Music >> “Summertime Music In LA”

If you’re like me, once summer hits in Los Angeles, live music is a priority to compliment the wonderful weather we get at this time of year.

Having lived in LA since 1996, I’ve attended and performed at numerous local festivals, venues, and specialty events that tie in the spirit of the summer with a great pair of dancing shoes. I’d like to take some time to shed some light on some not-to-be-missed shows, festivals, and weekly events happening the beginning of this summer here around greater LA.

Some recommended upcoming shows to get your summer Global Groove on would be:

– Luciano – Wednesday June 12th at the Echoplex, 1154 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 – Jamaican Superstar Luciano  is making a rare live one-off appearance at LA’s best Reggae night, Dub Club. This will be one of the best nights of live Reggae in Los Angeles for the entire summer, none the less, the entire year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Doors at 9pm, 21+, tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and can be purchased here.

– “Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton” Premier – Thursday June 20th at Exchange LA, 618 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90014 – LA’s own Stones Throw Records is having a premier party for the documentary on the label itself called “Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton”. Get ready for a Slammed Packed night of live performances by Egyptian Lover, Jon Wayne, The Lions, and Myron & E, along with live DJ sets by Mad-Lib, Dam-Funk, Peanut Butter Wolf, and J Rocc, along with many special guests! Doors at 9pm, 21+, tix are $25 and can be purchased online here.

– Salvador Santana & The Pave The Way Project – Thursday June 27th at Hotel Café, 1623 ½ N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 – Salvador Santana has teamed up with the Pave The Way Project to feature upcoming artist Dymond Harding on an Awesome night of Hip-Hop-infused Global Grooves supporting a Great cause. Doors at 6pm, Show at 7pm, All Ages, tix are $10 and can be purchased here.

– The Roots & Friends featuring Nelly, Eve, MC Lyte, and Too Short at Club Nokia – Saturday June 29th at Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 – The legendary Roots crew are back in LA again with an Amazing night of special (and surprise!) guests. You might have seen them as the house band for late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon, but if you haven’t seen them live get ready to boogie down to one of the best live bands in the business. Doors at 10pm, Show at 11pm, All Ages, tix are $55-$75 and can be purchased here.

For those seeking to get out on the dance floor (depending on where you are located in LA and what day it is), there are several summer fun, great Global Groove venues, weekly nights, and one-off shows around LA. Try these for starters:

Zanzibar – 1301 5th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

La Cita Bar – 336 S. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90013

The Echo and Echoplex – 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

For the outdoor concertgoers, there are several free (that’s right FREE!) concert series about to gear up again that are all ages, family-geared, dance friendly events. All of these concert series showcase a wide mix of local and international acts across an amazing global palette of sounds and styles (check the links below for calendar listings) all held at top notch venues throughout LA:

– The Jazz At LACMA Concert Series – This concert series starts June 14th and runs until the of August, is on Fridays at 6pm, and is located at the LACSA Art Museum.

– The Levitt Pavilion Concert Series at MacArthur Park and Pasadena Pavilion – This concert series starts June 15th and runs until the end of August, is generally on Sundays (with some exceptions!), and is located between the MacArthur Park pavilion in downtown and the Pasadena Pavilion north of Old-Town Pasadena.

– The Grand Performances Concert Series at the California Plaza – This concert series starts June 21st and runs til the end of August, is generally on Fridays and Saturdays (with some exceptions!), and is located in the heart of downtown LA.

– The Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier – This concert series starts July 7th and runs until September, is every Thursday starting at 7:00pm, and is located directly on the Santa Monica Pier. Hope these help to point you in the right direction to enjoy some Great live music at the start of this summer in Los Angeles. Be on the look out for future posts about more Great upcoming shows later this summer in and around LA, and lastly, see you on the dance floor!!!: