I have been to Paris, once, but that still counts. I climbed the Eiffel tower at night with the lights glowing. I have seen the Mona Lisa and was impacted by her smile that seemed to move on its own. And ever since then I have loved Parisian culture because, after that trip, I understood that the city of lights producses so much to love and adore. It is the city that empowered Quasimoto to find his inner beauty. It is the city that had a rat control a human via its hair. It is the city that gifted the world with croissant and funny mustaches. It is the city that gave us french cheese, a queen who let others eat cake, and the guillotine because, I mean, what would a Tale of Two cities be without a guillotine. In short, I can can for gay Paree. Thus, it was only natural to attend a Bastille Day celebration to pay homage to the city of lights and butter. This celebration, I can describe as a capsule celebration. Meaning that the day did not have parades or avenue closures in its name. All the celebration was centered in this courtyard. If one has not attended the plaza, then imagine a micro Hollywood bowl. Meaning that if the Hollywood Bowl was a cupcake, this place would be a tic-tac, not a gum drop. But still, with the festivities of Bastille lighting the spot, it became a firework on display. This might seem obvious but I really enjoyed sitting on the courtyards steps and hearing french music from the stage. And I did not just like the music because it heard good, but also what it produce amongst some of the attendants-- a light-hearted frivolity that could only be expressed in melody and jaunty step. The singers explained that they were about to sing a classic french song. One that paid homage to its famous avenue: Champs-Élysées. As they were hearing words that I could barely recognized, a woman behind me started to sing as well. I turned back, we made eye contact and for a second she serenated me with the words Champs-Élysées. I felt her love for her land in her words. For a micro-second that lasted french minutes, I was back in the land of french cheese and pastries. The note she carried in her song were the tickets I needed to see Paris, even briefly again. I also saw the dancers. Not paid ones. Regular people dancing in front of the stage. I saw a man and a woman dance care free amongst many. He twirled her. She followed. It was melody in movement. Their joyful moves were mine as well. I experienced love for the French countryside through their dance. I guess national pride is contagious. The singers also played a song in English but with a French Accent. L is for the way you look tonight. It was a great afternoon. I also have no power to resist buying stuff at festivals. So I bought some french breads and a charcuterrie board. Me and my friend had it later as a snack, and it was the morsels that make Paris great. This review was tied to Bastille day. But I incldued a picture of all the different concerts. If you want a suggestion, grab a picnic lunch from very nearby Grand Central Market and experience your own music choice amonst DTLA buildings. Remember that moment is someone else dream. read more

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It isn't summer in LA until you catch one of the free concerts put on by the city. Grand Performances is one of those spaces and year after year, they have a solid lineup of talented artists, musicians and DJs. Located at the California Plaza, the space is in the courtyard where this is a huge outdoor stage, state-of-the-art sound and light equipment and an area for seating. The shows has drawn such huge crowds that they have added seats, and a special section for members and donors. This time around, they have added a beer garden upstairs and covered communal tables. No matter where you sit, you will be able to hear the music. Bring portable seating and your picnic basket (or support local businesses that stay open during these events. 2026 and parking is now $10 CASH or $18 with a card that you pay upon leaving. This is an LA tradition everyone should at least try once! read more

Grand Performances - Stevie Wonder made a surprise visit ! - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I'm surprised that I haven't reviewed Grand Performances.. I love attending their shows mostly because of their location, the vibes, and the fact that they're free! Nestled in between a few buildings on Grand, I've served several excellent concerts there. Bring your own food, a bottle of wine, and a low back chair or blankets and most importantly, a positive attitude. read more

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I had no idea I could leave a review for Grand Performances on Yelp --but I'm so glad I can! I discovered this gem three years ago, before having my daughter, and spent every summer Friday night there, sitting on the lawn in front of the stage, soaking in the music. It's a true community event, and after a few visits, I started inviting my family to join. Fast forward to now--my daughter is three, and we recently attended the orchestra performance that featured Dr. Dre's music. I brought my entire family, and we all had an amazing time. It felt like a huge picnic under the LA sky. Bring your favorite snacks, food, blankets, and lawn chairs. They also have vendors selling food and drinks if you want to buy something there. The event is completely free--you just sign up for tickets in advance, which helps them gauge headcount. They also offer season passes with prime viewing areas if you want a reserved spot closer to the stage. The bathrooms are clean, the event is well organized, and there's convenient parking right underneath the venue--we paid just $10. It was a packed house and such a great vibe. I've even shared videos because the energy was so incredible. If you love live music, this is a must-try experience. It's family-friendly, fun, and a great way to spend an evening in the city. I truly hope my daughter grows to appreciate these kinds of events as much as I do. read more

