– Photos By Monica Nouwens, story by Matt Cohn
DTLB Live!, the musical good time that happens on the third Saturday of every month, has been attracting great crowds to The Promenade since it launched in January. With fine weather, cool drinks, exciting music, and nearly 20 local vendors from Angel City Market in the mix, the May 16 edition continued the trend.
“I think it’s been successful precisely because it happens every month,” said Rodrigo Rodarte, DTLB Alliance’s Senior Placemaking & Activations Manager. “In fact, I’m now getting lots of requests for recurring DTLB events. People are liking the crafts market and live music, and they love drinking outside and dancing.”
DTLB Live! is an EZ (Entertainment Zone) Sip event. Guests of all ages are welcome, and those 21 and over can purchase bevvies from nearby Promenade drinkeries including The Ordinarie, El Viejon, and ISM Brewing & Kitchen. They’re free to walk around sipping them within the event footprint on The Promenade from 3rd Street to Broadway.
The May 16 DTLB Live! was billed as a “Summer Throwback Sing-Along,” spotlighting hits from the ‘90s and early ‘00s. DJ MARSS started dropping beats at 4 PM and set the tone immediately. Then, at 6 PM, SEGA Genecide took the stage. The band put its song selection and performance skills to work, and within minutes the crowd was singing and dancing to throwbacks from acts such as Blink-182, Backstreet Boys, Offspring, Sublime, and Cher!
Bandleader/vocalist/guitarist Spencer Askin, a former DTLB resident (half the band currently lives Downtown), was leading his colleagues through the second of three gigs that day. They started at a wedding in Los Olivos, traveled to Long Beach for DTLB Live!, then drove down to Costa Mesa for their regular club gig at The Wayfarer.
“We’re here to tap into nostalgia and to make sure everyone’s having a good time. That’s why we’ve got these wireless mics ready for the audience to sing into,” said Askin.
DTLB Live! will be taking a pause in June. DTLB Alliance Events Contractor Crystal Angulo Garcia explained: “We thought it’s really important for the Juneteenth organizers to have the entire Promenade to work with. The Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 20 will be on The Promenade from 1st St. all the way to 3rd St.”
Stay tuned as DTLB Live! returns in July. Possible summer music themes include a Country Hoedown complete with line dancing and, during the heat of August, a Polynesian Luau!
For more information about DTLB Live!, click here.
