Leonid and Friends at Fred Kavli Theatre

Leonid and Friends are heading to the Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks on Thursday, November 12, 2026. If you are putting together a list of LA concerts worth a drive this fall, a band that rebuilt the Chicago songbook from a living room in Moscow earns a spot on it.

Who is Leonid and Friends?

The group began as a home project. Founder Leonid Vorobyev, a sound engineer and choir conductor, gathered musicians from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus to learn Chicago's "Brand New Love Affair" and film themselves playing it. The video spread online, and what started as a handful of friends became a touring band with a sold-out US run behind it.

The odd part of the story is that the players had never seen Chicago live. Chicago never toured in Vorobyev's home country, so the band built its sound from records, bootlegs and a lot of listening. That is part of why the recreations land so closely: the horn lines, the vocal harmonies and the guitar tone are worked out note by note. The band also performs material from Earth, Wind & Fire and other horn-driven acts of the same era.

What to expect

Expect a big stage. A tribute to a brass-heavy band needs trumpets, trombones and sax, plus keys, guitars, drums and several singers who trade lead duties. The set leans on the hits that filled radio in the 1970s and 80s, from the punchy early rock numbers to the slow-dance ballads. It is a good fit for longtime Chicago fans, and for anyone who likes seeing a large group of players enjoy themselves on stage.

The venue

The Fred Kavli Theatre sits inside the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, a performing arts campus west of the San Fernando Valley in Ventura County. It is a seated theater, which suits a band that rewards listening, and the plaza has surface and structured parking close to the doors. If you are coming from Los Angeles, plan for Highway 101 traffic on a weeknight and leave early.

Practical info

When: Thursday, November 12, 2026 Where: Fred Kavli Theatre, 2100 E Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks Doors and start time: Not listed in the guide we checked, so confirm on the ticket page Tickets: Sold through the listing linked below, with prices shown as "from" amounts

The listing for this show did not publish a ticket price or a start time, so check the ticket page for current rates before you go. The guide notes that it sells primary, discount and resale tickets and that resale prices may sit above face value. Anyone sorting through things to do in Los Angeles and Ventura County this month should compare the options and buy from a seller they trust. Details can change, so look at the official listing for the latest.