LOS ANGELES, CA- Los Angeles has no shortage of things to brag about: unbeatable food, rich global culture, and arguably the greatest music scene in the world. With artists from around the globe cycling through historic venues on a near-nightly basis, there’s always something special happening. The Belasco Theater, tucked into the bustle of Downtown, is one of those classic venues with just the right mix of grit and grandeur. On this particular night, it played host to the equally storied and beloved Los Campesinos!—a band that’s spent nearly two decades evolving from moody, emo-adjacent punks into a wiser, but just as raucous, collective.
Their seventh album, All Hell, dropped last July, and like everything they’ve released, it holds a mirror to the chaos and tenderness of life in motion. A lot of their early work was fast and frantic, full of teenage rage and outsized feelings. This one feels just as urgent, but with more reflection. True to form, the band self-financed, self-produced, and self-recorded the album—an effort that shows in how sharp, cohesive, and deliberate the record sounds. It’s full of layered punk anthems and aching ballads, brimming with lyrical wit and vulnerability. You get the sense they’ve grown up and are now generously sharing what they’ve learned along the way.
Opening the night was Star 99, a five-piece band that felt like they had walked straight out of the same scene Los Campesinos! once emerged from. They were energetic and noisy in the best way, clearly having a blast on stage. The singer radiated charisma, leading the group with a wide grin and a colorful, hand-painted guitar that looked more like something you’d find in a modern art gallery than on a punk stage. At one point, guitarist Thomas told a story about being in high school in 2007, playing Guitar Hero, wearing thrifted Ramones tees, and idolizing rock stars. Then he discovered Los Campesinos!, and through their music—and their true independence—realized that his heroes were human, too.
In a mark of true devotion, Star 99 even named a song after Los Campesinos!, which said everything about the emotional lineage of the night. It felt like we were all ex-emo teens who’d grown into thoughtful, hopeful punks. Less “everything sucks” and more “how do we help each other build something better?”
Follow Star 99 on Instagram.
When Los Campesinos! finally took the stage, the crowd—a vibrant mix of younger fans and older millennials—erupted. This was my first time seeing them live. I’d mostly come on my sister’s recommendation, and I’m so glad I did. Just a few songs in, they launched into “Romance Is Boring,” and the punchy, squealing intro hit me like a lightning bolt. You could feel a collective jolt run through the crowd as we all screamed along. That kind of communal energy is hard to describe, but you know it when you’re in it.
Gareth David, the band’s frontman, was electric. He stretched his mic stand into the crowd, leaned over the barricade, sang directly into fans’ faces, and grinned like a madman. The band played like a group of friends who still love playing together—hugging mid-song, cheering each other on, laughing between verses. At one point, Gareth joked that writing the songs is the easy part; it’s the talking between them that’s hard. But their stage presence never faltered. The setlist spanned their entire catalog: “Knee Deep at ATP,” “Holy Smoke,” “To Tundra,” and several cuts from All Hell made the night feel like a greatest-hits celebration rather than a single-album tour. It was emotional without being heavy—cathartic in the way dancing too hard and shouting lyrics with strangers can be.
The Belasco was the perfect venue. With its tall, ornate walls and expansive balcony, it felt both intimate and epic. The balcony—apparently reserved for friends of the band—overlooked a packed pit where fans danced, sang, and chatted between songs. From the stage, it must have looked like a sea of people rising into carved arches and glowing light fixtures. There’s something magical about that kind of setting when a band like this is playing—when the music bounces off the walls and wraps around you like a memory.
They closed, fittingly, with “You! Me! Dancing!” The slow build of keys and guitar stretched the anticipation until it burst into one of the most joyful songs in their entire catalog. The whole room lost its mind—arms in the air, smiles on faces. There was no better way to end the night.
Seeing Los Campesinos! felt like watching a band grow up without growing old. They’ve held onto the chaos, but tempered it with care. In a city where live music never stops, this show stood out. It reminded me of what makes concerts so vital: it’s not just about hearing the songs—it’s about feeling them, together. And in that moment, inside The Belasco, it felt like all of us were exactly where we needed to be.
Follow Los Campesinos! on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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