Los Angeles Philharmonic - Free Neighborhood Concert

Last night, Patrick and I went to a free concert by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. I'm not sure how well-advertised these concerts are - I found out about this one from KPCC, which we listen to in the mornings, yesterday. Not even one day's notice seems either like they know that once word gets out they'll be guaranteed to have an audience (the LA Phil for FREE is an awesome draw, no?), or... they have crappy planning skills over there at the LA Philharmonic Association.

I'm going to assume it's not that one, though, because this concert was extremely well-attended, and rightfully so. We had a really nice time.

So the way this concert worked, by the time I heard about it, was that you could go to the Cerritos Center's box office starting at 6 p.m. last night to get "stand-by" tickets. I left work a half hour early because the 5 freeway south from East LA more times than not is a parking lot at 5:30 (my usual time to leave). I got off the 91 freeway at around 5:55, and following my Google Map instructions, went... in a giant circle. The shopping area where the performing arts center is never fails to confuse the heck out of me: it's a maze, and I almost always get lost. From the direction I came, too, I missed out on the big white signs that say "Box Office" (Patrick didn't, and thus had an easier time). Eventually I found it, though, and there were about 5 people already in what I thought was the stand-by line.

I went to the box office, however, and found out that there were still tickets available. I got my tickets, got in line, and waited for Patrick. He made it there from Downey much faster than I did from East LA (he's a speed demon) and eventually they let us in. (I'm not sure about the stand-by line, which did eventually make an appearance. I don't know if they got in or not.)

The rush for seats wasn't as bad as I thought it might be (we all had General Admission tickets), and while it might've been cool to have taken one of the boxes (the place has a million boxes!) instead we headed down to about the 8th or 9th row, just right of center. I didn't realize that the flute section would be pretty much right in front of me (the stage seemed awfully cramped; no way of knowing how the musicians felt about it, but I liked it - the orchestra looked like a giant black and white single entity at times; they put on a very spirited concert with lots of movement), so the conductor was blocking them most of the time, but that conductor (Manuel Lopez, a student, or former student?, of Gustavo Dudamel), was really fun to watch, so I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.

So. 26-year old Manuel Lopez! I don't really know anything educated about conductors, so my comments (all my comments, not just about him) are just my own silly opinion. But that guy was thrilling to watch, and I bet, to play for. He seemed to me to be tall - at least, he has long, thin legs (and wore a beautifully tailored suit, very fashionable) and a huge head of hair - he looked great. His crisp white French cuffs were flying all over the place, his hands were big and lovely, and his body language was perfectly understandable and exciting. He didn't overdo it either, but he seemed very involved in the music.

Ah! The music! They performed four pieces: Huapango, by Jose Pablo Moncayo; Overture to La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) and Overture to Semiranide, by Gioachino Rossini; and Symphony No. 7 in A major, by Beethoven.

I'd never heard Huapango, and according to the program notes (I think it would be a copyright violation to include them here but you can visit the LA Phil's website and I think they're there), the piece incorporates three traditional songs from Veracruz. It was very cool, and had lots of percussion and horns. We really enjoyed it.

The two Rossini pieces were equally exciting. I don't know what it is, exactly, about Rossini that I like. Maybe it's that the music is sometimes sort of cornball - so dramatic and visual; I always get a picture in my head. Maybe it's that it reminds me of Bugs Bunny and like everyone I'm just a ten year old at heart. Maybe it seems like Rossini had a sense of humor. I love the double-time fast parts and huge crescendos and the way everything fits together like a big moving piece of machinery. I don't know. But I really liked both pieces. The first one starts with these snare drum rolls, and what drummer and wife of a drummer wouldn't love that?

Watching the orchestra in that setting was really special, too. I've been to Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl and the Pantages and Dorothy Chandler, and I've had some great seats (and bad seats), but I've never felt like I could see the orchestra quite so well as at the Cerritos Center. They were right there, and seriously, last night they were rocking out. They really looked like they were having fun, and it was fun for me to catch some of their actions close up (I like the way the concertmaster almost stands up out of his seat sometimes while he's playing, or the way the bearded gentleman sitting behind him in the violin section taps both feet occasionally, or the way the guy sitting behind him would look at his stand partner every once in awhile). The cellos were pretty much squeezed into the first row, and I had serious fears that they were going to hit one another with their bows, but seeing all of them so close like that, with the varying colors of their instruments (all the different shades of honey) was great. And of course hearing them - there were some amazing little solos here and there - Sarah Jackson's piccolo is so beautiful and mellow. The horns were dead on and gorgeous. The percussion section was impressive.

I also like how they would light the concertmaster every time he stood up to tune the orchestra. That little detail reminded me of some of our light cues at City Garage, and I thought it was perfect.

Maybe it's because the floor seats at the Cerritos Center are on a slight incline, so I could see over the heads of the people in front of me, or maybe because we were very close, or it's a small place, or I don't know. I'm not sure how old the Cerritos Center is, but the decor is looking a little aged (Patrick compared it to a Hampton Inn), and I don't know anything about the acoustic properties, but with the lights out and the concert in progress, it was a very nice place to hear a big orchestra like that.

But then came the Beethoven, and it was the only thing I did not enjoy.

Most likely my lack of appreciation for Beethoven is a personal failing of my own and not Beethoven's, or maybe it was just this piece (the Allegretto was great, but everything else? B is for Boring) but I suddenly found myself getting very tired. The music just didn't capture me. I stopped paying attention, and started getting annoyed at little things unrelated to the performance (someone's hearing aid was beeping: I'm sure it had happened before but it didn't bother me until the third movement of the Beethoven; someone near us was tapping their foot so vigorously that the entire row could feel it). But this could just be me (though Patrick felt the concert lost something at the end too), because the crowd around us as we left were all raving and one lady in particular was in LOVE with the Beethoven, so what do I know?

Anyway, it was a fun night, fun to get out on a Wednesday and hear some amazing musicians - FOR FREE. If I hear about any more free concerts I will let you know.

On Saturday I'm taking my friend Sarah to Walt Disney Hall for another free concert, but this one (I just found out) isn't exactly a concert - I think there will be some discussion, too. Hopefully more playing. And Mr. Lopez will be conducting again, and I'm looking forward to that. Anyway, I have no idea if tickets are still available; at this point, if you're interested, you should contact them directly.

On Sunday there's another free concert at MacArthur park but the LA Phil website doesn't indicate how to get these tickets. I'd call if I were you, it's what I did yesterday to find out about the concert at the Cerritos Center. I spoke to Jackie, and she was extremely helpful, but I'm sure whoever you get will be helpful too.

General Information: (323) 850-2000