Line-up Announced for KCRW Showcases at SXSW Wednesday, March 16

KCRW Showcases at SXSW

Wednesday, March 16
WHITE DENIM, LAPSLEY and DECLAN MCKENNA
Radio Day Stage
Ballroom D, 4th floor, Austin Convention Center
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

RA RA RIOT, ELIOT SUMNER, MARLON WILLIAMS CLOVES, JOON MOON AND SOFI TUKKER
to Perform
THE FIRST-EVER NIGHTTIME SHOWCASE at
3TEN at Austin City Limits Live
310 Willie Nelson Blvd, Suite 1A
8:00 pm -2:00 am

Santa Monica, CA (February 23) – Los Angeles-based public radio station KCRW has announced the line-up for this year’s KCRW Showcases at SXSW, kicking off the convention with two official showcases on Wednesday, March 16.

KCRW is proud to present the very first nighttime showcase at a brand new venue, 3TEN at Austin City Limits, featuring Ra Ra Riot, Eliot Sumner, Joon Moon, Cloves, Marlon Williams and Sofi Tukker from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Earlier in the day, White Denim, Declan McKenna and Lapsley hit the Radio Day Stage located on the 4th Floor of the Austin Convention Center in Ballroom D, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Both showcases are open to anyone with a festival badge or wristband (no RSVP required).

KCRW will also be broadcasting LIVE from Austin, TX on Friday, March 18 during Morning Becomes Eclectic, and Saturday, March 19 during Anne Litt’s program. Additional details to come!

KCRW is proud to present the first-ever nighttime showcase at a brand-new venue, 3TEN at Austin City Limits Live. As the newest extension of the Austin City Limits live experience, the 350-person capacity showcase room is equipped with the most advanced audio and lighting systems available to deliver a live music experience like no other.

The showcase kicks off at 8pm and features six of KCRW’s favorite artists:

KCRW welcomes back Ra Ra Riot – a Morning Becomes Eclectic favorite and a live force to be reckoned with. They return in support of their just-released fourth album, Need Your Light, which gets back to their house party roots without abandoning the more heady soundscapes they explored with 2013’s Beta Love. The opening track “Water,” which starts off with a syncopated groove and minimalist instrumentation before gradually building into a triumphant, 90’s soul call to arms, has been on constant rotation on KCRW since its release.

London-born Eliot Sumner has music in her blood and a sound that is very much her own. She recently released her debut album, Information, and has lent her lush vocals to Miike Snow and Trentemoller. Her songs marry haunting low-register vocals and upbeat electro-pop with Krautrock-inspired inflections, showing a range of influences from the Bad Seeds to bands like Cluster, Faust and iconic German electronica four-piece Kraftwerk.

The Parisian duo Joon Moon features Julien Decoret, a producer with connections to the Nouvelle Vague camp, and Krystle Warren, a smoky-voiced singer from Kansas City. Together they have enchanted listeners with their debut EP, Chess, and captured KCRW’s attention with the infectious track “Help Me.”

Australian newcomer Kaity Dunstan, who performs under the name Cloves, has an incredible voice that makes you stop and pay attention. The stunning, heartfelt and haunting minimalism displayed on her debut EP harkens back to the vocal greats of yesteryear, which is made even more remarkable by the fact that she is still in her teens.

Twenty-five year old Marlon Williams truly inhabits his material live and on record with his exceptionally versatile and evocative voice, tremendous stage presence, and songwriting that blends Americana with first wave rock ’n roll through a modern lens. Ever since his father turned him on to country music in his teens, his trajectory has been straight up. Williams just won Best Male Solo Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the New Zealand Music Awards for his remarkably assured and diverse eponymous debut album.

Sofi Tukker’s weirdly wonderful pop single “Drinkee” has been a favorite on KCRW’s airwaves for months. The New York duo has just finished their debut EP titled, Soft Animals. Having created a truly unique sound blending global instrumentation with modern technology (while sounding anything but machine-made) nobody can seem to agree what box to put them in… and that suits them just fine.

KCRW Showcase at SXSW at the Radio Day Stage from 3:00 pm to 6:00 features White Denim, Declan McKenna and Lapsley. The Radio Day Stage is located on the 4th Floor of the Austin Convention Center in Ballroom D.

