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Walt Disney Concert Hall
Rating Details »
Category: Performing Arts [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown111 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(323) 850-2000
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
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107 reviews for Walt Disney Concert Hall
students rejoice.
student rush tickets- $20 (cash only, student id required) vs. 200-400 for usual pricing. front orchestra seating.
realized i was sitting next to steven spielberg's parents. that was interesting.
then .... i sat through 90 minutes of Bach, Schumann, and Chopin, performed by Murray Perahia.
i die. a happy woman.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/31/2009
i remember driving by this venue when it was still in the process of being built...thinking.....w..t… Read more »
I am a Freelance Photographer. When I am shooting in downtown LA, Walt Disney Concert Hall is one of my favorite buildings to shoot some pictures awesome superb pictures.
I would say, this Lovely architecture, superb unique design , soft tones, curves & lines that so many stunning shots can be taken on this site that is quite an honour.
Walt Disney Concert Hall - Los Angeles is for encouraging pro photo critique.
I usually go on Sunday's so I can find parking in the street.
I would always give this place a big nice "Hello".
I love Frank Gehry and I love the outside of WDCH (although it looks exactly like the Guggenheim in Bilbao) but the inside was a bit underwhelming. I didn't like the green/orange/red carpet or the light colored wood seats. Even though WDCH is only about 6 years ago, it's starting to look really dated on the interior. On the plus side, parking is easy and plentiful for $8.
I went to WDCH for a Coco Lee (Global Pop) concert last night and the venue should never be used for a pop concert again. It may be great for classical music but the acoustics are not calibrated for pop music. Anyway, after years of anticipation, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I'm still given WDCH 4 stars because I think if I had kept my expectations lower and if I had gone to see the Philharmonic, I would have enjoyed it much more.
Fantastic acoustics. Beautiful venue. Had such an amazing experience here. This is just about the only thing I like about Southern California.
I know I am supposed to rant and rave about how great this place is and I know I'm supposed to stand in awe of it's non-linear construction, but everything about the Walt Disney Concert Hall disturbed me. . .especially the aorta-like structures in the main hall (and, yes, I know these structures are supposed to evoke trees).
If you are into Frank Gehry type Too-Cool-For-School architecture you will love the design of this place with its magnificent flowing metallic exterior. I'm not nearly smart enough to know what that's intended to evoke. Perhaps the sleek existentialism of the postmodern man trapped in the fluvial spasm of time. Or a conch shell run over by a bicycle? Could be anything I guess.
The acoustics inside the hall are impressive. It's all crazy graceful wood paneling and the seats are arranged to 1. kind of look like a pirate ship and 2. totally encompass the stage so you can see the performance from any angle (naturally, this is a gimmick to make the people in the cheap seats feel better). I'm kidding. There's really not a bad seat anywhere in this place, and it's going to sound pretty fantastic no matter where you are sitting.
The LA Phil does their usual thing here, and that's all well and good. Lovely performances if you're into that sort of thing. Except for one isolated incident that bugged me; I bought tickets to see Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto and literally one day before the performance the pianist cancels due to hand pain. First of all, that guy should find a different career because, you know, hands are important for playing the piano. Secondly, this is fine art! So naturally a refund would be unthinkable. I had the option of donating my tickets for a tax deduction or going to see a truncated performance of Beethoven's most boring symphony instead of the piano concerto I really wanted to see. It was still very enjoyable but I just think that pianist needs to toughen the fuck up!
The best part about the Concert Hall is probably one of its most underused: the organ. Every December they have a Holiday Organ Spectacular where this world class organist comes and just plays the heck out of that organ with a mix of Bach, holiday classics and other stuff just to show off the instrument's range. The organ itself is built into the hall, that's how huge it is. The longest pipe is 32 feet according to this fact sheet I just looked up on the internet. It's really powerful and sounds great. Of course, there aren't too many orchestral compositions that call for an organ so when the LA Phil does their regular stuff the organ just has to wait around.
If you haven't, you should come here. Unlike Kwame Brown, this place definitely lives up to the hype.
Talking about hooked up! Scored a couple for tics from my buddy for the Dianne Reeves concert and on top of that, the concert was sponsored by Acura, so I drove our TL and got free parking - Sweeeeet! - but that is not all! At the end of the concert, Acura also hosted FREE coffee and dessert, whoa! My motto - "free food I'm there!"
