Corinne Bailey Rae
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Moby
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

María Valverde and Gustavo Dudamel
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Angela Bassett
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Herbie Hancock
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Gustavo Dudamel, Chris Martin, Corinne Bailey Rae and John Densmore
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Gustavo Dudamel on stage with Chris Martin
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Corinne Bailey Rae performs
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

The opening night concert inside Walt Disney Concert Hall
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Frank Gehry and Berta Isabel Aguilera
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

China Forbes of Pink Martini
Photo by Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Los Angeles Philharmonic kicked off the occasion in style with a fanfare-filled opening night concert and gala on Thursday, September 27th, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

With “California Soul” as the chosen theme of the centennial fete, Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel led the orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale on a musical journey inspired by Golden State creatives, from Frank Zappa to John Adams and The Doors. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, singer Corinne Bailey Rae, electric violinist Tracy Silverman and The Doors drummer John Densmore joined the orchestra on stage throughout the night for songs such as  “L.A. Woman” and “Los Angeles Be Kind” interspersed with spoken-word performances by actors Shalita Grant and Bernard White. The show culminated in a rendition of the Beach Boys hit “Good Vibrations,” as surfboard-shaped confetti rained down on guests.

Following the performance, concert-goers including musician Moby, choreographer Benjamin Millepied, composer-conductor John Williams, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance convened across the street for dinner under the stars catered by Joachim Splichal, and the unveiling of Reifik Anadol’s “WDCH Dreams”—a psychedelic, data-driven installation featuring historic images from the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s digital archives projected onto the facade of the Frank Gehry-designed concert hall. The festivities continued with an after-party, where guests danced to the music of Pink Martini and a DJ set by KCRW’s Jason Bentley.

Written by Phoebe Doheny