Events

KCRW Presents FREE All-Day Online Wellness Festival: 24 Hours of SERENITY

KCRW Presents FREE All-Day Online Wellness Festival: 24 Hours of SERENITY

Sunday, April 18, starting at 12:00AM PDT via Zoom

Santa Monica, CA (March 31, 2021) – KCRW presents 24 Hours of Serenity, an all-day online wellness festival on Sunday April 18, starting at 12:00AM PDT, via Zoom. The curated virtual festival of calm is FREE and features a bevy of programming geared toward rejuvenating both mind and body including; a guided meditation with Valerie June and Garth Trinidad; music and resilience with Esperanza Spalding and Novena Carmel; soothing DJ sets by KCRW DJs Valida and Jeremy Sole, ambient music sets curated by dublab, animal cams, Qigong, Tai Chi, Yoga, Story Time with Bookworm’s Michael Silverblatt, DoLab sound baths, and much, much more.

This event is free and open to the public, with only an RSVP required to attend. The event Zoom link will stay the same for 24 hours so attendees can jump in and out of what interests them the most. Things get started in the wee-ist hour of Sunday morning and end at 11:59 PM on Sunday night. Attendees can drop by for one segment or stay for the whole 24 hours!  

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

KCRW Presents: 24 Hours of Serenity
All Day Online Wellness Festival

Sunday, April 18, starting at 12:00 AM PDT via Zoom
FREE – registration required

  • Link to registration
  • Link to graphics
  • Link to full schedule and more in-depth information

###

For media inquiries please contact:
Laura Cohen, LC Media, lcmediapr@gmail.com

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of L.A. and deliver in innovative ways – on the radio, digitally and in person – to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in L.A., Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrw
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/kcrw

Standard
Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW Presents Season Three of Lost Notes Music Documentary Podcast, Lost Notes: 1980

KCRW Presents Season Three of Lost Notes Music Documentary Podcast, Lost Notes: 1980

Hosted by Celebrated Poet and Cultural Critic Hanif Abdurraqib, with Episodes on Stevie Wonder, Grace Jones, Ian Curtis, Sugarhill Gang, Darby Crash & John Lennon, Hugh Masekela & Miriam Makeba, and Minnie Riperton

#1 Podcast of 2019 – Vulture

This Album Saved My 1980
Virtual Event, Thursday, October 1, at 7:00 p.m. PDT
Featuring Hanif Abdurraqib, Anne Litt, Eric J. Lawrence and Dart Adams

 

Santa Monica, CA (September 10, 2020) – KCRW announces today details of the third season of the critically acclaimed music documentary podcast Lost Notes. Season three, Lost Notes: 1980, explores the brilliant, awkward and sometimes heartbreaking opening to a monumental decade in popular music. Hosted by celebrated poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib, all episodes of Lost Notes: 1980 will be released simultaneously on Thursday, September 24.

In 1980, the horizon was bursting with possibility. The Voyager 1 had confirmed a new moon of Saturn. “The Miracle on Ice” saw the US beat the USSR at the Olympics and the country was still buzzing. “The Empire Strikes Back” and Pac Man were released on back-to-back days. 

In the music world, the Sugarhill Gang were riding the success of “Rapper’s Delight” to release a debut album. Siouxsie and the Banshees were ascending to their creative peak, and Elvis Costello, Talking Heads and The Police all released landmark albums. Yet, 1980 also saw tremendous losses, revolutions, redefinitions and reformations. David Bowie got divorced. Lou Reed got married. Ian Curtis died before Joy Division got to touch down on a U.S. Tour. And by the end of the year, John Lennon’s death would signal the end of a rock n’ roll era. 

Lost Notes: 1980 explores the uncovered corners of this storied year. Hosted by Hanif Abdurraqib, a nationally celebrated poet and essayist from Columbus, Ohio, each episode conjures new looks at familiar artists, examining their work and their life through a uniquely personal lens. Topics include: The first full-length album from the Sugarhill Gang which set the stakes for an entirely new genre of music; how record producers set out to bring Minnie Riperton back to life; how Stevie Wonder delivered on the comeback he was due; an Ian Curtis song that the fallen singer’s bandmates used to birth New Order; a reflection on the concert that the South African government never wanted Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba to perform; how punk singer Darby Crash tried to rise to immortality, but was interrupted when John Lennon passed away the very next day; how Grace Jones rose from disco’s death rattle — reinforced and reimagined — into a new decade freshly obsessed with risk. 

Every episode of Lost Notes: 1980 will be released simultaneously on Thursday, September 24, and will be available on all major podcast platforms. 

To help celebrate the launch of the new season of Lost Notes, KCRW presents This Album Saved My 1980, on Thursday, October 1, at 7:00 p.m. PDT. Hosted by KCRW’s Program Director of Music Anne Litt, DJ Eric J. Lawrence, Hanif Abdurraqib, and music journalist/historian Dart Adams, This Album Saved My 1980 is a truly interactive event with hosts and audience alike sharing their essential albums from the decade of decadence.

More About Season Three – Lost Notes: 1980
(All episodes drop September 24, 2020)

Episode 1: Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder released seven albums from 1970 to 1976. It was an impenetrable run of albums and songs, one of the greatest in music history. Then in 1979 he faced his first defeat of the decade. Reviews for The Secret Life of Plants were harshly mixed. In 1980, Stevie was due for a comeback. Enter Hotter Than July

Episode 2: The Sugarhill Gang
In 1979, the Sugarhill Gang released “Rapper’s Delight,” a rap song with the goal of pushing MCs to the forefront. Then, in the early months of 1980, they released the first full-length rap album. The debut self-titled record wasn’t received without controversy, and wasn’t received without skepticism. But, sometimes, legacy is not about the spark itself, but about the flame the spark causes.

Episode 3: Ian Curtis
In May of 1980, Joy Division lost its lead singer, Ian Curtis. The band decided that they would carry on, though not as Joy Division. New Order had great success throughout the 80s with soundtrack-ready songs and rapturous live performances. But the first single, Ceremony, came to life the most. One written by their departed bandmate.

Episode 4: Darby Crash & John Lennon
The punk singer Darby Crash had dreams of immortality. He sought a romantic end. But Darby Crash died on December 7, 1980. The next day, by the time news of his death started circulating and radio stations in Los Angeles began their marathon of Germs songs, John Lennon lay dying in New York. News and radio stations broke away to deliver what must have seemed like a larger, more urgent heartbreak.

Episode 5: Hugh Masekela & Miriam Makeba
In December of 1980, two exiled artists and freedom fighters attempted a return to their home in South Africa for a concert. This is the story of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and the new, temporary home they made on a stage, within new borders, in Lesotho. 

Episode 6: Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton fashioned her legacy with a single note in 1974, sung at the very peak of the song “Lovin’ You.” The posthumous album is a tricky business, but in 1980, record producers tried to bring her back to life. 

Episode 7: Grace Jones
In 1980, anti-disco sentiment was at a high and Grace Jones was coming off a trilogy of disco albums. If she stayed stagnant, it felt like her career could be swept away. So out of disco’s death rattle – driven by the discomfort of white male tastemakers – Grace Jones rose, reinforced and reimagined in a new decade freshly obsessed with risk. 