Disney concert hall is a fantastic venue for concerts. Designed with music in mind, the acoustics are unbeatable for classical and jazz concerts. During the encore, Dianne Reeves shed her hand held mic and just sang directly to the audience.
One thing that I thought was odd about Disney is that there are seats on all sides of the stage, so that quite a few people were sitting behind the performer. I was ok, I had good seats, but I could not see shelling out some good duckets to look at the back of a performer all night. Parking was easy and convenient. There were plenty of parking under the hall and it looked like quite a few people parked across the street. Of course, downtown has plenty of places to eat, albeit most are not cheap. I have never been a fan of downtown LA, too many venues, too congested, too much traffic, and too many idiot politicians (oops scratch that last one) but despite all that, Disney Concert Hall is a 5 star venue in my books.
Took a guided tour of the music center. Robert was a great docent. He knew what he was talking about and took care of our group very well. The Disney Concert Hall is an amazing building. I can't wait to go back and listen to the la philharmonic.
Love the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Don't forget to check out the little garden in the back and that cute fountain (or was it just a sculpture?) of a flower made out of blue china. I've visited several times and each visit was memorable and breathtaking. I had a fantastic choir teacher in high school and we learned all about the architecture and design of the building. It's supposedly meant to replicate a ship with its curves and sails.
My high school choir had the opportunity to sing with a handful of other SoCal high school choirs and the LA masters chorale. Also went to several shows put on by the LA philharmonic that was tailored specifically for high schoolers. Pretty awesome. The little cafe on the main floor also surprisingly has a pretty tasty tuna niçoise salad.
I had the pleasure of seeing the LA Phil here on a weekend when they were having a kid friendly show. Surprise--while some of the kids were obviously bored half way into the performance, they all stayed pretty quiet during the whole thing. Sweet.
The LA Phil was amazing, of course. The only thing that annoyed me was the Mister Rogers MC who engaged the audience between each song. He spoke to everyone in the audience as if they were two years old. Ok, yeah I know it was a kids show, but I couldn't help but cringe every time he spoke in that creepy, condescending voice. *shudder*
I have been fortunate to have visited concert halls all over the world and I can say without reservation DISNEY UBER ALLES! Forget that you are walking into one of the most beautiful architectural structures in the world, the acoustics are unequaled. Oh...and did I forget to mention, we have THE best philharmonic in the country and top five in the world?
My husband and I have accumulated three sets of season tickets over the last seven years...we've been there from the beginning. Yes, we used to suffer in the yellow, velvet seats at Dorothy Chandler and strain to hear the music as it was sucked into the surrounding walls. We would stand on the balcony watching the Hall construction and anticipating musical heaven.
Essa Pekka-Solanen is a passionate and skilled conductor. Watching him from the seats behind the orchestra (as it will be with Dudamel) is sexy. In fact, unless there are soloists, the back of the house seats are a best kept secret. The cost less than $50, the sound of the music is nearly the same and you have the chance to watch the conductor head on. I will say that I was beside myself with joy when they gave us front orchestra seats this year.
Don't miss the garden (which you can visit free any time) with the beautiful delft mosaic fountain (built for Disney's wife). Explore the outside of the building. There are stairways everywhere with undulating walls that you can run your hands along and gorgeous views of the surrounding area. BUT BUT BUT...before you go on tour, get yourself a nice glass of Moet and bring it with you. Odds are you'll get lucky with your date.
The ONE thing...is Disney's wife insisted on the most godawful carpet/upholstery. BRING BACK THE YELLOW VELVET!! Kind of reminds me of the ceiling at Canters...
Top 10 reasons to go to the Hall:
10) It took 20+ freakin years to build...
9) It's a Frank Gehry masterpiece
8) Your beloved granny died and gave you her season tickets
7) You have a hot date with an intellectual
6) Mozart's Requiem is playing with Beethoven's 9th!
5) You have the hots for Essa
4) Someone dared you to sneak into the Founders' Room and chat up the granny's tea and bun run crowd
3) Entourage was filmed there (...did I actually say that?)
