Recently, I got into a debate with a friend about the merits of seeing a musician live versus listening to their album or hearing them on the radio. Seeing as how I have made a small career out of attending concerts, I argued vehemently in favor of the live music experience. While I do agree that not every musician you like will impress you live, for me, an artist’s live show really dictates to what degree I will continue to support their music. Oftentimes, I find myself leaving a venue in awe, feeling as though the music is still coursing through my veins, my head buzzing with adrenaline, remembering the way the musician’s body curled and swayed as their own lyrics overtook them. How can you translate that experience completely onto a cd? It’s impossible.
The argument with my friend made me realize that perhaps some people just need a little bit of guidance when it comes to concerts. Clearly, if you are favoring a studio album over a live performance, you’re not seeing the right artists live.
The Top Ten Must-See Upcoming Tours:
10. LCD Soundsystem: Fronted by music producer James Murphy, this experimental electronic group is perhaps one of the most exuberant and belligerent acts you will have the opportunity to see live. James Murphy is known for being a bit of a loose cannon, often bringing a bottle of champagne on stage with him and taking generous swigs throughout his set. As if that weren’t enough, opening for the group at the Hollywood Bowl will be Hot Chip, an electro-pop hailing from the United Kingdom, known for their catchy dance tunes and energetic sets. In addition, newcomer Sleigh Bells has just been added to the roster. The noise-pop duo recently released an album in May to critical acclaim and the LCD show will be a great time to catch them live since their recent show HARD M.I.A was suddenly cancelled. Tickets for the October 15th tour date should be on sale within t
he next week.
9. Blonde Redhead: This multi-lingual rock trio has been making music for about fifteen years, yet never fails to impress. This September they will release their highly anticipated eighth studio album Penny Sparkle and tour shortly afterwards with the German DJ, Pantha Du Prince. Whenever you are given the opportunity to see musicians with such a large, yet consistently good music catalogue, seize it! Blonde Redhead will be performing at The Glass House on November 14th and The Music Box on November 15th, tickets are currently available on ticketmaster.
8. Grizzly Bear: For those of you who prefer something a bit more lowkey, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to Grizzly Bear. The Brooklyn-based folk band has developed quite the resume, perhaps their most notable achievement being headlining a tour with Radiohead in 2008. In fact, Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood has since claimed that Grizzly Bear is his favorite band. The band, who has not performed in Los Angeles since October of 2009, will be playing at the Hollywood Bowl on September 18th with the bands Phoenix and Girls.
7. Dirty Projectors: This experimental rock group began to gain notoriety with the release of their sophomore album, Bitte Orca released last year. A stellar performance at Coachella Music Festival in April sealed the deal for the group and they seem to have only gained popularity and acclaim since. Most recently, the band released a digital ep entitled Mount Wittenberg Orca with musical legend Björk and although she won’t be joining them on tour this time, this young, energetic band alone promises not to disappoint. The Dirty Projectors will be playing at Pomona’s Glass House on September 23rd and The Wiltern on September 24th.
6. Florence & the Machine: Whether or not you realize it, you’re already familiar with Florence Welch’s music. The familiar drumming from her single ‘Dog Days are Over‘ can be heard on movie trailers (such as Eat, Pray, Love) and in your favorite television show’s score. Pretty impressive for an artist that has only released one album, right? Florence has not returned to California since Coachella and the fiery redhead’s highly anticipated US tour is sure to exceed all expectations. You can catch the English songstress at The Wiltern on November 6th.
5. Gorillaz: Who doesn’t love Gorillaz? The virtual band recently unveiled their faces at Coachella, proving themselves to be fairly non-descript outside of their music, which continues to impress and break boundaries. The band’s live show also tends to include at least a few prolific guest stars, past performers include Bobby Womack, Little Dragon, Snoop Dogg and Lou Reed. The band will be performing their 2010 release, Plastic Beach at Gibson Ampitheatre on October 27th and tickets will be available for purchase after August 6th.
4. Jónsi: Best known for his vocals with the Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós, Jónsi released his first solo album Go in April of this year, surprising audiences with an innovative orchestral sound that paired nicely with his falsetto vocals. Jónsi will begin his first American solo tour this fall, with a single stop in Los Angeles on October 17th at The Wiltern.
3. The Black Keys: Following the success of their most recent album, Brothers, blues-rock group The Black Keys will be bringing their soulful tunes to Los Angeles for a single date in September. The Black Keys music is reminiscent of classic Southern blues and only a precious few talented artists are experimenting within this genre. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear your favorite old and new hits from this Ohio rock band at the Hollywood Palladium on September 27th.
2. AIR: You might remember first hearing their sensual, lulling music as the score of 1999’s blockbuster Virgin Suicides. AIR, a backronym which has come to stand for Amour, Imagination, Rêve (Love, Imagination, Dream), consists of two talented Frenchmen who have, since their debut, redefined electronica music. The duo will be promoting their 2009 release Love 2 as well as performing some of their older catalogue, on October 23rd at the Shrine Auditorium. In addition, opening for AIR will be newcomers Quadron, an electronic soul duo whose self-titled premier album has garnered much attention since it’s debut only a few months ago.
1. 
of Montreal & Janelle Monae: What could be a better way to kick off your Halloween weekend than to treat yourself to what is sure to be a theatrical and spooky show with the Georgian rock band of Montreal and petite songbird Janelle Monae? of Montreal is currently gearing up to release their tenth full-length studio album False Priest, which has been described by its members as “very dancy, very funky…” and with a “thick R&B influence.” Janelle Monae’s recent release The ArchAndroid features of Montreal on one of her more notable tracks while the rest of the album proves to be creatively genius as it tells the story of her heroic alter-ego Cindi Mayweather through song. The singer is known for art-inspired cinematic performances and surely we can expect no less from her on her Hallow’s Eve date with of Montreal. Janelle Monae and of Montreal will be performing on October 30th at the Hollywood Palladium.
