Echo & the Bunnymen returned to the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on May 17, having last played the venue in 2024. Their previous L.A. stop before that came at the Ace Hotel in 2022.
The band centers on co-founders Ian McCulloch (lead vocals/guitar) and Will Sergeant (guitar), joined by a touring lineup—original drummer Pete de Freitas died in 1989, and bassist Les Pattinson left in 1998. Formed in 1978 in Liverpool, the group was active until 1993 before reuniting in 1996 and continuing on ever since. In 2022, they marked 40 years of music—celebrating their 1980 debut Crocodiles—though pandemic delays pushed those anniversary shows in the U.S. back by two years.
Of their 13 studio albums, nine have landed in the U.K. Top 50, with Porcupine reaching No. 2. Three albums have gone Gold and two Silver.
The band played a 17-song set, followed by a pair of one-song encores. They opened with “Going Up,” and worked through favorites like “All My Colours (Zimbo),” “Seven Seas,” and “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo,” before closing the main set with “The Killing Moon.” The first encore brought “Lips Like Sugar,” while “Ocean Rain” closed the night.
As expected, the band performed in low lighting, leaning into the moody, atmospheric feel that has long defined their live shows.
Photos by Alex Kluft
