Staying inside on summer nights should be a crime. No trial, no jury, just some serious jail time for neglecting the beautiful weather this city has to offer. Tonight should be no exception as the Grand Performances series presents the globe-trotting sounds of Marseilles, France's Watcha Clan and Cubana singer-actress Cucu Diamantes at the California Plaza. Nestled in a forest of skyscrapers, the California Plaza provides a spectacular backdrop for getting down in the heart of downtown.

For more than 20 years, Grand Performances has brought first-class acts, including a searing performance by Afrobeat all-star Seun Kuti last year. Like a mini-Hollywood Bowl, the amphitheater encourages patrons to bring a spread for a pre-party picnic. But unlike the Bowl, the Grand Performances series is free.  

The captivating Cucu Diamantes, the sultry-voiced co-founder of Grammy-nominated Latin fusion outfit Yerba Buena, will be playing from her solo debut, "Cuculand," a melange of salsa, tango, surf guitar, trip-hop and other shimmy-inducing sounds. In the opening slot, the Watcha Clan offers a polyglot of world music, including Balkan Gypsy brass and Ashkenazi/Sephardic tones. A betting man would say Diamantes, who looks like a pin-up girl pampered by the Havana elite, will be the night's standout, with her sassily sweet voice sailing over a savory concoction built for hot summer nights. Check out her video above, where she laments love's turmoils to bartender Luis Guzman of "Boogie Nights" and "The Taking of Pelham 123" fame. Also, Perez Hilton adores Diamantes but you shouldn't hold that against her.

-- Drew Tewksbury