96 Bitter Beings drops life changing LP, ‘Synergy Restored’

Los Angeles has a secret weapon, and he’s one of hell of a guitarist! One of the music industry’s most prolific performers, Deron Miller, also known as front man and founder of CKY, has unveiled yet another masterpiece Synergy Restored from the infamous rock band, 96 Bitter Beings. Miller is no stranger to the music […]

Steel Panther warms up for upcoming world tour in San Luis Obispo

Steel Panther, a comedic glam metal band from Los Angeles has been bringing us their hilarious take on profane stereotypical rocker lifestyle since the early 2000s under a variety of band names including “Metal Shop,” “Metal Skool” and then finally “Steel Panther.” The band’s Sunset Strip days consisted of a slightly different line up than […]

Get to know Gibson ambassador Jared James Nichols

Nashville-based artist and Gibson brand ambassador Jared James Nichols releases third full-length self-titled album Jared James Nichols, a superb and smooth rock collection that will surely leave an impression. The musical composition throughout the entire lay out is brutal, honest, and wild. The music content, lyrics and sound are deeply visual experiences that transcend into […]

Thank you, Everclear, for 30 years of glorious music

The line wrapped around the building despite the cold winter weather creeping onto Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip. Eager fans chatted while huddled together, reminiscing over the last time they saw Everclear perform and holding up the toy they brought with them as Everclear partnered with Border Kindness, a 501c3 nonprofit humanitarian-aid organization, for a toy […]

Hayley and the Crushers bring bright colors and mischief to San Pedro

Tucked away in the corner of San Pedro, California is a portal leading straight into NYC’s notorious 1990s punk rock scene. Low lighting, patched leather vests, and the smell of whiskey encompass The Sardine; a punk rock bar, record store, and music venue. November 19th welcomed a night of old-school punk rock. Three female-fronted bands […]

We were up ‘Til Dawn’ with The Weeknd

On Saturday, November 26th, fans of The Weeknd gave thanks for the artist, his music, and his current nationwide run of the After Hours Til Dawn tour named after his most recently debuted studio album. Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known by his stage name, The Weeknd cast a magic spell over attendees at Sofi Stadium. […]

Welsh rock group, The Joy Formidable, crushes it at The Roxy

An otherwise regular and boring Tuesday night was pleasantly disrupted by a powerful, entertaining, and heavy hitting performance from Welsh rock band, CUFFED UP. The night kicked off at the world famous establishment The Roxy on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles. The band took us through their hits from 2021 album, Asymmetry, with fun banter […]

Jessie Baylin serves Nashville with a taste of New Jersey

Tuesday, November 15, The Basement East hosted Jessie Baylin and Airpark. The New Jersey native left home when she was 18 to discover herself in Los Angeles, only to quickly figure out that music was her calling. Inspired by artists such as Billie Holiday, Barbara Streisand, and Ella Fitzgerald, Jessie Baylin mixes folk, rock, and […]

Dropkick Murphys reminds LA their music is timeless

My dad, Shane, and I go to a lot of shows and work together as a team to do reviews here at Top Shelf Music. We have seen some of the biggest performers in the world and countless new bands in dimly lit clubs that barely fit 50 people. Some shows are fun, some shows […]

Black Lips gets rowdy at The Lodge Room, Los Angeles

Loud, raucous, supersonic. I’ve been dying to see a show at The Lodge Room for years. Its a fantastic venue inside an old Masonic lodge from the 1920s that’s been converted into a live performance powerhouse in Los Angeles, with all the necessary modern niceties you’d expect — all the chic, stylized charm that you […]

Stromae returns for a deep performance in LA

Stromae (born Paul Van Haver) is a Belgian artist who first became popular in early 2010s. He gained huge international success quickly and in 2014, he was the first French-singing artist to sell out Madison Square Garden. After releasing two albums, he was called one of the most unique artists in recent history and soon […]

Upsahl ends her first headlining tour in LA

Upsahl’s first ever headlining tour (coincidentally called ‘This is my First Headline Tour’) sadly came to an end in the heart of the sunset strip at Los Angeles’ legendary venue, The Roxy. The show featured an opener who needs no introduction — King Mala. For those of you who don’t know, King Mala is an alt […]

An intimate evening with Jack Johnson at the GRAMMY Museum

It was a brisk evening on a rooftop deck in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, California. However it was also a special evening… one where you could see GRAMMY-nominated and former professional surfer Jack Johnson and producer Blake Mills perform live and discuss Meet the Moonlight — Jack Johnson’s eighth studio album that came […]