Kim Gordon, 73, commands the Hollywood Theatre with forward-looking new record

Kim Gordon held court at the Hollywood Theatre on Monday night, performing her third solo album PLAY ME to an intimate audience. At 73, the Sonic Youth co-founder is making the most forward-looking music of her solo career—12 tracks in under half an hour, trap beats and industrial grime shoved against a krautrock pulse. The album is compressed and menacing on record; live, it opened up in a way only a small venue can unlock.

Gordon front-loaded the entire new record, moving through PLAY ME almost in sequence: the title track, then "Girl With a Look," and by the third song, "No Hands," the set had pulled into a groove and stayed there. The low end did the heavy lifting all night, thick and physical, with Gordon's flat, talk-sung delivery riding on top rather than fighting it. "Not Today" stood out as a rare moment of her actually singing. Other highlights included "Black Out" and "Busy Bee," as the set ran through the new album to "Nail Biter," songs blurring into one propulsive block—exactly how the album works too.

What elevated the performance was Gordon herself: deadpan seriousness bordering on cold, fashion-forward and provocative in a way that would read as a stunt on almost anyone else. Behind her, a young band was all grins and energy, a stark contrast to her icy composure. She knows exactly what she's doing, and she has known for forty years.

The second half reached further back into her catalogue. "Bye Bye" from 2024's The Collective arrived alongside "Trophies," "It's Dark Inside" and "Psychedelic Orgasm," songs tying the new beat-driven direction back to the record that started it. A few tracks incorporated the sound of a screwdriver sliding across guitar. Gordon reached back to 2019's No Home Record for "Paprika Pony" and "Cookie Butter" before leaving the stage. An encore followed—a choice that surprised the crowd given the tightness of what had come before.