Daymé Arocena ‘s distinctive Caribbean flair drew concertgoers of all ages to to downtown L.A.’s California Plaza over the weekend.
Celebrating a night of live Latin music, De Los partnered with Grand Performances on Saturday as part of its weekly summer concert series. Hosted by KCRW DJ Wyldeflower, the show featured various subgenres of Latin music through Pan Dulce’s reggae-centric set and Arocena’s newest venture into Latin pop. Wyldeflower kicked off the evening with a mix of classic Cubano anthems.
As tracks played into the night, members of the crowd got up from their picnic blankets and joined the informal dance floor. Every few songs, Wyldeflower provided insights about each track — emulating a radio DJ set. Since 1987, Grand Performances has hosted free outdoor performances.
The organization’s focus is on giving a platform to both global and local acts. Previously, acts such as Stevie Wonder, Aloe Blacc and Ana Tijoux have participated in its programming. “We make a point to represent the city that we support, which is more than 50% Latino,” said Canyon Cody, Grand Performances’ marketing and communications director.
“To me, that means presenting Latin music like cumbia, salsa and mariachi, all of which we’re doing this year, but also presenting Latinos that are performing all different types of music.” John Moody, 56, says Grand Performances’ concerts are something he looks forward to every year. “The music is always good, and if it’.