More About Hanif Abdurraqib
Host of season three of Lost Notes, Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. His poetry has been published in Muzzle, Vinyl, PEN American, and various other journals. His essays and music criticism have been published in The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. His first full length poetry collection, The Crown Ain’t Worth Much, was released in June 2016 from Button Poetry. It was named a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Prize, and was nominated for a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award. With Big Lucks, he released a limited edition chapbook, Vintage Sadness, in summer 2017 (you cannot get it anymore and he is very sorry.) His first collection of essays, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was released in winter 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah magazine, Paste, CBC, The Los Angeles Review, Pitchfork, and the Chicago Tribune, among others. He released Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes To A Tribe Called Quest with University of Texas press in February 2019. The book became a New York Times bestseller, and was met with widespread critical acclaim. His second collection of poems, A Fortune For Your Disaster, was released in 2019 by Tin House. He is a graduate of Beechcroft High School.

More About Lost Notes
Episodes from Lost Notes’ first season were listed among the best podcast episodes of 2018 by Audible Feast, The Bello Collective, and Indiewire, praising its “outside looks at some of the best music-related tales of decades past.” The second season of Lost Notes received additional accolades. Hosted by veteran music journalist and author Jessica Hopper, Lost Notes was deemed among the top podcasts of 2019 by Vulture, IndieWire, Los Angeles Daily News, Stereogum, The Verge, uDiscover Music, and Podcast Review (A Los Angeles Review of Books Channel).

###

For more information please contact:
Laura Cohen, LC Media, lcmediapr@gmail.com

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of L.A. and deliver in innovative ways – on the radio, digitally and in person – to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in L.A., Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Berlin (Germany), worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrw
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/kcrw

Standard
Events

KCRW Presents: This Album Saved My Quarantine

KCRW Presents

This Album Saved My Quarantine

Online Event Features Anne Litt, Anthony Valadez, Chris Douridas, Dan Wilcox, Jose Galvan, Liza Richardson, Mario Cotto, Novena Carmel, Raul Campos, Travis Holcombe & Valida discussing the albums that are seeing them through these troubled times

Thursday, April 30, at 7PM PDT

SANTA MONICA (April 27, 2020) – KCRW presents a special online event, This Album Saved My Quarantine, an in-depth discussion with ten KCRW DJs, about the albums that have been essential in getting them through these troubled times. Moderated by Program Director of Music Anne Litt, This Album Saved My Quarantine features Anthony Valadez, Chris Douridas, Dan Wilcox, Jose Galvan, Liza Richardson, Mario Cotto, Novena Carmel, Raul Campos, Travis Holcombe and Valida, on Thursday, April 30, at 7PM PDT.  The event is open to the public, with a donation of any amount, even $1. All proceeds benefit KCRW.

Inspired by the 2019 live event This Album Saved My Life, This Album Saved My Quarantine promises to be a poignant, touching reflection on the power that music wields. It can soothe, heal, transport, inspire, bring joy, and instinctually make us move. It marks our most important moments and gets us through our darkest hours. 

Join us for this special virtual presentation via Eventbrite. Donation required, but all amounts are accepted, even $1. Become a KCRW Member with all of the Fringe Benefits for $30 (regularly $60).  

Editors Please Note:

This Album Saved My Quarantine
Thursday, April 30, at 7PM PDT
Platform: Zoom
Ticket: Eventbrite – any donation gets you in ($1 minimum)
Details at: KCRW.com/thisalbum

###

For more information about KCRW please contact:
Laura Cohen, LC Media, lcmediapr@gmail.com

KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways—on the radio, digitally and in person—to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrw
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/kcrw

Standard
Events

KCRW Presents Broken Record Live: Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with Flea

KCRW Presents Broken Record Live: Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with Flea

Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 8PM, at the Palace Theatre

KCRW Member Pre-Sale: Today, October 8, at 10AM PDT
Public On-Sale: Wednesday, October 9, at 10AM PDT

SANTA MONICA, CA (October 8, 2019) – KCRW presents Broken Record Live featuring podcast host and bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Flea, co-founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and co-founder of The Silverlake Conservatory of Music, one-night only, Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 8PM, at the Palace Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.

For the first-ever live version of the popular podcast, Malcolm Gladwell and Flea discuss his new memoir, Acid for the Children, to be released on November 5, 2019, by Grand Central Publishing. Malcolm and Flea will journey through the rock star’s childhood love of jazz, punk, and funk, what it was like working with Rick Rubin on the classic Red Hot Chilli Peppers albums of the ’90s and ’00s, how he became the signature rock bassist, and other riveting topics.

Tickets go on-sale to KCRW members today, Tuesday, October 8, at 10AM PDT with the public on-sale starting tomorrow, Wednesday, October 9, at 10AM PDT. A limited number of “Golden Circle” tickets will be available. “Golden Circle” tickets are the best seats in the house, and include a copy of Flea’s new memoir, Acid for the Children, as well as an opportunity to hang with Flea and Malcolm at a post-show meet and greet.

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit: kcrw.com/brokenrecordlive

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

KCRW Presents: Broken Record Live
Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Flea
Wednesday, November 13, at 8PM

Palace Theatre
630 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014  

On Sale Dates:
Tuesday, October 8, at 10 AM PDT – Member Pre-sale (15% off for 24 hours, excluding “Golden Circle”)
Wednesday, October 9, at 10AM PDT – Public on-sale

Ticket prices:
$100 – “Golden Circle” includes the best seats in the house, a copy of Flea’s new memoir Acid for the Children, and a post-show meet & greet with Flea and Malcolm Gladwell
$39 – Floor and Mezzanine
$29 – Balcony

About Flea’s Acid for the Children
In his new book, Acid for the Children, Flea, the iconic bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter lows you’d want from an LA street rat turned world famous rock star. Flea takes readers on a deeply personal and revealing tour of his formative years, spanning from Australia to the New York City suburbs to, finally, Los Angeles. Through hilarious anecdotes, poetical meditations, and occasional flights of fantasy, Flea deftly chronicles the experiences that forged him as an artist, a musician, and a young man. 

About Broken Record
Pushkin Industries’ popular music interview podcast, Broken Record, is hosted by legendary producer Rick Rubin, bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, former New York Times editor Bruce Headlam, and former NPR producer Justin Richmond. Season three, which premiered October 1st, features brand-new, never-before-heard songs from some of today’s top artists, behind the scenes stories from the buzziest producers in music, and more revealing interviews with singer/songwriters. Season three’s line-up includes a wider array of musical artists and producers such as Jack White & The Raconteurs, Tyler the Creator, Yola, Rex OC, The Black Keys, Andre 3000, Brittany Howard, Jason Isbell, Richard Russell, Wyclef Jean, Kenny Beats, and more. Brokenrecordpodcast.com

About Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of five New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and David and Goliath. His latest book, Talking to Strangers, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. He is host of the chart-topping podcast Revisionist History and co-host of the popular music podcast, Broken Record. He has also been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996 and has been named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People. He is a trustee of the Surgo Foundation and currently serves on the board of the RAND Corporation. Along with Jacob Weisberg, he is co-founder of Pushkin Industries, an audio content production company. Gladwellbooks.com 

