Staff Editor on March 1st, 2020

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Beloved L.A. indie-rockers Best Coast returned a week ago with their fourth album, “Always Tomorrow.” It was their first in five years, and although Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno haven’t been in total hibernation — they released a children’s album two years ago and have turned up as top-liners at several excellent benefit shows over the years — Best Coast hadn’t done a proper L.A. headlining show since March 2016.

Hometown fans got reacquainted Friday night at the Novo in downtown L.A., where Best Coast kicked off the the North American leg of their “Always Tomorrow” tour in earnest. The month-long, 27-date tour sees the band circling the continent before winding up with a show at the Observatory on April 2.

A packed house witnessed Best Coast perform eight of the 11 songs on the new album, including highlights such as “Everything Has Changed,” “For the First Time” and “Rollercoaster.” Longtime followers also got bite-sized singles “Crazy for You” and, to end the show, “Boyfriend,” both of which were released 10 years ago this summer. The title tracks to their 2012 and 2015 albums, “The Only Place” and “California Nights,” respectively, each made an appearance early in the main set.

Philadelphia’s Mannequin Pussy opened the night with a set that featured tunes from their 2019 album “Patience.”

Setlist: California Nights, Different Light, Wreckage, The Only Place, Crazy for You, Goodbye, For The First Time, Seeing Red, Everything Has Changed, Our Deal, Rollercoaster, Make It Last, No One Like You, Feeling OK, Graceless Kids. Encore: When I’m With You, Boyfriend

Photos by Matt Cowan