White Denim has long been a KCRW favorite, in large part due to their incredible live shows. The Austin quintet will perform tracks from their soon-to-be released sixth record, Stiff, out March 25, 2016 via Downtown/Sony Red. Stiff is a return to the band’s frenetic rock roots, and is both a jubilant thrill ride and joyous celebration of their past ten years. Teeming with a cool ‘70s undertow, tumultuous riffs, and a feverish energy, the new album has resulted in arguably some of their biggest and brawniest White Denim songs to date.

KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley did a little digging for new music on Soundcloud over his holiday break and a track, “Falling Short,” by Liverpool artist Lapsley emerged as his favorite. The track, which combines minimalist electronica with soulful vocals, leads her 4-song Understudy EP, and now she is set to release her self-produced debut Long Way Home on March 4, 2016 on XL Recordings. At only 19 years old, it’s the perfect time to catch this rising star, while she’s on her way up.

17-year-old Declan McKenna has achieved more than your average teenager. He’s been booking his own gigs for three years, whilst recording songs in his bedroom. He also won the Glastonbury Emerging Talent contest & secured a performance at the festival last summer. He’s currently on the road in the UK and France supporting Lisbon, Foals and Mystery Jets. McKenna’s SXSW performances will be among the first-ever in the U.S.

KCRW OFFICIAL SHOWCASES AT SXSW

Radio Day Stage, presented by KCRW
Wednesday, March 16, Austin Convention Center, Ballroom D

Set times:
White Denim 3:00 pm
Declan McKenna 4:00 pm
Lapsley 5:00 pm

3TEN at Austin City Limits Live, presented by KCRW
Wednesday, March 16, 310 Willie Nelson Blvd, Suite 1A

Set times:
Cloves                          8:00 pm
Marlon Williams 9:00 pm
Joon Moon                  10:00 pm
Eliot Sumner 11:00 pm
Ra Ra Riot                   12:00 am
Sofi Tukker                  1:00 am

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, and via five KCRW-developed smart phone apps and online at kcrw.com.

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw
Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio
Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw
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Events, KCRW Music Announcement

Line-up Announced for 2016 KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl

2016 KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl

Los Angeles, CA (February 9, 2016) – The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association has announced today the initial line-up for the 18th season of KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. The successful collaboration between KCRW and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association continues, starting Sunday, June 26.

KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl:

Sunday, June 26, at 7 PM

REGGAE NIGHT XIV

BURNING SPEAR

COCOA TEA • ETANA

Celebrate the 14th annual night of reggae at the Bowl, featuring Grammy®-winning roots reggae godfather Burning Spear.

Sunday, July 10, at 7 PM

PET SOUNDS with BRIAN WILSON

AL JARDINE & BLONDIE CHAPLIN

M. WARD

Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ co-founder and genius behind the ’60s sound of America, returns to the Hollywood Bowl stage for the 50th anniversary of Pet Sounds. The mythical masterpiece and greatest hits will come to life with fellow members Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin and the sun-swept harmonies of songs like “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” and “God Only Knows” that influenced The Beatles, Radiohead, and David Bowie. Portland-based singer/songwriter/producer and multi-instrumentalist M. Ward celebrates his latest release, More Rain.

Sunday, August 7, at 7 PM

KURT VILE and THE VIOLATORS

Additional artists to be announced

In a night of critically acclaimed and eclectic artists, Philadelphia rocker Kurt Vile and his band, The Violators come to the Bowl in support of the widely heralded opus, b’lieve i’m goin’ down, partly recorded and mixed in Los Angeles and Joshua Tree. Vile’s sound evokes dusty-hazy Americana roots with a dash of psychedelia, his powerful introspections delivered with touching earnestness. Headliner and opening act to be announced.

Sunday, August 21, at 7 PM

THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE with YO-YO MA

World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his innovative brainchild, The Silk Road Ensemble, bring their collaborative excellence to the Bowl stage for an exciting evening of world music exploration. Made up of performers and composers from more than 20 countries and lauded as “vibrant and virtuosic” by The Wall Street Journal, the ensemble encompasses musical traditions from around the globe.

