- Standing room
Johanna Samuels leans on literate indie folk/pop writing and a warm, Laurel Canyon adjacent vocal presence. Zebulon is good for artists who need a little weirdness in the room.
Weekend
This weekend's live music picks across Los Angeles
Use this when you know you're going out this weekend and want a stronger first pass than a giant listings page.
Fresh daily
Sat Aug 15 · 2:04 AMLatest public edit
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3,787 raw listingsScanned before editing
80 picksLive in the guide
When
Type of night
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This weekend
- Intimate Two-Room Singer-Songwriter Space
Ty Segall lets the rough parts stay rough, which is part of the appeal. Hotel Cafe keeps the night simple, singer, room, and whether the material holds.
- Standing room
Plosivs is built around sharp, compact guitar songs. At The Roxy, the show gets a little gloss while staying close enough to judge.
- Large Club Room
RJMrLA puts West Coast hip hop and street rap out front. RJMrLA has enough musical detail to compare honestly with the larger bills.
- Intimate Listening Setup
SHINE Mawusi Women's African Drum Circle stays engaging when the music gives you a clean anchor. The World Stage brings community jazz gravity, the room listens before it judges.
- Standing room
Tomahawk leans on heavy, off kilter songs drawing from alternative metal, noise rock, and art rock. Tomahawk makes more sense if you want specificity over scale.
- Seated
Keith Washington sounds most distinctive in smooth, romantic soul and adult contemporary ballads. At Catalina, the night is about voice, timing, and whether the band can hold a table's attention.
- Seated
The Amanda Castro Band is strongest when theatrical vocals and dance floor arrangements comes through clearly. The Amanda Castro Band has enough musical detail to compare honestly with the larger bills.
- Venue page only
- General Live-Music Room
Borgore is strongest when dubstep, bass music, and festival EDM comes through clearly. Borgore makes more sense if you want specificity over scale.
- Intimate Listening Setup
Devin Daniels is about players in real time, touch, timing, and interplay you can hear. Devin Daniels makes more sense if you want specificity over scale.
- Intimate Listening Setup
Lean Rock goes for body movement before close listening. Lean Rock has enough musical detail to compare honestly with the larger bills.
- Standing room
Man Man leans on theatrical, piano driven songs and an unruly live show reputation. Man Man is easier to argue for when the bigger rooms feel too polished.
- Outdoor Amphitheater
Adrian Carmine goes for sweat and impact over polish. Adrian Carmine is easier to argue for when the bigger rooms feel too polished.
- Seated
Wayne Brady & Friends with Live Band puts tone and rhythm section detail right out front. At Blue Note Los Angeles, the close room keeps the set immediate.
- Venue page only
- Standing room
Alex Amen with Grass stays engaging when the music gives you a clean anchor. Lodge Room keeps the set immediate once the music gets specific.
- Standing room
Club Danceteria, A Madonna Night Dance Party wtih Rose Knows is built around movement, bass, and a room that wants to dance. Zebulon rewards sets that get specific before the room starts drifting.
- Outdoor Amphitheater
YOASOBI is strongest when bright vocals and electronic production comes through clearly. This is one of the nights where the music itself is the reason to make the plan.
- Standing room
Tomahawk sounds most distinctive in heavy, off kilter songs drawing from alternative metal, noise rock, and art rock. Tomahawk is the kind of smaller show that can beat the obvious bigger room.
- Intimate Listening Setup
World Stage Big Band puts tone and rhythm section detail right out front. At The World Stage, the music speaks directly or not at all.
- General Live-Music Room
Cat & Maomi is the physical end of the night, more pulse than reflection. Cat & Maomi is the kind of smaller show that can beat the obvious bigger room.
- Seated
Keith Washington lands harder with a real voice or rhythmic hook. For Sunday, Keith Washington lands better when the songs announce themselves quickly.
- Standing room
Noah Levine puts Corey Harper out front. At Moroccan Lounge, a good support level act can feel larger than expected.
- Flexible Art And Performance Space
Dirty Looks holds up in a room where small sounds can stay intact. Dirty Looks makes more sense if you want specificity over scale.
- General Live-Music Room
Gina Kuhn stays engaging when the music gives you a clean anchor. Alex's Bar is the right room for loud guitars and a low ceiling.
- Intimate Listening Setup
Sonja Marie is a voice first set, not a production first one. Sonja Marie makes more sense if you want specificity over scale.
- General Live-Music Room
The Pretty Flowers keeps the focus on jangly guitars, literate hooks, and local scene durability. Redwood is rough in the good way, informal, loud, and better with a drink nearby.
- Seated
The Sunday jazz set feels stronger when the sound is more specific than the title alone. Blue Note Los Angeles puts the Sunday jazz set close enough to the band for the songs to do the work.
- Standing room
Deradoorian, Mary Sea stays engaging when the music gives you a clean anchor. Deradoorian, Mary Sea gets a more revealing room at Zebulon, which helps when the music has real edges.
- Venue page only
- Standing room
Lotus Juice Player One US tour feels strongest when one part of the arrangement clicks early. Lodge Room rewards sets that get specific before the room starts drifting.
- Flexible Art And Performance Space
Sam Wenc + AV Moves is about players in real time, touch, timing, and interplay you can hear. 2220 Arts + Archives rewards sets that get specific before the room starts drifting.
- Standing room
Niina Soleil with Kafi and Camille Trust stays engaging when the music gives you a clean anchor. The Roxy Theatre keeps the set immediate once the music gets specific.
- Intimate Listening Setup
For Sunday, Sonja Marie lands better when the songs announce themselves quickly. Sonja Marie is more convincing when the band gives the songs a clear shape early.
- Standing room
Maddix is the physical end of the night, more pulse than reflection. Maddix is easier to argue for when the bigger rooms feel too polished.
- Intimate Listening Setup
Devin Daniels feels stronger once the first impression is musical, not just logistical. Devin Daniels at The World Stage reads clearly fast in a room that does not hide much.
- General Live-Music Room
Good Foot is a guitar set built on volume, edges, and immediacy. At Alex's Bar, Good Foot sounds better when it gets specific the moment it starts.
- Standing room
House of Heavy lets the rough parts stay rough, which is part of the appeal. House of Heavy (21+) is the kind of smaller show that can beat the obvious bigger room.
- General Live-Music Room
Maddix goes for body movement before close listening. Maddix is the kind of smaller show that can beat the obvious bigger room.
- General Live-Music Room
The Orwells puts rowdy, hooky indie rock and punk leaning live energy out front. The Orwells has enough detail to earn a second look.
- Art Deco Theater Room
Pi'erre Bourne feels stronger when the sound is more specific than the title alone. Pi'erre Bourne lands harder with a real voice or rhythmic hook.
- Venue page only
- Standing room
Matthew Dear B2B The Juan MacLean (DJ set), In The Round feels strongest when one part of the arrangement clicks early. At Lodge Room, the close room keeps the set immediate.