The season of the witch is creeping in, and this week’s concerts in Los Angeles lineup already has a few acts who’d fit right in on a Halloween playlist — look no further than darkwave duo Boy Harsher conjuring fog machines at the Palladium. Add in a stacked batch of the best indie shows in Los Angeles and a handful of genuinely underground shows in Los Angeles, and Oct. 12-18 is shaping up to be one of the best shows in Los Angeles weeks of the month.
See more shows coming up this October in Los Angeles!
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Oct. 12 — Schoolboy Q at The Novo
Schoolboy Q returns to LA for an intimate headlining set at The Novo on Oct. 12, just days after his Blank Face LP anniversary show at the Palladium. He’s spent his solo career toggling between menacing street narratives and off-kilter, psychedelic production, a range that’s kept his catalog from ever feeling predictable.
Oct. 12 — WILLOW at Blue Note Los Angeles
WILLOW follows her Pacific Electric date with a second, more intimate LA stop at Blue Note Los Angeles on Oct. 12. The jazz-club setting suits the smoky, fusion-leaning turn her songwriting has taken on recent releases, a world away from the pop-punk of her teenage years.
Oct. 14 — Peter Bjorn and John: Writer’s Block 20th Anniversary at Pacific Electric
Peter Bjorn and John mark 20 years of Writer’s Block with a full-album set at Pacific Electric on Oct. 14. The Swedish trio’s whistled hit “Young Folks” made them unlikely 2006 crossover stars, and we sat down with the band to talk through two decades of the record ahead of this very anniversary run.
Oct. 14 — This Is Lorelei at The Roxy
This Is Lorelei plays The Roxy on Oct. 14, with Colin Miller opening. Nate Amos’s solo project bends warped, lo-fi production around unexpectedly tender pop songwriting, a mix that’s made last year’s breakout album one of indie rock’s more unlikely word-of-mouth successes.
Oct. 14 — The Beths at Sid The Cat Auditorium
New Zealand power-pop outfit The Beths bring their hook-heavy guitar rock to Sid The Cat Auditorium on Oct. 14, with Chelsea Jade opening. Elizabeth Stokes’ razor-sharp melodies and self-deprecating lyrics have made the band a critical darling, their tightly wound songs built for both headphones and a packed room singing along.
Oct. 14 — Souls of Mischief at The Venice West
Bay Area hip-hop crew Souls of Mischief bring their boom-bap classics to The Venice West on Oct. 14. Thirty-plus years after 93 ’til Infinity, A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai are still a tight, jazzy throwback to Hieroglyphics-era golden-age rap, playing like old pros who know exactly what the crowd came to hear.
Oct. 14 — Turnstile at Ventura County Fairgrounds
Out past LA proper in Ventura, but worth the trip up the coast: Turnstile headline the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Oct. 14, with Pennywise and Die Spitz opening, as part of the Never Enough Tour’s second run. The Baltimore band has spent the last few years blowing past hardcore’s usual ceiling, folding in shoegaze, R&B, and arena-size hooks without losing an ounce of pit-starting intensity, the same chaotic, community-minded energy that made the trip from LA to SLC worth it at Kilby Block Party earlier this year.
Oct. 15 — LP: All Is Not Lost Tour at The Wiltern
Powerhouse vocalist LP brings her ukulele-driven pop-rock to The Wiltern on Oct. 15 for her All Is Not Lost Tour. Laura Pergolizzi has spent over a decade stacking soaring, whistle-backed hooks with a commanding, husky voice that’s landed her songs in everything from ad campaigns to telenovelas.
Oct. 15 — Shakey Graves: Fondness, Etc. Tour at The Bellwether
Oct. 15 finds Shakey Graves settling into The Bellwether for his Fondness, Etc. tour. Austin’s Alejandro Rose-Garcia built his name on stomp-box one-man-band performances before expanding into a full backing outfit, the same raw charisma that once charmed a sold-out Belasco with his one-man-band prowess a decade ago.
Oct. 15 — Militarie Gun at The Regent Theater
A hardcore-leaning bill takes over The Regent Theater on Oct. 15, headlined by Militarie Gun with support from Softcult, Shady Nasty, and Dazy. Ian Shelton’s band has become one of the genre’s breakout acts since 2020, channeling equal parts melodic hardcore and power-pop hooks into anthemic, mosh-ready sets.
