The best upcoming concerts in L.A.

It’s an event, to say the least, when the world’s biggest cartoon band brings its chart-topping show to town. Murdoc & Co. are of course helmed by Damon Albarn and cult cartoon artist Jamie Hewlett, with a cast of impressive (as in, spit-out-your-drink-impressive) collaborators. Albarn and the Gorillaz live band just performed their new album, The Mountain, in full during two sold-out dates at the Palladium in February, but for those who couldn’t snag tickets to the intimate shows, not to worry: The band will be stopping at the Kia Forum in October as part of its arena tour, supported by Deltron 3030. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 9, at 10am. In the meantime, you can catch the band’s “House of Kong” exhibition in DTLA through March 19.

Treat your ears to a vibrant concert on a spring or summer night by attending MUSE/IQUE’s annual program. This concert series, held at cultural venues across L.A., features a mix of performances inspired by music movements and public figures, including tributes to Quincy Jones, Joni Mitchell, the world of Oz, the Harlem Renaissance, the American Sound and more. You can make a $75 donation to the performing arts nonprofit for a single event, or become a MUSE/IQUE member if you’re interested in multiple programs.

Make your way to the desert for the Joshua Tree Music Festival, a gathering of like-minded indie musicians who will be rocking out to a dance-world-electro-funk’n groove. The biannual festival is a four-day party with over 30 bands in a unique lineup of artists who aren’t necessarily household names. There’s free water to all patrons, minimal service charges on tickets and yoga classes aplenty.

On the outskirts of town at the Motor Speedway, Electric Daisy Carnival is pure, condensed Vegas. There is a VIP Ferris wheel. Helicopters shuttle in high rollers. The massive crowd is soaked in ecstasy and spray tan. Every millionaire DJ that plays the laser-riddled nightclubs on the Strip is here. EDC introduced EDM as a Day-Glo spectacle for the masses in America, and its lineups in recent years have certainly lived up to the hype (this year’s includes John Summit, Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Zedd, Kaskade, the Prodigy, the Chainsmokers and many more). Once you let the neon and bass wash over you, it is the time of your life.

After years on the Central Coast, the annual event has more recently made a move significantly closer to L.A., at Bakersfield’s Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area. Sure, it’s still a bit of a trek, but where else can you find a sustainable, vegetarian festival dedicated to equal parts music, food, art, yoga and wellness? Expect to do some serious soul-searching during this five-day retreat, all while immersing yourself in everything from a speaker series to an old timey trading post. Empire of the Sun, Mau P, Sara Landry, Zeds Dead, Chase & Status, Mochakk, Barry Can’t Swim and Tinashe top the 2026 lineup.

This weekend-long concert will once again return to West Hollywood Park as part of WeHo Pride; the reunited Pussycat Dolls, Jade and Ava Max top the 2026 edition, with additional sets from Ashlee Sumpson, Confidence Man, Flo, Blue Man Group and a DJ set from Melanie C. If the ticket prices have you down, don’t worry: Friday night’s programming is usually free with an RSVP.

Ariana Grande will finally tour again next year, and fans in Los Angeles are in for something special: The Oscar-nominated Wicked star is bringing her Eternal Sunshine Tour to L.A. for five nights of arena magic—split between the Crypto.com Arena and Kia Forum—that promise to feel both intimate and gigantic.  This is her first tour since the 2019 Sweetener World Tour, and it’s in support of her seventh album, Eternal Sunshine, and its deluxe edition, Brighter Days Ahead. The tour kicks off June 6, 2026, in Oakland before Los Angeles gets a five-night run that feels like a homecoming. Is it too early to call it the highlight of the summer?

House music hits the Queen Mary waterfront during this two-day fest from Insomniac. This year’s event, which features two existing stages plus the brand-new Long Beach Amphitheater, has yet to announce its lineup, but past performers include the likes of Dom Dolla, Fisher, John Summit, Gorgon City and BLOND:ISH.

EDM juggernaut HARD Summer hopped around Southern California for a while, but now it’s settled back in town—and for 2026 again heads to the grounds of Hollywood Park, next to SoFi Stadium. No matter the location, its dedication to bringing the biggest names in the hip-hop and electronic scene has stayed the course. This year’s lineup includes Kali Uchis, DJ Snake, Tokischa, 2hollis, Zack Fox and many more.

Nearly three decades in and a few personnel shake-ups later, Ben Gibbard and Co. still craft some of the finest melancholy, emotional pop songs. Catch Death Cab for Cutie in support of their latest, I Built You A Tower, during a pair of shows at the Greek.