Grammy Awards

Whether you bang your head to rock and roll, groove out to classic jazz, or crank up the hip-hop in your car, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science’s Grammy Awards is your night to tune in to the music industry’s premier celebration. Downtown Los Angeles is the centre of it all, drawing the biggest names in the biz, from legends like Paul McCartney and AC/DC to such bright newer talents as Cardi B and Shawn Mendes, not to mention all the nominees from behind the scenes: the engineers, the producers, the composers, and so many others. Music fans lucky enough to get a seat are treated to a black-tie concert event featuring around a dozen performances during the televised portion of the ceremony.

If you’re determined to witness what you can, a large area adjacent to the Staples Center is cordoned off as top entertainers and celebrities arrive for the evening event. You’re welcome to navigate your way around the closed streets to the venue and wait outside roped-off areas to view the goings-on from a distance. You may even have a chance to wish luck to your favourite nominees. But be aware that it is a tightly closed event, and unless you are a BFF of Beyoncé’s it will be virtually impossible to make it inside. Invitations are limited to nominees, special guests of the academy, and voting members (along with a limited number of their guests). Don’t get taken in by scammers selling tickets secondhand; it is almost certain that they are fakes.

If you plan ahead and are very lucky, it’s possible to win a spot as a seat filler through a casting agency such as seatfillersandmore and Audiences Unlimited. To enter, you may be required to submit a resume and photo, and social media account URLs.