⭐☆☆☆☆ Big Wild at The Wiltern – Disappointing Performance
by Bellababe on 10/9/25The Wiltern - Los AngelesRating: 1 out of 5I’ve been a Big Wild fan for a few years after seeing him perform in Santa Rosa at the Emerald Cup. That show was full of energy, live vocals, drums, and incredible female guest performers who danced and dressed in wild 70s costumes - so fun! So when we saw he was playing at The Wiltern, we were excited. The classic theatre itself was beautiful — great acoustics, staff, and atmosphere. Unfortunately, the performance just didn’t live up to the Big Wild we had seen before. This time, it was just him on stage with a female drummer and a guitarist (maybe this is his more typical show??). He danced around, hit a few drums, and sang over his own recorded loops - one song the vocals weren’t even live. The light show was probably the best part — visually strong — but not enough to justify the ticket price or the hype. There was very little live music, no guest artists, and overall it felt flat. His voice isn’t strong enough to carry the show solo, and without the variety and collaboration that made his performances we saw so dynamic, it all felt more like watching someone play around onstage rather than creating real music. The older songs still sounded okay but the new material didn’t connect. I’m sorry to say it, but this was a letdown. If this is the new direction for live electronic shows — one person looping tracks and trying to pump up the crowd — I hope it’s not the new normal. I miss the real musicianship, collaboration, and magic that make good live music so special.