Kevin Bronson on July 31st, 2015

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The fact that Thursday’s night’s headlining show represented a milestone for Moses Sumney was not lost on the 25-year-old singer-songwriter. Most of his previous gigs around L.A. were free shows, “because who would pay to come see me?” he said good-naturedly. “But I have to charge now — a boy has bills to pay.”

Who would pay to see him? The show at the Echo was sold out, and Sumney arrived with a full band, including horns, in tow. His nine-song set included such favorites as “Man on the Moon,” “Dwell in the Dark,” “Seeds” and “Plastic,” and it ended with “Twilight.” In introducing “Worth It,” Sumney said, “This is my anti-love song. Actually that is all of my songs.”

With his aching falsetto and live-looping skills in typically fine form, the only bump in an otherwise sublime evening came when a fan blurted something out during the show (the man had done the same during opener Okay Kaya’s set). Smiling, Sumney looked at him and asked, “Why are you even here?” And then Sumney — the subject of a Times profile this week whose next L.A. gig is opening for Erykah Badu and St. Vincent at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 30 — laughed and carried on.

Photos by Carl Pocket, courtesy of the Echo