LA concert calendar: Live music in LA in February 2013

Explore our detailed LA concert calendar to find out which of your favorite artists are performing in Los Angeles this February. Notable acts hitting the LA music scene this month include P!nk, deadmau5 and Ed Sheeran.

Tegan and Sara

Club Nokia; Friday February 1

Currently supporting the Killers (the Vegas boys are big fans), Canadian twins Tegan and Sara return to LA with their winning brand of indie pop—all layered vocals, scuzzy guitars and tempered angst. They’ll be treating the audience to a taster from their seventh album, the acoustic guitar and synth-driven Heartthrob, dropping in late January. clubnokia.com. $39.50–$49.50.

Augustana

Troubadour; Saturday February 2

Cali-via-Illinois outfit Augustana does lush, blandly pretty pop-rock that suggests a rootsier U2. This February, the band hits the Troub for an acoustic gig. troubadour.com. $17.

Ian Hunter & The Rant Band

El Rey Theatre; Saturday February 2

Fueled musically by Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, Ian Hunter joined Mott the Hoople in 1969, becoming the group’s vocalist, songwriter and focal point (the corkscrew hair and shades remain). Mott recorded four influential albums, before David Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes” launched the band to superstardom. Hunter has enjoyed a successful solo career as well, and you can expect to hear from his new record, When I'm President, when he takes the El Rey stage in February. theelrey.com. $35.

Dirty Projectors

Troubadour; Tuesday February 5

Dirty Projectors exploded into the big leagues in ’09 on the strength of their magical fifth full-length album, Bitte Orca. TV appearances, praise from tastemakers like Questlove and a high-profile team-up with Björk ensued. After a hibernation period, Dave Longstreth’s protean art-pop vehicle is back with a new LP, Swing Lo Magellan, and a sure-to-be-exquisite Troubadour gig to match. troubadour.com. $30.

Kris Allen

Hotel Cafe; Tuesday February 5–Wednesday February 6
Canyon Club; Thursday February 7
The Observatory; Friday February 8

Oh, you know who Kris Allen is—he's the singer-songwriter who sings supermarket-friendly soul-rock anthem "Live Like We're Dying" ("Gotta liiiiiiiiiive like we're die-ennnn…"). Oh, and he's the winner of American Idol season eight. He'll be playing several Southland dates in February behind his latest album, Thank You Camellia. hotelcafe.com; canyonclub.net; observatoryoc.com. $15–$45.

Emeli Sandé

El Rey Theatre; Wednesday February 6

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé is already a pop star on the other side of the pond—her debut album, Our Version of Events, pushed Lana Del Rey out of the No. 1 slot on the U.K. charts, and she received a Critics' Choice Brit Award shortly thereafter. Her technique of layering her soulful voice over dance-floor atmospherics sounds a little bit like Robyn teaming up with Massive Attack to us. theelrey.com. $22–$25.

ZZ Ward + Delta Rae

Troubadour; Wednesday February 6–Thursday February 7

Harmonica-toting, hip-hop-loving LA singer-songwriter ZZ Ward—the initials stand for Zsuzsanna—worked with Ryan Tedder, Pete Rock and Freddie Gibbs for her recently released debut album, Til the Casket Drops. You can also check out her velvet-voiced interpretations of tracks by Tyler, the Creator and Childish Gambino on a free mixtape, Eleven Roses. troubadour.com. $15.

M. Ward

Orpheum Theatre; Thursday February 7

Quiet but prolific singer-songwriter M. Ward, who's kept busy in recent years with She & Him and Monsters of Folk, hits the Orpheum for a high-profile solo gig. You'll no doubt hear tunes from the recent A Wasteland Companion, a naturally timeless collection of experimental folk songs that dip a toe into rose-colored pop and quaint nostalgia. laorpheum.com. $20–$30.

Solange

House of Blues Los Angeles; Thursday February 7

In the past three years, Solange has made some surprising choices. The 26-year-old covered the Dirty Projectors, sang with Of Montreal and, most notably, started collaborating with Dev Hynes, who gained notoriety in London punk-funk trio Test Icicles. Hynes' fingerprints can be found all over Solange’s new seven-song EP, True, where her nimble tones relax on a bed of twinkling guitars and languorous bass grooves. With a full-length penciled in for next year, it looks like Solange is finally carving out a niche of her own, just left of center. houseofblues.com. $18.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

El Rey Theatre; Friday February 8–Saturday February 9

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews grew up playing alongside New Orleans' nimblest brass men. Now in his twenties, he's developed into one of the Big Easy's best, playing trumpet and composing, as well as continuing with the 'bone. For all his refinement, his powerhouse band, Orleans Avenue, pumps out the raw grooves, co-opted by hip-hop for maximum ass-moving. theelrey.com. $27.