Oct. 15 — Cynthia Erivo: Let Me Sing at Hollywood Bowl
Tony and Grammy winner Cynthia Erivo brings her Let Me Sing concert to Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 15, returning to the venue where she was cast as Jesus in a three-night run of Jesus Christ Superstar last year. The actor and vocalist built her name on Broadway and in Wicked before stepping into the spotlight as a recording artist in her own right, and this one-night show promises the kind of powerhouse belting she’s become known for.
Oct. 15-16 — Role Model at Greek Theatre
Pop heartthrob Role Model settles into Greek Theatre for two nights, Oct. 15-16, with Samia opening both shows. Tucker Pillsbury’s project has grown from bedroom-pop beginnings into a full-fledged, guitar-driven live show powered by his breakout album Kansas Anymore.
Oct. 16 — Spacemoth at The Moroccan Lounge
Dreamy psych-pop project Spacemoth plays The Moroccan Lounge on Oct. 16. Maryam Qudus’s shimmering, multi-instrumentalist songwriting blends breezy melodies with hazy, kaleidoscopic production.
Oct. 16 — Boy Harsher at Hollywood Palladium
Darkwave duo Boy Harsher brings their moody, pulsing sound to Hollywood Palladium on Oct. 16. Jae Matthews and Augustus Muller have spent the past decade refining a cinematic strain of synth-driven dance music, pairing icy production with Matthews’s commanding vocal delivery. With their recent signing to Atlantic Records — and their new, more synth-pop-leaning album, GET MEAN — the pair are definitely evolving in a major way.
Oct. 16 — Akeem Ali: The Texture Tour at Echoplex
R&B newcomer Akeem Ali brings his Texture Tour to Echoplex on Oct. 16. The rising vocalist layers smooth, textured production with confessional songwriting, drawing from both classic soul and modern alternative R&B.
Oct. 16 — Dinosaur Jr. at The Bellwether
Indie rock lifers Dinosaur Jr. bring their wall of fuzz to The Bellwether on Oct. 16, with Stef Chura opening. J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph have been at it since the mid-’80s, the same trio that once blended guitar shredding with beautiful melodies in a memorable FYF Fest set back in 2015.
Oct. 16 — Miami Horror at Pacific Electric
Pacific Electric on Oct. 16 welcomes Miami Horror, the Australian dance-pop outfit behind over a decade of breezy, synth-heavy singles built for a late-night dance floor. Ben Plant’s project has come a long way since it packed the Echoplex alongside Chapel Club and Superhumanoids back in 2011.
Oct. 16 — Juanes at Kia Forum
Juanes brings his North America Tour 2026 to Kia Forum on Oct. 16. Across a three-decade career, the Colombian singer-songwriter has folded cumbia, vallenato, and rock influences into some of Latin music’s most enduring anthems, from “A Dios le Pido” to “Es Por Ti.”
Oct. 16 — Kelsey Lu at El Rey Theatre
Avant-garde cellist and vocalist Kelsey Lu plays El Rey Theatre on Oct. 16. Her genre-defying work blends classical composition with ambient electronics and soulful songwriting, carving out a singular lane between chamber music and experimental pop. We last caught Kelsey Lu’s live performance at Yola Dia at the LA State Historic Park, where she delivered a rather meditative set that featured a fusion of blues and electronic.
Oct. 16 — Stones Throw 30: Automatic & Los Retros at Lodge Room
Stones Throw kicks off its 30th anniversary celebration at Lodge Room on Oct. 16, with co-headliners Automatic and Los Retros joined by Sudan Archives, N8NOFACE, Gabriel Da Rosa, and Angela Muñoz. Automatic’s tense, synth-driven post-punk and Los Retros’ breezy yacht-rock throwback make for a deliberately eclectic opening night, and Sudan Archives, for her part, has only gotten more electric since she turned the Fonda Theatre into an electrifying sci-fi rave on the final stop of her last tour.
Oct. 16 — Nice As Fuck at Sid The Cat Auditorium
Nice As Fuck marks ten years since its debut with an anniversary set at Sid The Cat Auditorium on Oct. 16, with DJ Alix Brown opening. The project pairs Jenny Lewis with members of Au Revoir Simone and The Like for a looser, groove-driven detour from her solo work, the same lineup we covered Nice As Fuck at the Glass House back in 2016, and they brought quite the immersive dance party.
Oct. 16 — Blondshell at The Wiltern
Blondshell brings her Scaring Strangers Tour to The Wiltern on Oct. 16, with Bully and Starcleaner Reunion opening. Sabrina Teitelbaum’s grunge-indebted confessional rock has only gotten heavier and more direct since her debut, and this marks her biggest headlining run yet.
