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.

Catch sets from up-and-coming performers, local legends and global talents during this free music series at the Getty, which features a pair of shows from a different band each weekend. The concerts kick off in February with Inuit soul musicians Pamyua and continue in March with gospel choir Jimetta Rose & the Voices of Creation and April with Persian poets Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat. Get there early to check out the museum’s exhibitions, then head to the Harold M. Williams Auditorium for the show.

The Wilco frontman’s freewheeling solo shows balance acoustic takes, deep cut requests and charming banter. He’s playing two consecutive nights—first at the Belasco, then the United Theater on Broadway (if you prefer a seated show)—as part of his Twilight Override Tour, in support of his folksy fifth solo album. Speaking of those requests, you can submit your own here.

This springtime spinoff in Insomniac’s Wonderland series adds a whimsical, carnival-like atmosphere to the house, techno, dubstep, trance and bass-heavy festival. Go down the rabbit hole in San Bernardino with multiple themed stages, where the likes of Tiësto, Zedd, GRiZ, SLANDER, Steve Angello, Diesel and more will perform.

Nearly 125,000 music lovers make a pilgrimage to the Empire Polo Club during each identical weekend of Coachella, whether bound for campgrounds or shuttling over from golf resorts and midcentury modern homes. Though its bespoke dining experiences and hotel party scene may try to steal headlines, Coachella remains about the relaxed desert air euphoria of a well-curated music festival. Coachella’s all-embracing three-day lineup consistently crafts the pool of performers from which all other summer music festivals borrow. This year’s headliners lead a stacked lineup: Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Karol G and Anyma, plus the XX, the Strokes, Addison Rae, Young Thug, BIGBANG and more. RECOMMENDED: See our complete Coachella coverage

This laid-back, Gen X-ish music fest will once again take over the Redondo Beach coastline for three days in May. Duran Duran, the Chainsmokers, the Offspring, Slightly Stoopid and James Taylor and His All-Star Band headline the 2026 edition, with additional sets from My Morning Jacket, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Grouplove, Peach Pit and more.

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 is still to come, but Tiësto, REZZ, Alison Wonderland and Kaskade topped last year’s lineup). 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.