Meek Mill + Wale

House of Blues Los Angeles; Friday February 8

Catch some rhymes at the House of Blues with the biggest stars of Rick Ross' Maybach Music posse: fast-rising Philly mixtape kingpin Meek Mill and second-time-lucky D.C. MC Wale. houseofblues.com. $40.

Ellie Goulding

The Wiltern; Saturday February 9
Hollywood Palladium; Tuesday February 12

The electro-savvy British pop lass arrives in town to play two gigs celebrating her new sophomore LP, Halcyon. $35

Ed Sheeran

Hollywood Palladium; Saturday February 9
Nokia Theatre LA Live; Sunday February 17

Ginger-mopped English popster Ed Sheeran is only in his early 20s but already a huge hit at home—his debut album, +, entered the charts at number one, and he performed at the Olympics closing ceremony—and he's making waves here, too, having recorded a duet with Taylor Swift for her best-selling album, Red. Oh, and did we mention Elton John is a fan? nokiatheatrelalive.com. $40.

Santigold

House of Blues Los Angeles; Saturday February 9

Since the release of her acclaimed self-titled debut, Santigold has collaborated with artists like the Beastie Boys and David Byrne, helped pen songs for Christina Aguilera, and toured alongside Björk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay and Kanye West. Santi’s genre-bending sophomore effort, Master of My Make-Believe, is out now. This concert will likely be as varied and unpredictable as, say, a Wednesday afternoon in the life of Santigold. houseofblues.com. $27.

Dr. John

The Fonda Theatre; Saturday February 9

Veteran R&B piano man and Big Easy icon Dr. John brings a taste of New Orleans to town, with a boogaloo stride and spiritual growl that’ll put any bag of bones in motion. fondatheatre.com. $40–$60.

Ozomatli

Canyon Club; Saturday February 9

Ozomatli puts out a high-powered, Latin-flavored dance groove. Its recent LP, Fire Away, captures the explosive live experience better than past efforts, though it’s still a little flatter than we’d like. canyonclub.net. $24–$59.

deadmau5

House of Blues Los Angeles; Sunday February 10

Named for the Canadian electro-tech jacker's cat (how sweet!), the rodentia-head-sporting deadmau5 (Joel Thomas Zimmerman) brings his mind-melting array of flashing lights and sonic boom to the House of Blues; you might want to pack your sunglasses. houseofblues.com. $100.

Ra Ra Riot

El Rey Theatre; Tuesday February 12

Back in 2008, fresh-faced Syracuse college grads Ra Ra Riot won fans with their debut disc, The Rhumb Line, mixing mischievous chamber-pop with a marked unselfconsciousness. At the El Rey in February, the band celebrates the release of a poppy, synthy new third album (its first as a four-piece), Beta Love. theelrey.com. $20.

The Vaccines

The Fonda Theatre; Thursday February 14

The U.K.'s Vaccines play much-buzzed-about retro garage rock; they recently made headlines by proclaiming that Rihanna "isn't an artist." Hmm. Along with this tough attitude comes tougher riffs on their sophomore effort, The Vaccines Come of Age, which they celebrate this month with a gig at the Fonda. fondatheatre.com. $25.

Soundgarden

The Wiltern; Friday February 15–Sunday February 17

Last year saw the reboot of Soundgarden, the finest of Chris Cornell's many projects by a mile, and easily the most progressive of the alt-rock megabands. The Seattle foursome's prime achievement was streamlining the Zeppelin template while amplifying its invigorating rhythmic quirks. Tracks from comeback LP King Animal find the band in scrappy, energized form. $59.50–$85

P!nk

Staples Center; Saturday February 16

Everyone's favorite snarly pop songstress brings her vast collection of female empowerment and kiss-off anthems to Staples in support of her latest chart-topping LP, The Truth About Love. staplescenter.com. $29.50–$99.50.

Icona Pop

Troubadour; Saturday February 16

All hail the Bananarama-esque straggly pop stylings of Swedish duo Icona Pop, pumping out catchy, melodic, bratty dance pop. Their summer indie hit “I Love It” reminds us of the Black Eyed Peas's “I Gotta Feeling,” in the best possible way. troubadour.com. $15.

B.B. King

Canyon Club; Sunday February 17

The legendary bluesman, a lithe guitarist and captivating performer—even now, at 87—testifies at the Canyon Club. With a back catalog that reaches as far back as 1956, it's anyone's guess what this hugely influential Mississippi native will pull out of the bag, but this date is a must for blues fans of all ages. canyonclub.net. $89–$123.

Graveyard

El Rey Theatre; Sunday February 17

One of the more convincing contemporary exponents of 1973-style hard rock, Sweden's Graveyard hits town to play from last year's strikingly mature Lights Out. This latest batch of songs is so sturdy, you're liable to forget pretty much immediately that these Swedish longhairs are working with a 40-year-old template. theelrey.com. $20.

Buke and Gase

The Echo; Tuesday February 19

Art-pop duo Buke and Gase offers an infectious marriage of angularity and exuberance. Its customized implements (a baritone ukulele and a hybrid guitar-bass) may seem rarefied, but its wide-eyed energy could win anyone over. Expect a few numbers off of General Dome, out in January. theecho.com. $10–$12.

Marilyn Manson

City National Grove of Anaheim; Wednesday February 20
Club Nokia; Thursday February 21

Wherever you stand on Marilyn Manson's once-novel, now-tired brand of scary-carnival hard rock, there's no denying that he is a consummate performer—which explains why he still pulls in the black-lipped crowds. citynationalgroveofanaheim.com; clubnokia.com. $36–$66.

Jake Shimabukuro

Canyon Club; Thursday February 21

Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro hits the Valley. We’ve accused Shimabukuro of New Age noodling in the past, but the songs on his recent Grand Ukulele have a singular delicacy to them. Whether or not his covers (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Amazing Grace”) are to your taste is another matter. canyonclub.net. $29.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

The Fonda Theatre; Thursday February 21

Nick Cave hasn’t lost his flair for the down-and-dirty fury that defined his early work with the Birthday Party, which is evident on his band's latest release, Push the Sky Away, as well as at his live shows—can you name another 50-year-old man you’d like to hear describe a case of the “No Pussy Blues”? Check out the cult-favorite, Aussie alt-rockers at the Fonda this Thursday. fondatheatre.com. $140.

Brandy

Club Nokia; Friday February 22

Hard to believe the R&B sweetheart that emerged in 1994 is in her thirties, but Brandy has accomplished a lot in her lifetime. Recently, she added one more jewel to her crown, celebrating the release of her new album, Two Eleven. clubnokia.com. $16–$41.50.

Coheed and Cambria

The Wiltern; Friday February 22

In the decade since its first release, prog-punk outfit Coheed and Cambria has wisely refined a successful formula, sounding properly bombastic and effortlessly hooky. The New York combo's latest is The Afterman: Ascension, the first in a grandiose two-part concept album that puts visceral lyrics and epic instrumentation in a sci-fi realm (like all of the group's past albums). $30

Ramona Falls

The Observatory; Monday February 25

Brent Knopf, formerly of Menomena, turns his focus to Ramona Falls, his cerebral side project, with sophomore album Prophet. “You can’t take it back,” Knopf wails repeatedly on the record’s funky opening track, “Bodies of Water.” No, he can’t, but why would we want him to? Ramona Falls’ unexpected melodies, philosophical lyrics and fearless anthems are best experienced with your winter boo by your side. observatoryoc.com. $12.

Reckless Kelly

Troubadour; Tuesday February 26

Reckless Kelly is a long-running Austin group that wears CMT-ready country on its sleeve, as heard on its latest disc, Good Luck & True Love. troubadour.com. $17–$20.

Grant-Lee Phillips

Largo; Tuesday February 26

Anticipate an evening of expert instrumentation and haunting melodies when Grant Lee Buffalo song man Grant-Lee Phillips hits the Largo stage. Back in the ’90s GLB's fans included Michael Stipe and Bob Mould, and since then Phillips has released a string of stirring solo albums. largo-la.com. $25.