Kevin Bronson on February 16th, 2018

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When Kimbra started her Valentine’s Day show at the Theatre at Ace Hotel, she marveled at the 91-year-old Spanish Gothic palace. “I used to come here for movie screenings,” she told the crowd. “This is such a trip, and I’m so glad we could do this together.”

The 27-year-old from New Zealand played a combination of songs from her forthcoming third album “Primal Heart” (due in April), as well as older favorites. Los Angeles, she explained, was a “big part of my growth” and working with so many L.A.-based musicians helped create “the thumping heartbeat of the new album.” She admitted that she was “getting back to the way she started, which is singer-songwriter vibes,” which suited the seated audience. But finally she said, “I know we’re sitting down, but doesn’t mean we can’t dance right? It’s Valentine’s Day, come on! The day of love, or really the day of sales at Target, let’s be honest.” Kimbra ended her set with “Top of the World” and then came back on for a one-song encore, “Real Life.”

Rhode Island trio Arc Iris opened the night with lead singer Jocie Adams swirling her cape while standing on a high chair. They played an eccentric set; during two songs, five men wearing large pig heads walked down the aisle.

 L.A. trio KING followed with a set worthy of Valentine’s Day, ending with “Supernatural” — dedicating the song to “all the lovers in the audience.”

Photos by Jessica Hanley