The city chugged along the edges, slowly streaming cars gleaming from both Figueroa Street and the 110 Freeway.
Beneath it all the city's heart thumped, on a giant patch of Bermuda grass surrounded by a diverse collection of Angelenos, thousands of them, constantly chanting and cheering and connecting.
The official opening of the 22,000-seat Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park on Sunday night was about more than a soccer match or the new Los Angeles Football Club that hosted it.
"The city of Los Angeles is now officially a soccer town!'' shouted Mike Davis, 25, a digital producer standing next to the deafening North End supporters' section.