A little LA night music
- bethchartnett
- Aug 5, 2015
- 4 min read
There's nothing that a rolling ocean tide and a little rock and roll can't cure.
It's what led me to cruise down the 10 last week to the Santa Monica Pier (though if I'm honest, "cruising" isn't really a word you can use to describe the drive down any Los Angeles freeway on a Thursday afternoon before rush hour.) I traditionally avoid this drive at all costs because getting to Santa Monica is, frankly, a headache. That changed when I heard one of my favorite new artists—JD McPherson—was giving a free concert as part of the city's Twilight Concert Series.
The summer music scene has revitalized what can be a muggy and miserable Los Angeles summer. I love seeing the city come to life with a little music that everyone can enjoy.
McPherson is one of those all-around Americana crooners you just don't hear anymore. His music is modern, yet makes you feel transported back to the 1950s, cuffed jeans and blacktops in tow. When I hear him sing, I want to break into a twist. And forget trying to get his song "Firebug" out of your head.
The evening didn't disappoint. We went into the trek ready for the traffic (we were leaving at 4:30 p.m. after all). But much to our surprise it wasn't bad at all! We hit a light bit of bumper-to-bumper as we journeyed through Downtown Los Angeles, but after that it was all clear. Phew.
There are several options for parking, but I would suggest just forking over the $10 for a spot along the beach at 2030 Ocean Avenue. There is $5 parking at the Civic Center, but it's a bit of a walk. Save yourself the stress.
The weather was beyond perfect with a light warm breeze. Usually the evenings get cool, or even cold, at the beach. But I didn't even need a jacket (the dancing helped).
The crowds packed the sand below the pier, which is a great alternative. But we were all about getting in the action near the stage above. The show didn't start until 7 p.m. so we cruised along the myriad of booths and vendors ready to do business. We indulged in some free samples provided by Bundaberg Brewery, an Australian company that makes craft sodas. We sampled the ginger, peach, blood orange, and lemon lime with bitters. Crisp, sweet, and a great thirst quencher. Chris and his gal, Tamara, indulged in a corn on the cob that looked dynamite: a massive ear with a nice char from the grill. I'm a little sorry I didn't indulge myself.
I didn't hold back, however, when it came to having some fun at Pacific Park, the carnival setup the Santa Monica Pier is arguably known for. That iconic ferris wheel with bright colored booths just looks so magical, doesn't it?
Add cheeseball romantic picture here.
Tamara gave us the push we needed to cross off a bucket list item and venture to ride the Pier roller coaster. It's a gimmicky little coaster with its rickety track and neon orange train.
But it was a blast. It might have only been a grand total of two minutes from start to finish, but they let us ride twice so we felt we got a little bit more of our money's worth.
Look at these gleeful faces.
Returning to safe ground, we were rewarded with a taste of Sarah Gayle Meech's sweet and spicy country music. I am not a huge contemporary country fan, but this tatted Tennessee artist from Long View, Washington was really enjoyable to listen to with her music's old-school style seasoned with some bluegrass and rockabilly. Her 1950s dress was also spot on.
Sarah delivered a great set up for the 90 minutes of singing, bopping, and twisting along with JD and band that followed.
The back lighting made it impossible to take a good photo. See what I mean?
But just take my word for it: they were great.
His croons were complemented by a dazzling display of sounds—
the clap of the drums, the strum of the upright bass, the wail of the saxophone, and the click clack of the piano. That piano player. His fingers danced across those keys in a mesmerizing way. It was hard to take your eyes off him he was so good. With only two albums, JD played through a majority of his songs (though not Shy Boy, to my dismay) and even added a couple fun, off-the-wall tunes, like a Ska version of This Little Light of Mine. It was excellent, and well worth the tired haze I experienced the majority of the following day.
The Los Angeles Parks and Rec Department is spot on with their summer music series. From Pershing Square, where we triple-stepped to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, to the Santa Monica Pier, where we got to enjoy a completely free, hour-and-a-half show with an up and coming artist who is going places. Check out the line up and venues across the Southland and start packing your picnics!
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