Chicago indie-rock duo Whitney, led by Julien Ehrlich (drums, vocals) and Max Kakacek (guitar), returned to Los Angeles on the heels of their fourth studio album, Small Talk, self-produced and released November 7, 2025. The band played back-to-back sold-out nights at the Lodge Room, bringing their distinctly restrained, nostalgia-soaked sound into a room that felt built for it.

I removed my usual items at any venue's security check-in–camera, camera fanny pack, phone–when the guard asked if I could take off my carabiner and pant chain. As I unclipped them, "I'm guessing you've asked a lot of people this tonight?", and was met with a, "You know, not as much as you'd think." Nice, security got the joke. With half of The Beaches identifying as LGBTQ+, they’ve naturally built a queer fan base and this was on full display at their Los Angeles show.

From the moment I heard Jadu Heart's music it tore me up. Shoegaze, experimental, and hypnotic, they've created a soundscape that pulls you into a dissociative and heart clenched portal. Expect to cry; it’s painstakingly beautiful, wrapped in melancholy that feels like longing itself. You’ll listen again and again and again, cry some more, then rinse and repeat.