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

Standard
Events, KCRW Music Announcement

Line-Up Announced for 2019 Summer Nights at KCRW HQ

KCRW HQ Summer Nights

Featuring Black Pumas, Y La Bamba, Andrew Bird, and KCRW DJs Chris Douridas, Anne Litt, Raul Campos, Anthony Valadez, Valida, and Novena Carmel

Three-concert series is free, all-ages, and outdoors, and takes place in the plaza of KCRW’s new home at Santa Monica College’s CMD Campus

Saturdays: August 3, 10, and 17, at 7PM

Santa Monica, CA (June 25, 2019) – KCRW announces today the talent line-up for the triumphant return of KCRW HQ – three, free, outdoors, and all-ages concerts in the plaza of KCRW’s new home on Santa Monica College’s state-of-the-art CMD Campus. This wildly popular series returns with the highly anticipated Los Angeles headline debut of Black Pumas on August 3, the seamless blend of indie pop, bluegrass and Mexican folk tradition of Y La Bamba on August 10, and the incomparable virtuoso Andrew Bird on August 17. KCRW DJs Anne Litt, Raul Campos, Anthony Valadez, Chris Douridas, Valida, and Novena Carmel will deliver killer DJ sets throughout the series.

KCRW HQ also features fave food trucks, tasty libations, some of LA’s best record vendors, and plenty of summer fun. Also, be sure to check out the free advance film screenings happening right in the courtyard theater!

For more information, please visit: http://www.kcrw.com/summernights

More about the Artists:

Following their ambitious slate of performances during this year’s SXSW, it was clear that Black Pumas — the collaboration between 27-year-old newcomer Eric Burton and Grammy-winning guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada (Grupo Fantasma, Brownout, 2018’s Look At My Soul) — were due for a big 2019. NPR’s Here & Now deemed them “the breakout band of 2019” and KCRW called their sound “Wu-Tang Clan meets James Brown.” Rolling Stone, in naming Black Pumas “One Of The 30 Best Bands We Saw In Austin,” praised Burton’s “tireless, charismatic energy” and said that the band “seemed to tap the collective unease of the national moment.” Their self-titled debut, just released June 21 on ATO Records, was produced by Quesada in his home studio and colored by Burton’s dark imagery and haunting vocals. The album, which The Guardian deemed “perfectly realized” is equally indebted to East Coast hip-hop as it is to classic funk and soul, resulting in a project that is of the moment rather than retro. Black Pumas truly began to make their name with a weekly residency at Austin’s C-Boys that quickly became “the hottest party in town” (Austin-American Statesman), with lines wrapping to see their whip-sharp band and Burton’s “whirlwind of movement and gesture” (Chicago Tribune). What followed was a quick and dirty ascent through the Austin music scene, culminating in a coronation as Best New Band at the 2019 Austin Music Awards. Black Pumas make their Los Angeles headline debut at the KCRW HQ series.

Y La Bamba has been many things, but at the heart of it is singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza’s inquisitive sense of self. Their fifth record, Mujeres, carries on the Portland-based band’s affinity for spiritual contemplation, but goes a step further in telling a story with a full emotional spectrum. The album has been praised across the board from Pitchfork, NY Times and Rolling Stone to The New Yorker, The A.V. Club and more. Billboard named it ‘One of the Best Albums of 2019 (So Far)’ and NPR called the title track, “A battle cry against machismo” and one of the ‘Best Songs of 2018‘ saying, “It’s an indication that Mendoza is becoming a visionary, and that her band continues to intrigue as it evolves.” Mujeres exists in the post-2016 landscape of a national identity crisis, and Mendoza explores what it means to be a Mexican American woman by leading us through places we are afraid to go. It ventures in to the discomfort of the stories we tell ourselves. Those of our past, our futures. We all have these stories somewhere inside of us, but with Y La Bamba, Mendoza forges new narratives from old stories of heritage and family, tracing history while forging modern Chicana feminism. The live set is a powerful quintet fronted by three females blending danceable Latin polyrhythms with powerful vocals and dizzying grooves.

Andrew Bird is an internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, whistler, and songwriter. Bird has recorded and toured extensively worldwide. He has recorded with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, appeared as “Dr. Stringz” on Jack’s Big Music Show, and headlined concerts at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and festivals worldwide. In recent years, Bird performed as the Whistling Caruso in Disney’s The Muppets movie, scored the FX series Baskets, performed at the New Yorker Festival, and collaborated with inventor Ian Schneller on Sonic Arboretum, an installation that exhibited at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, Boston’s ICA, and the MCA Chicago. Bird has been a featured TED Talks presenter and a New York Times op-ed contributor. Additionally, Bird hosts an ongoing live-streamed series of performances called Live from the Great Room, putting the creative process on display for fans as he performs and converses with friends and collaborators in a candid, intimate setting. More recently, Bird has released a series of site-specific improvisational short films and recordings called Echolocations, recorded in remote and acoustically interesting spaces: a Utah canyon, an abandoned seaside bunker, the middle of the Los Angeles River, and a reverberant stone-covered aqueduct in Lisbon. Bird’s latest album, My Finest Work Yet, was released March 22, 2019 on Loma Vista Recordings.

_________________________

KCRW HQ Summer Nights
1660 Stewart Street
Santa Monica, CA  90404

Free, outdoors and all-ages

Saturday, August 3, at 7pm
Black Pumas + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Raul Campos

Saturday, August 10, at 7pm
Y La Bamba + KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Valida

Saturday, August 17, at 7pm
Andrew Bird + KCRW DJs Chris Douridas + Novena Carmel

Summer Nights is generously sponsored by Universal Pictures, presenting the new feature film Yesterday, in theaters June 28.

_________________________

CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING
KCRW’s 2019 SUMMER NIGHTS
10TH ANNIVERSARY
All concerts are free, open-air and all-ages

Friday, June 28, 7:00 p.m.
CAAM
KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad + Aaron Byrd

Thursday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
Pavo Pavo + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Dan Wilcox

Saturday, July 13, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Jason Bentley + Garth Trinidad

Thursday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
Wild Belle + KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd + Scott Dallavo

Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
The Tracks + KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + José Galván

Saturday, July 27, 7:00 p.m.
POW! WOW! Long Beach
KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Mathieu Schreyer  

Thursday, August 1, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

Saturday, August 3, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Black Pumas + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Raul Campos

Saturday, August 10, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Y La Bamba + KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Valida

Saturday, August 10, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Raul Campos + Mathieu Schreyer 

Saturday, August 17, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Andrew Bird + KCRW DJs Chris Douridas + Novena Carmel

Wednesday, August 21
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, August 28
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 4
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Thursday, September 5, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ José Galván

Saturday, September 7, 5:00 p.m.
Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest
KCRW’s Raul Campos, host

Wednesday, September 11
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 18
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 25
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Saturday, September 28, 6:00 pm
KCRW’s Summer Nights at Cadence Park, Irvine
KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + Valida


About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs, driven by the spirit of LA and delivered in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

Standard
Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW and the Hammer Museum Announce Line-Up for 2019 Summer Nights

KCRW AND THE HAMMER MUSEUM ANNOUNCE LINE-UP FOR 2019 SUMMER NIGHTS

Featuring Live Music from Pavo Pavo, Wild Belle and the Tracks, and DJ Sets from KCRW’s Anne Litt, Travis Holcombe, Aaron Byrd, Dan Wilcox, José Galván and Scott Dallavo

Free, Outdoors, and All-Ages
Thursdays, July 11, 18 & 25

Los Angeles, CA (June 18, 2019) – KCRW and the Hammer Museum team up once again to present three free nights of live music and DJ sets as part of KCRW’s Summer Nights, Thursdays, July 11, 18, and 25. This year’s series features a stellar line-up of artists: Pavo Pavo, Wild Belle and the Tracks, as well as fierce live sets from KCRW DJs Anne Litt, Travis Holcombe, Aaron Byrd, Dan Wilcox, José Galván and Scott Dallavo.

