The aptly named Detour Fest closed off streets in the heart of Downtown LA and drew in hipsters far and wide (and by far I’m guessing the likes of Venice and Santa Monica.) Feeling like another Sunset Junction, Detour Fest showcased some local bands, but not enough. The new Cal Trans building featured art installations by local artists, and was the hang out for many in between sets. The DJ Church (no seriously, it was held in the St. Vibiana Church) featured sets by Weird Science and Shepard Fairy. Detour was definitely a sight to see, as everywhere from the streets to the sidewalk to the steps of City Hall were brimming with LA scenesters.
Basement Jaxx gave us a glimpse of what mayhem in the streets of downtown LA could look like as gorillas stormed the stage and had the audience going bananas during their commercial hit, ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ Blonde Redhead bewitched the crowd with soaring vocals and melodic guitars. !!!’s New York dance punk drew in a small but enthusiastic crowd with their high energy.
The highlight of the night was witnessing Beck’s performance. Life like marionettes mimicked the front man and his band mates throughout the entire set. A dinner table decked out in the latest, most cutting edge silverware-that-can-double-as-percussion accompanied Beck on the harmonica. Diving into songs like ‘Loser,’ ‘Girl,’ ‘Hell Yes,’ ‘Cellphone’s Dead,’ and ‘E-Pro,’ Beck sampled a healthy mix of songs and musical styles from his numerous albums. ‘Where It’s At’ ended the set with everyone partying and dancing in the streets, and it left me and other fellow concert goers in good spirits as we took the local MTA bus home.


NGA LUU