Grand Performances - Upstairs seating - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We had an amazing time at the California Love: An Orchestral Celebration of Dr. Dre. The place is beautiful and such a vibe! Shoutout to the organizers of these summer series of free concerts at this venue. It's great for the community and everyone is very friendly. They do provide some seating here but you can also bring your own chairs. It's surrounded by commercial businesses and tall buildings with several restaurants nearby. We did notice that a lot of the local restaurants close after business hours (around 5p) but there were a few food trucks out front. The food took about 30-35 mins so if you have young ones be prepared. The venue is kid friendly and my boys enjoyed playing on the steps in the front to get their energy out. The open space, the vibe and the acoustics in the area were all such a vibe especially at night! My advice would be to follow grand performance on Instagram and catch one of these summer free concerts with the family, if possible. Make sure to bring a jacket because it does get a little chilly and windy when the sun goes down. As far as parking goes, we parked at the Broad Museum's parking structure on 2nd street for $19. They close their garage at 10:30p so make sure to give yourself about $15 minutes to walk a block to the garage before they close. Overall, I highly recommend checking out a concert here. It was such a great experience and my kids had a blast! This is such a great place for the community. Also note that the historic Angels Flight Railway Trolly is within walking distance and that will take down to the Grand Central Marketplace. Be aware that the wait times can be a little longer before and after a concert due to a lot of people leaving and arriving at the same time. OOOOO 5 out of 5 Afros read more

I am a native of Los Angeles and pretty well traveled but thanks to YELP's downtown tour I found the Cal Plaza and the Grand Performances music series, which are FREE. Of course donations can be made as well as memberships. We went to the Martha Redbone concert and it was excellent. The weather was perfect and the vibe was very nice. Cal Plaza has the performances in a venue called "The Yard" as it is a very intimate amphitheater style venue. I learned a lot and will be returning in the future. I was able to park on Olive (metered parking) but there are tons of options as well as public transportation. You bring your own snacks and beverages but they do have several kiosk style vendors. There is plenty of seating but next time I will be bringing my stadium chair and perhaps a blanket because there is a grass area in front of the stage. A nice event and exceptional venue. read more

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Excellent place for music! You can bring your little cooler with drinks ask food. Although it can get crowded, anywhere you sit, you will have a good seat. During COVID people wear masks or not. But if you keep safe distance, you will be fine. Everyone is very nice and friendly. read more

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This was a cool venue that hosted a free concert. There was places to stand and limited built in seating. Some people sat on the grass and grooved. There was visible security. They tried to control the marijuana smoking but that was a fail. There was a man walking around taking a quick survey about the people who were in attendance. A real relaxed vibe. A young (under 35( crowd, and the music was jumping with the live DJs. read more

Grand Performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Every summer, they have a series of live performance. The best part is.... they are all FREE!!!! You don't need any reservation and show up early to get your spots. You can bring your own food & drinks. Perfect place to picnic and enjoy beautiful music. Sometimes it gets chill in the evening, so don't forget to bring something to keep you warm too. The Parking: $8 underground parking or private parking lot in the area read more

What a great performance space! I have been here for two events and I think downtown is lucky to have it. It's wide-open for dancing and mingling, but contained enough for excellent acoustics for the abundance of live music that takes place. Balmy summer nights spent watching sunsets with a glass of wine, while groovin' your hips to free music is a must have after work. Downside, if you do not work downtown and drive, parking is touuuuugh. Using public transit or ride-share is recommended! read more

Absolutely beautiful setting, and the sound is unparallel! Stage is in the middle of multiple fountains, and the water adds to the resonance of the sound. Free performances with $5 donation. Lots of food options in the complex. Parking is a bit tricky, expensive in the lot with some street parking. read more

