SHEL's Recent Performance at the Hotel Cafe In Hollywood

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a performance of SHEL and interview the four twenty-something Holbrook sisters at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, an esteemed Los Angeles live music destination that had been on my list of venues to check out for many years.  When my music industry friend Angela suggested that I catch this performance of SHEL, I was totally unfamiliar with the band.  I did my usual research for going out to hear a band for the first time by watching the SHEL YouTube channel, reading reviews on the SHEL website, and scrolling through their posts on the SHEL Facebook page (with 18,000 fans). Wow I thought to myself, I can't believe that I am just discovering these four young women for the first time.   After seeing them perform, they were even better in person, then what can be seen on YouTube, as SHEL engaged a large enthusiastic audience within the confines of the Hotel Cafe.  They have great stage presence and I got some good pictures of SHEL under difficult low lighting at Hotel Cafe and my many photographs hosted on flickr can be seen below:

I have conjured up the label of alt-Americana band to describe SHEL due to their unpredictability of their musical style when combining keyboard, fiddle, percussion (including a squeezebox), and mandolin that showcased sounds of irish/celtic, classical, alt-folk, americana, alt-country, and steam punk.  These Holbrook sisters, Sarah, Hannah, Eva, and Liza, from Fort Collins, Colorado, now residing in Nashville, are in the recording studio for their second album, but it is a mystery as to the direction it might take.  Frankly, I was blown away by these accomplished musicians and songwriters, as they very well could be the next big thing.  It wasn't so long ago that Mumford and Sons were playing Hotel Cafe, and look at them now, and you could say that SHEL is what an all girls version of Mumford and Sons might be like.

Some writers have compared SHEL to the Dixie Chicks early in their career, but to me, SHEL reminds me of an all girls vocal version of the Punch Brothers, minus the esteemed sounds of Noam Pikelney's banjo.  I do have to acknowledge, however, that in the second half of the concert, electric guitars were introduced into the mix, as can be seen in my photographs. As one gets to know, SHEL, one discovers that Eva is an extraordinary designer of hats.  Thus, it is fun seeing what hat the Eva might be wearing that she designed.  In their officially produced videos, many times, you will see all of the girls in specially designed hats by Eva.  The hats are exquisite and quite fitting for their music,

What very well might launch  the awareness of SHEL is being part of the soundtrack for the upcoming Nicholas Spark's Best of Me movie performing Hold On. The soundtrack album was released today, October 7, 2014 and the movie is scheduled for release on October 17, 2014. Appearing with SHEL on stage for the last song was Gareth Dunlop from Ireland who recently collaborated with SHEL on Hold On for the Best of Me movie. The song can be seen on YouTube as a duet with Gareth and Eva the night they wrote the song,  On the Best of Me soundtrack album, they are appearing with many of my own favorites such as Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, Colbie Caillat, and Kacey Musgraves.  Being a fan of the soundtrack, could very well get me to see the movie. Incidentally, Gareth Dunlop opened for SHEL at the Hotel Cafe.

SHEL skipped the September 2014 Nashville Americana conference, awards, and performance week to perform in Claremont for the Levitt Pavilion stage and then the Hotel Cafe.  I hope that their Pasadena sister Levitt stage noticed and might consider booking SHEL for summer 2015.  Again, thank you Angela for recommending SHEL and I had a great time interviewing these four young talented women of SHEL which can be seen here in my eight minute and a half minute hosted on my trekntravel YouTube channel below.

GRAMMY and Hyundai Emerging Musician Competition: CENTERSTAGE

CENTERSTAGE announced during Grammy weekend it's competition for three emerging music artists to be discovered and then mentored by Grammy award winning musicians.  The competition has a very small window for submitting, with performances to be uploaded on the CENTERSTAGE  site by February 19, 2013.  The underlying web platform powering this competition is the GRAMMY Amplifier engine.  At a recent press conference, shortly before the Social Media Rock Stars Summit that officially kicked off the live web streaming of Grammy weekend, the Grammy Recording Academy and Hyundai announced the competition with Mike Shinoda, member of Linkin Park representing the mentors.  Incidentally, Linkin Park is the number one band on Facebook with almost 50 million fans. Representing The Recording Academy was Evan Greene, CMO, and representing Hyundai was Jon Budd, Senior Group Manager of New Media Hyundai. The three are shown in this picture with Mike in middle, Evan on left, and Jon on right.

