KALEO performing at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA on June 21, 2024. All photos taken by Bailey Holiver.
Malcolm Todd | Los Angeles
Malcolm Todd performing at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on May 21, 2024. All photos taken by Olive Jolley.
Abby Sage | Los Angeles
Abby Sage (with support from spiderblush) performing at El Cid in Los Angeles, CA on May 6, 2024. All photos taken by Kayla Alise.
Juliet Ivy | Los Angeles
Juliet Ivy performing at The Echo in Los Angeles, CA on May 2, 2024. All photos taken by Olive Jolley.
James Arthur | Los Angeles
The iconic Wiltern provided the perfect backdrop for James Arthur's recent sold-out show in Los Angeles. The palpable excitement was evident before stepping inside, with a long line of fans stretching down the block. Once inside the venue, the buzzing atmosphere only intensified as the show commenced.
While Arthur is primarily celebrated for his poignant ballads and soul-stirring vocals, his performance was infused with a playful and upbeat spirit that contrasted with his soulful musical style. The singer-songwriter commanded the stage with an animated presence that traveled throughout the venue, getting the whole crowd to their feet.
The setlist showcased a seamless blend of Arthur's hits and some well-chosen covers, each rendered with his flawless vocals. He kicked off the show with “Bitter Sweet Love,” immediately drawing the audience into the performance and starting the show off on a high note. A personal highlight for me was “Rewrite The Stars,” a song that has always resonated with me and was incredible to experience live. He captivated the crowd with back-to-back covers of Christina Perri's “A Thousand Years” and Shontelle's “Impossible,” showcasing his versatility and vocal prowess.
A standout aspect of the night was Arthur's sense of humor. He playfully teased the audience, at one point convincing everyone that Anne-Marie was about to join him on stage as a special guest. These lighter, humorous moments provided an entertaining counterpoint, contrasting the somber tones of his music and keeping the energy up.
Perhaps most touching was the genuine affection Arthur displayed towards his fans. An artist who truly seems to be enjoying their performance and connecting with the crowd goes a long way in my enjoyment of a performance, and Arthur certainly did both. At the end of the show, he repeatedly interacted with the audience, blowing kisses and waving long after most artists would have exited the stage. It was a heartfelt acknowledgement of the fans' support. At one point, he even dedicated a song to a fan in the audience who had just beaten cancer after a very long battle with it. It really illustrated the amount that he cares about knowing his fans' stories.
James Arthur's Wiltern performance was a wonderful mix of musical prowess, playful humor, and genuine audience connection. He demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his craft while creating a solid relationship with his fans. He closed the show with “Say You Won't Let Go,” leaving a lasting emotional impression on everyone who attended.
Words and photos by Ashley Crichton
Thy Art Is Murder | Los Angeles
Thy Art Is Murder performing at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on April 27, 2024. All photos taken by Adriana Torres.
Quarters of Change | Los Angeles
Quarters of Change performing at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on April 25, 2024. All photos taken by Kenny Jusino.
Grouplove | Los Angeles
Grouplove performing at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA on March 8, 2024. All photos taken by Ashley Crichton.
Amira Elfeky | Los Angeles
Amira Elfeky (with support from sace6) performing at Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles, CA on March 1, 2024. All photos taken by Raven Kendall.
Chance Peña | Los Angeles
Chance Peña performing at Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, CA on February 17, 2024. All photos taken by Ashley Crichton.
Harm's Way | Los Angeles
Harm’s Way performing at 1720 in Los Angeles, CA on November 9, 2023. All photos taken by Adriana Torres.
The Last Dinner Party | Los Angeles
The Last Dinner Party performing at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on November 6, 2023. All photos taken by Melody J. Myers.
Motionless In White | Los Angeles
It’s the end of September, and it’s never too early to go full Halloween mode. Fans gather up at the barrier wearing their favorite blacks with handwritten signs on hand, waiting eagerly for metalcore bands to take over on this cool night. The show takes place at L.A.’s newest open air venue, The Torch/Los Angeles Coliseum, a historic landmark famously known for its Olympic games.
