The best concerts in Los Angeles this September make for one of the most eclectic months on the LA music calendar in a while. Riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill tear through the Wiltern the same week ambient composer Sarah Davachi fills a church with drone, while Fontaines D.C. play a rare outdoor set at Hollywood Forever and Erykah Badu closes out the month at the Hollywood Bowl with Flea and The Alchemist in tow. Punk and metal fans have Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Anthrax at BMO Stadium, Ecca Vandal’s punk-meets-trip-hop set at the Teragram Ballroom, and Danzig’s rare SoCal stop at Honda Center, while dance and downtempo lovers can catch Thievery Corporation, Amelie Lens, and DJ Shadow across town. And if a beach music festival is more your speed, the inaugural Ocean Way brings The Killers, Jack White, Khruangbin, and a genre-spanning bill to Santa Monica.
We’ve personally covered more than 30 of these acts live, some going all the way back to 2012, long before they were the ones headlining amphitheaters and festivals. Whatever your taste, here’s where to be this September.
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Sept. 5 — Wavves at The Belasco
San Diego garage-punk mainstays Wavves headline Summer Mass at the Belasco on Sept. 5, more than a decade after they dominated the Echo with support from Cheatahs and Fidlar in one of the rowdiest shows we’ve covered. Modern Color, Australian riot-rockers WAAX, Beach Bums, and The Paranoyds round out a bill that spans surf-punk, lo-fi, and fuzzed-out garage rock.
Sept. 5 — Nitzer Ebb at Fonda Theatre
Industrial pioneers Nitzer Ebb bring their pounding EBM sound to the Fonda Theatre. The English group has spent four decades shaping the industrial dance and electronic body music scenes, and their live shows remain a visceral, body-moving experience.
Sept. 8 — Liz Phair, Sleater-Kinney at Greek Theatre
The Greek Theatre hosts a trio of indie rock heavyweights spanning three generations of guitar-driven songwriting. Liz Phair brings her raw, generation-defining catalog — the same one she brought to Walt Disney Concert Hall back in 2022 — joined by Sleater-Kinney, whom we caught debuting a St. Vincent-touched new direction at the Hollywood Palladiumin 2019.
Sept. 9 — RaiNao at Moroccan Lounge
Puerto Rican artist RaiNao brings her genre-bending urbano sound to Moroccan Lounge on Sept. 9. Her music fuses reggaetón, soul, and rap into something that feels entirely her own, marking her as one of the most electric new voices in Latin music.
Sept. 9 — Bikini Kill at The Wiltern
Riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill bring their political battle cry back to the Wiltern on Sept. 9, following the rapturous reunion show that rattled the Hollywood Palladium back in 2019. LA punk icon Alice Bag, who we covered at The Echo in 2016, is a foundational voice of the city’s own scene and opens the night.
Sept. 10 — Sarah Davachi at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
Canadian composer Sarah Davachi takes her drone-heavy, organ-driven compositions into the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles on Sept. 10. Known for extended durations and meditative harmonic structures, her minimalist electroacoustic work is built for a room exactly like this one.
Sept. 10-11 — Cold Cave at Hollywood Forever
Wesley Eisold’s darkwave project Cold Cave takes over Hollywood Forever on Sept. 10 and 11 for two nights of synth-driven post-punk, more than a decade after they shared a bill with Douglas J. McCarthy at the Echoplex back in 2013. German electronic artist Rosa Anschütz, known for her hypnotic, club-adjacent soundscapes, joins for support.
Sept. 10 — anaiis at Pico-Union Project
Congolese-Belgian singer anaiis brings her soulful, jazz-inflected R&B to the Pico-Union Project on Sept. 10. Her music blends warm, meditative vocals with genre-fluid arrangements that draw from soul, folk, and electronic textures.
Sept. 11 — Thievery Corporation at YouTube Theater
Washington DC duo Thievery Corporation bring three decades of genre-blurring downtempo, dub, and electronic world music to the YouTube Theater on Sept. 11 — we caught their surprisingly seamless pairing with Cypress Hill at the Greek Theatre back in 2015, and the band’s live show has only gotten more expansive since. Expect a set that draws from across their catalog, from trip-hop grooves to Latin-tinged instrumentals.
Sept. 12 — Carla dal Forno at 2220 Arts + Archives
Australian musician Carla dal Forno brings her hazy, 80s-indebted synth-pop to 2220 Arts + Archives on Sept. 12. Her sound sits somewhere between post-punk chill and ambient pop, all wrapped in a dreamy, shadowy haze.
Sept. 12 — Altin Gün at Orpheum Theatre
Dutch-Turkish sextet Altin Gün bring their psychedelic reimaginings of Anatolian folk to the Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 12, a step up from the Teragram Ballroom show that had fans dancing back in 2019. Black Angels frontman Alex Maas opens, offering his own hypnotic, reverb-soaked psych rock.