Grand Performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It's great time and good good location easy parking area I recommend to all friends and family

*** ever heard of an "haegum" before? *** it's a two-stringed instrument w/ a rod like neck attached to a hollow wooden box ... it sorta resembles a prototype to violin but as Korean-born Kang Eun-II says "it's not free". well she has unbelieveable freestyle. from traditional Korean folk tunes to an MJ tribute, Haegumplus performed really well. to see 8-9 musicians play melodically sad folk tunes then break into "Billie Jean" then "Ben" then "Beat It" was joyful to witness. ;) my kid even stopped playing Nintendo DS to say "i like that, are they gonna play more"? *** kids do not lie: Haegumplus is unique. *** read more

Grand Performances - Kang Eun-II (Haegumplus), 07Aug'09 - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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WOW! WOW! WOW! It's 9 am and I just woke up and realized what a wonderful experience I had adventuring last night thanks to my friend Isaak. We met up street side at the top of the Universal City subway station and our adventure began. We descended down a flight of concrete stairs and bee lined it to an ATM type of bank on the wall for my very own TAP card. Tap Card - every person's public transportation lifeline to the City of Angels. Load her up, get a one way ($1.50) - round trip $(3.00) trip, one day ($5.00), 7 day ($20.00) or 30 day ($75.00) pass whatever your heart desires and Los Angeles is yours without a car. Tap card in hand, we now delve deeper into this hole down a set of escalators. Tap card. Gate access. Subway here I am! Redline - stretches from NoHo to Union Station. For this trip, we got on at Universal and got off at Pershing Square. I swear it took no more than 15 mins at the most. No Friday night traffic to deal with. No need to "find" parking. And no need to pay exorbitant amounts of money to park, it's free at the metro station! The stop and exiting the Redline is quick, so pay attention to what the announcements are. Wait, Pershing Square?!?! That's us. Out of seat. To the sliding doors. Exit. Bye bye subway car. Up, up, up into the summer evening we ascend. California Plaza - event venue and good time. Once you exit the metro station take a left. Make a right onto the sidewalk. Walk uphill along the fenced hillside. Say hi to the friendly homeless along the way. Cross the street. Ride the escalator up. Voila! There you are. Walk a little and feel free to explore. Free people. Not free food (let's not get crazy now). Free Entertainment (now you can go crazy). Upon exploring when you happen upon neon tape on the tile floor, you're there!Plan to come early. Get the lay of the land, picnic and eat. Cavort. Cavort a lot. You will soon find that everyone is here to have a good time. Grand Performances - the neon tape delineates the standing, sitting, dancing and walking areas. Most of the seating is for the general public but there is a small VIP reserved seating area. There an upstairs and a downstairs with lots of space for picnicking and cavorting with old friends and new friends made. The stage is on the opposite side behind the water feature but in front of the fountain. There's a cute little dance area set up under scaffolding and lights for those that would like to wiggle it...just a little bit. Although, last night, there was no need for an allowable "dancing" area, I saw (ok, did) some chair dancing and aisle dancing everywhere. Friday, 7/18 @ 8 pm. Nigerian beats meets funk. Chop 'N Quench and Sahr Ngaujah - performing music from the Broadway musical Fela!. Horns. Drums. Guitars. Keyboards. A smoothly cool, lively mixture of Nigerian Juju intertwined with smooth sounds like Coltrane and James Brown. I'm definitely rounding up more friends and telling them about this great summer fun!!! #LAStory @discoverLA read more

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What's not to like about free concerts? This is one of my favorite summer events to check out during Friday or Saturday evenings with friends. I love how you can bring your own bottle of wine and eats to enjoy with no corkage charge or anything. Everything about GP is wonderfully free. I'm so glad amazing organizations like them offer complimentary entertainment for people who don't really have that kind of money to spend to enjoy something nice during a weekend. Transportation wise, you can take the metro or find parking inside their parking lot structure for $6-8. I do recommend to come a little earlier to snag better seats if you're coming with a big group. read more

Grand Performances - Free summer concerts :) #ILoveLA - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Always a nice place to hear some tunes down town. The jazz was chill and good excuse to hit central market.

