Best of 2023: Concerts
When reflecting on our 2023 concert season, the Grand Performances team is proud to say that we stayed true to our mission of bringing truly global music and art to Los Angeles. We were honored to have such diverse acts - many international - grace our stage, helping us build cultural bridges.
Representing Pakistan, Ali Pervez Mehdi’s soulful vocals were backed by a Dholak (a double-ended barrel-shaped hand drum), synthesizers, and a bass, blending East and Western sounds harmoniously.
La Verdad brought their full repertoire of Latin American music including Salsa, Cha-Cha, Boogaloo, Latin Soul, and much more.
Gambian singer, composer, educator, and activist Sona Jobarteh brought her virtuosic skills of the Kora to our stage. She also spoke for the need of making Afro-centric education accessible for all in her home country, a cause she is dedicated to.
Brazilian dance troupe Viver Brasil gave our audience a fully immersive cultural experience including guided dance lessons, a fierce drum line, and a choreographed show that drew inspiration from the elements and the natural world.
Drawing upon her Black and Native American roots, Martha Redbone took us on a musical journey that drew upon a potent mix of folk, blues, soul, and gospel.
Changüí Majadero gave our festive West Hollywood crowd a rich and in-depth lesson on changüí Afro-Cuban music.
Led by the pioneering Sonia Marie De León de Vega, her La Sinfonica orchestra deftly played Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” back to back with its Argentinian, tango-infused homage, Piazzolla’s “Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas”
In addition to bridging cultural gaps, Grand Performances strives to give our artists an unfiltered platform to speak their truths. We might not have all the answers to the problems of the world, but we do believe that open honest dialogue is a necessary first step, so keep speaking up:
The world renowned musician, poet, and activist Shahin Najafi advocated for peace and tolerance in the world, especially in his home country of Iran.
Curated by the brilliant Brian Sonia-Wallace, our Poetry of Pride Night featured 13 artists who shared poems of strength and defiance, vulnerability and longing... growth... escapism... wisdom and foolishness.
During LA Stories Poetry Night, Mike The Poet invited 17 local artists to touch on issues of gentrification, beloved landmarks, lost landscapes, over-policing, culture, and pride within the beautiful and complex home we call Los Angeles.
For our final poetry night of the 2023 season, Shonda Buchanon and her fellow poets (including Bridgette Bianca shown below) helped us explore the themes of racial injustice and the eternal struggle for civil rights. It was honest, emotional, raw, heavy, and unforgettable.
Our 2023 season also featured several moving tributes to musical legends who had passed on. We also had special performances from a few bonafide living legends. It’s so important to give flowers to those who inspire us, especially while they’re still here.
In August, over 5,000 Angelenos showed up to celebrate in peace and unity out of love for Art Laboe. The beloved radio DJ and pioneering anti-segregationist would have been 98.
Among the soul singers to pay tribute to Art Laboe was Norman Carter of the legendary Delfonics, who sang a crowd pleasing set of classics including “La La Means I Love You” - a timeless favorite in Laboe’s setlists.
As a tribute to his fallen People Under The Stairs partner Michael "Double K" Turner, Thes One hosted a special one-night-only performance of “Farewell, my friend…” With Turner's mom and family present, Thes One shared heartwarming stories and candid photos of their early days as rappers while performing his jazz rock masterpiece. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Later that night, DJ Battlecat gave us a multi-sensory experience for Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, complete with turntablism, b-boys, a video DJ set and plenty of old school west coast tracks that showcased LA’s role in the evolution of the genre.
Our October show “From Backyards to Discotheques: The Evolution of Los Angeles DJ Culture” also highlighted old school LA hip hop, featuring the legendary Rodney O & Joe Cooley and Mellow Man Ace, as well as DJs Tony G and GP’s own Jack Monforte.
An obscure jazz legend Garrett Saracho made his triumphant return to the stage at Grand Performances back on July 15th. This was more than just a revisiting of his 1973 lost classic En Medio, it was also the live debut of his new material and a demonstration of Saracho’s full range as a band leader and showman.
Speaking of triumphant returns to the stage, LA’s influential party crew Afro Funke’ celebrated its 20th anniversary at our Grand Performances x KCRW Summer Nights show. DJs Jeremy Sole and Glenn Red brought out dancers and live musicians to add welcome layers of energy and spontaneity to their sets while co-founder / Grammy nominated roots reggae artist Rocky Dawuni brought the house down.
In the world of cumbia, Mexico’s Grupo Kual are living legends in their own right, and they showed us (and our 6,000 attendees) why during our season finale. The accordions and güiras were just as electrifying as Angel Pedraza’s stage presence. The charismatic Grupo Kual frontman connected with the audience, many who knew his lyrics and sang along word for word.
In addition to looking back and honoring so many musical legacies, our 2023 season was also about looking forward, towards the next generation of talent. We truly witnessed some up & coming legends in the making.
Our season kicked off with Son Rompe Pera, who masterfully inject a bit of punk ethos into their marimba and cumbia music. It’s not often we see a mosh pit forming at Cal Plaza, but it was hard not to unleash a fury of energy when hearing their music.
During our tribute to Art Laboe, the next generation of soul artists including Aaron Frazer and Irene Diaz left the crowd entranced with both original songs and beloved oldies covers.
Towards the end of our season we even hosted a surprise show / album release party for Gen Z Latin rock sensation DannyLux. His heartfelt performance (heightened emotionally by the presence of his family and friends) showed us exactly why he is such an ascendant talent. No matter the style - from Mexican corridos to EDM - he sings and plays guitar with such raw emotion, leaving many a young female fan in tears.
