A Resounding Chorus

A RESOUNDINGI

“Skirball!” a group of employees shouts. Even through masks, the cheer is triumphant. It is August 2021, and for the first time in eighteen months, they are about to host a program in person: the return of Sunset Concerts. Much has changed since they last prepared for these performances. Sorrow, insecurity, and isolation have characterized the COVID-19 pandemic. It seems especially fitting that this beloved summer series—envisioned to bring the community together through the unifying power of music—would be the means of reunification.

ICHORUS

Angelenos convened again at the Skirball for music under the stars.

The Skirball’s first concert series in 1997 filled a longing to be together. The institution had only been open a year, and already nearly 300,000 people had visited its idyllic hillside setting. Clearly, many were in want of a place of meeting. Hoping to expand their offerings for these eager attendees, the team launched monthly concerts inside its restaurant, Zeidler’s Café. They quickly learned that the intimate café was insufficient to meet the demand. The next summer, the Skirball’s central courtyard hosted the free concert series on Thursday nights. Soon dubbed Sunset Concerts, the series has since showcased an eclectic mix of global superstars and local legends on its stage—from Bassekou Kouyate and Hugh Masekela to Goapele and The Marías—all underscoring music’s ability to foster human connection. “For the 2021 Sunset Concerts—after a year and a half during which none of our local performance venues were operating and none of our local artists could perform live—we wanted to write a love letter to our Los Angeles community,” said Director of Programs Jen Maxcy. “So we featured local bands who typify the music of a specific culture or community here in Los Angeles, and we invited each band to incorporate community organizations into the event.” “I never come west of the 405 … except for when I go to the Skirball,” confessed Martha Gonzalez, the lead singer of the Chicano rock band Quetzal, at the first concert. Even across town from their roots in Boyle Heights, Quetzal were undeniably at home on the Sunset Concerts stage. As they performed songs that advocated for workers’ and immigrants’ rights, they stood in front of a stunning ofrenda fashioned from vibrant orange marigolds by the famed octogenarian altarista Ofelia Esparza and her family. (Meaning “offering” in Spanish, an ofrenda is a traditional Mexican altar created to honor those who have passed away.) Quetzal also shined their spotlight on the Boyle Heights–based economic justice organization Community Power Collective, whose members stepped up to the microphone between songs to share stories of their experiences during the pandemic. Among the many powerful testimonies was that of a street vendor who spoke about being harassed. The connection between current immigrant merchants to those Jewish residents of the same neighborhood a century earlier was inescapable. Together, the songs and stories captivated an audience of new and longtime Quetzal fans eager to fight against injustice. The weeks that followed featured diverse musical sounds from indie rockers Run River North, the skareggae group The Delirians, and the Afrobeat collective Extra Ancestral. Community organizers and mutual aid providers Character Media, No Us Without You LA, and Project KnuckleHead joined in these gatherings. All the while, a refrain of appreciation echoed among the audience. “We are so grateful to be here,” remarked a longtime Sunset Concerts fan, standing next to his wife. As he surveyed the crowd swaying to the music, his eyes began to fill with tears. A family of four shared that they were relieved to feel both safe and inspired. Another concertgoer reflected, “I almost didn’t know how much I needed this.” To which Maxcy, speaking on behalf of her fellow Skirball employees, replied, “We needed it, too.”

Facing page: Kicking off the 2021 season of Sunset Concerts, Quetzal performed an inspiring set of Chicano rock songs in front of a beautiful ofrenda, created by the celebrated altarista Ofelia Esparza and her family, which paid tribute to those lost to the pandemic.