Whitney Lives On: Grammy Museum Style

Whitney Houston, the pop icon, I knew, but Whitney at church choir practice and on the cover of Seventeen Magazine?  This was part of the lifelong star's life I knew nothing about.  And I have the Whitney! Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston exhibit to thank for that.     Presented by the GRAMMY Museum at LA Live, the opening was timed strategically a week before the late Houston's last movie release, Sparkle. "The idea of the exhibit came from the fans," said Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum, Bob Santelli.  
Partnered with son (and newest member to the GRAMMY Museum team), Jake Santelli and the Houston family put together not just an exhibit of Whitney's music career accomplishments, but rather, the story of a spectacular life lived... as seen through the eyes of those who knew her best.  

New Orleans Based The Revivalists at Club Nokia Tonight

Tonight at L.A. Live's Club Nokia at 7 pm  are The Revivalists, a New Orleans based band, that is on a national tour, opening for Gov't Mule (who are doing two sets at 8:30 pm and 10:00 pm). I happened to catch a performance of The Revivalists at a recent New Orleans music and food festival - Slobsterfest.  Originally I was not planning on staying for the Saturday night closing act, but in talking to the fans of The Revivalists, I was intrigued.  Many of them were seeing David Shaw and his band for the tenth time, several having even traveled to Florida to see them again.  The band has been around for five years.

Timothy B.Schmit Bass Player for Poco and Eagles to Play Local Solo Gigs

Timothy B. Schmit of Eagles and Poco fame will be playing solo performances at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday, November 30 and at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills on Saturday December 3, 2011.  The picture above was taken at Stagecoach 2008 off the Mane Stage big screen, since I had decided to spend that entire performance with my wife, Karen Dinning Gibbs, rather that take pictures of the first 3 songs and then rush back to our carry-in folding chairs among the 40,000 gathered around the stage.  Below is a picture of my wife for that Friday evening performance several hours before the Eagles came on with Timothy B. Schmit playing bass who can be seen on the far left of the picture above.  In looking through Karen's Facebook pictures on a similar picture at Stagecoach, she commented on the picture that one day she hoped to be rich enough to afford the up close and personal seats and not have to be looking at the enormous video screens provided by Goldenvoice.

Alice Wallace to Play Hard Rock Hollywood on Thursday Night

I met Alice Wallace, a rising alt-country/rocker/blues talent, when she played right before the Greencards at The Mint several months ago (which was covered on the ExperienceLA blog), and felt I was seeing an emerging artist. What was interesting about that night was that here was The Greencards, a Grammy nominated nouveau bluegrass band promoting and producing themselves. since they had been dropped by their record label. The Greencards raised enough funds through their friends, fans, and family to produce their Bricks CD which is tracking very well on the Americana charts as they tour America. They are their own boss.

But back to Alice Wallace who is appearing at the Hollywood Hard Rock Cafe on Thursday night, September 8, 2011 from 10 pm to midnight, and there is no charge for the music. She refers to this as a semi-acoustical set, and will be joined by her band. You can discover Alice Wallace on your own at her brand new website, which she just launched to promote her debut full length CD that she is finishing off in the recording studio. What intrigued me was that she used Kickstarter which is actually owned by Amazon.com to finance her studio time. The way Kickstarter works is that you decide how much money you want to raise and the time period, and then appeal to your friends to donate for the cause. If you don't hit your goal, then the pledges are not collected.

