Janky Smooth Top 10 SHOWS of 2025 Rated by Contributors

Live shows, concerts, clubs and festivals have always been the life blood of Janky Smooth and that was no different in 2025.  That’s why Top 10 shows are always on our year end lists…

But 2025 was a relaunch in many ways for us after almost clicking our last click on this music blog through the pandemic.  This year felt like we were back at full strength for the first time.  A skeleton crew has grown skin that has been filled with the blood, sweat and tears of such a diverse group of contributors- all with their own taste.  Taste, and the lack of it, at times is what we celebrate on our music blog.

Here are the Top 10 Shows of 2025 from 7 of our contributors.  Up next- The Top 25 Artists To Watch In 2026.

*All highlighted picks are linked to reviews*

related: Janky Smooth Top 10 Albums Of 2025 Rated By Contributors 

Publisher, Danny Baraz

1. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds at Cruel World, Rose Bowl
2. Nine Inch Nails at The Forum
3. Lip Critic at The Lodge Room
4. Fleshwater and Chat Pile at The Fonda Theatre
5. Marilyn Manson at House Of Blues Anaheim
6. L7 and Lunachicks at Belasco Theater
7. Osees at The Teragram Ballroom (August 29 show)
8. Thundercat at Camp Flog Gnaw, Exposition Park
9. N8NOFACE at El Rey Theatre
10. Obituary at The Bellwether

related: MSPAINT and Lip Critic at Lodge Room – Disturbing The Peace 

Author/Editor, Danny Ryan 

1. Cock Sparrer at The Hollywood Palladium
2. Oasis at Rose Bowl
3. Magdalena Bay at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
4. Addison Rae at The Wiltern
5. Michael McColgan And The Bomb Squad performing “Do Or Die” at Alex’s Bar
6. For The Children Toy Drive at Belasco Theater
7. Danny Brown at The Bellwether
8. Insane Clown Posse at House Of Blues Anaheim
9. Full of Hell at Fucking Awesome board shop
10. The Suicide Machines at Vans Warped Tour

related: Juggalo Halloween Party – Insane Clown Posse at House Of Blues Anaheim 

Author, Robert Shepyer 

1. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds at Cruel World, Rose Bowl
2. Oneohtrix Point Never at The Wiltern
3. Acid Bath at The Hollywood Palladium
4. Rich Kids On LSD at Ventura Music Hall
5. The Armed at The Roxy
6. Beth Gibbons at Orpheum Theatre
7. Devin Townsend at The Wiltern
8. Jesse Welles at Belasco Theater
9. Wormrot at First Street Billiards And Pool Hall
10. Rose Tattoo at The Whiskey

related: Beth Gibbons at The Orpheum – Outgrowing Your Own Creation 

Author/Photographer, Michelle Evans 

1. Clikatat Ikatowi at Zebulon
2. Orchid with Jerome’s Dream at Belasco Theater
3. Kim Deal at Belasco Theater
4. Chat Pile at Zebulon
5. Cap’n Jazz at The Wiltern
6. Minus The Bear at Belasco Theater
7. Supergrass at The Hollywood Palladium
8. Jonathan Richman at Ojai Valley Woman’s Club
9. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at The Regent Theater
10. Pile at Ventura Music Hall

related: Smashing The Status Quo with Fleshwater at The Fonda Theatre 

Photographer, Albert Licano 

1. Cock Sparrer at The Hollywood Palladium
2. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds at Cruel World, Rose Bowl
3. Gang Of Four at The Fonda Theatre
4. Dropdead at Brick’s Rock Bar
5. Oasis at Rose Bowl
6. Pegboy at The Sardine
7. Alice Cooper at The Forum
8. Midnight at Poor Kid’s Mansion
9. Sacrifice at Zebulon
10. Giuda at Alex’s Bar

related: Oi My God – Cock Sparrer at The Palladium 

Photographer, Taylor Wong 

related: Circle Jerks Throw Birthday Party For Keith Morris at The Hollywood Palladium 

Photographer, Evan Moses 

1. Slayer at Hershey Park Stadium
2. Acid Bath at The Hollywood Palladium
3. Sound And Fury Festival, Exposition Park
4. Elysia at The Midnight Hour
5. Home To Heart Festival at Coyote Studios
6. Start Today at Genghis Cohen
7. The Daze Tour feat. Torture, Balmore, and Sanction at 1720 Warehouse
8. Brain Dead x aiaiai Fire Benefit show at Zebulon + house after show
9. Deafheaven at Belasco Theater
10. Turnstile at Oxnard Elk’s Lodge

related: Acid Bath at Hollywood Palladium – Venus Blues And Bayou Sludge