With Etta James, Big Jay McNeely, Young Jessie, Johnny Otis and Little Esther leading the way, Los Angeles' mid-1950s rhythm & blues scene was one of the frantically fertile anywhere in the world, and the brilliantly sly doo-wop group The Coasters ranked among the city's very finest. With the great Chicano saxist Gil Bernal and Jewish songwriters Leiber & Stoller, the Coasters exemplified L.A.'s wide-open, multicultural R&B tribe, and their still-electrifying thrillers “Smokey Joe's Cafe,” “Down in Mexico,” “Youngblood” and “Searchin'?” never wear out their rockin' welcome. At today's Doo Wop Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony of guitarist Al Jacobs and second tenor Leon Hughes, the only surviving original Coasters, you'll get a rare glimpse of the men who achieved the very zenith of finger-poppin' pop cultural cool. Emceed by veteran airwave titan Roger Steffens (yes, the renowned reggae authority) and featuring appearances by Wally Roker (Heartbeats) and Norman Fox (Rob
Roys) and live performances by Dukes of Doo-Wop and Blues D'Luxx, this is certain to be a live-wire, emotionally charged and definitely once-in-a-lifetime affair. Viva Cantina, 900 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank; Sun., April 6, 5 p.m.; $15. (818) 845-2425, vivacantina.com.

Sun., April 6, 5 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 04/06/14)

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