There are aspects of Alice Wallace that remind me of early Tift Merritt, and then her yodeling song, is not just channelling Patsy Cline, but would remind one of the spirit of The Dead Ringer Band when Kasey Chambers was a teenager. Incidentally, Randy Lewis, the LA Times music critic just reviewed and praised Kasey's current CD release "Little Bird" and I would suggest that it be sampled, as it is tracking near the top of the Americana charts at number 4. Kasey Chambers in the Little Bird CD in some ways shows a mature Kasey Chambers returning to her Americana roots.

So if looking to stay out late on Thursday night, take the Red Line to Hollywood getting off at the Hollywood and Highland station, and be entertained by Alice Wallace and her band at the Hard Rock Cafe. Wouldn't it be something if her guitar made it on the wall one day. Here are my pictures as a slideshow of Alice playing at The Mint in very difficult lighting conditions ( and for those with an iPad, the link is here:

Acrobats and Performance Art at Cirque du Soleil IRIS and Lucent Dossier Experience

The ExperienceLA blog recently covered the press previews for the opening of Cirque du Soleil IRIS at the Hollywood Kodak Theatre and Lucent Dossier Experience at the Downtown LA Palace Theatre on Broadway. Over the last two weeks, I had the chance to see both of their complete performances. Both are must see acrobatic and performance art creations for both residents and visitors alike. Cirque du Soleil is in for a long run at the Kodak Theatre, while Lucent Dossier at this time was a single sold out performance at the recently renovated Palace Theatre.

The performance of Lucent Dossier Experience reminded me of the rawness of Cirque du Soleil when they first came to Los Angeles in 1986 for their North American premiere as a legacy of the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival. If my memory serves me correctly, they set up their tent in the City of LA owned parking lot near what is now the Geffen Contemporary, and then their next visit to Los Angeles was a tent in the parking lot adjacent to the Santa Monica pier. Is it a coincidence that the Trapeze School of New York's Los Angeles location is on Santa Monica Pier? Cirque du Soleil has created an entire industry for acrobats, gymnasts, trapeze artists, and dancers. In fact the number of jobs being created at the Kodak Theater most likely exceeds any original estimate when the facility was built as part of the original Hollywood and Highland Project. The overall economic impact for Hollywood is significant with Cirque du Soleil now in residence.

Lucent Dossier's offices and rehearsal facility is located in the downtown Los Angeles Fashion District. Los Angeles itself has a long history of acrobatics and showcasing champion gymnasts at the original Muscle Beach near the Santa Monica pier. Thus, in watching those flying through the air for both of these cirques, I remember before there was a Cirque du Soleil, seeing amazing acrobatic stunts at a 1970 (approximate date) Pasadena City College sponsored gymnastics open competition that encouraged the best gymnasts of the area to compete. Word was out that Mark Davis from Southern Illinois University would be the first one in the world to throw a triple from the high bar in an official competition. Comments in the crowd was that this was like bringing the circus into a gymnastics competition. Speaking of a circus, Mark Davis later surprised the audience while on the rings with his clown routine. With gasps of concern from the crowd before they realized it was a comedy stunt, Mark Davis entertained the crowd, once they realized it was comedy. Mark Davis would continue to do the clown ring routine at other competitions. Little did people realize that the development of these skills in competitive gymnastics and acrobatics that would form the basis for what now entertains us from Cirque du Soleil and even Lucent Dossier, and even the use of humor folded into acrobatics.

I was even surprised to find that you can see Mark Davis doing his clown ring routine on this YouTube video from 1977 near the end of the sequence. With regard to the building of human pyramids, which is a major feature to the Hollywood Cirque IRIS show, again the original Muscle Beach near the Santa Monica Pier has a long history of such feats, including this rather modest one when compared to Cirque du Soleil that I captured several years back. And you can even find this clip of Mark Davis throwing a a quad from the swinging rings at Muscle Beach from the late 1960s. The Venice historical books and those of Muscle Beach show some of the Muscle Beach acrobatic pictures from the 1940s onwards including those with Jack Lalanne participating in the human pyramids.

