Category Archives: Sound of L.A.

When the Sound of L.A. Is Fighting Oligarchy

Bernie Sanders speaking to crowd at Gloria Molina Grand Park for the Fighting Oligarchy tour on Saturday, April 12, 2025 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Fighting Oligarchy with Bernie Sanders at Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on April 12, 2025 (Pic: LIz O.)

“Welcome to Berniechella,” Maggie Rogers says to the crowd. It’s Saturday afternoon and tens of thousands of people— 36,000 we’re later told— packed into Gloria Molina Grand Park to fight oligarchy alongside Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Rogers, the Grammy-winning recording artist, is there to perform, as are Dirty Projectors, Joan Baez and Neil Young. To be honest, the downtown Los Angeles stop on Sanders’ Fighting Oligarchy tour isn’t all that different from a music festival, although it did not cost half-a-month’s rent to attend. 

Outside the event gates, people hustle for causes and cash. Sign this petition! Buy this shirt! On Hill Street, near the Grand Park Metro stop, vendors hawk merch to the beat of the old school funk jams pulsing across the sidewalk. Badges with some variation of “Fuck Trump” are common. The AOC shirts in Lakers colors provide a nice, local touch.

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When the Sound of L.A. Is Dodgers Baseball

Dodgers fans gathered in Gloria Molina Grand Park across from City Hall in downtown Los Angeles for the 2024 World Series Victory Parade (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The scene at Gloria Molina Grand Park for the Dodgers World Series victory parade on Friday, November 1, 2024 (Pic: Liz O.)

After Mayor Bass speaks and the Dodgers continue down the parade route, blue and white confetti rains across the mass of fans gathered in front of two giant TV screens at Gloria Molina Grand Park. The voice of the late, great Vin Scully rises over the cheers from the fans, sounding as if it was a broadcast from the beyond, before the DJ drops in “It Was a Good Day.” The crowd sings along with the Ice Cube jam, filling in when the DJ scratches out the less family-friendly lyrics, although I doubt anyone here would complain about the content of the song. Thirty some-odd years later, everyone in L.A. knows that Kim can do it all night.

An estimated 250,000 people  turned up in downtown Los Angeles for the Dodgers World Series victory parade on Friday morning. My husband and I were amongst them. The park was already pretty packed when we arrived at about 10 a.m. We were able to get close enough to see the buses moving beyond the trees at the edge of the park, but the people on those buses were hardly visible. Those jumbo screens came in handy. Still, I’m listening more than I’m watching. 

For the past week, I’ve been following the siren call of the World Series, a sound so captivating that sucks you deeper and deeper into the game until, suddenly, all of your timelines, both online and IRL, are Dodger blue. 

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Strangeways at The Smiths/Morrissey Convention

Strangeways at The Smiths Morrissey Convention at Avalon in Hollywood August 25, 2024 (photo: Liz Ohanesian)
View from the balcony while Strangeways played at The Smiths/Morrissey Convention on Sunday, August 25, 2024. (Pic: Liz O.)

It was still early in the evening when Strangeways dropped us back into 1992 with a little “Glamorous Glue.” Up on the balcony at Avalon, the crowd sang along, “everyone lies/nobody minds/everyone lies” and the energy grew more dynamic as the song progressed. If you knew the song— and, certainly, everyone in this room did— you could anticipate what would happen once The Smiths/Morrissey tribute band reached the final verse. 

“We look to Los Angeles—“

The crowd roared, nearly overpowering the second half of the sentence. 

“— for the language we use.” 

Down on the floor, right in front of the stage, people jump up and down, their arms waving in the air as they chant, “London is dead! London is dead!”

In this brief moment where L.A. pride and Morrissey-mania converge, I realize why I’ve always had a good time at The Smiths/Morrissey Convention. It’s a legit, local gathering made by and for fans that still happens in spite of all the forces that make it more difficult for subcultures to exist. 

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Fourth of July in L.A. with Grupo Soñador, DJ Nu-Mark, Tropa Magica and Healing Gems

Healing Gems live at Gloria Molina Grand Park for the 2024 Fourth of July Block Party (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Healing Gems live at Gloria Molina Grand Park for the 2024 Fourth of July Block Party (Pic: Liz O.)

At 5 p.m. on the Fourth of July, the sun is still beating against Gloria Molina Grand Park. It’s not as hot in downtown Los Angeles as one might expect after hearing the word “heatwave” over and over again on the news. It’s definitely not as hot as the Twilight Zone episode I had just watched, “The Midnight Sun,” which, let me tell you, is not one you want to see right as you’re getting ready to leave your air conditioned bubble on a summer day. Still, it’s sweaty-hot and all-too-sunny in the section of the park across from City Hall on this Thursday afternoon, but Healing Gems is riding a party vibe.  

For Fourth of July, Grand Park throws a massive, free block party. There’s live music, DJs, rides, games and, for the second year in a row, a drone spectacle that lights up the sky without all the side-effects of fireworks. Once the sun sets, this 12-acre park will be packed, but we haven’t reached that point yet. Right now, a handful of folks have already staked claims on the park’s few shady spots with picnic blankets. A smattering of others brave direct sunlight for space in front of the stage. 

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I Went to Depeche Mode Day at Los Angeles City Hall

Dave Gahan and Martin Gore of Depeche Mode with Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez at Los Angeles City Hall for Depeche Mode Day December 13 2023 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Dave Gahan and Martin Gore of Depeche Mode with Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez at Los Angeles City Hall for Depeche Mode Day on December 13, 2023 (Pic: Liz O. )

“This is incredible,” Martin Gore said from the steps of Los Angeles City Hall before thanking Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez for declaring December 13 Depeche Mode Day and the crowd for showing up on the occasion. Over the roar of cheers, he spoke of Depeche Mode’s connection to L.A., how the band played their first stadium show here and about “the Wherehouse fiasco.” 

“Sorry we didn’t sign the records, but thank you,” he added. “It helped our career a lot because we made nationwide news.” 

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