Grand Performances at CAL PLAZA on Grand Performing is The Secret City Shine and Shimmer Show group complete with lighting. A lively performance by a nice band performing mostly retro music/songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Very upbeat sing along and danceable cool music and all for free! Everyone there were into the music and were spot dancing, fun. read more

Who doesn't love Grand Performances? Who can say no to free performances that is one of the best places to go and dance, groove, and enjoy one's company (excellent for a date with a significant other or with a good friend)? I love the variety that Grand Performances offers and wished Grand Performances was year around instead of just during the summer months. I love the way the stage and seating area is arranged, it just gives a nice view and has a nice setting. I also love that I can bring my own food with me to eat while I watch a performance. I have only taken advantage of Grand Performances for 2 summers now (wished I wasn't so late to the party) and can't wait to make this a continued summer tradition. Oh and just thought I would mention that there are plenty of restrooms (for women at least, but I am sure it's the same set up in the men's restroom) that are clean and adequately stocked with the essentials. read more

Summertime seems to be the perfect time for any type of outdoor activity, and really, who doesn't like live music- regardless of who is playing. While parking is certainly not cheap, admission into the Grand Performances stage/ viewing areas is free. There's plenty of room for everyone, though I suggest getting there at least half an hour to an hour early to snag yourself a good spot near the stage or on one of the terraces overlooking the courtyard. The acoustics are great, so sound quality is never a problem- it's 360 degrees of superb audio. Another cool thing about this place is that it not only has some pretty neat restaurants right near the courtyard where you can grab anything from a Starbucks Frapp, to a grilled cheese sandwich, Subway, or even some snacks & surprisingly high-quality prepared foods to-go at the Famima convenience store they have on site. The bands & performers vary from week to week, and you can always go to their page to check out the lineup; who knows, one of your favorites may be playing one of these weekends, and you get to see them live, practically for free- minus parking. And who doesn't love being out and about on a cool Summer's night, in the big city, being surrounded by bright lights, tall skyscrapers, good food & company, and great music? read more

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Who knew? Apparently 121 others. Why didn't you tell me? I was invited to a free Christmas performance in Tim Burton style. For L.A., it's been COLD, but we decided to attend the outdoor concert anyway. GREAT stuff! This is a GREAT venue (although parking-challenged) with PROFESSIONAL performances. read more

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It's that time of the year for Grand Performances to start their new season at the California Plaza! On a warm summer night, I decided to take advantage of a free summer concert while cruising in DTLA. I have been to the California Plaza a handful of times during the day but never knew about the musical/art events held on the weekend evenings and a few Thursdays and Fridays nights. Check our their website for dates and performances. The outdoor venue is a perfect place to enjoy the evening stars while listening to musicians devoted to their talent. The seating on the hard concrete tiers are kind of tough so bring a cushion for comfort. This is also the perfect opportunity to pack a picnic from the Grand Central Market and a great place to meet up with Yelpers or friends. Underground parking is available in the California Plaza for $8 cash or better yet, try using the Metro. Start planning and celebrate Grand Performances this summer! read more

Grand Performances - Grand Performance at the California Plaza - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Yay! Grand Performances is back for another summer of amazing line ups from some of the most talented performers from around the globe, and I'm super excited. The season opened with William Close and the Earth Harp Collective. The strings of the Earth Harp extended from the stage to a 52 story building, and the performance was absolutely mesmerizing. I can't wait for Miguel Atwood-Ferguson's return tribute performance for J Dilla, "Suite for Ma Dukes". I've already made plans to attend several performances. The crowd and the atmosphere at GP is something I always look forward to, love the diversity...can't believe I've been attending for over 20 years! I will note that GP has really tightened their security this summer, you cannot leave any bags unattended...yeah, but they say this every summer, however, this season I learned rather embarrassingly that they mean it now, when I left my purse in my chair to run to the restroom and was chased down by security within 3 seconds. Then I had to listen to the family behind me gossiping as though security had just taken down a potential terrorist as if I could not hear them, not exactly the GP spirit...but that didn't kill my vibe. But for everyone bringing picnic boxes, bags and bundles, don't be like me, follow the rule and don't leave your belongings unattended. If you haven't been to a Grand Performance season yet, let this be your summer, you won't be disappointed. It's an amazing experience for everyone to enjoy, including kids! read more