Pavo Pavo is the recording project of Oliver Hill and Eliza Bagg. They’ve become prolific and vital collaborators at the intersection of classical, experimental, and pop music. Mystery Hour, their second album, is a focused, widescreen development. Channelling the narrative drama of the duo’s changing relationship, it is an uncategorizable record that’s both maximal and compact, a fever dream filled with cinematic imagery and rooted in acute emotion, written as the two were separating after a six-year relationship. Oliver’s pitch-shifted vocals and high melodic synths are a distorted replacement for Eliza’s floating soprano voice, and cascading strings are an intentional soundtrack for romantic melodrama. (July 11)

Since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album, Isles, Wild Belle, led by siblings Elliot and Natalie Bergman, have not stopped. They have toured the world, playing Coachella, Lollapalooza, Corona Capital, and Austin City Limits. They have appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Conan. They’ve had their music in dozens of television shows and films, and lead singer Natalie recently sang the opening theme for the HBO show The Deuce with Elvis Costello. Their latest album Everybody One of a Kind is a bold, freaked-out sonic collage of all the things that brought fans into their universe. The album bends genres and busts stylistic boundaries. Dub Reggae, Soul, R&B and Pop are all fair game, as the band lovingly explores this fertile ground. (July 18)

Named for the forgotten trolley tracks that run like veins throughout Los Angeles, the young rock band the Tracks boldly play furious, fast music that flies in the face of a genre that seems to have lost its way. Frontman Venancio Bermudez, bassist Felipe Contreras, drummer Jimmy Conde, and guitarist Johnny Santana united over their shared love of rock & roll and are the latest act to contribute to the rich history of Chicano bands, playing music that is directly influenced by their background growing up as the children of undocumented immigrants in East LA. Their music recalls the defiant optimism of working class bands that came before them and their sound reminds us to find the joy in dancing to loud music. (July 25)

All concerts are free, open to the public, all-ages, and held in the Hammer’s lively courtyard. A happy hour with cash bar starts at 6:30 PM, so those that come early can visit the Hammer’s galleries, which will be open until 8:00 PM. Music starts at 7:30 PM.

On view at the Hammer will be Sarah Lucas: Au Naturel, the first American survey of one of the UK’s most influential artists. Over the past 30 years, Sarah Lucas has created a distinctive and provocative body of work that subverts traditional notions of gender, sexuality, and identity. Organized by the New Museum, Sarah Lucas: Au Naturel brings together more than 130 works in photography, collage, sculpture, and video to reveal the breadth and ingenuity of her practice.

For more information visit: http://summernights.kcrw.com/

____________________

KCRW’s Summer Nights
Hammer Museum
Happy hour at 6:30 PM, Music starts at 7:30 PM.
10899 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Thursday, July 11
Pavo Pavo + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Dan Wilcox

Thursday, July 18
Wild Belle + KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd + Scott Dallavo

Thursday, July 25
The Tracks + KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + José Galván

PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION:
Event parking is available at 11020 Kinross Ave (UCLA Parking Lot 36)  with a flat rate of $5 payable by credit card or cell phone through the Park Mobile App. Enter Lot 36 from Kinross Avenue between Gayley and Veteran Avenues. The Hammer Museum is located one block east.

It’s also easy to reach the Hammer by public transportation. The 20/720 buses and Santa Monica and Culver City Bus Lines all stop within one block of the museum. You can also take the Metro Expo Line to Westwood/Rancho Park and transfer to the northbound 8 bus, which stops just outside the museum.

____________________

CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING
KCRW’s 2019
SUMMER NIGHTS
10TH ANNIVERSARY
All concerts are free, open-air and all-ages

Friday, June 28, 7:00 p.m.
CAAM
KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad + Aaron Byrd

Thursday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
Pavo Pavo + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Dan Wilcox

Saturday, July 13, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Jason Bentley + Garth Trinidad

Thursday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
Wild Belle + KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd + Scott Dallavo

Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
The Tracks + KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + José Galván

Saturday, July 27, 7:00 p.m.
POW! WOW! Long Beach
KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Mathieu Schreyer  

Thursday, August 1, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

Saturday, August 3, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Talent TBA

Saturday, August 10, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Talent TBA

Saturday, August 10, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Raul Campos + Mathieu Schreyer 

Saturday, August 17, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Talent TBA

Wednesday, August 21
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, August 28
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 4
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Thursday, September 5, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ José Galván

Saturday, September 7, 5:00 p.m.
Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest
KCRW’s Raul Campos, host

Wednesday, September 11
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 18
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 25
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

JUST ANNOUNCED!
Saturday, September 28, 6:00 pm
KCRW’s Summer Nights at Cadence Park, Irvine
KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + Valida

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs, driven by the spirit of LA and delivered in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

About the Hammer Museum
The Hammer Museum is part of the School of the Arts and Architecture at UCLA, and offers exhibitions and collections that span classic to contemporary art. It holds more than 50,000 works in its collection, including one of the finest collections of works on paper in the nation, the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts. Through a wide-ranging, international exhibition program and the biennial, Made in L.A., the Hammer highlights contemporary art since the 1960s, especially the work of emerging and under recognized artists. The exhibitions, permanent collections, and nearly 300 public programs annually—including film screenings, lectures, symposia, readings, music performances, and workshops for families—are all free to the public.

Admission to all exhibitions and programs at the Hammer Museum is free, made possible through the generosity of benefactors Erika J. Glazer and Brenda R. Potter. Hours: Tuesday–Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Mondays and national holidays. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Boulevard at Westwood, Los Angeles. Onsite parking $7 (maximum 3 hours) or $7 flat rate after 6 p.m. Visit hammer.ucla.edu for details or call 310-443-7000.

Twitter | twitter.com/hammer_museum
Facebook | facebook.com/HammerMuseum
Instagram | instagram.com/hammer_museum

Standard
Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW Presents the 10th Anniversary of Summer Nights

KCRW Presents the 10th Anniversary of Summer Nights

Free, All-Ages, Outdoor Performances Featuring
KCRW-Curated Bands, and the Station’s Stellar DJs

Summer Nights Begin at One Colorado Old Pasadena with
Harriet Brown + KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad (June 1)
Girlpool + KCRW DJ Chris Douridas (June 15)

KCRW Continues Partnerships with Hammer Museum, Chinatown, California African American Museum, Santa Monica Pier, and Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara

KCRW’s Summer Nights unveil brand-new partnerships with POW! WOW! Long Beach, and Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest

Santa Monica, CA (May 23, 2019) – KCRW presents the 10th anniversary of its signature event series, Summer Nights, featuring free, all-ages, outdoor performances throughout the summer to communities in the greater Los Angeles area and beyond, featuring KCRW-curated bands, and the tastemaker station’s stellar DJs.