2) You need something to do until you head to The Edison
1) You anticipate having the hots for Gustavo Dudamel
I loved this place! I don't think I fully understood the meaning of awesome acoutics until I ventured here. My sister and I went and saw the Fado singer Mariza in March and we were overwhelmed. The building's exterior architecture is stunning. I took a picture on my crappy camera phone and you can still make out the beauty of the place. The interior when you first walk in and around the hall is bright and colorful, kinda like this skating rink I used to go to as a kid, but I still thought the decor had a nice vibe. They let us sip wine before the show and I just imagined myself spilling merlot on that multi-colored carpet. Luckily I didn't. A small stand was set up to show case "World Music," which I didn't quite get. There were some CDs of Mariza's, yet the majority of stuff there were books and discs from Brazil and other countries in Latin America. We're here to watch a Portuguese Fado singer, where are the books and discs on Fado? I wish they would have payed more homage to Mariza's own type of music.
The hall itself is beautiful. Very warm and intimate. Once I heard the musicians play and Mariza's perfect voice sing, I knew I was privileged to be there. She herself personally thanked Frank Gehry, who was in the audience, for the opportunity to play in such a fantastic hall. For one of her lasts songs, she and her musicians performed without any microphones or sound equipment (aside from their instruments) to show off the acoustics of the hall. It was a raw and moving experience. I bought my tickets last minute on StubHub, and so our seating was to the back of the musicians. Nonetheless, Mariza turned around a lot to face us and I really didn't think this seating affected the way we heard the music. The one true pitfall was that we sat below these pretentious a-holes who complained about their seats for like 10 minutes. Uggh!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this hall and will definitely be back.
I went to the W.M.Keck Amphitheatre which is located adjacent to and on the south side of the same Walt Disney Concert Hall complex to attend a free Friday Night Sing-Along which are programmed randomly throughout the year. On July 17th, me and about 200+ other folks young and old enjoyed singing tunes by The Beatles for a solid hour and a half accompanied by a live 4 piece band. It was fun! They handed out lyric sheets and the band does it's best to keep the song moving forward. They also had a raffle for the people in attendance- restaurant gift certificates, two tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific, etc. It was a nice way to wind down from a long work week. Thumbs up! Event Link: http://www.yelp.com/ev...
This is a beautiful building, and it's too bad it hasn't gotten even more press. (I guess the earlier Guggenheim in Bilbao kind of trumped this?) Finally Downtown LA gets a new attraction. It's strange though, when I visited downtown LA last June locals kept asking, 'Why are you going down there? There's nothing down there!!' I guess this place hasn't gotten the credit it surly deserves.
I didn't get to see a performance here, but I would love to. I believe it is the current 'best acoustics in the world' winner...although that is fleeting. The new PAC in Kansas City (opening 2010) will trump this one with the same acoustical architect etc. {http://www.kauffmancen...} Still, the pictures I've seen of the inside are beautiful.
When I visited, my friend and I entered an unlocked door into the lobby. We were yelled at and asked 'How did you get up there!!'. It was kind of funny. I read an article in the LA Times about how the building is already falling apart...typical of Ghery. (Warping Wood, etc). I didn't notice. It looked awesome to me! I hope LA appreciates this great builiding and maintains it so it can last decades (or even longer!)
I just saw M83 perform with the LA Phil at the WD concert hall and was in awe not only of the performance but the beautiful architecture!
Parking was not bad as there were structures to park in. The ticket process was hectic; no lines just a bunch of people shuffling towards the ticket-takers which was right before the escalators. Could have been more organized.
The sound is AMAZING. I mean, that's what counts, right? If you want to hear the amazing LA Phil, you should see them at the WDCH. The sounds surrounds you, you feel the vibrations and the beats through the seats and the floor. It's awesome. My second favorite venue is the Gibson (great sounds quality) and the gap between the two is huge.
Would definitely come here again!
One of the requirements for my Music Appreciation class this semester was to go see a live orchestra preform and since attending a show at The Walt Disney Concert Hall was on my list of things to do, I opted for a show here -- and I was not disappointed!
I absolutely urge you to go to a concert here at LEAST once, if not for the music, then go for the experience of it. The building has an absolutely breathtaking exterior and an equally as stunning interior. The organ pipes are a work of art. The whole structure is a work of art.
Throughout the whole evening there are workers everywhere telling you how to get to your seats, how to get to your car, where the restrooms are, where food and beverages can be bought...etc. They're all friendly and uber professional and courteous.
