The Best Los Angeles Nightlife: Jan. 13-19, 2025

Local rockers Hot Load continue their month-long Monday night residency at Zebulon on January 13. This week, the band is joined by industrial-synthpunk project ¿La Pregunta?, Strangers and Cristo, with DJ Soltera playing throughout the night. There’s no cover, but suggested $10 donations will be accepted at the door for youth music program Chicas Rockeras. RSVP at Dice.

Recognizable from the HBO series Irma Vep and her work as a model, Devon Ross is also an accomplished guitarist and vocalist who released the infectious indie rock EP Oxford Gardens last year on Thurston Moore and Eva Prinz’s record label, Daydream Library Series. Catch Ross live on Tuesday night at Zebulon with Longplayer, whose latest single, “I Saw You Turning Around” meshes Beach Boys-style harmony with a lowkey funky groove. Free with RSVP at Dice.

"Talisman" is the theme for Belle, Book & Candle’s first event of 2025 at El Cid. The monthly revue, organized by Pleasant Gehman and Shana Leilani, brings together magic and burlesque for a unique experience that includes a ritual, performed this month by Intuitive Shana. Performers include Lena Fumi, Via L’Once, Seraphina Wilder, Daddy Longlegs, Malia Delapenia and Princess Farhana. Tickets at Dice.

GRAMMY-winning artist Meshell Ndegeocello continues to dig into the work of James Baldwin, as well as fellow writer and activist Audre Lorde, on her latest album No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin. She’s playing three concerts at Highland Park’s Lodge Room, but the only one that still has tickets available is the 10:15pm performance on Wednesday, January 15. Get your tickets quickly before this show sells out as well!

With her fusion of jazz, psychedelic rock and electronic elements and a fiercely independent approach to music, Berlin-based Mary Ocher is one of today’s most intriguing artists - her album Your Guide to Revolution was a highlight of 2024. Ocher will be performing in LA for the first time since the pandemic on Thursday, January 16 at 2220 Arts + Archives with support from Isaac Sherman. Tickets at Dice.

French duo Jersey has been making waves for more than a year with house party videos and hyperpop jams like “Talk Tonight” and “I Want You.” Brothers Carl and Renaud bring their “Please, Don’t Break Our New Synths” world tour to The Fonda Theatre on Thursday, January 16. Tickets at AXS.

Brainiac, the Dayton, Ohio ’90s band whose electro-rock sound influenced the likes of Muse and Mars Volta, heads to the West Coast this month and they're playing Downtown LA’s Regent Theatre on Friday, January 17. Opening the show are locals Flatworms and Agender. The show is all-ages, but, for the 21+ crowd, the adjacent Love Song Bar will host an afterparty with DJ Mr. Pharmacist. Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Last August, (((O))), the Filipina artist with the unpronounceable stage name, released (((5))), the fifth album in what’s set to be a 12-album cycle. Throughout her catalog, (((O))) has used electronic music to create shimmering, ambient works that often reflect the serenity of the natural world. She'll perform at 1720 on Friday, January 17. Tickets at Etix.

Mercury Prize winner Arlo Parks makes her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut on January 17. The critically-lauded British pop singer, who released her sophomore album, My Soft Machine in 2023, isn’t currently on tour - her Friday night show at the acclaimed Downtown LA venue is a one-off concert, so expect the unexpected.

With pop hooks, heart-pounding beats and dramatic synths, Sacred Skin makes music for the ‘80s action films that only exist in our imagination. Their latest album, Born in Fire, is packed with jams and they’re about to tour Europe, but before the LA band hits the road, they’ll be headlining Gold-Diggers on Friday, January 17 with support from Sleek Teeth and Pulsars. Tickets at Dice.

A favorite of LA’s synthpop crowd, San Diego-based duo Glass Spells channels the ‘80s dance-pop vibe of artists like Book of Love and Stacey Q. Catch them headlining the Fonda on Friday, January 17 with opening sets from Texas-based darkwave project Haunt Me and Miami-based Donzii. This show is rescheduled from last fall and tickets purchased for the previous date will be honored. Tickets at AXS.

On their recently released single, “Little Doll,” SoCal synthpop faves Male Tears dig deeper into the Italo Disco vibes of their 2024 album, Paradísco. Prepare to dance through their headlining set at Catch One on Saturday, January 18, where they’ll be joined by Dancing Plague and Vick Vapors. Tickets at See Tickets.

Brunch Electronik returns to Los Angeles on Saturday, January 18 with a day-to-night dance party at Exposition Park. Stephan Bodzin will perform live, while Apache, Dubfire and Julia Sandstorm take the decks. Options for VIP Tables and VIP Backstage Village passes, which grant access to an exclusive lounge area and cocktail bar.

With a collection of remixes from the critically acclaimed 2023 album Silencio due for release soon, Mexican trio Karen y Los Remedios will be touring the U.S. for the first time this month. The cumbia outfit plays the Lodge Room on Saturday, January 18, with support from local El Keamo and DJ Sonido Sapo.

Presented by pop and reggaeton station Mega 96.3 FM, this year’s Calibash lineup includes Xavi, whose contemporary take on regional Mexican music has scored recent hits “La Victima” and “La Diabla.” Also on the bill are Manuel Turizo, whose recent single “Qué Pecao” features fellow Calibash performer Kapo, Argentinian singer Emilia, DJ-turned-singer Alex Sensation and reggaeton stars Maluma and Wisin. Tickets at AXS.

Swedish DJ Seinfeld gets the crowd going on singles like the 2023 banger “Now U Do,” a collab with Australia’s Confidence Man, and the recently released “Hopecore.” This month, he embarks on his biggest U.S. tour to date with a stop at Hollywood’s Fonda Theatre on Saturday, January 18, with support from Jasper Tygner. Tickets at AXS.

Flashback to the indie sleaze era when Uffie and The Cobrasnake host A Club Called Rhonda at Los Globos on Saturday, January 18. Headliner Felix da Housecat, known for ‘00s jams like “Silver Screen Shower Scene” and “We All Wanna Be Prince,” plays back-to-back with Nicky Night Time, formerly of the band Van She. Uffie herself will be playing back-to-back with Nikki Nair. Also on the B2B lineup are George Clanton and Neggy Gemmy, Kornél Kovàcs and Naeem, and Paradise and Goddollars. Tickets at Resident Advisor.

In the mid ‘00s, Brazilian indie band Cansei de ser Sexy, aka CSS, made a splash in U.S. dance clubs with songs like “Alala” and “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above.” This year, CSS celebrates their 20th anniversary on the road and they’ll play Downtown LA’s Regent Theatre on Sunday, January 19. Tickets at Ticketmaster.

SRSQ, the solo project helmed by the astounding singer Kennedy Ashlynn, headlines this benefit show to raise funds for the cancer recovery of fellow musician, Dallas-based Llora. The darkwave and synthpop-centric night will also include performances from Madeline Goldstein, who recently released the single “1996 Expectations,” and Joyfriend, whose clubby 2024 EP Fall From Grace, recalls artists like Peaches and Chicks on Speed. Tickets at Dice.