BF found out about grand performances after searching for free things to do in LA and surprised me by taking us here after dinner. We saw a mariachi band, marionetts, and some comedian showing a slideshow of places in LA. We didn't really come prepared so we ended up leaving cuz our butts hurt from sitting on concrete and it got cold. It looks like they have things going on every Friday and Saturday evening. We will definitely be brining wine and a blanket next time. read more

Grand Performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

They have pretty good stage and the sound system is clear. There were seats on the 1st and 2nd floor. Everywhere you sit, you can see the band playing. It's free to sit and listen to the bands. I think every weekend they have a different band playing. I was there for a yelp event. We got to hear 2 bands and they were pretty good. We brought wine and snacks to munch. Very awesome! There's food places around the center to purchase, such as Panda Express. They have colored light synchronized water shows in the background, which they put up while the bands played their songs. Parking... you have to pay like everywhere in LA -__- read more

I have some dating advice for the men out there: As a music and arts centric person... but one also on a budget.. I can assure you that a concert is the way to my heart. Add beautiful scenery like water fountains and neon lights, backdrops of downtown LA skyscrapers, PLUS the ability to bring to your own food/alcohol/picnic baskets/blankets, and BAM! I promise you'll get laid. Not to mention, you barely had to spend any money, save parking and some goodies to munch on during the show. Grand Performances is one the many establishments/activities that I am proud of as an LA resident and wish I had known about sooner. Although Yelper Dee D. has invited me several times, this is NOT how I imagined it.. it's BETTER! A beautiful, amphitheater style setting plus glam, an artsy crowd, and eccentric acts or wold music at a free price tag. I am hooked. I can't believe something like this is FREE! This isn't your regular small town free show in a park.. this is a full-on production! The crowd was universal and laid-back with everyone dancing and enjoying alcohol and a night-time picnic. No drama here! The sound quality was terrific and the lighting was better than most national-touring bands on major labels. Plus, the employees who run this production OBVIOUSLY care about the their jobs and the public as I met with the director afterwards to suggest a Hungarian band and he immediately told me to email him and was very interested versus not having enough time for measly old me. So if you are out of a job or simply have a low budget but want some top-quality entertainment... head to Grand Performances. read more

UPDATE!!!!!!!! STILL a HUGE FAN... Now I'm talking about Movies That Matter series at the Grand Performances... Here was the description: GRAND Performances, Movies that Matter film series August, 15 2008 "The World According to Sesame Street" 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, California 90071 Cost : FREE This film explores the drama and complexities behind producing international versions of the world's most-watched children's television program. The documentary shows that social impact and change can come from the most unlikely sources, including a team of Muppets. Now, those of you who REALLY know me, or want to know me, or have read my profile where it says: "Don't Tell Anyone Else But... I like Grover", know that I have a Sesame Street Fetish of sorts. I mean, I am not "turned on" by Sesame Street, but there is something about the characters that elicits a joy from all of my pours that is so primal it can only be related back to the smiles and warm fuzzies this show gave to me as a child. I moved all over Canada and the US when I was a kid and was awestruck by the show's metamorphosis to mirror the culture of where we were -AWESOME & AMAZING! That said, this past Friday night, I had a date. When we were planning this, he asked me where I'd like to go. When I initially took the risk and told him I'd love to see him but I'd want to go to this Sesame Street movie, he laughed and thought I was joking. At first I was going to let him off the hook, have him take me to a nice restaurant, out dancing, whatever. Then, I thought... "HELL!!! I'm not getting any younger and if this dude is at all really serious about getting to know me (instead of just getting in my pants), he's going to have to deal with the fact that being on Sesame Street or involved in the organization is on my bucket list." Like it or not, I called him back and laid it on the line. I want to go to this performance. And, guess what? He gave the right answer: "Michelle, anywhere I go, with you, I know I'm going to have a good time!" A gem, or WHAT??? So, we made our plans to attend. Despite the socially-conscious spin of the film, when Friday night rolled around, even I was feeling the pressure of dragging some poor guy along to fulfill my Sesame Street joys (not to mention a little guilty that my friend Skylar's going away party was this night and I was going to have to miss it). But, off we went into downtown LA. Best part, the guy I was on a date with was Bangladeshi. We get to the performance center, the moon was full, the weather was perfect, the outdoor setting - WONDERFUL, and we discovered that the movie was based on working in 3 countries during political upheaval to produce Sesame Street - Kosovo, S. Africa, and BANGLADESH. When we saw that on the screen, I looked at him, he looked at me, and we were AMAZED. The movie was perfect, inspired conversation about culture, relevance, world events, children, education, social issues, and TOTALLY opened him up to share more with me about his culture and life acclimation to America. I mean, Sesame Street is the bomb!!!!! (No pun intended as we saw segments around issues of civil unrest in Kosovo too.) The audience cheered, I squealed with joy, we clapped for the successes of these 3 stories on the documentary. It was phenomenal and made me love Sesame Street even more (also earned major bonus points for my date's faith in me). Needless to say, after THIS start to our evening, the dinner, drinks, and dancing were also just "perfecto". I love grand performances in the summer time. They do a wonderful job, and this movie made me sooooo happy! (p.s. Thank you to John M for his review of R-bar and reference to Sesame Street, which reminded me to review this movie and event series). read more