I lopped off a star because the seats are really uncomfortable to be sitting for that long. Also, although the carpeting and seat upholstery match, in my opinion it looks like Vegas threw up on them.
Other than that, I had a GREAT first experience, and would most definitely go back. In fact, I hope I get to go back soon. It's just a really neat experience that you shouldn't pass up, whether you live in Los Angeles or are just visiting.
Parking was a breeze and cost me $6 to park inside the garage underground.
I don't want to be negative. All points in the good reviews are true and valid. However, I was physically uncomfortable for the entire performance because my legs didn't fit in the space provided. I felt like I was in coach on American, and I'm only 5'9''. Sorry, but it was really distracting.
*tries to resist petty comment about the seat upholstery*
*fails*
Yeah... agreed. This place is phenomenal. I just took my mom to see Martha Argerich and LA Phil perform there. They were really tight... but I'm sure that the venue made the event even more special. I can't say anymore about it that hasn't already been said.
We had orchestra seats... but I'm sure you can get a good view from any seat in the house. And I like that you can take a stroll outside during the intermission and not risk missing the next performance. I have to take off one star because the leg room is a little confined. I felt bad about kicking the seat in front of me so many times. (If you were the guy in front of row B seat 34... sorry dude.)
I'm definitely looking forward to coming back.
There simply is no better concert venue for live acoustic music in the US (and from what I hear, possibly in the world). I've seen numerous concerts in all the major US halls -- Carnegie, Chicago, San Francisco, Benaroya, etc. etc. -- and, nothing beats Walt Disney Concert Hall. It just doesn't get any better -- the acoustics are heartbreakingly perfect. A pianist can make the lightest touch to a key with his pinkie finger and it can be heard perfectly in the last row in the balcony. What's truly wondrous about WDCH is the possibility of acoustical extremes ranging from the softest sounds imaginable to a loudness that rivals heavy metal. I've sometimes left with a ringing in my ears reminiscent of a Who concert.
And, the LA Phil truly are one of the best orchestras in the world and possibly the most versatile - Ligeti, Messian, Beethovan, Bach, Brahms, Mahler, John Adams, Steven Stucky, Stravinsky, etc. They excel at everything.
Yes, the architecture is out-of-this-world great and the upholstery is very strange, but I've grown secretly fond of it over the years and now I kind of love it and can't imagine the hall without it. Gehry designed the upholstery and carpeting especially for Mrs. Disney because he said he wanted to create a flower garden for her -- the design is named "Lillian" after her. When I found this out, I kind of "understood" it better -- if that makes any sense. And, honestly I think it saves the hall from that dreadful beigeness that a lot of venues suffer from. It's a lovely and lively place, sort of like a little city of music.
I was an off and on classical fan-until I attended a concert here. The acoustics of a completely wooden interior just blew me away. The crazy looking organ, the bizarre ceiling, and not to mention the outside. I've been to rock concerts, but I now see how pointless those are (well not pointless, but definitely less engaging). You can actually "experience" the music here. The sharp acoustics convey the sound of strings like headphones into your ear-you can actually hear the "graininess" of the instruments. Another plus is the sophistication of the audience, there are actually people in LA who appreciate art; sorry OC and Vegas, they got you beat here (not to say there aren't people there who do, just not on this scale). One of the most memorable concerts I can recall is the Royal Concertgebouw performing Brahms, just hypnotizing. Dinner in West LA, concert here, and a walk along Santa Monica-life just don't get much better.
It happened on a rainy LA day, after excusing myself from Jury Duty (again) that as I was going down the stairs at the Disney Concert Hall I began slipping on them like a cartoon character on a banana peel and fell flat on my butt only to look up and find a security camera right above my head.
"I KNOW YOU SEE ME HERE LYING IN PAIN. . .!"
No one came to my rescue. NO ONE. I think it was Jury Duty karma.
Interesting the types of (irrelevant) things people discuss and rate when evaluating a performance space..silly me, I thought it was supposed to be about the MUSIC...but then again, this is Los Angeles...
Anyway...
Number 1 on the list is of relevant things is acoustics...and they are superb!
Number 2 is comfort which is not superb...but tolerable.