Sept. 13 — Lucy Dacus at Hollywood Bowl
Indie-folk favorite Lucy Dacus and also a member of Boygenius, performs with the full Hollywood Bowl Orchestra behind her at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 13, a long way from the tiny Echo stage where we first caught her back in 2016. Indie-rock veteran Cat Power joins the bill, bringing her own smoky, soul-inflected songwriting to the historic amphitheater.
Sept. 14 — Patti Smith at Wilshire Ebell Theatre
The Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith, brings her poetry-fused rock and roll to the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Sept. 14, we last caught her live in an unforgettable 2016 pairing with Bon Iver at the Hollywood Bowl. Few performers blend punk ethos with literary weight quite like Smith, whose live shows remain a masterclass in both.
Sept. 12 — Conrad Taylor at The Roxy
Rising techno DJ Conrad Taylor takes the Roxy stage on Sept. 12, following a run of collaborations that have put his name alongside some of the biggest acts. Rosalía’s “Berghain” techno remix- yeah, that was Conrad.
Sept. 12 — The Femcels at Zebulon
Rescheduled from July, The Femcels will perform at Zebulon on September 12, and the show is sold out! Sometimes all you need is loud guitars and zero apologies. The Femcels channel punk, garage rock, and riot grrrl energy into a cathartic live show—pick up your tickets and join the fun.
Sept. 15 — Haute & Freddy at Fonda Theatre
Circus theatrics meet ’80s synth-pop when Haute & Freddy take over the Fonda Theatre stage. The Atlantic Records-signed LA duo has built a devoted following on their vintage-inspired blend of alternative pop, electropop, and new wave spectacle.
Sept. 18 — Orville Peck at Hollywood Bowl
Masked country crooner Orville Peck brings his deep, Johnny Cash-indebted baritone and rhinestone theatrics to the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 18. Indie-pop duo Lucius, known for their intertwined harmonies, and singer-songwriter Deloyd Elze round out the bill.
Sept. 18 — Arlo Parks at The Bellwether
Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter Arlo Parks brings her hazy, confessional indie-pop to the Bellwether on Sept. 18, years after her luminous Los Angeles debut at Moroccan Lounge and the Echoplex. Baird opens the evening with his own brand of intimate, folk-leaning songwriting.
Sept. 19 — Peter Hook & The Light at Hollywood Palladium
Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook brings his post-punk legacy back to the Palladium stage on Sept. 19 with his band, The Light, following the 500th-show-anniversary he threw at the Wiltern back in 2018. Expect a set built from the deep catalogs of both bands, delivered with Hook’s signature melodic bass lines front and center.
Sept. 19 — ill peach at Moroccan Lounge
LA-based ill peach headlines Moroccan Lounge on Sept. 19 with their signature blend of dream pop and bedroom-recorded indie rock. Those hushed vocals and hazy production have made her a favorite of local playlists and late-night listening alike.
Sept. 19 — Temples at Teragram Ballroom
English psych-rockers Temples return to the Teragram Ballroom on Sept. 19 for the first time since their swirling, retro-futurist set there back in 2016. Poppy Jean Crawford opens with her own kaleidoscopic take on garage-pop.
Sept. 19 — Lido Pimienta at The Ford
Polaris Prize-winning artist Lido Pimienta brings her genre-splicing blend of cumbia, synthpop, and Afro-Colombian rhythms to the Ford on Sept. 19. Dominican rising star YEИDRY, known for her sultry, bilingual pop, will also perform.
Sept. 19 — AFI at The Observatory
Goth-punk legends AFI bring their dark, gothic rock sound to the Observatory on Sept. 19 in Santa Ana — technically Orange County, but it’s their only Southern California date, so it’s worth the drive. We last caught them partying like it’s 1999 at the Wiltern, and this run brings darkwave act Mareux, dream-pop duo Kumo 99, and garage-psych trio LA Witch along for an appropriately moody bill.
Sept. 19 — Sofi Tukker, DRAMA, and Kito at Greek Theatre
Get ready to dance all night as the Greek Theatre turns into an electronic playground, headlined by house and EDM duo Sofi Tukker — we caught them dazzling a tiny Lyric Theater crowd back in 2016, long before amphitheater headlining sets were the norm. DRAMA’s silky electronic soul and Kito’s polished pop production round out the bill.
Sept. 21 — Mike D at The Belasco
Beastie Boys co-founder Mike D brings his new album Thank You to the Belasco on Sept. 21 for a night of nostalgically new sounds, not long after he rocked South Pasadena’s Sid the Cat Auditorium alongside his sons’ band. Expect an eclectic set spanning hip-hop, funk, experimental, and everything that shaped the Beastie Boys’ own boundary-pushing sound.