Grand Performances - Lunchtime performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Security has their priorities mixed up. When two people blocking elderly attendees were politely asked to move to not blocked them, they acted unruly. Instead of acting against the unruly people, the security guard acted against the elderly gentleman who politely asked them to move instead and threatened to have him removed and not the unruly blockers. This is not a one sided story. Security needs to see the whole picture and have respect for elderly attendees who can't always stand when unruly people block them. Shame on you. read more

If you haven't been to the Grand Performances you are really missing an amazing venue. During the summer there are different performances ranging from dance to music to film and in all different styles. One the best performances I went to was La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc which is a French silent subtitled film on Passion of Joan of Arc. Along with the film there was a small quartet giving it a bit of intensity to the film. If you come early there are cushions in the main seating area but there is seating at the tables and chairs on the side too. Oh and don't forget to bring your picnic basket with some wine and cheese. Then look up at the sky scrapers and starts. FYI the financial district is a ghost town at night so it is really quiet and relaxing. read more

A great place to check out free concerts in the summertime. Highly recommended! I recommend parking near the farmer's market and taking the Angel's Flight trolley for first timers and grabbing some food at Famima. Bring a bottle of wine, picnic food, and enjoy the show! read more

This is one of those events that makes you fall in love with LA and feel lucky that you live here. I went for the first time last Saturday, with friends who spontaneously decided to see Pan Afrikan People's Arkestra and Build An Ark that night (experimental jazz/soul). We were lucky enough to go with a friend of a friend who is a donor to the organization and got us amazing front-row seats. Absolutely gorgeous venue, with fountains, water surrounding the stage, lights, and the DTLA skyline surrounding it all, on a warm summer night. Very laid-back atmosphere. The VIP section consisted of lawn chairs, there was no set dress code, people can bring blankets, kids, etc. and people are also allowed to eat and drink whatever they'd like to bring. We bought a bottle of wine and some paper cups from Famima! and shared it among our group. My advice is to bring outside food and drinks, as the Famima! line is long (not much else besides Starbucks is open) and they also charged us $10 to uncork our cheap, less than $10 bottle of wine. Not cool. The show was phenomenal. The staff and ushers were incredibly friendly. I can't believe that A) I haven't been before, and B) this is FREE. I plan to go back often this summer. Another tip, for another taste of downtown LA, the Angel's Flight is near the top of the stairs, and I found it by accident. Even though it only goes down the hill, take a full ride for the experience and for 50 cents, to get a little LA history. Plus, if you're a little tipsy, you and your friends can pretend it's a roller coaster. read more

