Get Into the LA Groove: Sep. 23-29, 2024

In the 1980s, Baltimore-based Linda Smith began to garner a following for her lo-fi cassette recordings. That following has only grown over the years as more and more of her work has become accessible. This year, several of her vintage recordings, including two full lengths dating back to the mid-1990s, have been re-released. Smith will be playing in LA for the first time ever on Monday, September 23 at Zebulon. Local indie band Semi Trucks will open the show and Azalia Snail, who recently released the omnichord-based experimental album, PowerLover, will DJ. Tickets at Dice.

A favorite amongst fans of the 4AD record label, His Name Is Alive is about to release a 6xLP box set, How Ghosts Affect Relationships: 1990-1993, that collects the first three albums with bonus cuts and previously unreleased tunes. Before the box set drops, His Name Is Alive will play Zebulon on Tuesday, September 24 with support from local dreampop outfit Creyogeyser. Tickets at Dice.

Multi-GRAMMY winner Anderson .Paak will not only make his Hollywood Bowl debut on Tuesday, September 24, but he will be play with an orchestra for the first time. Join the Southern California hip-hop superstar as he performs his breakthrough album Malibu with Derrick Hodge conducting the Color of Noize Orchestra. R&B duo Gawd opens the show.

Influential Japanese producer and recording artist Cornelius celebrates his 30th anniversary with the tour named after his 2023 full-length, Dream in Dream. Cornelius, who recently released the indie dance-meets-psychedelic rock EP, “Bad Advice/Mind Train,” hits The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood on Tuesday, September 24. Money Mark, the LA-based keyboardist known for his collaborations with the Beastie Boys, will open the show. Tickets at AXS.

Nearly 40 years ago, James opened up for The Smiths on the band’s tour for the now-classic album, Meat Is Murder. This fall, The Smiths’ co-founder and iconic guitarist, Johnny Marr, and James, best known for their mid-1990s hit “Laid,” are co-headlining a U.S. tour that will see them play two nights at Downtown LA's Orpheum Theatre. Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Oakland indie rockers Fave Fruit have hit the stage for festivals like Outside Lands and the John Waters-hosted Halloween Meltdown and have been touted as the Bay Area’s “best emerging band” by radio station KQED. Fake Fruit, who recently released their sophomore album, Mucho Mistrust, headlines Gold-Diggers on Thursday, September 26 with Phoenix-based Dolly Creamer opening. Tickets at Dice.

On her most recent album, Ecdysis, Berlin-based Zanias fuses ethereal, EBM and trance to create a unique sound that gives new age vibes while still being very club-friendly. Zanias is only playing three cities on this U.S. jaunt, so be sure to catch her in LA on September 26, where she’ll be playing El Cid. Tickets at Dice.

Japanese doom metal heroes, Boris, will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album Amplifier Worship with a six-week U.S. tour. Catch them at The Belasco in Downtown LA, where the band will play Amplifier Worship in its entirety. LA rockers Starcrawler open. Tickets at Live Nation.

Get ready for an explosive double bill at The Shrine on Thursday, September 26! Long-running Mexican rock band, Molotov, who released their most recent album, Sólo D’Lira, last year, co-headlines with Rock en Español titans Maldita Vecinidad. In addition to General Admission tickets, the Soundcheck Experience package includes entry to the pre-show soundcheck with both bands and VIP balcony access during the show.

Since 1989, Brujeria has been mixing humor and sly political commentary in their mix of death metal and grindcore. The cult favorite band concludes their Mexorcista tour on Friday, September 27 at The Paramount in Boyle Heights. Special guest for this show is TBA. Tickets to the all-ages show at Dice.

Jungle, the British dance music outfit whose 2023 album, Volcano, spawned the online hit “Back on 74,” headlines the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, September 27. Opening the show is rapper Bas, who collaborated with Jungle on the track “Pretty Little Things.”

Over the last few years, Goose has gained a tremendous following in the jam band world with high-profile fans like Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend. The Connecticut band hits The Greek Theatre on Friday, September 27. While you can’t really know what to expect from a band that has opened with an 18-minute cover of “Tomorrow Never Knows,” you might get an idea if you listen to the recordings that they’ve posted on Bandcamp. Tickets to the all-ages show at Ticketmaster.

Dubbed “Britain’s foremost protest singer” by The Guardian, Billy Bragg celebrated his 40th anniversary as a singer with last year’s compilation album, The Roaring Forty. His current U.S. tour takes its name from the same album and LA’s chance to see the celebrated singer-songwriter is Friday, September 27, at The Fonda. Tickets at AXS.

To celebrate the birthday of Marc Bolan, as well as the GRAMMY Museum’s premiere screening of Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex, Rolan Bolan and Richard Barone present Bolan Birthday Bash, a night of the late glam rock icon’s songs at The Sun Rose. Performers include Debbi and Vicki Peterson of The Bangles; John Cowsill, TV and radio host Matt Pinfield and many more. Tickets at Dice.

On tour in support of her critically lauded 2023 album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, Mitski headlines the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, September 28, with support from fellow singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten. Gates open two hours prior to the show’s 8pm start, so make plans to arrive early for a picnic dinner at the venue.

Acid Mothers Temple is so prolific that the Japanese psychedelic rock band just released a second 24-hour compilation of remastered recordings. Known as much for their live shows as they are for the amount of music they’ve released, Acid Mothers Temple is heading out on a U.S. tour that will take them through much of the fall. They’ll play the Lodge Room on September 28 with psych-tinged, hard rock tour mates, Spirit Mother.

From the mod-punk sound of The Jam to the soulful vibes of Style Council, Paul Weller’s influence can’t be overstated. The Modfather, as the British icon is known, celebrated his 66th birthday this year with the release of his seventeenth solo album, fittingly titled 66. His tour in support of the album includes two nights at The Orpheum in Downtown LA. Irish up-and-comer George Houston will open. Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Since 1999, LA-based online radio station Dublab has garnered a global following of listeners who tune in for a cross-genre mix of independent programming. On Saturday, September 28, the station will celebrate their 25th anniversary at Zebulon. The stacked lineup features 25 DJs, live performances and visual artwork. Suggested donation is $10.