The interior is striking in a good way (but I do understand the negative comments regarding some of the fabrics)...the exterior is striking but, for me, in a bad way.
It still gets 5 stars because of the amazing acoustics.
(And for a great pre- or post-concert diner-type meal, the Original Pantry is just a few blocks away...)
P.S. Who the hell cares about watching the conductor?
Curvy. So curvy. Oh for a straight line. Maybe in this corner? Maybe over there? Anywhere? No?...
Dear Mr. Gehry. These curves are getting old. How about some boxes? Back to something like Case Study Houses maybe...
Ok so it's a beautiful theater inside. I love staring at the ceiling whenever I'm here. And we're always, always, always late and for all of those times (they start on the dot these folks), it's nice that they have listening rooms with nice comfy chairs. A little (maybe now not so little) secret: if you come really late, you get to park right next to the exit in the parking garage... you're out in 5 minutes...
Wonderful venue for the LA Phil of course.
They do have a fair number of chamber music concerts (Kronos Quartet was great here) and even non-classical (Cut Chemist anyone?). I prefer much smaller venues for those (good acoustics can't make up for the lack of intimacy) but it's always nice coming here.
Beautiful.
Massive, steel, and angular, like blocks of aery translucent gelatin hit with sounds from every corner, there's a set of hidden stairs here and there to clamber all over the outside of the structure. Hidden behind the structure, a marvelously tended garden, spiral donor's line, and a large, tiled lotus leaf. Gorgeous view of the surrounding area.
Inside, steamed wood curves that belie a wind of sound that moves back and forth, and a huge auditorium for the LA Philharmonic to play in, deep rich sounds that fill the auditorium.
Garage below is cheap ($8) and you come up through the bowels of the building. A small bar caters to the people who want a drink before their show - or during or after. Some place to get dressed up for, certainly.
Beautiful friggin venue.
Tis' true, not a bad seat in the house....sitting in the last row of the balcony, I still had a great view, and if I closed my eyes I felt as if I was sitting on stage.* The combination of the suble lighting and the just intimacy of the music made me feel like I was in just a delicate tender place, much like a womb of sorts. I found myself holding my breath at times as to not displace the harmony of everything else going on.
If you have tickets at will call, I would reccomend arriving early because chances are, everyone else and their grandmother will have tickets there too. (loooong lines) A good multitaskin' move would be to get dropped off at the box office while your date/friend/compadre goes to find parking. (which is pretty easy to find at the adjorning lot for 8 bucks)
*this should not be taken too literally, since I am not an audio expert by any means, I just know what sounds/feels good to me
I'm a huge fan, but nearly gave it four stars based solely on the fact that the upholstery really is heinous.
However, that being said, this concert hall is truly a sight to behold. Angelenos that have not been here, at least for a visit to the incredible gardens and the great views from the aerial walkway, should definitely make an effort to get out on a sunny day and enjoy it's whimsical beauty. Likewise, if you are a tourist and planning a trip to LA, this is a 100% must see venue, especially since there are so many other surrounding cultural places to visit as well.
I have been to a handful of classical concerts here and no matter where I have been seated, have enjoyed the experience immensely. I find that even the "cheap" seats behind the orchestra have a special charm that is worth taking advantage of once or twice so that you can get the full effect of the conductor. Also I read some complaints about leg room but I have to say that although I'm not that tall, 5'9 in heels, I have never felt distractedly uncomfortable. Try sitting in Carnegie Hall for three hours in the balcony...you'll think that this place is spacious in comparison.
Overall it is a beautiful edition to the Downtown LA cityscape and I greatly appreciate and recommend it.
Cheers.
Breezer M.
Frozen music.
A stunning work of art.
Architecture is an opportunity for us as humans to create art that affects the people and world around us -- our daily activities.
Frank Lloyd Wright said it best: "The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our own civilization."
I think we have found it. You really cannot take a bad picture of the place.
LA gets flack for its architecture, but seeing this shows you that it celebrates the new and innovative.
I applaud people who see things in new ways.
after lunch my sister had sometime and thought she'd show us around.....
we walked back across the street and I was like
M- isn't that the building from Ironman where Stark dances with Miss Potts?
