As Los Angeles heats up for the summer, so does its music scene. Major artists in the pop, rock and hip hop genres choose from the dozens of LA music venues as a stop on their summer tours, drawn to the city’s warm weather and relaxed atmosphere. Here are our picks for the top performers taking the stage this season.
July 7: Cher and Cyndi Lauper
Among the things that Cher and Cyndi Lauper have in common are their titles as “Woman of the Year” by Glamour and Ms. magazines and their Emmy awards. Cher’s Dressed to Kill Tour, featuring Cyndi Lauper, will roll through Southern California from July 5-11 with four shows in the area.
July 21: Lady Gaga
Following the release of her latest album Artpop in November 2013, Lady Gaga will play two shows at the Staples Center on July 21 and 22. This album features chart-topper “Applause” which became Lady Gaga’s twelfth top-ten single in the United States.
July 24: The Neighbourhood
The Neighbourhood’s fall rock anthem “Sweater Weather” reached the number-one spot on the Billboard U.S. Alternative Songs chart when it was re-released this past November. The band will play this and other songs from their album I Love You at the Greek Theatre.
July 24: Soulja Boy
Rapper Soulja Boy entered the music scene with his chart-topping single “Crank That” which peaked at number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100. He’ll take the stage at the El Rey Theatre to perform hits from his three albums including Souljaboytellem.com from 2007.
July 29: The Voice Tour
Finalists and winners from the past two seasons of The Voice, plus the winner from season one will tour the country with a stop at Nokia Theater. Artists to perform include Josh Kaufman and Tessanne Chin, the winners from seasons six and five, finalists Christina Grimmie and Jacquie Lee and the first season’s champion Dia Frampton.
August 7: Arctic Monkeys
After forming the band and recording their demo in 2002, the Arctic Monkeys grew in popularity when their CD was copied and shared amongst their fans as one of the earliest forms of “going viral.” It wasn’t until their second album release in 2006 and their tour of North America that the Arctic Monkeys gained a following in the U.S. They’ll be performing their latest hit “Do I Wanna Know?” along with selections from their previous albums at the Staples Center.
August 10: Paul McCartney
This is a big summer for members of The Beatles. In addition to Ringo Starr’s concert with his band on July 19 at the Greek Theatre, Paul McCartney will take the Dodger Stadium stage for the first time in 50 years.
August 11: Sara Bareilles
Best known for her feel-good pop songs like “Brave” and “Love Song,” Sara Bareilles has been on top of the charts since 2007. Bareilles’ concert at the Greek Theatre will feature a mix of songs from her older records and most recent, Grammy-nominated album The Blessed Unrest.
August 26: Panic! At the Disco and Walk the Moon
Panic! At the Disco and Walk the Moon will make a stop at LA’s Greek Theatre as part of their summer Gospel Tour. Both bands have released albums in recent years, Panic! At the Disco with their fifth collection Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! in 2013 and Walk the Moon with their self-titled record in 2012.
August 27: Ed Sheeran
Rising to fame with his debut single “The A Team,” Ed Sheeran has since produced dozens of critically-acclaimed songs in just two albums. In addition to his solo success, he’s collaborated with Taylor Swift on a song for her Red album and performed with Elton John at the 2013 Grammy Awards. Sheeran will take the stage at the Staples Center during the tour for his 2014 album entitled x.
September 15: Carnivores Tour with Linkin Park, Thirty Seconds to Mars and AFI
Just weeks after the release of their June 2014 album The Hunting Party, Linkin Park will embark on their Carnivores Tour with LA’s own Thirty Seconds to Mars and special guest AFI. Following the successes of Thirty Seconds to Mars’ sold-out show in the same venue in October 2013, this performance at the Hollywood Bowl will be every rock lover’s dream.
September 19: Katy Petty & Tegan and Sara
With eleven Grammy nominations, two Guinness World Records and the title of Billboard’s 2012 “Woman of the Year” award under her belt, Katy Perry is one of the world’s most sought-after performers. She is the first female artist to produce five consecutive number-one hits and the only singer ever to spend 69 weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100. Toward the end of the summer season, Katy Perry will perform her international favorites at the Staples Center.