Up until the Palace Theatre performance, Lucent Dossier had earned its reputation performing at Burning Man and Coachella, although many had seen them perform at the Edison in Downtown LA. Neither of which I had attended, and thus it took the Palace Theatre performance to showcase these local talented performers so that I and I suspect hundereds of others could also discover them. With people still talking about Lucent Dossier on social media channels, I would hope that Dream Rockwell who runs (and performs in) Lucent Dossier is working on the possibility of a return engagement at the Palace Theatre.

Here is a link to the pictures that I previously took at the Cirque du Soleil IRIS press event, and below are embedded links to my latest picture sets as skude shows for Lucent Dossier that will have to hold you over until their next performance. Due to the swift movement and lighting conditions, these are not the easiest images to capture.

This first set are pictures taken outside and inside the Palace Theatre before the show began:






The second set is the first half of Lucent Dossier Experience:






And then the second half of the show, including the curtain call, and Dream Rockwell thanking the audience:

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.

Stagecoach: It's Not Just for Country Fans

I'll put it this way: My husband treats me right, my dog - well, my cat - is not my only friend, and my Volvo station wagon runs great, but it looks almost as out of place parked with all the trucks and SUV's as I feel--make that felt for the first few minutes--at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival this weekend.



So what was I doing there, and why do I want to go back next year?
First, and most obviously, there's the music. If you don't consider yourself a country music fan, but you don't exactly hate it--you should check this out. The over-35 Rock crowd was singing along with me on Pure Prairie League's "Amy" (..Fallin' in and out of love...)and would be just as excited about Poco with guest appearances by absolute legends (no doubt there will be other blog posts from the weekend with more details on the amazing bands.) I fell in love with The Knitters, (punk fans will remember X) and a favorite musical moment was a little Jimi Hendrix riff in one of Brad Paisley's songs. (I am, truly experienced!) The bluegrass, the crossover hits, the really talented new bands were all a treat to the ear--even if I couldn't always sing along. And the energy at the "Mane" stage with all the headliners was nearly nuclear. The Stagecoach festival rocks--without the rock!


I learned that cowboy boots and cowboy hats go with everything. Bathing suits, sun dresses, beer guts in t-shirts and jeans, Celtic tatoos, footed PJs on the under 5 set. They're not just for Daisy Dukes any more--but there were plenty of Daisy Dukes. I was thinking I was a fish out of water in my sun hat and long sleeves, but there were plenty others like me. Everyone was comfortable in "whatever." Perhaps that was because they were all having such a great time. And that is not the alcohol talking although they had a wide variety of wine, mixed drinks, and some pretty respectable beers. If you don't mind Budweiser, you're in luck, but if you do mind it, you're still in luck! Fat Tire was available along with a couple of other craft beers. My beverage of choice was the Stagecoach souvenir bottle that could be re-filled free with cold filtered water from H20 booths. This was a great program that cut down on all those plastic bottles--but even that was interesting because if you turned in 10 empties you got a new full one free. A concert with a conscience. There were lots of booths sponsored by Global Inheritance who returned this year. Take a look at this non-profit and all they do at http://www.globalinheritance.org/
Another great deal was the BBQ contest--a festival for your mouth. (Again, I'm sure there will be other posts with more on that for all the foodies.) Five tastes for ten bucks. That filled me up, and each taste was different from the last. The adventure didn't stop there! For the first time, I tried funnel cake. I know--most people have that by their first or second school carnival. But somehow I never did. So now I am really and truly experienced! If you like great music, great food and drink, and an amazing experience, this is the place. It's fun for everyone!

Photo of The Knitters (John Doe and Exene) by karenfromthelbc. Watch the ExperienceLA blog for Stagecoach pictures from Curt Gibbs and additional commentary.

Flash Mobs and Downtown Drums

"But few things were more curious than what was staged on Friday evening, at the south end of Union Square near East 14th Street. More than a thousand people, most of them young, gathered for a dance party without audible music, known as a silent rave.