Sunday, September 18, at 7 PM

KRAFTWERK 3-D

Electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk continue their streak of highly acclaimed 3-D concerts by undertaking their first Hollywood Bowl appearance. With their visions of the future, Kraftwerk created the soundtrack for our digital age of the 21st century. Bringing together music, computer animations and performance art, their 3-D concerts are a true “Gesamtkunstwerk – a total work of art.”

Sunday, September 25, at 7 PM

BLOC PARTY

MS MR

Additional artist to be announced

With an endless array of giddy electro-pop anthems, English indie rock institution Bloc Party takes the Hollywood Bowl stage, presenting their new album HYMNS to euphoric effect. New York chillwave stars MS MR transport you to their dance pop fantasyland to kick off the evening.

Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl 2016 summer season will be available online at HollywoodBowl.com or via phone at 323.850.2000 on the following dates:

• New subscriptions are on sale today.

• Group sales being on Tuesday, February 16, 2016.

• “Five or More” packages will be available on Tuesday, March 15, 2016.

• The Hollywood Bowl box office opens for single ticket sales on Sunday, May 1, 2016.

About KCRW:

Station Announcement

KCRW Launches Free Virtual Reality App

KCRW LAUNCHES FREE VIRTUAL REALITY APP WITH EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS FROM DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, BRANDI CARLILE, THUNDERCAT AND PURITY RING

FIRST-EVER PUBLIC MEDIA COMPANY TO LAUNCH DEDICATED VIRTUAL REALITY APP

http://www.kcrw.com/vr

Santa Monica, CA (Jan. 20, 2016) – Today, Los Angeles-based public radio station KCRW announced the launch of their free Virtual Reality mobile app. Designed to work with KCRW Cardboard (a branded version of Google Cardboard), the KCRW VR app gives fans a unique opportunity to join a live session from the station’s legendary basement studio, by putting viewers inside intimate performances. The KCRW VR app launches with exclusive videos from artists including, Death Cab for Cutie, Brandi Carlile, Thundercat, and Purity Ring. KCRW is the first-ever public media entity and radio station to launch a dedicated VR app, and with its in-house production team, will continue to provide exclusive content throughout the year.

Built by hand in the basement of KCRW’s Santa Monica studio, the custom video rig features eight GoPro cameras that allow each artist’s performance to be captured in stereoscopic 3D (Virtual Reality) to create a 360º panoramic video. Footage is then stitched together to create an immersive, stereoscopic 3D VR experience that puts the user inside the session.

“Now for the first time, you can be in our studio with the artists. It’s a revolutionary change in the way KCRW curated artists and music can be discovered. We are always striving for creative ways to connect with our community and we’re so excited to try out this new technology together,” commented Jennifer Ferro, KCRW president.

Performances are captured during artist’s in-studio sessions for Morning Becomes Eclectic, the station’s flagship music program.

Artists and songs available at launch include:

● Death Cab for Cutie – “The Ghosts of Beverly Drive”

● Brandi Carlile – “Murder in the City”

● Thundercat – “Them Changes”

● Purity Ring – “Stranger Than Earth”

“VR is undoubtedly the next frontier for blockbuster entertainment. While the biggest studios in Hollywood develop content for the masses, KCRW can amplify the outstanding live sessions that take place on a regular basis at the station, and offer a uniquely immersive experience to the audience,” said KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley. “This exciting initiative matches KCRW curated music and art with exciting new technologies and partnerships for wider distribution.”

Additional performances will be captured throughout the year, with video from Penguin Prison, Mew, Gardens and Villa, Amason, Mr. Pauer, Shana Halligan, Natalia Lafourcade, Korey Dane and Langhorne Slim, slated for release in the upcoming months. All videos, including several exclusive app-only performances, will live on the KCRW app, with select content featured in the KCRW branded room on Samsung’s MilkVR.

To experience KCRW’s exclusive performances in full stereoscopic VR video, fans can download the free app in the iOS and Android stores and can purchase a specially designed KCRW Cardboard, with artwork by Mr. Scruff, for only a $5.00 donation to KCRW.com. Users that do not have KCRW Cardboard can still watch the videos as an interactive 360 degree video on KCRW’s YouTube channel.