H- Yes...yes it is
apparently she works here....and she showed us around with her cool lil badge pass fob thingy. there were tours all around but we snuck past ushers and electronic locked doors. that's how we roll. so apparently a Disney person donated a lot of money to the creation of this building specifying that the sounds should be impeccable for performances and that the gardens be available to the public for free. it was nice seeing the garden terraces....in LA. I guess I don't know LA like I thought I did.
LMAO!
she brought us into places that only "the FOUNDERS" go into
think eyes wide shut secret society shit going on - large rooms where the creme de la creme congregrate before shows and what have you...drinking drinks, snacking on hors dourves...
or do they??
Thank You Mr. Frank Gehry.
You make me proud to be a Californian.
This building is hands down one of the wonders of the world. I have travelled internationally, been in NUMEROUS great buildings (including MANY designed by Gehry) and this is still one of my favorite venues.
Even forget about the aesthetics. See a show here. The acoustics and seating are outstanding.
This month I saw Antony & The Johnsons perform here and it was one of the single best concert experiences I have ever seen--next up would have to be David Byrne--also here at the Concert Hall.
I have seen many classical acts such as Lang Lang and the LA Phil etc...and never been disappointed.
This is the place to spend an unforgettable evening.
Thank you again Mr. Gehry for making a place so perfect.
I had no intention of ever touristing something like this during my time in LA. Why would I want to visit a concert hall with no intention of actually seeing a concert. And the the Walt Disney Concert Hall just strolled into my life, hey let me live the narcistic fantasy that this concert hall came to me. It was recommended by my cousin to take a tour of the place, and when I found out it was a relatively short distance to Chinatown, my mind was set with Concert Hall tour in the morning Chinatown Dim Sum for lunch.
Without a doubt this is one of the most impressive structures I have ever seen. I took the self guided little hearing device thingy tour and found it very interesting and informative. I made sure to listen to all of the talking points and learned what the entire hall was about. I highly suggest this because you know a place as unique as this has to have a few hidden secrets up its sleeve, and this tour I'm sure only scratches the surface. The shapes, the colors, the overall feel of the place makes me wish that I could just go once and see a concert here.
One of the coolest things I saw while in LA, celebrities included. I know I am a major tourist for even saying that but I don't care. Go to the Disney Concert Hall, or better yet go see a show at the concert hall.
Truly bold and unique! Try to go Sunday morning when the auditorium is open. I love how you can walk behind the giant stainless steel panels. skip the audio tour...it's somewhat pretentious and not very interesting.
This place is incredible. The architecture is awing, the decor is nice, and the sound is great no matter where you sit. We've been in the front orchestra, orchestra, and terrace and there have been advantages to each seat. We have a few subscriptions to the LA philharmonic and so I have had the opportunity to frequent this hall often. The staff is also very helpful and polite. When they messed up our tickets and we ended up in the terrace section rather than the orchestra they credited our account $200! And we actually ended up preferring the terrace for the superior sound!
I look forward to little more than I look forward to our concerts at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The LA Philharmonic is one of the best in the world, and it's hall suits it.
Just try to stand outside or inside and not be awed.
I love the design of this hall: inside and out. Great acoustics. If you have upper balcony seats, be prepared. My wife is afraid of heights and we are no longer allowed to sit up there. It's very steep - the rows are right on top of each other. But the sound is impeccable. I could feel the rasp of Kathleen Turner's voice (it was deeper than the guy playing her husband). You can park in their structure, which is pretty big, but it will still be a hike to the hall itself. I feel like the underground lot goes all the way to Japantown.
I heard that the building's unique steel design reflects sun directly into a particular floor of a nearby office building and was costing them a fortune in air conditioning. Ultimately, the concert hall textured its surface differently to cut down on the glare. But that didn't work and the office building just has to live with it. I don't know if that's true but I find that hilarious. Mostly because I don't work in said building.
I had the honor of performing here when it first opened ( I was just a little high school rascal then). I was extremely impressed with the acoustics of the place and I was fortunate enough to have the place kinda to myself a couple of hours before my performance so I got on the stage and pretended to be Christine from Phantom of the Opera on the stage singing "Think of me, think of me fondly when we say goodbye" I got a standing ovation from the lighting crew. :) I gave myself chills but it was mostly because of the acoustics.