Alpha Wolf started the show with high intense energy that makes you wanna two-step to their breakdowns. The crowd went wild when their newest member, Sabian Lynch, climbed up the metal stage truss and trying to encourage the guitarist to stage dive.
Next up is one of my favorite metal bands, After the Burial, coming in with some heavy riffs, double drum kicks, and death growls that inspired concert goers to headbang and circle pit to their progressive sound. They played their newest song ‘Death keeps us from Living’, and ended with a popular favorite “Behold the Crown.”
Another great band I love, Knocked Loose, kept the adrenaline going with one of their best songs “God Knows.” Unfortunately, my time in the photo pit was cut short when someone in the crowd decided to throw a tall can of beer that landed on top of my head while I was shooting. Funny, I've shot many of their shows without barriers and not once did I ever get hit badly that caused bleeding. I expect this sort of thing to happen from crowd surfers and stage divers — NOT from a beer can, that’s just tacky.
Thankfully there was a medical staff on location that provided all the help I needed, and was able to return just in time for the final act.
Headliners Motionless In White took the stage and were greeted to monstrous applause and shrilling screams from the audience that can be heard for miles. Their massive theatrical production was filled with spectacular lighting design veiled with sparks, flames and snow machines — this is no ordinary concert. The band were accompanied by a fabulous girl gang group The Cherry Bombs in full creepy costumes, props, and choreographed routines.
Vocalist Loochie Keogh of Alpha Wolf joins the fun on “Immaculate Misconception,” a song favorite for the old school heads who've been around the band’s journey since the Warped Tour days. Later on in the show Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose also shares his wicked screams alongside with Chris on their latest collaboration “Slaughterhouse,” a middle finger anthem against those who abuse God’s name for profit and hate.
The best song from their setlist that night happens to be their least heaviest, yet you can’t help but groove to this 80’s inspired industrial new wave sound “Werewolf,” a single from their newest album Scoring the End of the World — this tune is a homage to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
It is almost impossible not to be drawn to frontman Chris Motionless, underneath his dark slytherin aesthetics lies a soulful voice with eerie undertones. It was amazing to watch him be able to go from screaming “blegh” growls to vocal cleans effortlessly. Showing gratitude, he took the time to talk about how the band’s fan base grew massively over the years, and thanked everyone for their undying support. His kindness showed that the Motionless In White shows will always be a safe space for them.
On a large projector screen they played a wacky commercial ad featuring zombie, as well as hilarious interactions between him and lead singer Chris on a FaceTime call, trying to convince zombie to come back on tour. With his new found acting career and crazy schedule, zombie tells Chris he’ll think about it.
This was my first time seeing Motionless In White, and they definitely exceeded my expectations. It was so much fun watching fans be captivated by the band’s music, losing their minds, and chanting every word with their chest out. Practically everyone was surfing through the crowd one right after the other, there was no slowing down for them. The band continued to play classic bangers like “Devil’s Night,” “Reincarnate,” and closed out the show with “The End of the World.”
Words and photos by Adriana Torres
The Devil Wears Prada + Fit For A King | Los Angeles
The Devil Wears Prada and Fit For A King performing at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA on September 16, 2023. All photos taken by Adriana Torres.
Tessa Violet | Los Angeles
Tessa Violet performing at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on September 6, 2023. All photos taken by Ashley Crichton.
Bastille | Los Angeles
Bastille performing at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA on August 25, 2023. All photos taken by Ashley Crichton.
Mt. Joy | Los Angeles
Mt. Joy performing at Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on August 25, 2023. All photos taken by Nicole Ditt.
Cigarettes After Sex | Los Angeles
Cigarettes After Sex performing at Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on August 17, 2023. All photos taken by Nicole Ditt.
SYML | Los Angeles
SYML performing at The Regent Theater in Los Angeles, CA on August 18, 2023. All photos taken by Raven Kendall.
Amy Shark | Los Angeles
Amy Shark performing at The Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles, CA on June 13, 2023. All photos taken by Ashley Crichton.