Grand Performances

Coverage of the yearly music and performance series that takes place on the California Plaza Watercourt.

GP Scenes: The Real Tuesday Weld, Lal Meri

By Eric Richardson — July 19, 2008

Lal Meri Eric Richardson

|Photo Gallery| Friday night saw The Real Tuesday Weld and Lal Meri on the watercourt for Grand Performances, in a show that KCRW’s Chris Douridas told you to come out and enjoy.

A comfortably full crowd was on hand to enjoy a night of music, with fans of both bands mixing with those who simply stopped in to check out the scene. — Continued Inside...


Friday: The Real Tuesday Weld and Lal Meri at Grand Performances

By Eric Richardson — July 17, 2008

Chris Douridas KCRW

The 2008 season of Grand Performances is in full gear, a month and a half into a schedule that runs into October. On Friday evening KCRW sponsors a show featuring UK band The Real Tuesday Weld and L.A.-based Lal Meri.

While the schedule lists KCRW Music Director Nic Harcourt as host, a last minute change has put the night in the hands of Nic’s predecessor, Chris Douridas. We caught up with Chris via email to ask him about Grand Performances and why downtowners should be particularly excited about Friday’s show. — Continued Inside...


Free Shows Mark the Summer of 2008

By Ed Fuentes — July 08, 2008 — 2 Comments

Concert Goers Ed Fuentes

Chuck Grub, 80, and his girlfriend of fifteen years, Trinidad Ventura (who proudly states she is 100) are regulars at Pershing Square’s Summer Lunchtime series. “It’s every Tuesday and Thursday, ya know,” said Grub, a retired Technicolor cameraman.

Last Thursday, he caught my eye with the way his hand bounced to the beat coming from the Undercover Girls, an all-female band who play rock and roll covers. And the song Grub was practicing his moves to? Why, “Born to be Wild” of course.

Like Chuck, Downtown’s free summer programs are hitting a full stride. — Continued Inside...


Grand Performances Opens 2008 Season with Smaller Names, But Big Music

By Ed Fuentes — June 01, 2008 — 3 Comments

Traveling Horns Ed Fuentes

|Photo Gallery| The 2008 Grand Performances lineup kicks off tonight, with little of the bang that accompanied last year’s start. While the names may be more obscure, the series is still something Downtowners should be paying close attention to.

2007 saw a packed first show take over Grand Avenue, with local favorites Ozomatli as the star attraction. This year’s opener, Miles From India, is a fusion of classical Indian music and American Jazz with little of the star appeal, but an interesting story.

The night presents a microcosm of much of the year’s line-up: to uncover the gem’s, music lovers are either going to need to do their homework or just take a chance and wander up the hill. — Continued Inside...


Summer Concert Series Goes Quietly Into the Night

By Ed Fuentes — September 17, 2007
2 Comments

Mango Blue @ Grand Performances

Friday at noon Charangoa closes out the 2007 season of Grand Performances, and while I’m looking forward to seeing the L.A. based Cuban group, I thought back on how GP on Grand opened the season with a bang, and the late add of El Vez opened the 2nd act of the season with flair and glitter.


Soundtrack For Los Angeles

By Ed Fuentes — June 30, 2007

We covered Grand Performances first weekend of concerts to encourage and support an idea that’s been working for 20 years, and enhances the experience of living Downtown. Tonight is the second part of LAFilmFest colloboration with a screening of “Chicago 10.” We noted the comments earlier of a preference of history that prompts dialoug and...


Funky Downtown

By Ed Fuentes — June 24, 2007

Mandrill

Just as Saturday night’s Grand Performance was about to begin, a retired couple from the City of Camarillo wandered in and asked those waiting what the crowd was for. “Summer concert with a group kinda like Parliament, the group that did ‘Chocolate City’,” someone said. Richard Sharp then looked around asked “Where can I sit...


Friday Flamenco Night at Grand Performances

By Ed Fuentes — June 23, 2007
4 Comments

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Straight out of Barcelona, Ojos de Brujo made their U.S. debut at Grand Performances Friday evening with their mix of hip-hop, flamenco guitar and congos; world music sampling modern and traditional Spanish folk-pop music influences. Already with a following, OdB also made new fans in the Watercourt at California Plaza as concert-goers of all ages were dancing...


Mango Blue Opens Up the Noon-time Sets

By Eric Richardson — June 23, 2007

Mango Blue @ Grand Performances

New York-based Afro-Latin group Mango Blue opened up the lunchtime track of Grand Performances yesterday. The noon hour saw the lower bowl of the Watercourt nicely filled. It appeared that several school groups had made the trip, and one group of youngsters was thoroughly soaked after playing in the Watercourt fountain. If you work somewhere in the vicinity...


A Solid Weekend of Grand Performances

By Eric Richardson — June 21, 2007
2 Comments

Grand Performances

Grand Performances moves back to the Watercourt tonight for the first event in a full weekend. Tonight sees Tom Schnabel host an evening of World Music Appreciation. Tomorrow there’s a noon set by Mango Blue and an 8pm show featuring Ojos de Brujo. Finally, Saturday sees an 8pm performance featuring Mandrill. If you missed it, be sure to check out our...