Words and Photos by : Derek Mendez

Aldous Harding at Pacific Electric

Aldous Harding capped off her 2026 North American tour at Pacific Electric in Los Angeles last night. This was her first tour in four years, following the release of her new album, "Train on the Island."

The night began with an opening set by Sam Burton. The singer-songwriter from Utah acknowledged the crowd's steady attention on his set by jokingly commending their interest in acoustic music sets. It was not hard to be drawn in, however, by Sam's set as his harmonies filled the crowded Pacific Electric room. His tracks reminded me of a timeless sound that was common in the era of Simon and Garfunkel. The lyrics off his newest track "Fairweather Friend" rang haunting but very relatable. "Where the years they fly so fast and we all got to pay, give our time away"—that sinking feeling of slipping time is a universal one that Sam captures in a beautiful way. Sam's upcoming album "Fairweather Friend" releases on October 29th.

Aldous came out to the greetings of an excited crowd that packed the floor standing room and balconies above. The venue's intimate space provided the perfect stage for the New Zealand-based singer to perform her complex but often quieter tracks off of her latest "Train on the Island" album. The stage was beautifully lit, spotlighting her and her bandmates, allowing the storytelling nature of her music to shine without distraction. Through the quieter tracks, Aldous kept the audience captive by her performance, taking a break to acknowledge a welcoming shout coming from the crowd. The set list wove between tracks off her latest release and the 2022 album "Warm Chris." In the same way Aldous set up her latest album, she closed the night with the track "Coats." This track feels appropriate for a city like Los Angeles. In a city so populated yet so plagued by isolated people who feel misunderstood, her lyrics "Can't buy the remedy but I'll eat if you're next to me" speak to the often simple need of many.