I haven't been back since . . . perhaps someday. *sigh*
This place is amazing, one of the most beautiful buildings ever. If you love architecture or music, you have to visit. My sister and I took a tour of the concert hall. I enjoyed hearing about the decisions that went into designing the hall. For example, the exterior wasn't originally supposed to be steel. I loved photographing the architectural curves. There's also a beautiful garden behind the concert hall which I never even knew about. If you can, try to catch an LA Phil concert here. Shortly after the tour, my sister and I went for a Mahler performance. The acoustics are outstanding.
I love the Disney concert hall. It is out of place because architecturally it is modern and the rest of downtown is a bit blase. I used to work a few blocks away at the Wells Fargo Plaza and would pass by the Disney Concert Hall when I was walking to the Courthouse. It always put me in a better mood after seeing it.
The courtyard is peaceful and serene and there's a beautiful mosaic fountain there in the shape of a rose that was dedicated to Walt Disney's wife. Once I was there, we saw a wedding take place. Although the outside garden/patio is small, it's very charming.
I've sat in the nosebleed balcony section and if you are afraid of heights, don't sit there because it is very high! However, the acoustics in that place is phenomenal and you could hear the orchestra as if they were playing right in front of you. (I wonder how well the acoustics must be for the folks in Orchestra).
Just recently, I went there for the Holiday Sing Along. This time our seats were in rear orchestra which meant we were behind the orchestra. The organ was right next to us and I really couldn't hear the choir because it was drowned out by the organ. I'm not sure how it would sound on another night if the organ was not in use but for those who are planning to attend the sing a long for a future year, that is something to keep in mind.
I used to listen to symphonies in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. There is no comparison to the Disney Concert Hall in aesthetic beauty or sound!
So for the past couple of days I've been running up WDCH escalators, working on my fitness while trying to be on time for jury duty. When I finally had a chance to take a breath, DUDE!, I just realized I had free parking at the concert hall. This situation needed to be maximized.
That I did my friend, so me and my acoustic spent one jury duty lunch by the lotus fountain jammin' away, making friends with tourists and getting some down time. Although I'm sure there is an elevator from the building to the gardens, the trek up the oddly organized Gehry steps is a fun one. There is a random stadium seat/bleacher dodad you pass on the way and a mini stage/forum where yours truly performed.
As for the architecture, I'm kind of torn. Maybe it's so weird it's beautiful, maybe there's its too much flow or movement for Grand Avenue or maybe I just don't get it yet. I'm glad to hear they dulled the steel though, even in the afternoon, there was some major sun reflection going on. I mean there could be worse things, this hall could be a giant rendition of mickey mouse ears or something touristy, horrendous, disgraceful or just plain fugly.
There are some free tours certain days where you can explore the hall freely and I'm sure with a little internet searching you can find some cheap or free shows available.
My lunch was in tow, courtesy of delicious leftovers from Au Lac, but rest assured if you were not as lucky my friends the cafe boasts some fresh looking veggies, sandwiches, soups and a juror discount. Nearby Patina is available if you want to drop some bank and most of your lunch hour and a half.
Went to see the USC Thornton Wind Ensemble with a friend playing the Piccolo in "Circus Maximus." How bougie of me. Shut up, Paul. The *interior* design of this building is just so flowing and organic. I love it.
Ok, seriously, tooo many chillinz (read: children) last night. Don't bring teh chillinz to see the USC Thornton Wind Ensemble. They don't like that shit. That's why they're screaming and wiping their nose on your Gucci pants that don't necessarily look like they were worth the $575 you so willingly tossed away for the sake of a status symbol. And don't promise them snacks at the intermission! They're being little brats! No positive reinforcement for shitty behavior! Oh, well. And stop smacking your lips with your gum. C'mon now, you're what, 45? 50? I want to hear teh Piccolo my friend is playing! I hope that gum gets on your Gucci pants. Yeah.
Wow, the piano player is sexy.
Ok, concert's done.
Let's eat.
The concert hall is an impressive and remarkable building of undulating lines amidst the towers of linear skyscrapers. I've attended this venue twice and I recently caught a California Philharmonic concert here. The acoustics are really great -- at one point, it was hard to tell where the sound was coming from!
Eat beforehand! Remember: it's the Walt Disney Concert Hall, so expect Disneyland prices. My bottle of water was $3! If you insist on eating at the cafe, it's cash only.
