Get Your Phil - Friday and Saturday Night Dinner and Disney Hall Concerts

With all of the new restaurants opening in Downtown Los Angeles along with old favorites, the Los Angeles Philharmonic just launched a new program branded as "Get Your Phil"   - a Friday (or Saturday) night dining and concert ticketing package.   The second opportunity occurs this Friday night at the Border Grill Downtown LA and continues into November with dates at Le Ka Restaurant and Blue Cow Kitchen and Bar with a soon to be posted additional Saturday date of December 7th at Rivera for the Scheherazade concert.  The Get Your Phil program opened last Friday with Chaya Downtown LA in tandem with one of the LA Phil 10th Anniversary concerts (Debussy and Bartok) featuring conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. These dinners include a special ten minute discussion with one of the LA Phil musicians. The $32 Friday/Saturday night dinner program is available to existing LA Phil season ticket holders and to those looking to package up the promotional dinner and purchasing LA Phil concert tickets, which can be easily done online at LAPhil.com/GetyourPhil. The promoted evening LA Phil concert tickets at various price ranges (from $67 - $75 for Terrace or Front Terrace seats) are now available for the following dinners and concerts:

Friday, October 25

Border Grill Downtown LA

Salonen and Sibelius*

Friday, November 8

Le Ka Restaurant

Tovey and Shostakovich*

Saturday, November 30

Blue Cow Kitchen and Bar

Bach, Schumann and more

  

*This evening is also a part of the LA Phil's Casual Fridays program, which includes a post-concert Question and Answer session with the artists and a meet-and-greet with the orchestra.

The art of coffee-making: The Southwest Regional Barista Competition

Southwest Regional Barista Competition, March 4-6 

It's considered the Iron Chef of barista competitions. This weekend, Hollywood will play host to the Southwest Regional Barista Competition #SWBaristaChamp, proudly sponsored by the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® for the second year in a row. Professional and amateur baristas from Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah will descend upon Siren Studios to compete for six spots at the United States Barista Championship in Texas later this spring, and for a chance to represent the U.S. in the World Barista Championship (oh, yes, there is such a thing!) in Bogota Columbia in June.

Come Down Stage for Pershing Square Summer Season

Pershing Square is hosting "Pershing Square Down Stage Summer Concerts 2009," a tremendous variety of concert events this summer featuring a large mixture of artists and bands every week. But, more than just hosting one event per week they are hosting up to five FREE concerts per week varying in both time and day. So guess what? If you live, work, or just want to hang out downtown you have no excuse not to come! Especially considering the number of affordable lunch opportunities and fabulous restaurants in the Historic Downtown and it's already beautiful atmosphere, and add some music. It's just perfect!

And seriously, there is something here for everyone, so just skim down and look at the different days and explore the main website or day website linked to the individual events because you are bound to find something, whether you are….

Looking for some cool alternative music, a fun night in the city, or just something new? If so you should be more than interested in Pershing Square's "Spaceland under the Stars" evenings. These events take place Wednesday night between 8 and 10. Featured bands include (but are not limited to) 60 Watt Kid, Union Line and North Top. But for more information and date please check out the website!

Tired of your boring lunch routine sitting in the office staring at the computer? Or looking to spice up a lunchtime meeting? Or simply wanting to do something between lets say...the hours of 12 and 2 in the afternoon? Well then "Thursday Lunchtime Concerts" are just your thing - don't you think? I mean seriously who doesn't want to listen to Chelsea Williams, Tim Fagan, Loomis and The Lust and Eric & Judd? You know you do.

Fretting that you can't make Thursday lunch? That why there are "Thursday Sounds of Summer" evening events between 8 and 10PM. Just enough time to have a nice dinner at work before heading off to a concert. Don't you think? (and that goes for those of you not living in downtown too! With the redline it is easy to get to Pershing Square with more then enough time to eat during or before the show). Thursday nights will feature everything from the alternative rock styles of Rocco Seluca to the softer music of Maia Sharp and much more in between.

Looking to get in touch with you super hero side? Cause lets face it we all need to be super human sometimes. That's why Pershing Square is providing us with a little bit of inspiration curtsy of "Friday night flicks" featuring our favorite superheroes from The Incredibles, the X-man Gang, to Superman and many far between. Sadly though we only getting to hang out with our superhero buddies between 8-10pm (but you can still be a superhero for the rest of the night-I wont tell).