Sept. 21 — Lily Allen at The Greek Theatre
British pop provocateur Lily Allen brings her sharp-tongued, sardonic songwriting to the Greek Theatre on Sept. 21, after playing two sold-out shows at the Orpheum this past December, and following the unfiltered show she bared at the Fonda Theatre back in 2018. The upcoming Greek Theatre show was moved from the Kia Forum.
Sept. 21-22 — Kelela at The Wiltern
Experimental R&B singer Kelela takes over the Wiltern on Sept. 21 and 22, more than a decade after her breakout performance at The Echo had fans dancing across town. Her genre-defying sound continues to make her one of the most influential voices in underground R&B.
Sept. 22 — Paris Paloma at The Ford
British singer-songwriter Paris Paloma brings her sweeping, folk-inflected pop to the Ford on Sept. 22. Susannah Joffe opens with her own brand of introspective, string-laden songwriting.
Sept. 22 — Pond at The Bellwether
Perth psych-rockers Pond, longtime collaborators of Tame Impala, bring their glammy, genre-hopping sound to the Bellwether on Sept. 22, a long way from the tiny Halloween show they played at the Echo back in 2014, before they were filling rooms like this one. Tommy Newport opens with his own breezy, guitar-driven pop.
Sept. 23 — Beck at The Greek Theatre
Genre-hopping icon Beck brings decades of shape-shifting hits to the Greek Theatre on Sept. 23, following an epic, career-spanning show at the Hollywood Bowl that had fans living for those deep cuts all night. Few artists move as fluidly between folk, funk, hip-hop, and alt-rock, and a Beck show is a reminder of just how singular his catalog is live.
Sept. 23 & 24 — Robyn at Kia Forum
The Swedish Queen of Pop returns to Los Angeles when Robyn headlines two nights at the Kia Forum. Known for her infectious, melancholic dance-pop and legendary live shows, Robyn brings decades of hits along with new material to the Forum stage.
Sept. 24 — Kehlani at Intuit Dome
Bay Area R&B star Kehlani brings her emotionally raw, genre-blending sound to the Intuit Dome on Sept. 24, years after she stole the show on day 3 of Outside Lands. Her music moves easily between pop, hip-hop, and neo-soul, all delivered with the vocal power that’s made her one of R&B’s most consistent hitmakers.
Sept. 24 — Tricky at The Bellwether
Bristol trip-hop pioneer Tricky brings his shadowy, genre-defining sound to the Bellwether on Sept. 24, returning to LA since we caught him at the Fonda Theatre back in 2018. His work with Massive Attack and beyond helped invent an entire genre, and his live sets remain steeped in that same dark, atmospheric haze.
Sept. 24 — Cain Culto at The Roxy
Provocative rap-pop takes over The Roxy as Cain Culto brings his unmistakable blend of Appalachian and Colombian influences to the intimate West Hollywood venue. The Kentucky-raised, Colombian-American artist mixes bluegrass, vallenato, and hip-hop into a sound entirely his own. And we absolutely love him.
Sept. 25 — Fontaines D.C. at Hollywood Forever
Irish post-punk favorites Fontaines D.C. play a rare, intimate outdoor show at Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Sept. 25, arriving just weeks ahead of their new album Dopamine Chamber. We first covered the band’s golden-hour set at Primavera Sound LA back in 2022 and have been hooked ever since. REW opens this time with her own raw, guitar-forward sound.
Sept. 25 — Overmono at Hollywood Palladium
UK electronic duo Overmono, brothers Tom and Ed Russell, bring their Pure Devotion World Tour to the Hollywood Palladium on Sept. 25, touching down just weeks after dropping their sophomore album, Pure Devotion — a record that sent us straight back to our late-90s rave days, thanks to a breakbeat-and-trance-laced opening track in “Lockup.” HARD Selects opens the night with massive basslines and cinematic textures pulled from UK garage, techno, breakbeats, and rave culture.
Sept. 25 & 27 — Iron Maiden at BMO Stadium
Heavy metal titans Iron Maiden headline two nights at BMO Stadium on Sept. 25 and 27 with their theatrical, galloping brand of metal. Thrash pioneers Megadeth and Anthrax share the stage, making this one of the year’s biggest metal bills.
Sept. 25 — Alabama Shakes at Santa Barbara Bowl
Blues-rock powerhouse Alabama Shakes play the scenic Santa Barbara Bowl on Sept. 25 — not technically LA, but the closest stop on their run and well worth the drive up the coast. We first caught them playing to a crowd of about 150 at the 98.7FM Hollywood Tower Penthouse back in 2012, long before they were headlining festivals and amphitheaters, and we’ve been lovin’ them ever since. Tyler Ballgame opens this run with his own gritty, soul-inflected rock and roll.
