The best upcoming concerts in L.A.

Can’t get enough of his yearly appearance at the Bowl? The LA Phil wraps up its two-year John Williams at Disney Hall with a second season of live scores and concerts in his honor.  You can see a Williams-curated program of Mexican and Hollywood cinema scores (Oct 25–27, 2024); a selection of pieces from the entire Star Wars saga, hosted by C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels (Nov 21–24, 2024); a Williams-conducted evening with Yo-Yo Ma (April 3, 4, 2025); and a Gustavo Dudamel-conducted spotlight on Williams (April 5, 6, 2025).

A world of glam electro-pop anthems and and glittering costumes hits the Hollywood Bowl when the disco-inspired duo Empire of the Sun comes to town. Local duo Neil Frances opens with bouncy, psychedelic electronic pop beats.

Pop culture icon Cyndi Lauper is embarking on her first major tour in a decade—but also one that’s being billed as her farewell. The ’80s songstress and Kinky Boots composer is sure to bring timeless hits like “Girl Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time” to the Intuit Dome.

Prog-rock around the Christmas tree this Thanksgiving weekend. Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be performing an all-new version of its rock opera The Lost Christmas Eve—the 2004 final installment in the band’s Christmas trilogy—to the Honda Center in Anaheim. Expect rocking versions of your favorite carols—many of them instrumentals—as well as pyrotechnics and a laser light show that will ensure you leave the show feeling pumped about the holidays.

Brooklyn heroes TV on the Radio—for years indie rock’s brainiest “it” band—celebrate the 20th anniversary of the excellent Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes with three intimate shows at the El Rey (some of their first live shows since 2019).

KIIS FM’s annual holiday behemoth’s lineup reads like a roll call of the station’s playlist: SZA, Kane Brown, Shaboozey, Tate McRae, Benson Boone, T-Pain, NCT Dream, Meghan Trainor, Paris Hilton and Madison Beer will all take over the new Intuit Dome this holiday season. The best seats will cost you a boatload, so look out for news of a potential free pre-show with some of the artists on the lineup.

Mexican folk dance company Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles is taking the Soraya stage in Northridge once again for a mariachi-infused holiday performance that celebrates the different regions of Mexico. The two music- and dance-filled shows will also feature the talents of guest vocalist Camila Fernández, granddaughter of famed Mexican singer Vicente Fernández.

The legendary rock band plays the Forum during its “Peace Out” tour, which is being billed as a farewell from the “Walk this Way” rockers.

Don something festive and head over to Royce Hall to hear the angels sing—the Angel City Chorale, that is. The America’s Got Talent semifinalists will sing both Christmas and Hanukkah classics at their annual holiday concert. The 180-member group, known for its mishmash of classical, pop, world, contemporary and gospel genres, will perform sparkling arrangements at the “Bling”-themed show. Also promised are photo ops, carol sing-alongs and some surprises. If you can’t make it, the Sunday concert will also be livestreamed.

Say what you will about Metallica’s creative output for the past few decades, the pushing-60 thrash metal stalwarts still know how to fill stadiums with propulsive fits of rage. Even if you haven’t kept up with Hetfield and co. in recent years, expect their live sets to still draw heavily from their first four (or five, depending on where you stand on The Black Album) nearly-perfect albums. For this one-off show at the YouTube Theater, they’ll be supporting their All Within My Hands foundation with the band’s fourth annual Helping Hands Concert & Auction.