This city rarely disappoints.  I was broke this weekend so I looked up free things to do in Los Angeles & ended up at the Getty Center.  The place was packed; I had to park about a mile out & hiked my way to the top.  I actually didn’t mind the trek though; it made me feel like I had to want to be there.

Cut Chemist (Lucas Macfadden) played a big set in the courtyard at sundown.  It was a very diverse but energetic audience.  Which really comes as no surprise; the Chemist mixes many genres into groovy wholesomeness.  The music would best be described as “quality.”  This beat maker has made a reputation for bridging genres.  I’m more of an Ozomotli guy than a Jurassic 5 guy, but hearing him break it down live takes the prize.

The whole scene was well-thought out & actually pretty novel; I knew what to expect the whole journey up, but I was still a little astonished when I walked in. There were bright lights & big screens shining down on hundreds upon hundreds dancing all about glowing fountains & dramatic architectural structures.  In the background, families were picnicking with one another & inside many more were exploring the free exhibits.  All this was beautifully composed with the fading sun setting across the Santa Monica Mountains.

Art, music, mountains, (and beer)…could you ask for anything more?  The one downfall is that the Getty offers no encore.  At 9:00 sharp the party ended and the masses flooded back down the mountain.

All in all, it was a pretty swell Saturday.  It’s always nice to see this city giving something back.

—Brian Swanson