For more information on KCRW’s virtual reality experience, including a behind-the-scenes video, visit www.kcrw.com/vr.

About KCRW

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw

Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio

Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw

Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw

Programming

KCRW’s Below the Ten: Stories of South LA continues with “Local Hires”

KCRW’s Audio/Visual Reporting Series on L.A.’s Vulnerable Populations Continues with “Local Hires,” the sixth chapter in Below the Ten: Stories of South LA

Series focuses on people who live and work in neighborhoods south of the 10 Freeway, including Watts, Jefferson Park, Inglewood and Compton

“Local Hires” premieres Thursday, January 14, on Morning Edition

kcrw.com/belowtheten

Los Angeles, CA (January 13, 2016) – The sixth chapter of KCRW’s Below the Ten: Stories of South LA titled “Local Hires” is set to premiere on Thursday, January 14, on Morning Edition. “Local Hires” tells the story of a union carpenter Anthony Fagan and his mentor “Big John,” a man whose mission it is to use local construction jobs as an opportunity to reduce violence in the South Los Angeles community. Across South LA there are a number of large developments under construction, including the $650 million dollar USC village, the expansion of the Crenshaw Metro line, and a new NFL stadium. Many of these city-changing projects have local hire initiatives, with a goal to hire a set percentage of people from the neighborhoods that surround these developments. The question is, will these new developments change South LA so dramatically that the people who constructed them can no longer afford to live there?

Each chapter in Below the Ten: Stories of South LA is produced documentary style, and focuses on the neighborhoods south of the 10 Freeway, including Watts, Jefferson Park, Inglewood and Compton. Produced by David Weinberg, the series examines these changing communities through intimate, personal stories of those who reside there. The audio premieres on KCRW’s airwaves, and complementary photo and video features are available online at kcrw.com/belowtheten.

Many of the people highlighted in Below the Ten: Stories of South LA are poor – some are undocumented, and some lack basic shelter, safety and opportunities to get ahead. The first chapter, “The New Compton,” tells the story of the changing face of Compton. Chapter 2, “Grace of the Sea,” follows Luis Jesus Gutierrez Sanchez – a gay, undocumented immigrant residing in Jefferson Park who is in danger of losing the garage he calls home. Chapter 3, “After Katrina, Finding Refuge in South LA,” chronicles Cassandra Cousin’s relocation to South LA after the hurricane hit New Orleans and left her homeless. Chapter 4 highlights one of the last remaining juke joints in California, “The Barnyard” – part junkyard, part music venue, part shelter – located on South Main Street not far from Watts. Chapter 5, “The Long Commute,” chronicles the Chambers family, who achieved their lifelong dream of homeownership by leaving South Los Angeles for the desert community of Palmdale, keeping ties to the old neighborhood by making a long daily commute to work and school: four hours “on a good day.” Additional chapters in the series will be unveiled in the coming months.

In August, 2015, KCRW announced the development of a multi-year documentary and reporting series on issues affecting the lives of Los Angeles residents who find themselves at the edges of our community. The series, supported by a generous grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, will explore Los Angeles’ most vulnerable populations. Below the Ten: Stories of South LA is the first set of programs in the series.

For more information and online access to full audio and video, please visit:

kcrw.com/belowtheten

About KCRW

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw

Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio

Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw

Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw

About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help the world’s disadvantaged and vulnerable people. The Foundation currently conducts strategic initiatives in six priority areas: providing safe water, ending chronic homelessness, preventing substance use, helping children affected by HIV and AIDS, supporting transition-age youth in foster care, and extending Conrad Hilton’s support for the work of Catholic Sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $1.5 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants, distributing $100 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2014. The Foundation’s current assets are approximately $2.5 billion. For more information, please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org.

