The best concerts in Los Angeles this week span the biggest stages and the smallest DIY rooms in equal measure. Liz Phair and Sleater-Kinney share a bill at the Greek Theatre, Bikini Kill’s riot grrrl battle cry hits the Wiltern, and John Lydon’s post-punk institution Public Image Ltd headlines the Belasco. Lucy Dacus brings a full orchestra to the Hollywood Bowl, and Sturgill Simpson performs under his Johnny Blue Skies alias at the Kia Forum. September 12 alone stacks nearly ten different shows across town, from KiNG MALA at the Teragram to a vintage hardcore bill headlined by The Exploited at the Novo.
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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
Moroccan Lounge on Sept. 9 welcomes RaiNao, the Puerto Rican artist whose genre-bending urbano sound fuses reggaetón, soul, and rap into something entirely her own. She’s fast becoming 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, a foundational voice of the city’s own scene, opens the night.
Sept. 9-11 — The Warning at Fonda Theatre
Three nights of arena-sized riffs hit the Fonda Theatre from Sept. 9 through 11 courtesy of The Warning, the Mexican rock trio formed by the Villarreal Vélez sisters. Best known for turning viral Metallica covers into a Billboard-charting career of their own, the band blends hard rock, alternative metal, and post-grunge into a sound that’s made them one of the biggest Spanish-language rock exports in years.
Sept. 9 — The Belair Lip Bombs at Lodge Room
Lodge Room on Sept. 9 hosts The Belair Lip Bombs, the Australian dream-pop outfit known for jangly, sun-bleached guitars. Armlock opens with their own moody, atmospheric indie rock.
Sept. 9 — Dark Dazey at Zebulon
Zebulon on Sept. 9 turns into a bedroom-pop showcase when Dark Dazey headlines with her genre-blurring blend of alt-pop and electronica. Junno and Evan Blix round out a bill of rising local songwriters. No cover charge!
Sept. 10 — Sarah Davachi at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles becomes an instrument in its own right on Sept. 10, when Canadian composer Sarah Davachi fills the room with drone-heavy, organ-driven compositions. 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
The Pico-Union Project on Sept. 10 welcomes anaiis, the French-Senegalese singer bringing her soulful, jazz-inflected R&B to the intimate space. Her music blends warm, meditative vocals with genre-fluid arrangements that draw from soul, folk, and electronic textures.
Sept. 10 — Moondaddy at Gold-Diggers
Moondaddy brings their hazy, psych-tinged rock to Gold-Diggers on Sept. 10. Mark Crozer and Inner Magic open the night with their own brands of atmospheric guitar music.
Sept. 10 — Maisyn at Permanent Records Roadhouse
Singer-songwriter Maisyn headlines Permanent Records Roadhouse on Sept. 10 with her intimate, confessional indie-pop. The Two Seasons and Weird Spirit open the night.
Sept. 10 — Dylan Dunlap at Permanent Records Roadhouse
Dylan Dunlap brings his warm, melodic singer-songwriter fare to Permanent Records Roadhouse for a second show at the venue that same night. Cape Francis opens with his own gentle, folk-leaning sound.
Sept. 10 — Public Image Ltd at The Belasco
John Lydon’s post-punk institution Public Image Ltd brings four decades of confrontational, genre-defying sound to the Belasco on Sept. 10. LA punks Plague Vendor open the night.
Sept. 10 — Gordi at Zebulon
Zebulon on Sept. 10 welcomes Gordi, the Australian singer-songwriter continuing a soft spot for LA that goes back to a Regent Theater show just before the release of her debut album, Reservoir. Her atmospheric, electronic-tinged folk blends intimate songwriting with lush, textured production.
Sept. 11 — Thievery Corporation at YouTube Theater
YouTube Theater on Sept. 11 hosts Thievery Corporation, the Washington DC duo behind three decades of genre-blurring downtempo, dub, and electronic world music — we caught them pairing surprisingly well with Cypress Hill at the Greek Theatre back in 2015, and their 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. 11 — Locust at 2220 Arts + Archives
Ambient electronic project Locust, the project of Mark Van Hoen, brings hypnotic, textured soundscapes to 2220 Arts + Archives on Sept. 11 in celebration of their new album, Spectral+.
