I’ll be the first to admit I’m severely in debt because of my concert addiction — so much that I’m sure, if they could, my parents would put me on the show My Strange Addiction. However in the words of my favorite poet, money is materialistic but music is forever — I’m the poet, me, myself, and I.
If you’re questioning my qualifications on this, that’s understandable. However, as someone who went to their first concert before they could tie their shoes, I’d say I’m basically a concert connoisseur. Not to mention I’ve also been to 10 plus concerts this year alone, ranging from folk to R&B, with a few more to go. Plus, I know where to get cheap tickets! So without further ado, here are the three best concerts I’ve ever been to, and you should check out if these musicians come to a city near you!
#3: Luke Hemmings at The Fonda Theatre on June 8- 9, 2023
Luke Hemmings is undeniably one of my favorite musicians, as a solo act and as the lead singer of 5 Seconds of Summer. What makes these shows so worthy to be a part of this list is one simple factor: I had graduation on June 8. Ironically enough, both shows were actually announced, and tickets were bought for both before my senior class knew what day we’d be graduating. So from rushing grad pics to bribing people to let me cut lines, at 9:29 p.m., an hour and a half after my graduation ended, I made it to the venue in my graduation dress, cords, and sore feet. And let me tell you, it was all worth it because the show didn’t disappoint the first or second time.
Both shows were actually Hemmings’ first times playing his solo music live, which was only a 13 song album. So getting to be in a room with 1,000 other people who truly loved the album as much as I did both nights was undeniably the most intense and chaotic way to end high school and start college. Both nights were filled to the brim with live instruments that left you feeling every emotion to a new level. As far as Luke Hemmings, being he had been in the industry for 10 years prior, he played both shows like a pro, incorporating gut-wrenching vocals, talking breaks that were filled with laughter and chaos, confetti shooting at perfect beat drops, insane dancing (“hemmo hops” is what most of his fans call his dancing), and of course the music that left everyone in the room wanting more. Overall, if you weren’t at these shows, I truly feel bad for you, because they were two of the best moments of my year.
The highlight of show one (June 8): Going through security and getting told in a laughing matter by security that I was holding up the show because I was the last one to enter, and they couldn’t start the show until everyone was in.
The highlight of show two (June 9): When Hemmings laughed at me when I was crying during his song ‘Mum’ and during his song ‘Bloodline’ when he changed a few lyrics that no one had heard until that moment.
#2: Hombres G and Los Enanitos Verdes at Hollywood Palladium on May 14, 2010
Arguably the first show I’d ever seen, argued by my family because we actually can’t remember — this was where my addiction began. Most people saw Hannah Montana or Glee live when they were a kid, but coming from a Mexican family, my sister and I obviously couldn’t follow that.
Let me start by saying that the Hollywood Palladium is BEAUTIFUL. The vintage spin on its ballroom-style venue just entices any and everyone who walks in, even a 5-year-old who just wants to go to sleep. If this was a ranking of the best places I’ve been to, the Palladium would be at the top of it. It’s truly never disappointed, even when I’m tired of walking in a line along the block to get in.
I don’t remember much about this show, but in my defense, I don’t remember much about anything from my childhood. However, I do remember being in awe of everything going on. From live music to live vocals — live everything — it’s like I was in a trance and didn’t know how to get out of it. It was so mesmerizing that I actually didn’t fall asleep at all nor on the drive back home, which is saying a lot for a child at the time. Growing up on this music too made the environment even more surreal. I was able to identify every lyric and took up any opportunity to strum my air guitar. It was overall an insane place to be in because of the unique sound and vocals Hombres G and Los Enanitos Verdes have. I highly recommend listening to them even if you don’t understand the lyrics. Not to mention both are Latin bands that don’t play a lot of live shows in the US, so being able to say I saw both live in Hollywood is a bit of a brag. All in all, this was the perfect way to be introduced to concerts, one that I’d recommend to any 5-year-old.
Highlight of the show: Hearing the opening song and immediately knowing the lyrics to it — I don’t remember the song, but my mom tells me this was my immediate reaction.
#1: COIN at Hollywood Palladium on July 14, 2022
I’m a COIN enthusiast. If there was a No. 1 COIN fan, it’d be me and, I’d argue it’s me. It’s by far the best, most life-changing, brain-altering show I’ve ever been to. If I could physically put every moment from this show that I have in my brain on here I would.
I said it once and I’ll say it again: the Hollywood Palladium doesn’t disappoint. Everything about it is truly magic — literally — because during one of COIN’s songs, they incorporated the venue’s disco ball to reflect a rainbow on the pit crowd, making for a true brain-altering moment.
COIN themselves are one of the most underrated bands of the decade, an indie rock band I have yet to find a song of theirs that has let me down because each one just brings something new and unique. Though they’ve only been making music since 2015, they’ve managed to release five albums and a major amount of singles and EP’s all showcasing different versions of themselves that portray indie rock in different lights while still staying true to the basis of the genre. All in all, COIN is a band to watch out for, or in this case, listen out for.
Something I didn’t expect when going to this show was how unifying the band’s fans are. I knew I was a big fan of them, but I didn’t expect everyone to reciprocate the same amount of insanity I had. Not one person in that venue was a casual fan; everyone I saw at least was singing every word. It felt as though the crowd was a band of our own.
One thing about COIN is they have stage presence. All three members had this high and insane adrenaline that didn’t stop at all, not even at the last song. They somehow managed to stay at a level 10 throughout their set, a set composed of heavy hitters with large notes and insane instrumentals. This alone put COIN at the top of my list, but their music just put them way above. Because of their unique sound, every song on their set left you wanting more. From their interactive songs to their get-up and dance music and even to their sad ballads, you were left wanting more, any music as soon as a song finished.
Not to mention, they aren’t one to leave the crowd alone. Each member had moments where they interacted with the crowd, highlighting fan-made signs or talking about LA and the fan environment. It’s honestly one of those ‘you had to be there’ moments to truly see why COIN is undeniably the No. 1 best concert I’ve ever been to.
Highlight of the show: When Chase Lawrence, the lead singer, looked at my sign and told me it was ‘very tiny.’
Ultimately, music is subjective. Just because these were my life-changing concerts doesn’t mean that they’ll alter your entire life (but I’ll say seeing a giant ladybug on a stage for COIN was pretty insane and life-altering). Remember that music is forever and money is temporary, so buy that concert ticket, especially if it’s for any of these three!