Pop & Hiss

As the sun fell on the last Sunday sets of the first All My Friends festival, it was clear that there’s a hunger for this kind of show in central DTLA — a smaller-capacity event that’s urbane and accessible, and maybe a little hipper than its predecessor Hard Summer, perhaps a little reminiscent of FYF Fest five or so years ago.

Early in a thoroughly exhilarating performance Sunday in Escondido on his Prodigal Son tour, guitarist, singer, songwriter and keeper of the roots-music flame Ry Cooder performed “Straight Street,” one of the vintage gospel and blues songs at the heart of one of the strongest albums of his storied career.

The song, written by James W.

Jhené Aiko wanted to finish on a high note.

“Can we do one more song?” the R&B singer asked as she wrapped up her performance Saturday night at the inaugural All My Friends music festival. “We gotta party like it’s the last night of our lives.”

Soul-gospel singer Mavis Staples, a peer and longtime family friend of Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, spoke to pop music writer Randy Lewis from her home in Chicago on Friday — a day after Franklin’s death at age 76.

Staples, 79, touched on their long relationship, their shared history and passion for gospel music, as well as their moves into the world of secular R&B and soul music.

In the hours after Aretha Franklin’s death Thursday, the weeklong appreciation of the Queen of Soul reached a feverish climax, with tributes pouring in from every corner of the globe — and even beyond.

At the same time fans were singing Franklin’s praises, others saluted a fellow member of music royalty: Madonna, the queen of pop, was living it up for her 60th birthday.

You can imagine how Ariana Grande’s new album might’ve turned out.

The pop singer’s first record since the terrorist bombing that killed 22 people last year as they left a concert of hers at England’s Manchester Arena, “Sweetener” would likely have surprised few if it had arrived Friday as a heavy-hearted work of mournful reflection.