OC Weekly Picks Reggie Watts as One of 2013's Best

It was hip, it was happening and it was in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall during the Center’s Off Center Festival last January. OC Weekly picked Reggie Watts’ concert that helped to open the Center’s second Festival as one of Orange County’s top concerts of 2013. That’s just the kind of high voltage place the concert hall is – from Andre Watts to Reggie Watts – as the late acoustician Russell Johnson said of his design, the Renée and Henry should work for everything. 

Reggie Watts at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for the 2013 Off Center Festival.
Photos by Doug Gifford.

“As he stood underneath the glaring spotlight on the massive stage at the Segerstrom Hall for the Arts for the 2nd annual Off Center Festival, Reggie Watts was instantly struck by the size and grandeur of the nearly 2,000-seat capacity concert hall, one befitting of its illustrious founder...Bob Seger. Well, that's how Watt's described it anyway after walking onstage to a fiery applause from a decent crowd of giggly twentysomethings. Many of them, like us, had been smiling as they walked up to one of OC's classiest venues to see a man who's coined such trademark songs as "Fuck Shit Stack" and "What About Blowjobs." (Nate Jackson – OC Weekly)

The 2014 Off Center Festival Opens on January 23. Click here for more information.

Reggie Watts Adds High Voltage to Off Center Festival

© Doug Gifford

Reggie Watts returned to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall (explaining how the name morphed from Bob Seger to Segerstorm to Segerstrom) and gave the Off Center Festival a real surge of power. It’s difficult to list all that Watts brings to his audiences – he sings, philosophizes, jokes, composes, muses, confuses and amazes. This was just day two of the two-week Off Center Festival. Upcoming are Belarus Free Theatre, The Car Plays, Doug Varone and Dancers, Fleur Elise Noble, Sea Wolf with The Donnies The Amys, and Marc Bamuthi’s The Living Word Project. 

© Doug Gifford

Each night, the Festival ends with audiences, artists and the creative teams mixing and mingling in the Off Center Lounge at Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge, located in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Watts seen here with some of his fans! Enjoy libations and the late night menu. 

For more information, please visit http://www.scfta.org/offcenter.

© Doug Gifford

© Doug Gifford

© Doug Gifford

© Doug Gifford

Off Center – Off To An Amazing Start!

© Doug Gifford

Segerstrom Center’s second Off Center Festival took off last night with concerts by Rival Sons and Robert Jon and the Wreck. A capacity crowd jammed into Samueli Theater for the kick-off event to the festival, that runs through February 2 and features bold contemporary theater, performance art, dance and music. Tonight – Reggie Watts will perform in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and Sea Wolf and The Donnies the Amys in Founders Hall on January 28.

© Doug Gifford

Off We Go!

Before entertaining his own audience during the Center’s Off Center Festival on Saturday night, January 14, Reggie Watts cruised The Car Plays on the Center’s Arts Plaza. His performance in Founders Hall marked Reggie’s Center debut. The Car Plays will be back January 20 & 21 in what is now a sold-out run. You can still see the powerful play ReEntry January 18 -20, Ten Tiny Dances January 20 & 21 and Mexican Institute of Sound with opener Nancy Sanchez January 21. (Photos: Reggie Watts above and below)

Photos: Ten Tiny Dances above; Mexican Institute of Sound below