30 memorable Southern California concert and festival moments of 2023
In 2023, Southern California experienced a wave of gargantuan stadium tours, larger-than-life arena spectacles, once-in-a-lifetime and record-breaking performances, icons performing in intimate venues and a slew of single and multiday music festivals of a variety of genres.
Last year, it felt like the live events industry went from zero to 60 and that momentum sped through 2023. The tours seemed to get bigger, there were numerous anniversary celebrations and a lot of fresh festival brands added to the roster, too.
Music reporters Kelli Skye Fadroski, Holly Alvarado and Peter Larsen took a look back on the wild, concert-filled year and chose the best concerts, festivals and show moments.
Kelli Skye Fadroski’s Top 10
Power Trip, Empire Polo Field in Indio: For three days straight, six mighty bands rocked the Coachella Valley. Power Trip brought out more than 75,000 metal and hard rock music fans, who were treated to performances by Iron Maiden and Guns N’ Roses on Day 1; Judas Priest and AC/DC on Day 2; and Tool and Metallica on Day 3. See the review of Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3, plus photos here.
Blink-182 at Coachella, Empire Polo Field: It was only a matter of time before the bratty punks in Blink-182 headlined Coachella and the fact that the group reunited with original guitarist Tom DeLonge seemed like perfect timing. Though originally on the bill to play the Sahara Tent, when things went awry with Day 3 headliner Frank Ocean during Weekend 1, Blink was tapped to headline during Weekend 2. It was every bit as rockin’ and magically inappropriate as everyone expected. See the review and photos here.
Foo Fighters at Ohana, Doheny State Beach in Dana Point: Foo Fighters played its first proper Southern California show with new drummer Josh Freese during Day 3 of Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival in October. Since the band was playing where its former drummer Taylor Hawkins grew up, the guys paid tribute to their late friend by playing the song “Aurora,” the very first Foo Fighters song to feature Hawkins on drums. See the review and photos here.
Gwen Stefani, Honda Center in Anaheim: To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Honda Center called upon Orange County native Gwen Stefani to lead the party. The longtime Anaheim resident performed a mix of No Doubt hits and solo songs in front of the sold-out hometown crowd. See the review and fan photos here.
Janet Jackson, Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles: Celebrating her 50th year in the music business, as well as the 30th anniversary of her 1993 self-titled album and 25th anniversary of her highly successful 1997 album, “The Velvet Rope,” Janet Jackson sang and danced through five decades of hits in front of a sold-out crowd at the Hollywood Bowl. She played her single, “Again,” with the help of a children’s choir and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. See the review and fan photos here.
Punk in the Park, Oak Canyon Park in Silverado: In its third year, Punk in the Park brought back some old school feels as it added the Vans vert ramp and a slew of pro skaters and BMX riders to the event. It was also just a fun two days of rowdy music with Drain, Guttermouth, Death By Stereo, Goldfinger, Buzzcocks, Pennywise and Descendents. See photos here.
AFI, Kia Forum in Inglewood: For one night only rock band AFI played its 2003 record “Sing the Sorrow” from front to back in front of generations of fans. The quartet roared through the singles “Girl’s Not Grey,” “The Leaving Song Pt. II” and “Silver and Cold,” while the crowd also sang loudly to the deeper cuts “Dancing Through Sunday” and “Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings).” Get the full review here.
Bryan Adams at Stagecoach, Empire Polo Field: While it doesn’t seem like the Canadian rocker would quite fit the bill at a country music festival, Adams’ turn on the Palomino Stage was epic. He drew a crowd that spilled far outside of the massive tent and had people singing along to “Summer of ’69,” “Somebody,” “Cuts Like a Knife” and there was a massive singalong to “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.” See the review and photos here.
Avenged Sevenfold, Kia Forum: The Huntington Beach metal outfit played its first proper headlining gig in the area since 2010 in Inglewood and brought new music with “Life is But a Dream…” Along with songs like “Afterlife” and “Hail to the King” the band played fresh tracks like “We Love You” and “Nobody.” See the review and photos here.
Mac Sabbath, Observatory in Santa Ana: The Los Angeles-based parody metal band delivered some tasty music in 2023. The band, which primarily covers Black Sabbath songs with a fast-food lyrical twist, also dresses in ridiculous costumes reminiscent of the characters created by fast-food giant McDonald’s. The live show doesn’t seem real, but it’s delicious fun. See the review and photos here.
Holly Alvarado’s Top 10
SZA, Kia Forum: The R&B and pop sensation graced Inglewood back in March, taking the audience on an emotional journey through the turbulence of romantic relationships. The performance was in support of her critically acclaimed album “SOS.” See the review and photos here.
Beyoncé, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood: The Beyhive was buzzing in full force at the disco ball-themed extravaganza of the year. From start to finish, the show served as a tribute to the chart-topping hits that have catapulted Beyoncé to global stardom. The performance featured a mix of tracks from the “Renaissance” record, seamlessly intertwined with classics like “Naughty Girl” and “1+1.” See the review and fan photos here.
Bad Bunny at Coachella, Empire Polo Field: During Coachella’s opening night, the Latino community witnessed a groundbreaking moment as Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny took the stage as the first Latin artist to headline the massive festival. And of course, the performance came with its nods to Latin culture, history and reggaeton hits. See the review and photos here.
Maná at Bésame Mucho Festival at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles: It wouldn’t be a Latino family party without “Oye Mi Amor” by Maná blasting out across the venue. The Rockero Stage at the single-day, sold-out Bésame Mucho Festival was electrified by the powerhouse energy of Maná, drawing the most packed crowd of the night. See the review and photos here.
