With the goal of reflecting the musical tapestry and cultures of Los Angeles, MacArthur Park is about to become a very busy music venue this summer. More than two dozen free concerts are set to take place as part of the long-running Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles musical series.
“We’re very intentional about who we have on stage and making sure that it is representative of our local neighborhood and Los Angeles as a whole,” said Matthew Himes, director of programming and production of Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles.
“And we’re able to provide these great quality bands for free,” he added.
The summer concert series is celebrating 15 years of hosting shows at the more than 140-year-old park in the Westlake neighborhood.
The music will take place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays each month from June 18 through Sept. 4 with more than 150 performances covering genres like cumbia, rock, soul, ska, salsa, EDM, hip-hop and other styles.
The series kicks off June 8 with a group of musicians known for blending all forms of musical styles. The night will be headlined by Mexico’s El Gran Silencio, who hail from Monterrey and fuse rock with reggae and hip-hop with cumbia and Norteño music.
Also on the lineup on opening is Los Angeles-based quintet Buyepongo, whose Afro-Latin beat-driven music flows between hip-hop, punk, funk, and jazz.
Other highlights include a DJ tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder on July 31, performances by Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival veterans Tropa Magica (formerly Thee Commons) on Aug. 12 and it’ll all close out with what’s sure to be a massive dance party when iconic cumbia band La Sonora Dinamita takes the stage Sept. 4.
“People come in early and have a picnic and then when the bands start to play it’s just magic,” said Allison Keating, executive director of Levitt Pavilion.
The Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles began its series of free concerts in 2007 as part of larger revitalization efforts at the park.
“Our mission is to build community through music, and we believe art should be accessible to all. It’s a pillar of society just like education and health care,” Keating said.
The park, which dates back to the late 19th Century, was once a popular destination for locals and tourists. But in the 1980s, it fell into disarray due to criminal activity until efforts to change things began in the early 2000s. These efforts included more community policing, the opening of new small businesses and more cultural activities at the park, most notably the Levitt concerts.
More recently, the park underwent a $1.5 million improvement project with landscape and general upgrades.
“Even though there’s still a lot of work to be done, what we’re noticing now is that there’s a real sense of community empowerment and a lot of people are working very hard to keep the park active so that it doesn’t backslide again,” Keating said.
Part of creating that community empowerment is offering an inclusive lineup of music that celebrates the city’s various cultures, so every Sunday the series will include cultural-based performances from places like Peru (June 26) El Salvador (July 10), Guatemala (July 17) and others.
Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles
When: June 18-Sept. 4. Concerts usually begin at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 4 p.m. on Sundays but some will vary.
Where: MacArthur Park, 2230 W. 6th St., Los Angeles.
Cost: Free
Information: For the complete lineup go to levittlosangeles.org.
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