Oct. 15-17 — Geese at Hollywood Forever
Geese set up on Fairbanks Lawn at Hollywood Forever for three outdoor nights, Oct. 15-17, with Bill Orcutt opening each one. Chaotic Good or not, this Brooklyn band has sold out all three nights.
Oct. 16-17 — Love Spells at The Roxy
Love Spells plays The Roxy for two nights, Oct. 16-17, with special guest Orca. The rising project’s dreamy, romantic alt-pop has been quietly building buzz since linking up with Kevin Abstract on “97 Jag,” and earlier this year it turned up for a secret show alongside Julia Jacklin in Los Angeles.
Oct. 16 & 18 — Miley: Bass Persuades at Hollywood Bowl
Miley takes a stripped-down, bass-forward detour through Hollywood Bowl for two non-consecutive nights, Oct. 16 & 18, on her Bass Persuades run. She’s spent two decades reinventing her sound across country, pop, and rock, and this residency finds her leaning into moodier, low-end-driven territory.
Oct. 17 — The Jungle Giants at Teragram Ballroom
Teragram Ballroom on Oct. 17 welcomes The Jungle Giants, the Brisbane four-piece behind a decade-plus of shimmering, danceable guitar-pop. Their last several albums have leaned further into disco grooves without losing the hooky, breezy core of their sound.
Oct. 17 — Silverlake Conservatory of Music 25th Anniversary ft. Red Hot Chili Peppers at Hollywood Palladium
Silverlake Conservatory of Music celebrates a quarter-century with a benefit concert at Hollywood Palladium on Oct. 17, headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers with Dave Grohl, Vince Staples, and comedian Marc Maron also on the bill. Flea co-founded the nonprofit music school in Silver Lake back in 2001, and this starry lineup doubles as a fitting tribute to the institution his band helped build.
Oct. 17 — Saint Levant at House of Blues Anaheim
Out past LA proper in Anaheim, but worth the drive: Saint Levant brings his Afandi World Tour to House of Blues Anaheim on Oct. 17. The French-Palestinian rapper and singer has built a devoted following on bilingual, genre-blending tracks that move fluidly between Arabic pop, trap, and R&B.
Oct. 17 — Peaches at Fonda Theatre
Peaches brings her confrontational electroclash to Fonda Theatre on Oct. 17, with Gelli Haha and Soltera opening. Merrill Nisker has spent a quarter-century turning filthy, minimalist beats into a genuinely radical statement on gender and sexuality, the same unfiltered chaos that had her and CHRISTEEN rocking our fuckin’ socks off at The Regent alongside the Regrettes back in 2015, and at Just Like Heaven in 2023.
Oct. 17 — Thee Sinseers: Love Stories Tour at The Wiltern
Thee Sinseers bring their Love Stories Tour to The Wiltern on Oct. 17. The East LA soul revivalists have spent the past several years reviving vintage doo-wop and oldies-inspired soul for a new generation, the same sound we spotlighted when they headlined a Noche Cósmica bill at The Ford back in 2022, and later heard woven into a packed El Rey Theatre during Cuco’s album premiere last year.
Oct. 17 — Young Miko: Late Checkout Tour at Intuit Dome
Intuit Dome on Oct. 17 hosts Young Miko’s Late Checkout Tour. The Puerto Rican rapper’s genre-blending flow — part reggaeton, part trap, part R&B — has made her one of Latin urbano’s fastest-rising stars, and we tracked her ahead of her album Do Not Disturb with the single “Likey Like.”
Oct. 17 — Stones Throw 30: Peanut Butter Wolf at Lodge Room
Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf headlines night two of the label’s 30th anniversary run at Lodge Room on Oct. 17, backed by a sprawling lineup including Aloe Blacc, a Tuxedo DJ set from Mayer Hawthorne and Jake One, A-Trak, Dām-Funk, J.Rocc marking Donuts‘ 20th anniversary, Karriem Riggins, Wildchild & DJ Romes, MNDSGN, Rasco & Planet Asia, Koreatown Oddity, The Architect, Fanatik, and Eric Andre. The DJ and label head has spent three decades curating one of hip-hop and funk’s most consistently inventive rosters, the same soulful, funky sounds he brought to the Penthouse as part of ArtDontSleep during the Music Center’s Sleepless after-hours event back in 2016.
Oct. 17 — Permanent Records 20th Anniversary ft. Zig Zags at Permanent Records Roadhouse
Permanent Records marks two decades in business with an anniversary show at Permanent Records Roadhouse on Oct. 17, headlined by Zig Zags with Golden Grease opening. The scrappy, fuzzed-out garage-punk trio has been a fixture of the local DIY scene for years, a fitting match for a record shop that’s built its own reputation one crate-digging regular at a time.
Oct. 17 — Bedouine at Sid The Cat Auditorium
Bedouine plays Sid The Cat Auditorium on Oct. 17. Azniv Korkejian’s hushed, nylon-string folk draws as much from Laurel Canyon singer-songwriters as it does from her own itinerant upbringing across the Middle East and the American South, a quietly transportive sound best heard in a room this intimate.
Oct. 17 — glaive at The Glass House
Not LA proper, but worth the drive out to Pomona: glaive plays The Glass House on Oct. 17. The hyperpop-turned-indie singer-songwriter has spent his early twenties restlessly reinventing his sound, trading glitchy digicore production for a more guitar-driven, emo-leaning turn.
Oct. 17-18 — Iron and Wine at The Ford
Iron and Wine — the recording project of Sam Beam — plays The Ford for two nights, Oct. 17-18, with Ken Pomeroy opening the first night. Beam’s hushed, literary folk songwriting has anchored nearly a quarter-century of records, moving fluidly between whisper-quiet acoustic ballads and lush, full-band arrangements.
Oct. 17-18 — Charli xcx: Music, Fashion, Film Tour at Kia Forum
Charli xcx’s Music, Fashion, Film Tour lands at Kia Forum for two nights, Oct. 17-18, with underscores opening. The brat-era provocateur has spent the last couple years redefining what a pop arena show can look like, and we covered the $20 angel-ticket rollout when this very tour was announced. Did you score? We sure hope you did.
Oct. 18 — SEX PISTOLS at Hollywood Palladium
Sex Pistols tear into Hollywood Palladium on Oct. 18, with Frank Carter stepping in on vocals. Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock’s band remains one of punk’s foundational forces, and this lineup finds the Rattlesnakes frontman channeling the same snarling energy that defined the band’s brief, explosive run five decades ago.
Oct. 18 — Thee Sinseers: Love Stories Tour at Pacific Electric
Thee Sinseers double back for a second Love Stories Tour stop at Pacific Electric on Oct. 18. The group’s warm horn arrangements and close vocal harmonies keep drawing from classic soul and doo-wop, filling out a sound that feels ripped from a decades-old dance hall — the same sound we spotlighted when they headlined a Noche Cósmica bill at The Fordback in 2022, and later heard woven into a packed El Rey Theatre during Cuco’s album premiere last year.
Oct. 18 — Stones Throw 30: Mild High Club at Lodge Room
Stones Throw closes out its 30th anniversary weekend at Lodge Room on Oct. 18, with Mild High Club headlining a bill stacked with Egyptian Lover, John Carroll Kirby, Bardo, Michi, Gary Wilson, Jerry Paper, Lionmilk, Vex Ruffin, Maylee Todd, and Kyle Mooney. Alex Brettin’s project has spent over a decade filtering psychedelic pop through warped, lo-fi production, a fittingly hazy note to end the label’s three-night run on.
Oct. 18 — Killah Priest at Gold-Diggers
Wu-Tang affiliate Killah Priest brings his dense, scripture-steeped lyricism to Gold-Diggers on Oct. 18. A mainstay of the Wu extended family since the mid-’90s, he’s built a catalog that trades in heavy, philosophical, often apocalyptic imagery over similarly murky, soul-sampled production.
Oct. 18 — Turnstile at The Observatory
Not LA proper, but worth the drive out to Santa Ana: Turnstile headline the Festival Grounds at The Observatory on Oct. 18, with Boy Harsher and Terror opening, the second SoCal stop on the Never Enough Tour’s latest run. This bill pairs the Baltimore band’s shoegaze-dusted hardcore with Boy Harsher’s icy darkwave and Terror’s straight-up hardcore punch, for a night that spans the genre’s extremes.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Turnstile’s To Play a Free Show at the Washington Monument
Oct. 18-19 — Kacey Musgraves at Crypto.com Arena
Kacey Musgraves holds down Crypto.com Arena for two nights, Oct. 18-19, with Gabriella Rose and Estevie splitting opening duties. The Texas-born singer-songwriter has spent over a decade bridging country songwriting with cosmic, genre-blurring production. We first experienced her live in 2016 at SXSW and have been hooked ever since.
If Tickets Are Sold Out …
Ugh. It always sucks when we have to resort to this, but… You can try StubHub or Vivid Seats. Both resale ticket platforms offer 100% buyer-back guarantees if they are not able to come through with the tickets you purchased.
BEST CONCERTS IN LOS ANGELES THIS MONTH
