Last Week in LA: Lykke Li at The Wiltern, Arctic Monkeys at The Palladium

Last week was quite an exciting one for me and a great deal of other music lovers in the good old City of Angels, as we were graced with the appearance of two very prominent European acts, and two very different ones at that. Tuesday's Lykke Li show was quite incredible, laden with black draping outfits (curtains to match) and a healthy dose of what Lykke herself is most famous for: sex appeal. Grimes was the opening act, an endearingly awkward little electronic musician hailing from Canada. With such a mousy voice and spindly physique, I was pretty shocked to hear her music include some pretty heavy, soul-shaking beats. Despite minor slip-ups and not so smooth transitions, Grimes was able to captivate the crowd song after dance-invoking song, and impressed me with what she was able to do to her music in terms of distortion and reverb. Lykke's performance, as expected, was chalk-full of amazing theatrics, darkly seductive dance moves, and flashing orange and yellow lights that coincided perfectly with the lyrics of her songs. If there's one thing this girl has proven she can do time and time again, it's put on a good show. She opened with "Jerome", the perfect choice to prep the crowd for what was to come (in my opinion, it's one of the best off of Wounded Rhymes, one of the year's best albums so far). She didn't do a lot of talking or engaging with the crowd, but it's impossible to deny how nuts everyone went around me as she performed numbers like "I Follow Rivers," "I'm Good, I'm Gone," "Everybody But Me," and "Get Some." I was even more impressed to find out how sick she was at the time of the show! Poor girl had the flu and still put on an amazing show, I have a lot of respect for her for that. I left a bit early but got to hear "Youth Knows No Pain" while walking out; a killer way to end an incredible evening.
The Arctic Monkeys show, on the contrary, was anything but a calm spectator sport for admiring fans. After The Vaccines finished their set (not much to say about that, was less than impressed...) and the lights went out, I barely had time to take in what was going on before being pushed about 50 feet forward, jam-packed in the middle of a bunch of rowdy, shirtless drunk men head banging as the Monkeys opened with "Brainstorm" and "This House is a Circus." Not to say that they didn't put on an amazing show; with them playing songs like "Teddy Picker," "Crying Lightening," "Do Me A Favour," and the new and popular "Don't Sit Down," i was impossible not to have a great time. I could have done without being punched in the face, but it was worth it. I would have loved to hear them play "505" or "Dancing Shoes," but the fact that they ended with "Fluorescent Adolescent" made me the happiest little clam in the building. Quite an experience, but I can safely say I can and will do it again. As for their highly-anticipated new album, I've heard a really wide range of reactions: some love the new direction they're going in, some call it a cheap attempt at a Strokes impression. As for me, I've enjoyed what I've heard so far and think is going to do quite well. But we'll see. Watch the videos for Lykke Li's "Get Some" video and Arctic Monkeys' "Don't Sit Down" video below!