KCRW’s 2019 Summer Nights officially launch on June 1 with a live performance from Harriet Brown and a DJ set from KCRW’s Garth Trinidad. The concert takes place in the courtyard amidst the historic buildings of One Colorado Old Pasadena.

Returning for the 2019 season is KCRW HQ Summer Nights taking place at the station’s brand-new home on Santa Monica College’s state-of-the-art CMD Campus. Three nights of exceptional music, dancing, as well as delicious drink and food will take place on three Saturdays – August 3, August 10, and August 17. Talent to be announced.

KCRW’s longstanding partnerships with iconic museums and destinations across SoCal continue with the Hammer Museum, Chinatown, the California African American Museum, the Santa Monica Pier, and Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara.

KCRW’s Summer Nights expand its SoCal reach, unveiling brand-new partnerships with POW! WOW! Long Beach, and the ever-popular Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest.

For more information, please visit: kcrw.com/summernights

One Colorado Old Pasadena

KCRW’s Summer Nights kick-off on Saturday, June 1, at 7:30 p.m., at One Colorado Old Pasadena featuring a live performance from Harriet Brown – artist, producer, composer and performer, creating his own genre of homegrown R&B. A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Harriet Brown’s productions are a slew of meticulous drum programming and heavy, synthesized bass intertwined with deeply intentional lyrics. He music is genre-bending, contemplative, and soulful – contemporary funk for the nostalgics. KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad opens and closes the evening. 

On Saturday, June 15, One Colorado continues with Girlpool, the captivating music from Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad. Both online and in the flesh, Tividad and Tucker practice radical openness to the point where it may even engender discomfort, and then show you how to figure out why you might feel it. This is achieved through their ability to empathize as best friends and partners in creation, with the intention of making music that provokes. KCRW DJ Chris Douridas opens and closes the evening.

One Colorado Old Pasadena is a collection of 17 historic buildings housing a curated mix of nationally acclaimed retailers and designers, unique local merchants, inventive restaurants, and a boutique cinema. It’s the retail centerpiece and favorite casual gathering place for the Pasadena community, with public events hosted year-round in its central courtyard.

Saturday, June 1, 7:30 p.m.
Harriet Brown + KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad

Saturday, June 15, 7:30 p.m.
Girlpool + KCRW DJ Chris Douridas

Chinatown

Part block party, part food event, Chinatown Summer Nights present an exciting hot spot for Angelenos. Dance in Central Plaza with KCRW DJs; sip on craft brews with live music in Mandarin Plaza; view giant outdoor video projections; shop local small businesses, and a craft and vintage market; taste the many culinary offerings of Chinatown restaurants, gourmet food trucks, and the Culinary Corner street food experience; and take part in hands-on, Chinese cultural craft workshops!

Saturday, June 8, 8:00 p.m.
KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + Novena Carmel

Saturday, July 13, 8:00 p.m.
KCRW DJs Jason Bentley + Garth Trinidad

Saturday, August 10, 8:00 p.m.
KCRW DJs Raul Campos + Mathieu Schreyer 

California African American Museum

KCRW returns to the California African American Museum (CAAM) for a very special show featuring live sets from KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd and Garth Trinidad, on Friday, June 28, at 7:00 p.m. Enjoy a warm night and cool vibes with CAAM and KCRW, after-hours museum access including to CAAM’s smash summer exhibition, Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective, food trucks, a beer garden, and more.

The California African American Museum (CAAM) in Exposition Park explores the art, history, and culture of African Americans, with an emphasis on California and the West. In addition to presenting a dynamic slate of exhibitions and public programs, CAAM houses a permanent collection of more than four thousand works of art, artifacts, and historical documents, and a publicly accessible research library containing more than twenty thousand volumes. Admission is free.

Friday, June 28, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad + Aaron Byrd

POW! WOW! Long Beach

KCRW’s 2019 Summer Nights expand to Downtown Long Beach for the first time, teaming up with POW! WOW! Long Beach to celebrate the week-long, city-wide annual public art festival (July 21-28) with one special show on July 27, featuring live sets from KCRW DJs Mathieu Schreyer and Anthony Valadez. Beyond murals and installations, the festival hosts artist talks, documentary screenings, art exhibitions, and much more. Now in its fifth summer, POW! WOW! Long Beach will have executed nearly 100 murals throughout the City of Long Beach by the end of July, creating a FREE public art experience unlike anything else in the country. Join the mural bike tour with Pedal Movement on July 27 and end your ride with Summer Nights! Detailed schedule to be announced shortly.

Saturday, July 27, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Mathieu Schreyer 

Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest

KCRW is excited to team up with the beloved Downtown Long Beach music event, Buskerfest. Inspired by “buskers” (street corner musicians), Buskerfest is built around bringing music and music lovers to the streets of Downtown’s East Village for an evening of song, great food, flowing beer & community. Boasting four low-production stages, the event begins with a friendly competition featuring eight “minimally plugged in” local & regional bands. The winner receives a grand prize to advance their career, as well as bragging rights. Who will headline this year? That is yet to be announced, but past performers include Rival Sons, Cold War Kids, Delta Spirit, Terry Reid, The Blasters, Mike Watt, and Chicano Batman, so you know it’s going to be good.

Saturday, September 7, 5:00 p.m.
KCRW’s Raul Campos, host

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara

Enjoy a summer night art party at Curated Cocktails: Summer Nights with KCRW, two unforgettable evenings of art and music inspired by the current exhibition Bloom Projects: Brian Rochefort at Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. After-hours museum access, signature cocktails, interactive art-making, and exclusive live sets by KCRW DJs Dan Wilcox and José Galván make for a memorable summer night party on the beautiful Paseo Nuevo Upper Arts Terrace. The events take place on on August 1, 2019 and September 5, 2019 as part of Downtown Santa Barbara’s 1st Thursdays.

Thursday, August 1, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

Thursday, September 5, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW DJ José Galván

Hammer Museum

KCRW is proud to continue its long-standing collaboration with the Hammer Museum featuring a diverse array of musicians and DJs and a pre-concert happy hour in the museum’s idyllic courtyard. This year’s three-night series will take place on Thursdays; July 11, July 18, and July 25. Talent to be announced shortly.

KCRW HQ

After the smashing success of its inaugural year, Summer Nights return to KCRW’s HQ at Santa Monica College’s state-of-the-art CMD campus for three Saturday nights of exceptional music – August 3, 10 and 17 – featuring live bands and KCRW DJs! In the rotation will also be food trucks, tasty libations, fun summer photo ops, and some of LA’s best record vendors. Talent to be announced shortly.

