The MusiCares and Clive Davis pre-Grammy parties are annually the events most bustling with stars leading up to music’s biggest night – but that doesn’t mean they are the only fun happenings.
From hearing live performances by The Weeknd and Childish Gambino, to catching a DJ set by HAIM, there was plenty to see, do (and hear) this weekend, before everyone said cheers to last night’s big winner Sam Smith with specialty cocktails by Ciroc, the official toast of the Grammys!
My festivities kicked off on Thursday at the El Rey Theatre in L.A., where Rolling Stone and Google Play joined forces to put on a primarily hip-hop filled night with a killer DJ set by Samantha Ronson (who spun mostly throwback classics, ranging from Aaliyah and Mya, to Nelly and Jermaine Dupri), followed by live performances by The Weeknd and Childish Gambino. As guests – including Emma Roberts, French Montana and Leona Lewis – sipped on cocktails and munched on tray-passed finger foods, they could view some of the magazine’s most iconic covers, which continuously scrolled on the upper walls (including my favorite, which featured Shannen Doherty, Luke Perry and Jason Priestley).
Friday was an evening to remember at downtown L.A.’s picturesque Spanish Mediterranean Hotel Figueroa, where guests, including Calvin Harris, Madeon, Yacht, Local Natives and Twin Shadow hung poolside, taking in the sounds of a live performance by Niia, a DJ set by Alana and Este Haim and a DJ set by Childish Gambino for Opening Ceremony and The dFm‘s pre-Grammy celebration. From the very beginning to the end, the party was packed with some of the city’s most stylish music lovers and industry elite.
On Saturday, up-and-coming rapper Bryce Vine used his charismatic stage presence, upbeat music style and adorable boyish looks to win over the intimate crowd at Bootsy Bellows in West Hollywood during a private show. Guests at the event, which featured additional on-the-rise musical talents, sipped on hosted cocktails made with new soda beverage Caffeinated Club, a mixer with zero calories, no sugars and no artificial sweeteners.
After Sunday’s show, I started off at Create nightclub in Hollywood, where the King of Crunk himself, Lil Jon, took over the turntables for an approximate 90-minute DJ set, playing everything from his own hits to Eminem‘s “Lose Yourself.” Attendess at the party, hosted by Pandora radio and T-Mobile, munched on an endless supply of tray-passed bites, including lobster ceviche and pork belly tacos.
Following that event, I made my way downtown to the Continental Club, a chic loungey spot that featured a lengthy live performance by best R&B album nominee Bernhoft, who hails from Norway. I wasn’t really familiar with his music before, but his sexy soul-pop vibe has me newly smitten. The event, which also celebrated the launch of Keurig 2.0, provided all kinds of coffee-mixed specialty cocktails, a slew of various deserts (donuts and cake pops galore) and lite bites.
Throughout the weekend, in between show rehearsals and other various things going on at Staples Center, where the big event took place, celebrities (including Usher, Common, LL Cool J, Bastille and Maddie Ziegler) made their way backstage to the official Grammy gift lounge presented by MTG. They snagged all kinds of goodies, ranging from New Era caps and Gibson guitars, to robotic toys by WowWee, crystal pendants from SIS by Simone I. Smith and a plethora of other gadgets and fine items.
What was your favorite Grammy event this weekend? And what did you think of the show itself? Shoutout in the comments below!
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