Elder Island Live at the El Rey Theatre

Elder Island is back in town, and this time they've got the El Rey Theatre. The Bristol trio plays the Miracle Mile room on Friday, September 25, 2026, which makes it one of the better picks if you're sorting through LA events this weekend and want something that sits between a concert and a dance night.

If you haven't caught them before, Elder Island builds songs out of stacked analog synths, looping basslines and Katy Sastry's voice, with her cello showing up where you don't expect it. The records lean dreamy. Live, it's a different animal. The tempos push harder, the grooves stretch out, and the crowd tends to end up dancing by the second half of the set.

The El Rey suits that. It's a 1936 Art Deco theater on Wilshire with a flat general admission floor, a small balcony and a chandelier that's been hanging over LA shows for decades. Capacity sits around 770, so even from the back you're close enough to watch the band work their gear. They played the Fonda in 2022 (that's where the photo above comes from), and a room this size keeps things just as tight.

Know before you go

The public listing puts the show at 8 PM. Check your ticket for exact door time and any opener, since support acts aren't named in the listing we saw. We couldn't confirm a face-value ticket price, so look at the official venue box office before paying resale markups.

The El Rey is at 5515 Wilshire Blvd, a short walk from LACMA and the Academy Museum. Street parking along Wilshire and the side streets goes fast on a Friday night. Rideshare drop-off right out front is the easy move. Metro's D Line extension toward Wilshire/La Brea is the transit option to check, and several Wilshire bus lines stop nearby.

There's plenty of food nearby, so grab dinner on La Brea or at one of the Miracle Mile spots before heading in. The bar inside gets crowded between sets.

If you're building out a Friday plan, this is one of those Things Happening In Los Angeles that rewards showing up early and staking out a spot near the soundboard, where the mix is best. For more things to do in los angeles, browse the full concerts calendar or everything else going on around Los Angeles.