Programming

Below the Ten: Stories of South LA Continues with “The Long Commute”

KCRW’s Audio/Visual Reporting Series on L.A.’s Vulnerable Populations Continues with “The Long Commute,” the fifth chapter in “Below the Ten: Stories of South LA”

Series focuses on people who live and work in neighborhoods south of the 10 Freeway, including Watts, Jefferson Park, and Compton

“The Long Commute” premieres Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 PM on Which Way, L.A.?

kcrw.com/belowtheten

Los Angeles, CA (November 18, 2015) – The fifth chapter of KCRW’s “Below the Ten: Stories of South LA” titled “The Long Commute” is set to premiere on Thursday, November 19, at 7:00 PM, on the station’s signature local affairs program, Which Way L.A.? “The Long Commute” tells the story of the Chambers family, who achieved their lifelong dream of homeownership by leaving South Los Angeles for the desert community of Palmdale. Like many others who have fled inner cities for suburbs, the Chambers kept ties to the old neighborhood – in their case by making a long daily commute to work and school: four hours “on a good day,” in the words of Stephanie Chambers. As South LA continues to transition from majority African-American to majority Latino, “The Long Commute” examines the history and human face of demographic change.

Each chapter in “Below the Ten: Stories of South LA” is produced documentary style, and focuses on the neighborhoods south of the 10 Freeway, including Watts, Jefferson Park, and Compton. Produced by David Weinberg, the series examines these changing communities through intimate, personal stories of those who reside there. The audio premieres on KCRW’s airwaves, and complementary photo and video features are available online at kcrw.com/belowtheten.

Many of the people highlighted in the “Below the Ten” series are poor – some are undocumented, and some lack basic shelter, safety and opportunities to get ahead. The first chapter, “The New Compton,” tells the story of the changing face of Compton. Chapter 2, “Grace of the Sea,” follows Luis Jesus Gutierrez Sanchez — a gay, undocumented immigrant residing in Jefferson Park who is in danger of losing the garage he calls home. Chapter 3, “After Katrina, Finding Refuge in South LA,” chronicles Cassadra Cousin’s relocation to South LA after the hurricane hit New Orleans and left her homeless. Chapter 4 highlights one of the last remaining juke joints in California, “The Barnyard” – part junkyard, part music venue, part shelter – located on South Main Street not far from Watts. Additional chapters in the series will be unveiled in the coming months.

In August, 2015, KCRW announced the development of a multi-year documentary and reporting series on issues affecting the lives of Los Angeles residents who find themselves at the edges of our community. The series, supported by a generous grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, will explore Los Angeles’ most vulnerable populations. “Below the Ten: Stories of South LA” is the first set of programs in the series.

For more information and online access to full audio and video, please visit: kcrw.com/belowtheten
About KCRW

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw

Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio

Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw

Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw

About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Programming, Station Announcement

KCRW Unveils Multi-Year Documentary and Reporting Series on L.A.’s Vulnerable Populations

KCRW Unveils Multi-Year Documentary and Reporting Series on L.A.’s Vulnerable Populations

Series Supported by a Generous Grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Inaugural Series “Below the Ten: Stories of South LA” features intimate stories about people who reside in neighborhoods south of the 10 Freeway, including Watts, Jefferson Park, and Compton

Grace of the Sea, the moving story of a gay, undocumented immigrant residing in Jefferson Park premieres August 28, at 7:30 PM on KCRW’s UnFictional

KCRW announced today a new multi-year documentary and reporting series on issues affecting the lives of Los Angeles residents who find themselves at the edges of our community. The series, supported by a generous grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, will explore Los Angeles’ most vulnerable populations.

The inaugural series “Below the Ten: Stories of South LA” focuses on the neighborhoods south of the 10 Freeway, including Watts, Jefferson Park, and Compton. Produced by David Weinberg, “Below the Ten” explores personal stories of residents in Los Angeles neighborhoods once associated with African-American disenfranchisement, gangster rap, crime and civil unrest. Today, however, the vast majority of South L.A.’s population is Latino, and some of these historically neglected neighborhoods are seeing more corporate investment as well as some of the biggest residential development projects in Southern California. “Below the Ten” explores these changing communities through intimate, personal stories of those who reside there.

Many of the people highlighted in “Below the Ten” are poor – some are undocumented, some lack basic shelter, safety and opportunities to get ahead. Weinberg comments, “it’s about elevating people who often get reduced to very simple narratives about ‘struggle’ and ‘bootstraps’. I’m interested in getting as close as possible to trying to learn about how their lives are affected by the circumstances that exist for many in L.A.”

