Author Archives: Hayley Parker

Unmatched vocals paired with a dose of powerhouse energy, Tori Kelly left it all on stage as she wrapped up the US leg of her Purple Skies tour on Saturday at The Wiltern.

Gaining initial recognition by posting covers on Youtube as a teenager, Kelly went on to appear on American Idol in 2010. Rising to fame as a household name in the music industry and beyond, listeners were captivated by her soulful range, original lyrics, and girl next door persona.

Announcing that the LA performance would be live-streamed on VEEPS, fans from Brazil, Indonesia, and beyond shared their excitement on Instagram, expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to experience the show from afar. The global reach of Tori Kelly’s music was evident as messages poured in from all corners of the world, showcasing her widespread impact and the loyalty of her diverse fanbase.

Throwing her signature curls as she belted out 2016 hits “Should’ve Been Us” and “Nobody Love,” the Grammy Award winning artist energized the sold out crowd to dance and sing along. Transitioning effortlessly into moments that showcased her raw talent, it was just Kelly and her guitar as she asked the audience for song requests, performing “Unbreakable Smile” and “Paper Hearts,” two fan favorites.

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Radiating energy, charm, and nostalgia, Jesse McCartney concluded Part 2 of the All’s Well Tour at The Fox Theater on Friday night.

Rising to stardom in the 2000s with his debut album Beautiful Soul, McCartney is now celebrating two decades of feel-good tunes and a remarkably successful career. From his early days of opening for the The Backstreet Boys and New Kids On The Block to demonstrating his acting skills on screen and even voicing popular animated characters, the triple threat musician has defied stereotypes of a typical teen star.

Treating fans to a well-curated setlist spanning his career—from beloved early hits “Leaving” and “Right Where you Want Me” to newer tracks “Wasted” and “Faux Fur”— each note was delivered with passion, connection and warmth.

Showcasing not only his evolution as an artist but also his maturity, the singer’s newest tracks from his 2024 EP “All’s Well” feature themes of growing up and parenthood—providing continued relatability with an audience that has aged alongside the Grammy-nominated singer.

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P!NK transformed Dodger Stadium into a spectacle of acrobatics, heartfelt banter, and electrifying tunes as she brought her Summer Carnival Tour to Los Angeles on Sunday night.

Kicking off the evening, Irish rock band The Script delivered a high-energy performance filled with classic hits “Breakeven” and “Hall of Fame” as well as a taste of the tunes from their 2024 album, Satellites. Parading across the stage, lead singer Danny O’Donoghue got the audience’s vocals thoroughly warmed up as the crowd filed in.

Next up: Sheryl Crow. Exuding comfortability on stage, the nine time Grammy award winning artist performed her chart-toppers including “All I Wanna Do” and “Soak Up The Sun.” A soundtrack to the ’90s, it was evident that many in the audience enjoyed reminiscing with her tunes. However, that didn’t stop the younger generations also bopping along to Crow’s timeless tracks.

As the lights dimmed and the audience hushed, it was time for P!NK to take the stage. Known for her incredible vocal control and undoubtedly catchy beats, P!NK has continuously delivered number one hits since her debut in 2000.

Emerging from a pair of lips hung high on the stage, P!NK wasted no time in showcasing her aerial skills. Opening with the fitting tune “Get The Party Started,” the singer flipped her way down to the ground on a bungee style mechanism as the crowd watched on in awe.

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Delivering a night of infectious tunes, Vampire Weekend mesmerized a crowd of 17,000 at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday night (6/12). 

Warming up the audience for the main event, The English Beat took to the stage with a reggae cover of The Staple Singers’ hit song “I’ll Take You There.” Serving up a hearty dose of nostalgia with their choice of tunes, it was impossible not to bop along as the stadium filled to capacity.

Formed in 2006, Vampire Weekend shot to fame with their 2008 debut album release, notably due to hits “A-Punk” (famously played by the band at Lollapalooza three times in a row) and “Oxford Comma.” Leaving a lasting imprint on the music industry, their Indie rock style with murmurs of a jam band are incredibly easy to listen to yet seemingly hard to replicate.