Twilight on the Pier

KCRW is the official public media partner for Twilight on the Pier, now in its 35th year. Twilight on the Pier brings together a mix of classic-meets-contemporary artist sounds, and features art installations, culinary offerings, beer garden, games, multiple stages, stand-up comedy, and more. For 2019, Twilight on the Pier moves to Wednesdays; August 21 and August 28, and September 4, 11, 18, and 25. Talent to be announced shortly.

CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING
KCRW’s 2019
SUMMER NIGHTS
10TH ANNIVERSARY
All concerts are free, outdoor and all-ages

Saturday, June 1, 7:30 p.m.
One Colorado
Harriet Brown + KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad

Saturday, June 8, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + Novena Carmel 

Saturday, June 15, 7:30 p.m.
One Colorado
Girlpool + KCRW DJ Chris Douridas

Friday, June 28, 7:00 p.m.
CAAM
KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad + Aaron Byrd

Thursday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (concert)
Hammer
Talent TBA

Saturday, July 13, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Jason Bentley + Garth Trinidad

Thursday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (concert)
Hammer
Talent TBA

Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (concert)
Hammer
Talent TBA

Saturday, July 27, 7:00 p.m.
POW! WOW! Long Beach
KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Mathieu Schreyer  

Thursday, August 1, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

Saturday, August 3, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Talent TBA

Saturday, August 10, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Talent TBA

Saturday, August 10, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Raul Campos + Mathieu Schreyer

Saturday, August 17, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Talent TBA

Wednesday, August 21
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, August 28
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 4
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Thursday, September 5, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ José Galván

Saturday, September 7, 5:00 p.m.
Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest
KCRW’s Raul Campos, host

Wednesday, September 11
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 18
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 25
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

Standard
Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW Announces Official 2019 SXSW Showcases

KCRW 2019 SXSW SHOWCASES

Tuesday, March 12
Broken Social Scene, Ambar Lucid, Westerman,

J.S. Ondara, and Cautious Clay
Elysium
705 Red River Street
8:00 pm – 2:00 am

Wednesday, March 13
Pavo Pavo, Tamino and Yola
Radio Day Stage
Austin Convention Center
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

For those of you heading to SXSW, be sure to check out KCRW’s two official showcases – Tuesday, March 12, at Elysium, and Wednesday, March 13, at the Radio Day Stage. Both showcases are open to anyone with a festival badge or wristband (no RSVP required).

The night showcase at Elysium perfectly reflects the eclectic nature of KCRW’s programming, and features indie rock veterans Broken Social Scene, the sweet bedroom sounds of Ambar Lucid, the infectious electropop of Westerman, the enthralling voice and folk music of J.S. Ondara, and Brooklyn soul singer Cautious Clay.

KCRW’s Radio Day Stage features experimental pop duo Pavo Pavo, Belgian-Egyptian crooner Tamino, and the electrified country roots music of Yola.

During the festival, tune in to Morning Becomes Eclectic as KCRW’s on-site crew – Jason Bentley, Anne Litt, Anthony Valadez, Chris Douridas, and José Galván – share their favorite musical discoveries and interviews from the scene.

The KCRW Music Blog will have preview coverage of bands to keep an eye on, as well as photos, videos and more throughout the fest. Stay up to the minute on Instagram @mbekcrw for more exclusive SXSW content.  

For more information, please visit the KCRW Music Blog

KCRW DJs on the station’s 2019 SXSW night showcase artists:

Ambar Lucid
New Jersey’s Ambar Lucid is hailed for her bedroom pop sounds, and incorporating bilingual lyrics into her songs. Without having released a proper LP or EP, the 18 year-old is quickly developing a fan base with her lo fi videos and organic songs that explore love and coming of age. I’m excited to have her on board during our KCRW showcase.
— Anthony Valadez

Westerman
Based in London, Westerman (an artist who forgoes a first name) has taken us at KCRW quite by surprise over the last year. Having grown up in a house with Neil Young and Nick Drake playing on the stereo, his early work on acoustic guitar has the featherlike feel of those artists. (Westerman also cites Kings of Leon as a major influence.)  He didn’t pick up the guitar until he was sixteen, and prior to that he spent his time studying and performing choral music. Soon, he teamed up with producer, Bullion (who also eschews a first name), and that’s where the synths came creeping into his work. All of this makes for a gorgeous, airy and almost classical-sounding kind of music that continues to captivate us. Westerman is certainly a contender for Best New Artist of the year.
— Anne Litt

J.S. Ondara
Growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, J.S. Ondara first came across the music of Bob Dylan through the Guns and Roses cover of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” At first he thought it was a G’n’R original, but once he realized who wrote the song, he became obsessed. While still in his teens, he pledged to move to Minneapolis to retrace the steps of his hero, a move that gave him great inspiration. His spellbinding voice and his unique take on American folk music endeared him to the local music scene, and led to heavy airplay on The Current, the famed new music outlet on Minnesota Public Radio.
— Chris Douridas

Broken Social Scene
Among the busy currents of new bands making the trek to Austin, KCRW is thrilled to present Indie Rock veterans Broken Social Scene at our official SXSW showcase this year. The dynamic Canadian collective has been a beacon for quality over the last two decades, and their latest EP Let’s Try The After Vol. 1 only adds to their stellar repertoire. The nine-piece band will surely have Elysium nightclub heaving on Tuesday night, for one of the music festivals’ first not-to-be missed engagements.
— Jason Bentley

Cautious Clay
In 2018, Cautious Clay released an identity-searching and incredibly soulful EP Blood Type. It was the culmination of finally deciding to quit his day job and concentrate full-time on making music. Cautious, aka, Joshua Karpeh, had previously tasted an ephemeral spotlight in 2015 as his remix of Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes,” had been handpicked by the band to be included in their remix package. But the success of his self-released EP (which has 20 million plus streams) has now fixed a giant spotlight on the Cleveland-born, via Brooklyn musician. Cautious Clay is one of the most sought after, up & coming DIY acts, and his downbeat, sultry sounds will be the perfect close to another fantastically curated KCRW showcase at SXSW!
— José Galván

Pavo Pavo
It’s evident that Pavo Pavo, the recording project of Oliver Hill and Eliza Bagg, spend a good amount of time mixing the sonic brilliance on their latest album, Mystery Tour, released just last month. The duo draw inspiration from the challenges of relationships (Oliver and Eliza separated after being together for six years) and somehow manage to convey emotion in every kick, snare and guitar lick.
— Antony Valadez

Tamino
Born and raised in Antwerp, Tamino captivates with a three octave range. Named for the hero in Mozart’s The Magic Flute who is given a flute that can turn sorrow into joy, he actually comes from Egyptian entertainment royalty (his grandfather was Moharam Fouad, an actor and singer during the Golden Age of Egyptian cinema). One day while sorting through family heirlooms at his grandmother’s house, he came across his grandfather’s Resonator guitar. Inspiration hit immediately and within a month he was writing songs on the instrument. SXSW 2019 will be the first opportunity to catch this rising star perform live in North America.
— Chris Douridas

Yola
Yola’s debut album, Walk Through Fire, produced by Dan Auerbach, is a genre-bending combination of country and soul from one of the most powerful emerging British voices in music today. After spending years backing up others, working on tracks from Katy Perry to Massive Attack, she finally came to the attention of Auerbach (The Black Keys) after he saw a video of her performing in Nashville, which has now become a second home to her. Coverage from NPR, Rolling Stone Country, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and Stereogum all praise Yola, comparing her to a diverse range of artists from the Staples Singers to Dolly Parton. Check out her live prowess at SXSW before she hits the Hollywood Bowl stage this summer as part of KCRW’s World Festival.
— Anne Litt

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

Standard
Events, KCRW Music Announcement

Line-Up Announced for 2019 KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl

LINE-UP ANNOUNCED FOR
2019 KCRW’S WORLD FESTIVAL
AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL

Groundbreaking Concert Series Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Santa Monica, CA (February 5, 2019) – The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association has announced today the line-up for the 2019 KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. The successful collaboration between KCRW and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association celebrates its 20th anniversary, and launches Sunday, June 16, at 7PM.

KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl embodies the eclectic musical spirit of both organizations by featuring artists from a wide array of genres. Hundreds of artists have performed at the iconic venue since the inaugural season including, A.R. Rahman, Adele, Arcade Fire, Ben Harper, Bon Iver, Caetano Veloso, Cesaria Evora, David Byrne, Erykah Badu, Femi Kuti, Goldfrapp, Grace Jones, Hot Chip, Hugh Masekela, Janelle Monae, Kraftwerk, Lauryn Hill, M83, Massive Attack, Miriam Makeba, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, Os Mutantes, Ray LaMontagne, Robyn, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sade, Santigold, Solange, Spoon, St. Vincent, Sufjan Stevens, The Flaming Lips, The Pixies, Underworld, Willie Nelson, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Yo Yo Ma, Yoko Ono, Zero 7 with Sia, Ziggy Marley, and many more. The 20th Anniversary season of KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl continues this tradition.

KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl 20th Anniversary Season

Sunday, June 16, at 7PM

CHROMEO
TORO Y MOI
NONAME
IAN ISIAH
Jason Bentley, host

Since making their debut in 2004, Chromeo have turned festivals around the world into gigantic outdoor dance parties. Taking cues from Prince and Daft Punk, the Montreal duo have forged a brand of electro-funk that’s equal parts vintage groove and futurist fantasy. Toro y Moi’s Chaz Bear has followed his own omnivorous taste throughout a fascinating career that encompasses collagist sampling, laid-back funk, smooth rock, and existential R&B, all of it set to a club-ready dance beat. Chicago-born rapper and poet Noname, known for her thought-provoking message and freestyle skills, garnered national notoriety from her collaboration with Chance the Rapper, and her star has been rising ever since. She’s released two universally acclaimed records which led Rolling Stone to declare her as “one of the best rappers alive.” Brooklyn-born Ian Isiah (aka Big Shugga) was raised on gospel music, and has infused his heart and soul into a new brand of modern R&B and radio rap. The Blood Orange collaborator is also a key player in NY’s underground DJ club culture and the LGBTQ movement, having found the sweet spot where music meets lifestyle.

Sunday, July 7, at 7PM

REGGAE NIGHT XVIII
DAMIAN “JR. GONG” MARLEY
THIRD WORLD
KABAKA PYRAMID
Garth Trinidad, host

Four-time Grammy® winner Damian Marley has established himself as a unique and influential presence in reggae, combining the roots sound of his father’s legendary music with the fast flow and spirit of dancehall and hip-hop. Third World are no strangers to fusion, setting their blend of soul, R&B, rock, and disco to a reggae beat since 1973. Socially conscious Kabaka Pyramid opens with a fiery, beat-based reggae sound built around messages of love, unity, and justice.

Sunday, July 21, at 7PM

NATALIA LAFOURCADE AND GUSTAVO DUDAMEL
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Madeleine Brand, host

A stellar pairing of two passionate artists. New to the Bowl but no stranger to the stage, premier Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade is joined by the dynamic maestro Gustavo Dudamel, and the LA Phil. Expect an evening filled with melodic magic showcasing the beautiful lyricism of Lafourcade’s voice and their shared reverence for music and its vast capacity to change lives.

Sunday, August 4, at 7PM

LORD HURON
SHAKEY GRAVES
YOLA
Anne Litt, host

Framed by the beautiful Hollywood Bowl shell and twinkling skyline, this is a perfect setting for Lord Huron’s distinct vocals and sweepingly intricate noir-pop textures. Shakey Graves has evolved from a campfire storyteller into a songwriter armed with a full band, and the rich instrumentation clouds around his lyrics like Broadway set designs. Yola’s new Dan Auerbach-produced album – her debut – showcases her electrified country and roots music.

Sunday, September 15, at 7PM

CAFÉ TACVBA
Additional artist to be announced
Raul Campos, host

It’s impossible to limit what this Mexico City group does to just one genre. The innovative quartet emerged from the rock en español scene of the ’90s to explore indie rock, electronic music, musique concrète, cumbia, norteña, and more. It all amounts to a thoroughly modern portrait of Mexican music – and an adventurous and viscerally exciting live concert experience that’s Made them a sell-out favorite around the world.

Sunday, September 29, at 7PM

GARY CLARK JR.
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
Aaron Byrd, host

Grammy® Award-winning maverick Gary Clark Jr. channels his signature sound from the crossroads of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, and punk. Clark’s new album This Land – his most accomplished to date – is a socially relevant and musically ambitious declaration that’s as unapologetic, undeniable, and unique as he is. It’s an embodiment of an ever-evolving sound that’s made him into a live music powerhouse and artistic force anointed by everyone from President Obama to Prince. A UK native of Ugandan heritage, Michael Kiwanuka was raised in north London and has risen to the top of the British charts with his blend of vintage soul, folk, and stone-cold grooves. With influences including Jimi Hendrix and Bill Withers, Michael will be celebrating the release of a new record, his first since 2016’s critically acclaimed Love & Hate.

Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl 2019 summer season will be available online at HollywoodBowl.com or via phone at 323.850.2000 on the following dates:

  • Subscriptions currently on sale.
  • “Five or More” packages will be available March 12, 2019.
  • The Hollywood Bowl Box Office opens for single ticket sales May 5, 2019.

About KCRW

KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

Standard
Events

KCRW Announces Line-Up for 2018 Masquerade

 

KCRW ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR

2018 MASQUERADE

Santigold (DJ Set), White Denim, Wajatta, DāM-FunK, Cherry Glazerr, Shannon Shaw, Brothers Griiin,

Lucent Dossier, KCRW DJs, and more!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2018
9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
The Los Angeles Theatre

Tickets On-Sale Today at kcrw.com/masquerade

Santa Monica, CA (September 12, 2018) – KCRW announced today the line-up for the 2018 Masquerade, L.A.’s iconic Halloween extravaganza, featuring Santigold (DJ Set), White Denim, Wajatta, DāM-FunK, Cherry Glazerr, Shannon Shaw, Brothers Griiin, Lucent Dossier, as well as KCRW DJs Raul Campos, Chris Douridas, Jose Galvan, Marion Hodges, Travis Holcombe, Liza Richardson, Jeremy Sole, Anthony Valadez, and Dan Wilcox, on Saturday, October 27, from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., at the historic Los Angeles Theatre. KCRW’s Masquerade, dubbed “legendary” by Time Out, and “the best costume party in town” by Edge is a feast for the senses, a glamorous and gritty mash-up of eccentricity, featuring DJs, bands, special musical guests, performance artists, and much more.