Sept. 25 — DJ Shadow at The Novo
Trip-hop and sample-based production pioneer DJ Shadow brings his crate-digging, cinematic sound to the Novo on Sept. 25, following the beat-driven set he delivered at the Fonda Theatre back in 2017. Few producers have shaped instrumental hip-hop as decisively, and his live shows remain immersive, atmospheric experiences.
Sept. 26-27 — Faye Webster at Fonda Theatre
Atlanta singer-songwriter Faye Webster brings her deadpan, pedal-steel-laced indie pop to the Fonda on Sept. 26 and 27. Laila opens with her own blend of soulful, understated songwriting.
Sept. 26 — Amelie Lens at Grand Park
Belgian techno DJ Amelie Lens takes over Grand Park on Sept. 26 for a night of pounding, hypnotic dance music, following the high-octane set she delivered at CRSSD Festival in San Diego a couple years back. Known for her relentless, high-energy sets, she’s become one of the most in-demand names in the global techno scene.
Sept. 26 — Danzig at Honda Center
Horror-punk legend Glenn Danzig headlines a heavy bill at Honda Center in Anaheim on Sept. 26 — not Los Angeles, but the nearest stop on his run. Sludge metal cult favorites Acid Bath, satanic doo-wop duo Twin Temple, and metal acts Burning Witches and ANA fill out the night.
Sept. 26-27 — The Killers at Santa Monica Beach
The Killers headline the inaugural Ocean Way festival at Santa Monica Beach on Sept. 26 and 27, joined by Jack White and Khruangbin atop a sprawling, genre-spanning lineup — we caught The Killers tearing up Governors Ball in 2016 and Jack White dazzling a Coachella crowd the year before that, and Khruangbin a year later when they were still the opening act. Headliner Olivia Dean will be a real special treat. It wasn’t too long ago when we covered her small club show at the Echoplex. The rest of the bill ranges from indie rock (Alvvays) and soul (Durand Jones & The Indications, Hiatus Kaiyote) to house and dance music (SG Lewis, Hot Chip, DJ Harvey, Blond:ish, Poolside, Olivia Dean, 54 Ultra, Austin Millz, NALA, Heidi Lawden, Carlita, Good Neighbours, Vandelux, Coco & Breezy, and Erez), making it one of the most eclectic festival lineups to hit LA all year. Tickets are surprisingly still available.
Sept. 28-29 — Ecca Vandal at Teragram Ballroom
Australian rocker Ecca Vandal brings her genre-smashing blend of punk, hip-hop, and electronic music to the Teragram Ballroom on Sept. 28 and 29, not long after she celebrated her new album at Monty’s Good Burger in Echo Park. Speed of Light opens with their own high-energy rock sound.
Sept. 29 — Erykah Badu at Hollywood Bowl
Neo-soul queen Erykah Badu returns to the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 29, the same stage where she filled the venue with warm nostalgia a few years back, this time with a stacked bill featuring producer The Alchemist and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. DJ PEE .WEE, Charles Gaines Collective, and Black Nile round out a night built for genre-crossing discovery.
Sept. 28-29 — Jack White at Hollywood Palladium
White Stripes frontman Jack White brings his raw, blues-driven rock and roll to the Palladium on Sept. 28 and 29, just after his Ocean Way festival appearance and a little over a decade after he tore through a raucous solo set at Coachella. Expect the kind of unpredictable, guitar-shredding set that’s defined his solo career. Twin Temple opens on Sept. 29.
Sept. 30 — DARKSIDE at Lodge Room
The experimental duo of Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington returns to Lodge Room on Sept. 30, the same intimate room where they played three back-to-back shows last year. Their live shows are known for stretching songs into extended, hypnotic jams.
Sept. 30 — Aldous Harding at Pacific Electric
New Zealand singer-songwriter Aldous Harding closes out September (and kicks off October) with her eerie, theatrical brand of folk at Pacific Electric on Sept. 30, her first LA stop since she and Hand Habits weaponized restraint at a sold-out Lodge Room back in 2019. Sam Burton opens with his own hushed, vintage-leaning country-folk sound.
What To Do If Tickets Are Sold Out?
If tickets sell out, your other option is to buy them via online resellers like VividSeats or StubHub. When all else fails, we prefer these resell options because both offer a 100% Guarantee. You can also purchase resale tickets through Ticketmaster’s resale program. Just search for the concert or event you want to attend, and see if any resale tickets are available. We recommend comparing the three options to determine which one works best for you.
Also, more standard tickets are often released in the weeks leading up to the show date. We’ve seen it with Oasis, Nine Inch Nails, BLACKPINK, and many more. These tickets are normally production release tickets and sideview/limited-view tickets. It’s a secret gatekept by many, but if you’re reading this, now you know.