Another fun and free summer event!!! Bring your own wine!!!! Caravan palace was amazing! ! Its gypsy jazz sort of like Cirque Berzerk if your familiar. Fun crazy electrifying beats that had young and old dancing! The crazy French got a little out of control, maybe still celebrating Bastille day, but they got the crowd in a frenzy and people were dancing in the fountain. Fun! Fun! Fun! Did I mention, BYOB! The set up is great. Plenty of parking for $7.50. Right in California Plaza near MOCA and Omni hotel. Easy breezey. Since there was a crowd two entrance helped lighten the load. Even leaving wasn't bad. The half dome open air set up had great views even if you show up late, the stage has water in front and fountains shooting up behind the stage. It was gorgeous I felt like I was in NYC. Too cool and too metropolitan to be LA, right? The crowd was having so much fun. Everyone was friendly and polite. If you don't bring your own picnic, there are restaurants open. We grabbed a pizza slice to continue my NYC stay-cation. Lively, fun, friendly and free. What more can you want. The have a variety of concerts Friday at 12 & 8 and Saturday at 7 ish. Check online they say being live things can vary. read more

Grand Performances - hard to see but the water fountains are shooting up behind this kcrw band. gorgeous venue - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A well-designed urban public place in downtown LA?? Can't believe I hadn't been to the California Plazauntil this summer. Came here the first time to check out daKAH (LOVED THEM--my sister bought their album after!) and the second time to support Natusol during the shindig they had for Mayor Villaraigosa. $5 parking @ 5th and Olive in the lot. In terms of surroundings, there are many places to sit and chill...the place is landscaped very nicely with water surrounding most of the area by the stage. There's even a fountain that shoots up water incrementally. Like a baby Bellagio fountain =). Acoustics here are really nice throughout the California Plaza. Good enough to hear the singers even with their bands. I would love to come again and check out some of the other performances. People even brought blankets and beer!! Thanks to everyone who helps make this event possible. We need more events like this in LA! read more

Grand Performances - View of daKAH from the upper level - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Free concerts!!! This ain't the cheap park productions in your local suburban neighborhoods. No offense to the cheap park production but the acts here are top quality. The venue at California Plaza is amazing & the atmosphere is perfect. You're surrounded by friendly people having a good time & who are here for a good time. This past Friday we got Cucu Diamantes and she was amazing. I felt obligated to make a donation in the red donation bucket cause we were having such a good time. Whether you are on a budget or not check it out. It's a great thing to have in downtown LA. there are ton of eateries around and if you're super lucky the Kogi truck and Coolhaus ice cream truck will be around. If you don't have a great time, it's you buddy not the venue. :) Cheers read more

Grand Performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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May I just say "WHOA! I LOVE IT!" What is this to my ears...did you say FREE?! This was my first time coming to the Grand Performances. The Grand Performances is located in the heart of Downtown LA, in the California Plaza. Where the busy LA people stay up to hear the sound of life. I love the setup that they had. They had chairs surrounding the water where the stage is and an amphitheater by where a dance floor is. A few restaurants were open for business along with Famima and Starbucks for quick bite/coffee/desert! I went to see the Yemen Blues band and also the Watcha Clan. I really enjoyed hearing the very unique Yemen Blues band which brilliantly evokes African blues and "the thousand and one vibrations of the Sahara, Nubian, Gnawi, Touaregs, Saidi and Bambara." I really felt the music flow through my soul to find peace and harmony in the world. I love the Grand Performances! Keep it alive and strong and going LA! read more

Grand Performances - YEMEN BLUES - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Free concerts & beautiful background, whats not to love?! Its located outdoors in a block away from the Walt Disney Concert hall. I went for the Dirty Dancing Dance-a-long and had a blast!! They played the movie in the background and had live performances during the dancing scenes. Can't wait for other events over summer, I'm going to be sure to dress warmer and bring more food next time! The only thing you pay for is parking! The structure parking is at $7.50, Im sure you can find a couple of bucks cheaper down the streets, if you don't mind walking. Also if you get hungry there are a bunch of eateries in that complex. read more

Grand Performances - Dirty Dancing Dancealong - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Yuna and Aloe Blacc!!! Such a good time with great company. We parked in the parking structure on 1st and Olive for $9 and it took us a few minutes to walk to the event. It was pretty crowded but our group of 15 found our meeting spot easily. Fun night!! read more