The stories are produced documentary style, with the audio premiering on KCRW’s airwaves with complementary video features available online. Weinberg spent weeks and sometimes months with the people in these communities. “A lot comes out during the hanging out time that you wouldn’t know to ask in an interview. Serendipity happens more when you put in the time,” Weinberg says. “The web of personal connections becomes more apparent. It starts to feel more like a small town.”

“Below the Ten: Stories of South LA” a multi-chapter series will be unveiled over the course of eight months. The introductory chapter, “The New Compton” tells the story of the changing face of Compton. The premiere of Chapter 2 “Grace of the Sea” will air on August 28 at 7:30 PM on KCRW’s UnFictional. Luis Jesus Gutierrez Sanchez, who calls himself “Grace of the Sea,” has been living in a garage in South L.A. for six years. He’s pasted pictures of celebrities cut out from magazines to the walls and written poetry on them in pink chalk. It’s his own magical world tucked away in Jefferson Park, a neighborhood just south of the 10 Freeway between Crenshaw and Normandie. But, now he has to move. His landlord, fearing city inspectors, has told him to get out.

For more information and online access to audio and video features, please visit:

kcrw.com/belowtheten

About KCRW

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw

Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio

Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw

Google+ | plus.google.com/+kcrw

About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Events

KCRW Presents Ira Glass’ Three Acts, Two Dancers and One Radio Host

One Night Only at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM

KCRW is proud to bring back by popular demand the final Los Angeles presentations of Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host, starring Ira Glass, the host and executive producer of the universally lauded public radio program This American Life, choreographer/dancer Monica Bill Barnes and fellow dancer/collaborator Anna Bass. The trio bring the unlikely art forms of talk radio and dance together for a production that The New York Times heralded as “unapologetically human and refreshingly relatable.” KCRW will present the performances of this critically acclaimed show on one special night at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2015, at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM.

Acclaimed by The Washington Post as “equal parts heart and humor,” Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host seamlessly combines Glass’ trademark storytelling and Barnes’ witty, theatrical movement style. Dancers Barnes and Bass illustrate Glass’ narration in three stirring acts – the first of which focuses on performance as an occupation, the second on artistic and romantic relationships, and, the final, which offers a glimpse into the personal lives of the three performers.

The show was created after Glass saw a performance by Monica Bill Barnes & Company. “It was unlike any dance show I’d ever seen in one crucial way: their sensibility seemed exactly like what I’m shooting for on This American Life,” comments Glass. “They were documenting these very real human moments and they were totally out for fun. Super-accessible. Funny. Original. There was a huge ‘let’s entertain people!’ vibe to the whole thing that I loved and respected.”

Confident that Barnes’s brand of movement would resonate with his radio audience, Glass invited Monica Bill Barnes & Company to be featured in the “Invisible Made Visible” live broadcast episode of This American Life. Following an enthusiastic response to an excerpt of the work at New York’s iconic Carnegie Hall, Barnes, Glass, and Bass created the complete show, Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host. The project has since toured throughout the U.S., performing at venues such at Citi Performing Arts Center (Boston), Town Hall (New York City), and The Annenberg Center (Philadelphia), among many others.

DETAILS:

THREE ACTS, TWO DANCERS, ONE RADIO HOST

Ira Glass, Monica Bill Barnes, Anna Bass

November 7, 2015, at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM

The Theatre at Ace Hotel

929 SOUTH BROADWAY

LOS ANGELES, CA 90015

http://www.acehotel.com/losangeles/theatre/info

Ticket prices and purchase info:

$30-$68.50 plus applicable service fees

7:00 PM: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/813773

10:00 PM: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/813821

For more information, please visit kcrw.com/iraglass

About Ira Glass

Ira Glass is a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame (2014) and the host and creator of the public radio program This American Life. Dubbed by the Chicago Tribune as “the hippest show in the mainstream of public radio,” the show reaches more than 1.7 million listeners and is heard on more than 500 public radio stations in the U.S., and also appears on public radio stations in Canada and Australia. Under Glass’ editorial direction, This American Life has won the highest honors for broadcasting and journalistic excellence including the prestigious Peabody Award. A television adaptation of the program ran on the Showtime network for two years, winning three Emmy Awards. The program’s spin-off show Serial ran for twelve weeks in 2014, quickly becoming a pop culture phenomenon and the most listened-to podcast ever created.