Tickets are on sale now for $89.9. For more details visit: http://www.kcrw.com/masquerade

More about the artists:

Santigold:

In the decade since her classic eponymous debut, Santi has revealed herself to be the most eclectic artist of her generation with a broad influence. She has collaborated with Jay Z, Kanye West, The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O & Nick Zinner, Beastie Boys, David Byrne, Amadou & Mariam, Q Tip, MIA, Mark Ronson, Pharrell, Julian Casablancas, Lykke Li, Basement Jaxx, Matt & Kim, Major Lazer, Asap Rocky, Diplo, Lil Yachty, Devo, and The Lonely Island. Her songs have been sampled by Drake & Lil Wayne and Future among others. She’s written for Gza of Wu-Tang Clan, Lily Allen, and Christina Aguilera. Santi has been handpicked for tours by Bjork, Kanye West, Jay Z, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Beastie Boys. She’s a singular artist beloved by her peers across genres. On July 27th through Downtown Records, Santigold released I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions – a summer-inspired spontaneous mixtape-style project recorded with Mixpak Records producer Dre Skull.

White Denim:

In his 1942 essay The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus wrote that “All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Great works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurant’s revolving door.” 15 years later Richard Wayne Penniman wrote “Wop bop a loo bop a wop bam boom”, an undeniably powerful vocalization that on any given Wednesday in any given situation, civilized or otherwise, is still fully capable of setting somebody’s stuff aflame. Over ten years and seven long players into their career, White Denim are still in the relentless pursuit of a thread- in other words, a wick. The Austin, Texas band have carefully and continuously studied the greatest records ever made, but they write songs just dumb enough to drink, dance, and fight to. Theirs is a music that aims for the whole body, while equally satisfying the mind. While it has morphed, expanded, and even burst apart, White Denim’s sincere and human drive and ability to spark true exhilaration have been unerring constants of the band’s 10-year existence.

Wajatta:

Wajatta – the new group formed by beat-boxer/comedian/musician Reggie Watts and electronic music artist/DJ/producer John Tejada recently released its debut album, Casual High Technology. Presented as a cosmic collection of funk-infused techno, Casual High Technology is the culmination of decades’ worth of Watts and Tejada’s favorite electronic music shaped to fit a new dance sensibility. Wajatta (pronounced wa-Ha-ta), as the name suggests, is a mash-up of the artist’s last names. Having grown up with similar musical influences, Austrian-born Tejada and German-born Watts draw from their love of urban, electronic music. Exploring the intersection between influences and innovation, the two describe Wajatta’s music as “electronic dance music with its roots in Detroit techno, Chicago house, ’70s funk and New York hip hop.” Tejada’s deep, melodic production makes the perfect backing for Watt’s wide vocal range and live looping skills.

DāM-FunK:

Damon “Dām-Funk” Riddick grew up in the Los Angeles city/suburb of Pasadena. A ’70s baby, he came of age in the era of the Uncle Jamm’s Army parties, of electro-pharaoh Egyptian Lover, of Prince’s purple reign. His parents nurtured his musical talents as a child and by his teens, he mastered the drums, then the drum machine. A chance encounter led to an apprenticeship under funk songwriter/producer Leon Sylvers III (SOLAR Records) and by the mid-90s G-Funk era in hip-hop, Dām found his musical skills in high demand by rappers such as Mack 10 and MC Eiht. In 2006, Dām-Funk and a few friends launched the popular Funkmosphere party in L.A., bringing the boogie back. It’s around then that Dām drew the attention of Stones Throw. Dām’s partnership with the label has seen the release of his debut Toeachizown (2009) and Invite the Light (2015), as well as an anthology of early productions, Adolescent Funk (2010), to Higher (2013) with Steve Arrington and 7 Days of Funk (2013) with Snoop Dogg.

Cherry Glazerr:

Clem, a 19 year old teen Queen with a headstrong resolve like her hero Patti Smith dreamed up Cherry Glazerr in her LA bedroom. Bolstering Clem’s vision is the loud-in every-way-possible drummer Tabor Allen and the level-headed but bad-ass, multi-instrumentalist Sasami Ashworth who plays synths and notably French Horn (Clem is still scheming on how to incorporate that into Cherry Glazerr’s sound).The band’s newfound self-discipline and motivation has evolved Cherry Glazerr into a wildly complex, hugely guitar heavy, and unapologetically loud machine. When it comes to sweating the major shit, Cherry Glazerr live like they want to see others live. They don’t want to preach certain politics, they’d rather hold court for an open discourse. The subject of equality among the sexes, however, holds a special, unavoidable place for Clem, torchbearer for feminism in its raddest forms.

Shannon Shaw:

Shannon Shaw, the captivating vocalist, bassist, and founder of Shannon & the Clams, released her first solo album, Shannon In Nashville in June, 2018. A nod to Dusty Springfield’s 1969 classic Dusty In Memphis, Shaw made her own pilgrimage down South to collaborate with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and a congregation of revered old-school session musicians. Evoking the tear-jerking intonations of Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline, Shaw’s mastery of the instrument she was born to use leaves no doubt that she belongs squarely on the throne of whatever she cares to belt out. The record’s lush orchestration seamlessly melds the Nashville Sound with the Motown Sound—both known for crossing a type of roots music over into pop—and provides the wings for Shaw’s naturally anguished, torchy voice to soar. Shaw truly arrives in Nashville sounding like a woman who has learned to embrace who she is and where she came from.

Brothers Griiin:

You may recognize the Brothers Griiin as the fearless drumming duo behind The Flaming Lips, but after the show these international DJ destroyers bring the party to the people. Matt Duckworth (Stardeath and White Dwarfs) and Nicholas Ley (Colourmusic) got the call to join the Flaming Lips in early 2014. The plan was to alternate drumming duties for the Lips in between their other tours at first, but after a few shows with both drummers it was decided that the Lips would only play with the “Brothers.” When you catch the Brothers Griiin live, they have no genre or playlist, they just spin what the party needs, all night long. Mixing funk, hip hop, pop, indie and dance, these gladiators of style and taste keep the drinks full and the dance floor packed.  Go party with them, you’re all invited. ​It will be loud. It will be wild. It will be Griiin.

Lucent Dossier

This world-renowned, pioneering performance collective combines spellbinding performances, interactive service stations, haute couture costumes, and avant-garde concepts to welcome their audience into an other-wordly experience. Lucent Dossier has been recognized as the pioneers of an artistic revolution, with a strong focus on performances of the heart and a completely innovative fashion style that can now be seen woven into the hip cultural landscape that is enchanting the mainstream of America and the world. Prepare for a transformative experience as you’re staggered and spellbound by the cirque stylings of this ancient-futuristic creative revolution, Lucent Dossier Experience.

Editors please note:
KCRW’s Masquerade 2018
Saturday, October 27
9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.

Los Angeles Theatre
615 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA  90014

Tickets currently on sale at kcrw.com/masquerade
Ticket price: $89.9

About KCRW

KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, and online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw
YouTube | youtube.com/user/kcrw

Standard