Mariah Carey, Hollywood Bowl: In November, the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas ushered in the holiday season with her Merry Christmas One and All Tour in Los Angeles. Carey transformed the venue into a festive winter wonderland, serenading the audience with a plethora of seasonal hits. See the review and photos here.
Tyler, The Creator at Camp Flog Gnaw, Dodger Stadium: After a four-year hiatus, Camp Flog Gnaw returned to Dodger Stadium in November, featuring a standout set from the mastermind himself, Tyler, The Creator. The hourlong performance turned into a massive singalong, with the hip-hop artist playing fan-favorite tracks. See the review and photos here.
Trixie Mattel at Stagecoach, Empire Polo Field: During the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival, drag queen superstar Trixie Mattel made a glamorous entrance in all pink, embodying the essence of country glitz. While showcasing her own hits on the Palomino Stage during Diplo’s curated Late Night in Palomino programming, Mattel treated the audience to memorable covers, including “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes. See the review and photos here.
Nelly at Stagecoach, Empire Polo Field: Rapper Nelly stole the show as he closed out day two at Stagecoach during the Late Night in Palomino after-party. Drawing fans away from Mane Stage headliner Kane Brown, Nelly’s set was massive, with fans pouring out of the tent and grouped together for as far as the eye could see. If you packed in early enough, you could catch a fleeting glimpse of the rapper as he delivered hits like “Hot In Here.” See the review and photos here.
The Red Pears at Viva! Pomona, The Glass House, Pomona: The El Monte-raised trio experienced a poignant homecoming in July, returning to their roots at a festival and city that hosted some of their earliest shows. The crowd was filled with teens and millennials, collectively reminiscing about the unforgettable backyard shows where The Red Pears first took center stage. Read the preview here.
Becky G at Coachella, Empire Polo Field: The Inglewood-born Latin pop superstar made a memorable impression on audiences at this year’s Coachella with a sunset turn during Day One. For nearly an hour, Becky paid homage to her Mexican roots and the rich sounds of Regional Mexican music by bringing out Marca MP, Peso Pluma and Natti Natasha. See the review and photos here.
Peter Larsen’s Top 10
Peter Gabriel, Kia Forum: Not many artists with long careers would dare to play 11 new songs from an album before it’s released, but Peter Gabriel did, and the results at the Kia Forum on Oct. 13 were thrilling, new songs fitting seamlessly into classics such as “Sledgehammer,” “Don’t Give Up,” and “Red Rain.” See the review and photos here.
Arctic Monkeys, Kia Forum: Alex Turner & Co. just keep getting stronger, as the first of two sold-out nights on Sept. 29 at the Kia Forum demonstrated. This is terrific, melodic British rock ‘n’ roll, which alongside acts such as Metallica and Queens of the Stone Age, proves that rock ain’t dead yet. See the review and photos here.
Taylor Swift, SoFi Stadium: Hey you guys, remember Taylor Swift? And how she played six nights at SoFi Stadium in August? We were there on Aug. 3, and yes, it was all that and a bag of chips. You can catch large pieces of it in the concert documentary she released, but you’ll have to invite 60,000 of your closest friends over to your house to watch with you if you want to really experience it. See the full review and photos here.
Regina Spektor, House of Blues Anaheim: Regina Spektor delivers the most heartbreakingly gorgeous songs for grown people you can ever hear. I felt like a teenage girl at a Mitski show at the end of Spektor’s Aug. 8 show at the House of Blues in Anaheim. I was shook, as the kids used to say. See our interview with Regina Spektor here.
Sparks, Hollywood Bowl: Brothers Ron and Russell Mael made their “beyond our dreams” Hollywood Bowl debut on July 16 more than 50 years after they launched their career. The music was quirky fun, the show proof positive that even the weird kids can have their day if they’re talented and keep at it. See the review and photos here.
Neil Young, Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles: God bless, Neil Young, who shuffled on stage at the Ford Amphitheatre on June 30 looking like somebody’s lost grandpa in a train engineer’s cap and totally mesmerize a rapturous audience. That he did it solo, accompanying himself on guitar, piano and harmonica, made it that much more special. See the review and photos here.
The Cure, Hollywood Bowl: Robert Smith might look like a sad boy but his heart overflows with love — for the characters in his songs, for music in general, for audiences like that which packed the Hollywood Bowl on May 23, the first of three nights there. He also pulled off a successful Peter Gabriel move, playing six songs from an album with no release date to the delight of fans. See the full review and photos here.
Siouxsie Sue and Iggy, too, at Cruel World Festival at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena: Thunderbolts and lightning, very, very frightening forced the cancellation of Siouxsie Sue’s only North American show of 2023 on May 21, but the goth queen returned the next night with Iggy Pop, whose set was cut short when he played “Raw Power” and apparently summoned the storm. Siouxsie was as glorious, of course, and well worth the 24-hour delay. See the review and photos here.
Willie Nelson, Hollywood Bowl: Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday concerts filled the Hollywood Bowl on April 29-30 with an all–star lineup of musical friends covering Willie songs before the man of the hour came out to close out both shows with the most famous of his friends, Keith Richards, Snoop Dogg, Neil Young and Stephen Stills among them. Wonderful songs by and for a most wonderful man. See the full review and photos of Night 1 here and Night 2 here.
Margo Price, Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles: Country-rock singer-songwriter Margo Price ought to be a much bigger star, she’s that dang good. But the fact that mainstream country fans aren’t smart enough to embrace her yet means we still get to thrill to her performances in smaller venues like the Fonda Theatre which she blazed through on Feb. 9. See the review and photos here.