Recent posts: Shows

With temperatures reaching the high 90’s in So Cal, Pandora assembled a line-up for its Summer Crush Saturday show in downtown LA to match. Not a fan of spontaneously combusting in sweltering weather, it would take something pretty momentous for me to leave the comfort of A/C but Pandora succeeded in prying me away. I couldn’t pass up the chance to see Tori Kelly, Jason Derulo, Fifth Harmony, Steve Aoki, Rachel Platten and Who Is Fancy.

There’s nothing better than copping a new album, keeping it on repeat for a few weeks and then seeing said artist soon afterwards. Blessed to live in a city that provides this opportunity on the reg, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see Miguel at Pandora (who’s played him over a billion times- felicidades on this accomplishment) and Sonos Studios’ sponsored event last night. First put onto Miguel’s music through fam word of mouth, I rabidly consumed the underground mixtapes, “All I Want Is You” album, “Art Dealer Chic” EPs and couldn’t get enough of the West Side soulful rock sex symbol.

For any experimental soul music lover, these two past weeks have felt like Christmas in the summertime. Among the incredible releases dropping, Bilal’s ‘In Another Life’ puts an exclamation point on a broad, bold discography and provides the perfect holiday traveling soundtrack. I stopped by Red Bull’s monthly Sound Select show last week which drew enthusiastic soul and hip-hop fans to The Echo for $3 (can never beat that) for a dope line-up featuring Bilal, which drew the likes of Queen Latifah and Adrian Younge, the album producer joining him onstage, offering a rare live experience, bringing the new album to another level. The night mixed the right amount of chill and hype.

As I attempt to start this morning, I realize I’m still recovering from a musical hangover D’Angelo’s “Second Coming Tour” dealt a few hours ago. I can barely open my eyes and my head’s still pounding from Chris Daddy Dave’s drums. All of this a small price to pay for what I, sitting in the front row of a sold-out crowd, witnessed last night. After experiencing the wonderful unexpected whirlwind of the “Black Messiah” surprise drop in December after 14 years (and laughing at all the critics who’d locked down their top album lists too early), I thought I’d be ready. I should have known better.

Photo Credit: Carolyn Craft

Peep the tour dates below and get tix here!