It was striking for what could not be heard."
-New York Times, "For 1,000 Solo Dancers, a Soundtrack of Silence"

There's been a phenomenon of flash mobs--public collaborations of silly and harmless, but staged, activities that first started in 2003. Last Friday, 1000 people gathered at NY's Union Square to collectively dance in silence to their own iPod playlists. Back in January, over 200 "Improv Everywhere Agents" simply froze in place at the same time for a duration of five minutes at Grand Central Station.

Can LA do something like this too? Please??

There's just something about these flash mobs... CNN once called the participants "jokers [who] gather en masse at a moment's notice, perform an inane activity and then disperse quickly". But I think there's something deeper than just a propensity for silliness and a beauty in the way a large number of people can come together seemingly out of nowhere, regardless of backgrounds, circumstances, and everyone's independent and oftentimes, me-centric, schedules. For those precious moments, there's an unspoken understanding that time is theirs to share.

But in the meantime, LA does offer great community building events, like the Music Center's "Drum Downtown". Start your Saturday mornings by the beat of your own drum in Drum Downtown's outdoor group drumming experience on the Music Center Plaza. A fun, entry-level experience for all ages creating improvised rhythms and making music in the moment. The first of five Drum Downtown events will be held on Saturday, May 10th from 10:00am to 11:30am.

"Community"... that's the key word in all of this, flash mobs or not.

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Marketing Assistant

"Beauty in Walking Away"

Walking away from what's seemingly safe and diving into a world of uncertainty--that seemed to be the theme of the night at the Hotel Cafe Tour's final show at the El Rey on Sunday. Cary Brothers (er, one person, not a band of brothers... thanks Chuck!), Meiko, Priscilla Ahn, Marie Digby, and Ingrid Michaelson were among the handful of musicians giving it their best, dotting their performances with stories here and there of their difficult journeys to where they are now. Musicians who simply love what they do and want to share it with us, whatever it takes. At the end of the night--I've never seen so many encore performances in one sitting--all the musicians repeatedly gathered on stage, sharing with us random songs, covers, collaborations and more. It's as though they didn't want the night to end either, despite probably being tired from weeks on end in one tour bus.

I admit, just like most enamored fans, I have a tendency to place musicians on another level... Like those US Weekly articles spotlighting celebrities doing ordinary things around town ("They eat!" "They push their own shopping carts!" "They wear sweatpants too!"), I often find myself wondering how on earth someone would run away from Marie Digby's confessions of "I like you" or leave Ingrid Michaelson with broken promises. I mean, really... how???

But they're human too. And have far more depth than the mass produced packaging that recording companies are so good at putting together. And the concert brought it back to that. A bunch of friends jamming together, doing what they do best and being vulnerable with us through their words and performances, and hoping that maybe... just maybe, it'll resonate with us too.

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Arts/Culture Marketing Assistant

LA Phil Presents...

February 21st marks the start of the World Music (WM1) Series at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This series presents a wide range of programs featuring performers from all over the globe. And given that it's presented in association with KCRW, do we need any more persuasion about the quality of music? Didn't think so...

Don't forget to enter to win tickets to see Eva Ayllon, one of Peru's most compelling and lively Afro-Peruvian stars, blending African and Spanish cultures - dramatic flamenco phrases, complex, pulsating rhythms and sweet folkloric melodies - into her signature style of music known as "musica criolla".

World Music Series Schedule:

The Chieftains. February 21st.
Eva Ayllon. March 7th.
Asha Bhosle. April 27th.
Kronos Quartet: 'Nunavut'. May 3rd.

Go to ExperienceLA for more LA Phil events.

-ExperienceLA Staff

Turkeys Galore

"Heritage Turkeys", Submitted by ExperienceLA
Deep fried turkey, turducken, upside down turkey... so many ways to prepare them. Delish.

Just wanted to wish everyone an early Happy Thanksgiving! Don't forget to check out your local farmers markets for your last minute Thanksgiving meal purchases, as well as our latest newsletter for great giveaways (Wooden Classic, Enter Shikari Debut)!

Cheers and Happy Eating!
-ExperienceLA Staff

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