After much handwringing and debate within the Culver City City Council Chambers about the direction and future of the Culver City Summer Concert Series – and about who should lead that effort – comes the 17th season of free concerts in downtown Culver City. Members eventually voted to have long-time promoter Gary Mandell return to produce an eclectic mix of six concerts, with Jazz Bakery founder Ruth Price providing her input and jazz pedigree to book the last two shows of the season.
What residents wind up with is a hodgepodge of acts and genres from reggae to rock, Afro-Cuban salsa, traditional and Latin jazz, to a Beatles cover band. In an attempt to satisfy the varied tastes of a diverse populace and the varied opinions of city council members, residents are left with a lineup of artists that tries to be all things to all people. If you like rock, we have it, with rockabilly guitar from Albert Lee and Celtic rock from Molly’s Revenge.
Do you want jazz? No worries, the jazz quartet Woodford, Ehling, Ratner & Wallace with guest vocalist Dwight Tribleperforms on Aug. 16, while local Latin jazz great Poncho Sanchez closes out the series on Aug. 25. And who doesn’t love those four lovable mugs from Liverpool? There’s nothing like hearing those songs we’ve heard hundreds of times before one more time, played and sung ably by four guys named Larry, Mike, Steve and Joe, otherwise known as Beatles tribute band 4 Lads From Liverpool, playing on Aug. 11.
Argentinian rockers Los Pinguos and Spanish flamenco group Incendio kick off the series tonight at 7 p.m., while Ghanaian reggae musician Rocky Dawuni plays with his 11-piece group on July 14. All concerts take place in the courtyard of the Culver City City Hall, so get there early and carve out a space among the brie and wine brigade in the front row. Who needs the Hollywood Bowl and KCRW when you can have George, Paul and Ringo wannabes with a side of Honey’s Kettle? A complete list of acts can be found on the city’s web page, Culvercity.org.
If your tastes lie more within the independent rock scene, the Hammer Museum in Westwood is putting on a series of free concerts on consecutive Thursdays in July called Also I Like To Rock. Presented in partnership with public radio station KCRW 89.9 FM and curated by Buzz Bands LA, two bands per night will perform with KCRW DJs spinning between sets.
Tonight’s concert will feature British rockers Graffiti 6, who play an upbeat blend of soulful electrop-pop and had a minor radio and video hit with the song Stare into the Sun. Also on the bill will be Eastern Conference Champions, whose song A Million Miles an Hour, was featured in the Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack. A full listing of acts for the month can be found at hammer.ucla.edu/calendar.
If you want to stay on the Westside but would like a change of scenery along with a healthy dose of classical music, look no further than the A Night at the Opera program put on by the Marina Del Rey Summer Symphony. Tonight’s program features soloists from the Loren Zachary National Opera Competition and will begin at 7 p.m. All concerts in this Thursday night series are free and take place at Burton Chace Park, 13659 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey. More information on this bi-weekly series can be found at culvercitysymphony.org/.
Royal/T Cafe in Culver City throws one of its be-there-or-be-square art openings tonight, called Party Animals from 8 p.m. to midnight. Curated by electronic video artist Lindsay Scoggins, the show will feature works from Royal-T owner Susan Hancock’s personal collection, including pieces by Jeff Koons, KAWS, Friends With You, Shepard Fairey and others. Music will come courtesy of DJ Tribe of Zebras, with sustenance provided by The Dim Sum Truck. Guests at the show will also have first access to the new Friends With You pop-up shop at Royal/T. Cosplay attire is welcome (costume play, for the uninitiated), so dig out those pink wigs and aqua pants.
For anyone fearing the upcoming closure of the 405 Freeway, or “Carmageddon”, as it has become known, you still have one more week to trek up the 405 to the Getty Museum for some of the most spectacular views in the city. The Getty is putting on a concert series called Saturdays Off the 405, featuring cutting-edge musical acts that could attract a sophisticated and indie listening crowd, with flavor of the month band Best Coast performing Saturday, July 9 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Best Coast is the latest musical endeavor by perennially cool, self described “weird girl,” Bethany Cosentino and multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno. Their musical sense reflects an affinity of nostalgia for the California of Gidget, and dates at the soda fountain. Best Coast’s debut album, Crazy For You, was named one of the 40 Best Albums of 2010 in Spin Magazine, while the Los Angeles Times dubbed Cosentino one of the queens of L.A.’s lo-fi scene. Also performing: DJ Kevin Fitzgerald, a.k.a., Kave-In, spins from his collection of old and rare soul, garage and girl-group 45s. Here’s to a fun musical summer in So Cal.
Jonathan Weiss is a Los Angeles based music supervisor for film, TV and advertising. Email him at jonjaz@aol.com.
