of an album, Haxel Princess. From songs about eating grilled cheese to being teased at school to going to local shows — their simple but fierce lyrics and dreamy sounds not only speak volumes to their teenage lives, but remain relatable and accessible to those older folk too who may be waxing nostalgic about their own coming of age. Be sure to catch their next show at The Echo on February 13th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtBmOULfCn0
2. Bad Suns
Los Angeles natives Bad Suns may be young and charming but don’t let their swagger fool you, they can back that up with catchy hooks and serious indie-pop chops. We witnessed this first-hand at their recent sold-out show at the El Rey Theatre, which had the packed house swooning to hits like “Cardiac Arrest” and “Transpose” from their debut album, Language & Perspective .
3. The Bots
Last Spring we caught L.A.’s youngest and raddest rock duo The Bots shredding alongside the likes of Potty Mouth and Perfect Pussy at The Echo. The sibling duo, Anaiah and Mikaiah Lei, have been making music since 2009 yet are still under the age of 21. Their seventh album release, Pink Palms, dropped this past October and features genre-bending tracks that are unpredictable, quirky and oddly satisfying.. The duo just released the demo of their song “Alanna” that they recorded during a session with producer Nick Zinner at Sonic Ranch (listen here). Making a splash wherever they go, the band will next be seen making their national television debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday, February 9th – tune in!
4. Kitten
Kitten‘s front-woman Chloe Chaidez may only be 20 years old but she is a true music veteran. Raised by creative parents, including her drummer father, forming her first band at age 10, and opening for Conor Oberst and Midlake at age 12 she has been destined for rock stardom since she was a child. Kitten dropped their impressive self-titled debut in June 2014 and their ’80s synth-fueled jams exhibit a real mature sound, yet in the live arena Chloe’s singing and stage presence straddles a fine balance of maturity and raw, youthful energy. The band is currently in the midst of a residency at Baby’s in NYC but we can’t wait for them to come back home to Los Angeles!
5. The Garden
Orange, CA twin sibling duo The Garden, aka Wyatt and Fletcher Shears, recently turned 21 but they’ve been settled on playing and taking music seriously since 5th grade. Their musical journey has led them to fantastic places; from the release of their debut album The Life and Times of a Paperclip to traveling the world and playing memorable shows in places like London and the Czech Republic. Keep your ears tuned for their second full-length LP due out this Summer and catch their headlining show on February 28th at Jewel’s Catch One! They also play support for Joyce Manor at the Glass House on February 13th and on Valentine’s Day.
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