Sept. 11 — San Holo at Hollywood Palladium
Hollywood Palladium on Sept. 11 welcomes Dutch producer San Holo, whose emotive blend of future bass and electronic pop found real tenderness on a 2023 single that caught our attention, reveling in life’s small joys. Known for tracks like “Light” and “Bring Back the Color,” his live shows pair euphoric drops with genuine songwriting.
Sept. 11 — Dent May at Sid The Cat Auditorium
Sid The Cat Auditorium on Sept. 11 welcomes Dent May, the Mississippi songwriter who years ago charmed an El Rey crowd opening for Whitney. His sunny, ukulele-tinged pop splits the difference between vintage yacht-rock charm and off-kilter indie sensibility.
Sept. 11 — Johnny Blue Skies at Kia Forum
Sturgill Simpson performs under his Johnny Blue Skies alias at the Kia Forum on Sept. 11. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter continues to defy easy genre labels, moving fluidly between outlaw country, psych rock, and soul.
Sept. 11 — Wiki at Milky’s
Milky’s hosts NYC rapper Wiki on Sept. 11, known for his work with Ratking, whom we caught live in 2016 opening for Anima Collective, and for a string of acclaimed solo records. His gritty, off-kilter flow makes for live sets that are dense, wordy, and unmistakably New York.
Sept. 11 — ZASTAVA at Permanent Records Roadhouse
ZASTAVA headlines Permanent Records Roadhouse on Sept. 11 with their driving, guitar-forward rock. Fat Lady Sang open the night.
Sept. 11 — Pawpaw Rod at The Roxy
Pawpaw Rod brings his soulful, genre-blending R&B to the Roxy on Sept. 11, touching down not long after the release of his laidback single “Bettin’ On Me,” off his new album Picture Day. His sound draws from funk, hip-hop, and classic soul in equal measure.
Sept. 11 — Insect Surfers at The Smell
Surf-rock veterans Insect Surfers bring their reverb-drenched instrumentals to the Smell on Sept. 11. Kelp and The Band With No Name round out a night of DIY guitar music at the beloved all-ages venue.
Sept. 11 — Soft Vein at Zebulon
Soft Vein brings their shoegaze-leaning, dreamy guitar rock to Zebulon on Sept. 11. Expect washes of reverb and hazy, melodic songwriting.
Sept. 12 — Carla dal Forno at 2220 Arts + Archives
2220 Arts + Archives on Sept. 12 welcomes Carla dal Forno, the Australian musician behind a hazy, 80s-indebted synth-pop sound. Her music sits somewhere between post-punk chill and ambient pop, all wrapped in a dreamy, shadowy haze.
Sept. 12 — Altin Gün at Orpheum Theatre
Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 12 hosts Altin Gün, the Dutch-Turkish sextet behind psychedelic reimaginings of Anatolian folk, 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. 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. 12 — KiNG MALA at Teragram Ballroom
KiNG MALA headlines Teragram Ballroom on Sept. 12 with her sultry, alt-pop sound. She first caught our attention in 2023 with her EP SPILT MILK, and we’ve been lovin’ her creations ever since. Aurora View and Bodyimage open the night.
Sept. 12 — Manchester Orchestra at The Belasco
The Belasco on Sept. 12 welcomes Manchester Orchestra, the Atlanta indie rock stalwarts known for their heavy, emotionally raw sound. Brother Bird opens the night.
Sept. 12 — Lettuce at The Bellwether
The Bellwether on Sept. 12 welcomes Lettuce, the Boston funk juggernaut a few years removed from the stellar-energy set they threw at the Starlight Bowl. Expect extended jams built from funk, jazz, and hip-hop in equal measure.
Sept. 12 — The Exploited at The Novo
The Novo on Sept. 12 hosts a stacked punk bill headlined by The Exploited, the Scottish legends behind decades of relentless street punk. The Dwarves, D.I., and Total Chaos round out the night.
Sept. 12 — Tania Cassette at The Paramount
Tania Cassette brings her synth-driven, retro-leaning pop to the Paramount on Sept. 12. Expect a set steeped in vintage drum machines and new wave hooks.
Sept. 12 — Asal at The Regent Theater
Asal brings her genre-blending pop to the Regent Theater on Sept. 12. Her music draws on Middle Eastern melodic traditions alongside contemporary pop production.
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. 13 — Bratmobile at Lodge Room
Riot grrrls Bratmobile bring their scrappy, first-wave punk energy to Lodge Room on Sept. 13. The Sacred and Kim Theory open the night.