Grand Performances - BYOB - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Woohoo! It's summer again and that means more summer performances at this venue. The outdoor amphitheater is really nice, decorated with beautiful landscape of the fountain and surrounding greenery. Last summer I was here for a performance by Lady Danville. My bf and I had ourselves a small picnic by bringing some food and drinks from home to accompany the great music. We had stopped by the Grand Central Market across the street before the performance started and realized we could have just bought some of the freshly cooked foods from there instead for our picnic. It was hard to find parking around this area, but we were able to just park by the Grand Central Market area and take the Angel's Flight up to the amphitheater. I hope to come here again for more free performances and will continue my review then. TBC... read more

We went here for a free musical performance and were shocked at how crazy packed this place was. It was like an impromptu music festival had popped up overnight. The horseshoe shaped venue helps you get a good view no matter where you're sitting. Feel free to bring your own chairs and coolers as we saw when we arrived. The same goes for food and wine, it's a BYOB venue. If that's not your thing there are quite a few places to eat at the venue including pizza and sit down restaurants not to mention the couple of food trucks that hang around. If you're looking for a family friendly night or a date night this is probably the place to check out regularly as their lineup is always changing. read more

Grand Performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I'll qualify this rating. As good as it gets if you get there early to claim good seats and time to wander around. If you arrive late, it's not the best viewing experience. When the concert starts, there is a lighted water show in the background, but you don't really hear the water shooting into the air. If you take the Metro, it's just a block from the Pershing Square Station by 4th and Olive. Walk one block up 4th, go up the escalator and you are there. One block on the other side is the Grand Central Market and Angel's Flight Trolly. It's a great way to spend a day, so I encourage coming early, seeing the sights, and getting a great seat. You can bring your own food and drink, or buy something there. Very relaxed but well-run operation. There is a lot of security there, but you won't get questioned for bringing in a picnic setup or cameras. I went yesterday to see Gaby Moreno, who is a Latin American star and 2013 Latin Grammy winner. She's awesome, and looks like a Latin American version of St. Vincent. I got there about 6:30 for an 8pm show and got a third row seat. Got to see her sound check, (see photo) and found the "Artists Sales" merch table where I got her newest CD at a nice price. I wanted to get her Grammy winning CD, but it is so rare, SHE didn't even have it. Third parties in the USA ask several hundred dollars for it. After her set, she came to a table to do a meet and greet, and sign autographs. What a babe. As I was leaving, I saw that the Plaza was packed, so I was glad I came relatively early. I'm looking forward to attending more shows this summer. Grand Performances has been putting on these free Summer shows for 29 years. read more

Grand Performances - Before the show, from my third row seat, the overall view during the sound check. - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I love coming to the various events organized by Grand Performances. The setting in California Plaza is beautiful, they're very well organized and they invite all sorts of interesting acts from all over the World! Great shows, wonderful performances in the weekend, every Friday and Sat. night all through the summer, starting at 8 PM. They also have shows in the afternoons for kids. Check their site for dates and performances. I found out about their shows last year (too bad it wasn't sooner) and this summer we attended a bunch of wonderful shows, starting with the first one that opened the season, "The Final Frontier" (An Improvised Sc-fi Soundtrack), continuing with "Young, Gifted and Nina", a tribute to Nina Simone, then the concert of fun bands like - Mucca Pazza from Chicago and Fanfare Ciocarlia from Romania that brought over the joy and the chaos of the Balkan spirit and recently we saw Lux Boreal, a cool contemporary dance troupe from Tijuana. Amazing shows brought from all over the world. All the performances are free (you can donate), they start on time, they have chairs set up or you spread a picnic on the side. Alcohol is allowed and it's a great idea to bring food and a sweater. Or you can grab something at Famima or other stores and restaurants located inside California Plaza. Come earlier, to get good seating. The Nina Simone tribute brought over so many people, the most I've ever seen at the California Plaza that made finding any seating an impossible mission. But we still enjoyed the music, our picnic and the beautiful views of the downtown at night. Clean bathrooms on the premises, parking near by or you can take the subway. Another great series of events that the downtown LA offers us. Thanks to Grand Performances for doing such a great job. Looking forward for more wonderful performances! read more