Music Fills Downtown L.A. Streets

The Giant Village concert, canceled last New Year’s Eve because of rain, was staged Saturday on a sweltering night on the streets of downtown Los Angeles.

The event, renamed Summer in the City and billed as “a massive open-air block party” with DJs playing music on five stages, began at 8 p.m. and was to end at 4 a.m. today.

A spokeswoman for promoter Dave Dean estimated that 7,500 people would pay from $75 to $125 each to attend the event.

The New Year’s Eve event was canceled at the last minute because of rain, angering ticket holders who suddenly lacked a place to party to greet the new year.

Spencer Johnson, 24, of Los Angeles had tickets to the New Year’s event and returned Saturday night.

“New Year’s is my favorite holiday, and they destroyed it for me,” Johnson said. “I found out two hours before that I was getting stiffed.” But, he said, “I love the DJs playing tonight.”

Private security officers in yellow polo shirts patrolled the concert area while Los Angeles police officers on bikes watched the crowds entering from outside the gates.

The booming sounds of music could be heard blocks away. The concert, for the over-21 crowd, attracted women in go-go boots and bikini tops, while the men favored baggy jeans and T-shirts.

“The lineup is definitely better,” said David Whittemore, who also was turned away on New Year’s. “So here we are again.”

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved the use of downtown streets for the event.

On their website, organizers advertised that beer, wine and hard liquor would be sold at bars set up near the stages.

Several downtown hotels and the Central City Assn. worked with the promoter.