Or thinking why there are not more events on the weekends so I don't have to wake up early the next day?! Well what can I say but "Saturday Night Pershing Square Downtown Stage" is here for you. This coveted Saturday night spot is featuring bands such as The Motels, Paula Cole (who did the theme for a little show called Dawson's Creek), and Upground. But again there are just so much more you got to look for yourself!

Just looking to get up and dance? Well that's why Pershing Square is also featuring "Swinging Dance Bands" between 4 and 6 pm on Sundays because who doesn't want to get up and dance. Some of these swinging bands include Savage City, Undercover and the Scott Martin Latin Soul Band.

And finally, wondering why there are not more kid friendly events? Well don't lose hope because there are two "Pershing Square Kids" events. The first on July 30th features Kids on Stage and Renee & Jeremy. The Second event on August 13th stars Rhythm Child and Jumbo Shrimp Circus.

So didn't I say there would be something for everyone? And I was correct right? The City of LA, Recreation and Parks Department and their Pershing Square Advisory Board have taken on this really ambitious summer program that they are very proud of and truly want people to enjoy. So please come to Pershing Square and support them. Pershing Square is extremely convenient from the Metro and for specific directions please use Metro Trip planner. So come on out, enjoy the music, the food and the experience. And if you have an iPhone or other mobile device, check out the free ExperienceLA WiFi.

-Aly

Photo by manna from the heavens from the ExperienceLA Flickr Pool.

KT Tunstall at Avalon

I love small venues. They're intimate, you get a good view, and it brings you back to the heart of music.

Teitur opened for KT Tunstall at Avalon on Tuesday. An awkward guy... but he totally grows on you, and soon enough, his awkwardness makes him all the more endearing. His music, on the other hand, is anything but awkward. With lyrics like "She stole, my grandmother's watch, a treasure to touch, to keep time to herself" accompanying his quiet but steady melodies, I was pretty sold. He closed with his song "One and Only"... and that's been playing on repeat on my computer ever since.

Then came along KT Tunstall, full on personality with her sparkling sequin minidress rockin' on her guitar... she makes me want to be a rockstar with a glitter guitar!

She was great live... hilarious with her random comments and facts, fully comfortable interacting with the audience, and easily shifting around any technical difficulties. It wasn't simply some concert with a clear division between artist and audience. It reminded me of the gigs at a small event... where it's just as much about the audience and venue as it is about the artist.

Highlight of the night: KT Tunstall layering sounds/voices with her looping pedal, only to pick up on our screams for the rest of the song.

Random fact of the night: Many trees get randomly planted because squirrels bury seeds and forget where they placed them. "Squirrels are like the eco-friendly warriors of the world!" - KT Tunstall

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Arts/Cultural Marketing Assistant

Ne-Yo at the Wiltern

Sunday night was spent being serenaded by Ne-Yo at the Wiltern. On a whim, my friend and I decided to buy tickets the day of the concert. The venue itself was pretty nice, its neon sign and lit up marquee making it stand out on the corner of Wilshire and Western. Small enough to feel cozy, but big enough to house a lot of people, including fans who joyfully danced away in the aisles. The concert culminated with Ne-Yo singing "Happy Birthday" acapella style to one of the fans while the rest of us sighed in awe from afar.

The Wiltern is easily accessible via the Wilshire/Western stop on the Metro Purple Line.

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Arts/Culture Marketing Assistant

Public Displays of Affection... on the Metro!

Actually, I never see that much PDA on the Metro. Hooray!! On the other hand, I do see plenty of people picking away at their noses, making me want to inch away from any metal bar in sight and hone my ability to freely balance in a moving subway car, two inch heels and all (can I call that my special talent?).

There IS, however, an event called Public Displays of Affection, a concert and exhibit brought to you by Global Inheritance, in an effort to "show public transportation in Los Angeles a little love". For a city where a majority of its residents don't even realize a subway exists, I'm all for a little Metro lovin'.

The event features Ladytron, Great Northern, and special guest DJ Taina, as well as TRASHed: Art of Recyling Exhibit. Your ticket, of course, is an incoming subway or bus ticket. Takes place this Thursday, September 27th at Hollywood & Highland, 7:00pm.

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Arts/Culture Marketing Assistant