Few albums have been more highly anticipated this year than electro-wizard Grimes’s Art Angels, and at her show last night in Los Angeles, she showed us the reason for the hype. The distinctive Canadian artist, née Claire Boucher, nearly brought down The Mayan Theater on Monday night, day two of Red Bull Sound Select’s #30DaysInLA festival. If you are a Grimes fan and you haven’t seen her live yet, make this the year you cross that off your bucket list.
Following opener Nicole Dollanganger’s heavy yet minimalistic set, Grimes changed the room from a rock club into a pop icon’s stadium tour. While electronic artists are often criticized for being “laptop bands” and having less-than-dynamic live shows, that certainly wasn’t the case here. Grimes didn’t stop moving the entire night, nor did the two fantastic dancers she had with her, who brought her songs to life in a new way. Progressive lighting and fog added to the experience by creating the feeling of a futuristic dream world, a great contrast to the ancient carved stone decor of The Mayan.
Much of Grimes’s set consisted of remixed songs from Genesis, and they were a treat; she invited friends from backstage to come dance with her for a particularly energetic version of “Oblivion.” But the crowd was hungry for her new music, and went nuts for her recent singles “Flesh Without Blood” and “Go,” as well as “Venus Fly,” a great pop track to watch for on her upcoming album that will feature Janelle Monae.
In short, Grimes’s show was a larger-than-life, immersive experience that would have been at home in a venue twice the size of The Mayan. Don’t wait to get tickets for her show in your city, as you will see an artist on the brink of mastering one set of iconic songs and introducing another. Make sure to check out the rest of the #30DaysInLA line-up below. If this was only the second night, it’s going to be a great festival.
Click here to see when Grimes will be coming to your city!
Click here to get your tickets for #30DaysInLA!
November 3 at The Fonda Theatre: Sylvan Esso, Race Banyon, AKUA
November 4 at The Belasco Theater: Joey Badass, G Herbo f.k.a. Lil Herb, Warm Brew
November 5 at Sonos Studio LA: A Night at Sonos Studio
November 6 at Mack Sennett Studios: Chromeo, Cakes da Killa, The Suffers, Pearl Charles
November 7 at The Regent Theater: Soulection, Connor Pearson
November 8 at The Roxy Theater: Shura, Tennyson
November 9 at The Teragram Ballroom: Toro y Moi, Young Magic, Roger Sellers
November 10 at Exchange LA: Kiesza, The Flavr Blue, Phantoms
November 11 at The Regent Theater: Tinashe, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Povi
November 12 at The Mayan: Flume, River Tiber, Taskforce
November 13 at Amoeba Music: Club Vinyl
November 14 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel: TV on the Radio, Gallant
November 15 at The Legendary Park Plaza: Kali Uchis, Rome Fortune, Quantic, Quitapenas
November 16 at Bardot: School Night, Boy & Bear, Boom Forest, Kevin Garrett
November 17 at The Roxy Theatre: Lion Babe, Nicholas L. Perez
November 18 at The Echo: No Age, In the Whale, So Pitted
November 19 at The Echo: Boots, Marijuana Deathsquads
November 20 at Tower Theatre: BADBADNOTGOOD, Sam Dew, Charlotte Day Wilson
November 21 at Hollywood Palladium: Big Sean, Mick Jenkins, Finding Novyon
November 22 at Echoplex: Kaytranada, Tre Mission, RUMTUM
November 23 at The Sayers Club: Raury, OSHUN
November 24 at El Rey Theatre: Vince Staples, Loaf Muzik, Martin $ky
November 25 at TuneIn Studios: Backyard BBQ, Jason Bentley
November 26 at The Regent Theater: After Dinner Movie, High Fidelity (Movie)
November 27 at Lure: The Left-Over, Harriet Brown
November 28 at Mack Sennett Studios: Ilovemakonnen, Basecamp, Jazz Cartier
November 29 at The Wiltern: Foals, Son Little, Novosti
November 30 at The Teragram Ballroom: SECRET SHOW
Images via Carlo Cruz & Koury Angelo / Red Bull Sound Select / Content Pool
More from BUST
Grimes Slams Sexism In The Music Industry In New Interview
Correatown Returns With ‘True North’ Music Video: BUST Premiere
Mac DeMarco Hits All The Right Notes: BUST Interview
