Band’s taping to close street
Street closures? It seems Hollywood “Just Can’t Get Enough” of them.
Authorities plan to shut Hollywood Boulevard near its storied intersection with Vine Street on Thursday for a free concert by the electro-pop band Depeche Mode.
Parts of the 8 p.m. event will be videotaped for airing later that night on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” show.
Concert planners say the event is designed to both promote the band’s new “Sounds of the Universe” album and world tour as well as the “return of Golden Age excitement and lifestyle” to Hollywood with the new W Hotel.
The $350-million development, scheduled for completion this fall, includes a 305-room hotel and 143 adjoining luxury condominiums that will come with hotel concierge service.
Promoters said Depeche Mode fans have snapped up all of the free passes for the concert, although 3,000 more have been set aside for KROQ-FM (106.7) and Kimmel’s in-studio audience at the nearby El Capitan Entertainment Center. They said that as many as 10,000 can be accommodated in the block-long concert area, which will be equipped with large-screen TVs so those in the back can see the show.
Along with new songs, it is anticipated that Depeche Mode will perform earlier hits such as “Just Can’t Get Enough” and “Enjoy the Silence,” promoters said.
Los Angeles transportation officials said street closures will begin at 11 p.m. Wednesday and end at 6 a.m. Friday. Hollywood Boulevard will be shut between Vine Street and Gower Street and Argyle Avenue will be barricaded between Selma Avenue and Yucca Street.
The lengthy shutdown will be required so a large stage can be constructed for the band near Hollywood and Argyle.
The MTA Red Line’s Hollywood and Vine station will remain open, and promoters are encouraging those attending the concert to use it, said Chris Egger, a spokesman for the W Hotel’s developers.
Street closures for such events as the Academy Awards, film premieres and the annual Christmas parade often tie Hollywood traffic in knots.
Frustrated motorists might find special meaning in the title of one of the tunes on Depeche Mode’s new album. It’s called “Wrong.”
--
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