Kicking off their set with some fan favorite tunes from their 2010 album Contra, lead singer and guitarist Ezra Koenig, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio graced the stage with charisma that only 20+ years of experience performing can bring. As their “Vampire Weekend” backdrop cascaded to reveal their full band, the energy continued to increase as the crowd watched, danced and sang on in awe.

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Serving up a hearty dose of nostalgia, British rock band The Kooks took to the Hollywood Palladium on Thursday night to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their hit album, Inside In/Inside Out.

Warming up the crowd while effortlessly gaining a new group of fans, fellow UK rock band The Vaccines played an opening 17 song set covering their 14 year discography. Groovy and familiar yet fresh, it’s hard not to picture their tunes as the soundtrack to a summer’s day with a cold libation in hand. Opening for an impressive list of bands including The Rolling Stones and Red Hot Chili Peppers, the four-piece band is now going on their own headlining tour across Mexico, Australia, and Europe. With the audience amped up and ready to go, it was time for the headliners to take the stage.

Formed in 2004, The Kooks have maintained a certain boyish, small town charm despite reaching mammoth levels of success. “We made it to Hollywooood!” lead singer Luke Pritchard exclaimed at one point, thanking the crowd for their support.

Despite over a decade having passed since Inside In/Inside Out’s release, the packed house was more than happy to travel back in time for the night. From “Seaside” to “She Moves in Her Own Way” as well as a peek into their newer tunes with “Closer” off their 2022 album 10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark, the journey across decades proved a reprieve from reality.

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Playful, charming, and a straight up joy to watch, The Struts delivered their final performance of their Remember the Name Tour at The Wiltern on Sunday night.

Formed in 2012, the British rock band came up with their name during an early rehearsal, with lead singer Luke Spiller noting “I was just moving around and somebody was like, ‘you strut around a lot.’ From then on, we knew we had a great name. We couldn’t believe it hadn’t been taken.”

Waiting for the band to take the stage, I began chatting to some dedicated fans who were buzzing with excitement, exclaiming “It’s their last show, it’s being live-streamed, AND we’re front row. This is going to be a good one!”

Living up to their name, their dynamic performance was effortlessly enchanting from the first note, opening with 2014 hit “Dirty Sexy Money.’”Parading (or, rather—strutting,) across the stage, the four-piece band played 17 mesmerizing songs in total from their discography, each showcasing varying elements of their raw talent. Whether it was a shattering guitar solo or a crowd call and response, the audience was undeniably immersed in the production.

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Gracing the stage of The Roxy Theatre, 33 year old singer-songwriter and musician Barns Courtney treated fans to a rowdy night of entertainment. With his songs being used in everything from movies to television to video games, chances are you’ve had the pleasure of listening to the indie rock artist’s addictive tunes.

The final show in the Supernatural Tour which spanned Canada and the US, Courtney opened the night with 2019 bop “Fun Never Ends,” immediately captivating the crowd with his sprightly moves and raspy tone. Despite signage in the theatre calling for no stage diving, the English-born artist couldn’t resist jumping into the audience, at one point being held up by the crowd as he sang 2017 release “Kicks.”

Affirming to the fans he had only one song left, Courtney performed his claim to fame track “Fire,” with the band swiftly thanking the audience and leaving the stage. Immediately met with murmurs questioning whether there would be an encore, fans excitedly chatted about the awe-inspiring performance they had just witnessed.

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An Australian national treasure, Matt Corby took to the stage at The Fonda Theatre on Sunday night promoting his 2023 album Everything’s Fine.

Born in Australia myself, I’ve been a fan of the singer and songwriter since he first appeared on Australian Idol in 2007. Perhaps it’s his nostalgic songs (highly recommend checking out older hits “Resolution” and “Brother” as a gateway into his velvety discography of tunes) and the fact the crowd was vibrating with accents from the homeland or his classic Aussie banter, this was truly one of my most unforgettable concert experiences to date.

Joined by a three-piece band, Corby’s music is best described as a blend of soulful indie/folk/rock. It’s soothing, yet also belt-worthy at times and always vocally impressive. “I’ve got chills” was a phrase spoken multiple times by concert goers nearby. Opening with 2023 release “Carry On,” Corby went on to play a set of 15 songs each as powerful and emotive as the next. Stopping to address the audience in-between songs, the artist apologized for canceling his LA show earlier this month, “I had the laryngitis, I’m sorry!”

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