The best concerts in L.A. this January

The Wilco frontman’s freewheeling solo shows balance acoustic takes, deep cut requests and charming banter.

A consummate pro, J.T. mixes Sinatra’s swagger and charisma with the airtight funk of Michael Jackson at his peak. Though the former NSYNC member’s last few albums haven’t quite lived up to the rest of his catalog, he’s still adept at making magic on stage night after night (especially when with an accompanying big band).

When R&B singer Abel Tesfaye released his debut mixtape, House of Balloons, in 2011, he did so hidden behind the Weeknd moniker: faceless and nameless, with no pictures, concerts or interviews. Since then, he’s made the leap from mystery-cloaked DIY buzz magnet to pro-hyped superstar drenched in drugged out psychosexual fantasy with ’80s funk basslines and a glossy pop shimmer. See him at the Rose Bowl for this in-the-round show.