For years, Downtown Glendale has featured local musicians with different live music series.
Its newest iteration — LiVE! — is a monthly series featuring multiple acts that fit within a specific theme. The monthly series will be held at The Lot at 57th Avenue and Glenn Drive.
This music series is different from other iterations held in Downtown Glendale, such as LiVE! at Murphy Park. The previous series was held on Thursdays through Saturdays for one month in the spring and fall and featured only one act per night.
Daniel Sabillon, economic development deputy director and downtown manager for the city of Glendale, said the LiVE! series will have a different feel, although it will feature live music in a similar way.
“It’s the same concert series,” he said. “It’s just been reimagined and thought out a little bit differently. … Because the amphitheater area isn’t going to be available because of the Downtown Campus Reinvention Project, we have to be strategic in how we are going to do it. We decided to do it once a month, and it’s going to be a music-fest style. What that does is it allows us to provide programming throughout the entire year.”
Each concert will have three or more acts. They will mostly be music, although there may be some dance groups at some of the events.
“Our partners, Relentless Beats, are looking for that talent but with our direction to look for local talent that has a good following,” Sabillon said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be just from Glendale, but of course if they’re local, we would love to have them.”
Downtown Glendale often tries to highlight different cultures during its events, including the music series.
“Downtown Glendale was founded by diverse cultures of people,” Sabillon said. “We definitely want to celebrate that, and also just the Valley itself is rich with culture and diverse communities. The entire community in Glendale, we want everybody to have a chance to come down and celebrate but also have exposure to other cultures as well that people may not be familiar with.”
The upcoming Oktoberfest-themed concert on Saturday, Oct. 21, will feature music from Soulitify, Denny and the Polka Dots, and the Str8up Band.
The series will also feature themes such as “Rockin’ Boots” on Nov. 18, “Jingle & Jam” on Dec. 16, “Alternative Edge” on Jan. 20, “Reggae Roots” on Feb. 24, “Hey Mr. DJ” on March 23 and “Rhythm & Blues” on April 13.
The music series started on Sept. 30 with a Hispanic heritage celebration dubbed “Fiesta Caliente.”
During each event, there will be local food trucks offering different types of beverages and cuisine. Guests 21 and older can also purchase alcoholic beverages at an on-site bar.
Each month, visual artists will bring interactive art installations to the space. During the first iteration, artist Adrian Ramirez engaged the public with a mural themed around Hispanic heritage.
“We’re trying to bring art that’s going to be curated to the theme,” Sabillon said. “We want something that the community can be a part of.
“We want something that will be photo friendly so people can go and take pictures of it and tell all of their friends about it.”
During the event, attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to sit and listen to music. Sabillon said that while in Downtown Glendale, visitors have the chance to explore the area’s locally owned shops and restaurants.
“We have a lot of great businesses in Downtown Glendale that are family-run businesses,” he said. “They will be open for the community to enjoy.”
At the event, there will be a tent for downtown merchants, where visitors can learn more about local businesses and get a map of the area.
Downtown Glendale LiVE! Music Series
WHEN: Gates open at noon; performances from 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 20, Feb. 24, March 23 and April 13
WHERE: The Lot, 57th Avenue and Glenn Drive
cost: Free admission
INFO: glendaleaz.com/events