Fishing for talent
On a night when Crustacean in Beverly Hills is normally closed, it’s anything but quiet inside the Eurasian eatery with the stunning sunken koi aquarium that serves as a pathway.
In fact, if you’re lucky enough to land a ticket, you’re bound to be treated to heavenly garlic noodles as well as some of the world’s most celebrated voices: a Natalie Cole serenade, a Chaka Khan solo or an unforgettable Stevie Wonder-Faith Hill a cappella duet.
The bimonthly Sunday series, Crustacean Live, began on June 22. An in-the-know party for music industry A-listers and their friends, it features impromptu appearances by megastars and scheduled younger artists trying to crack into the business.
The first show, which organizers put together on the fly out of a desire to bring live music to the trendy restaurant, got the series off to a thunderous start with performances by Missy Elliott, Tina Marie, Keith Washington, Wyclef Jean and the Stevie Wonder-Faith Hill duo. At the most recent show, on Aug. 10, the audience of more than 400 was treated to Cole and Washington as decked-out Venus and Serena Williams, Star Jones, Vivica A. Fox, Brandy, Kevin Garnett and other celebrities relaxed at their tables.
“This is a nice atmosphere where you can enjoy quality music, see old friends and meet new ones,” said Mike City, a record producer and songwriter, who enjoyed the recent show from his balcony table. “It’s a great place to check out new talent and to listen to the greats. I didn’t expect to see Natalie Cole perform tonight, but wow, that’s a legend right there.”
Cole dazzled the crowd with romantic renditions of two of her hits, “Everlasting” and “Inseparable,” and probably would have performed longer were it not for sporadic problems with the sound system.
The party’s promoter, Jack Agnaut, who manages Wyclef Jean and frequents Crustacean, was approached by John Nguyen, the nephew of executive chef and family matriarch Helene An, about bringing live music to a restaurant that already is popular with hip-hop artists, rappers and athletes. The deal was closed when Agnaut ran into Ron Grant, a New York emcee and R&B; singer, and he agreed to host the shows.
“John didn’t imagine the scale of an event I was going to bring,” Agnaut said. “It just snowballed after I ran into Ron, who is a legend in his own right. He loved the location and the food, so he agreed to do this gig with me.
“It’s really not about the brand-name celebrities but about trying to discover new talent. But because it’s a place where you can really vibe, everybody wants to come through.”
In fact, reserving a table, or even the right to stand in the lounge, has become a game of its own, with agents and managers trying to secure spaces for their most cherished artists, said Nguyen, who manages the restaurant’s VIP guest relations.
“Because of the way the floor is laid out, we have been wanting to do something special in terms of having a live venue here,” he said. “We’re not normally open on Sundays, so we were able to create something more relaxed on that night.
“It has totally grown word-of-mouth because of the high profile of the artists that are coming. You never know who you are going to get, so it’s a surprise for everybody and good for the new talent that is coming up.”
Among the Sunday performers hoping to break into the business earlier this month were a female trio from Orange County called Jack, soloist Charlene Anderson of Boston, and a hip-hop group called City Hi. The tight band, assembled by Grant, impressed the audience -- especially saxophonist Mike Phillips of Hidden Beach Recordings, who blew away R&B; singer-songwriter Nathaniel Lamar when he held a single note for nearly three minutes.
“That’s the magic of music,” said Lamar, whose first single, “Soul Shake,” was recently released. “I call it the eternal medicine because no matter how you feel, music makes you feel better.
“I would love to be on that stage showing my talent because hearing applause or getting a standing ovation by the stars in your industry means more than anything.”
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Crustacean Live
Where: Crustacean, 9646 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
When: Every other Sunday, 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Next held on Aug. 24.
Cost: $500 for a table for four; includes food and drinks. Or $50 for lounge access and hors d’oeuvres.
Info: (310) 205-8990