About Monica Bill Barnes

Monica Bill Barnes is a choreographer, performer, and the Artistic Director of Monica Bill Barnes & Company: a New York City-based contemporary dance company founded in 1997. Barnes’ artistic mission is to celebrate individuality, humor, and the innate theatricality of everyday life, delighting in the underdog qualities of all humanity. Specializing in creatively mounted collaborations and bringing dance where it doesn’t belong, Monica Bill Barnes & Company has performed in more than sixty cities throughout the U.S. and been commissioned and presented by some of the top institutions in the country. She holds an MFA from NYU Tisch and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theater from the University of California San Diego.

About Anna Bass

Originally from Forest, Virginia, dancer Anna Bass has worked with choreographers including Shannon Hummel/Cora Dance, Alexandra Beller Dances, Steele Dance, Christian Canciani, Donna Costello, and Aviva Geismar. Bass began working with Monica Bill Barnes & Company in 2003 and now serves as Associate Artistic Director for the company. She has performed Barnes’ work all over the U.S., on stages such as New York City Center and Carnegie Hall, and has performed in Ira Glass’s two most recent This American Life Live! events. Bass often assists Barnes with theater projects, and served as Assistant Choreographer for productions at the Atlantic Theater, the Public Theater, and Yale Repertory Theatre. Bass holds a B.A. in Dance and Theater from James Madison University.

About KCRW

Twitter | twitter.com/kcrw

Facebook | facebook.com/kcrwradio

Instagram | instagram.com/kcrw

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Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW and The Hammer Museum Announce Line-Up for Summer of Soul

KCRW and THE HAMMER MUSEUM ANNOUNCE
SUMMER OF SOUL at the HAMMER
THURSDAYS IN JULY

KCRW and the Hammer Museum once again partner this July to present four nights of live bands and DJ sets as part of KCRW’s Summer Nights series. Free and open to the public, Summer of Soul shines a light on the timeless power of soul music with live band performances and sets from KCRW DJs in the Hammer’s courtyard.

The series kicks off on Thursday, July 9, with Breakestra who put the “FUN” in “FUNK.” Get ready for dancing to Breakestra’s non-stop throw-down with eight live musicians, led by Funky Sole Party founder/DJ Miles Tackett, getting loose on stage with some serious funk and soul grooves. KCRW’s Jeremy Sole launches the evening with his own DJ set.

On Thursday, July 16, LA-based electro-R&B singer Sam Sparro will bring his distinct, scale-defying vocals and epic live show to the Hammer. The evening also features The Rebirth, a seven-member outfit known for their spontaneous live performances infusing new life into classic soul music. Concertgoers will be treated to two DJ sets from KCRW’s Aaron Byrd and Chris Douridas.

Dam-Funk, known as Los Angeles’ “Ambassador of Boogie Funk,” will perform on Thursday, July 23, with a live band mixing the musical stylings of boogie, modern soul and electro-funk to get everyone groovin’. The talented singer/songwriter Martin Luther, will bring his authentic brand of rebel soul music to ears thirsting for truth, funk, rock and hip hop. The jam-packed evening also features DJ sets from Anthony Valadez and Raul Campos.

The series closes on Thursday, July 30, with Jungle Fire, who are sure to live up to their name by fusing the highly infectious and explosive sounds of Cumbia, Afrobeat, and traditional funk. The evening also features The Suffers, a ten-piece band from Houston, TX, who are redefining the sound of Gulf Coast soul. The electrifying evening starts off with a DJ set by Garth Trinidad.

Happy hour, with a cash bar, starts at 6:30 pm along with KCRW DJ sets. Live music begins at 7:30 pm and the museum’s gallery hours will be extended to 9:00 pm so guests can enjoy the Hammer Museum exhibitions including, Mark Bradford: Scorched Earth which presents all new works by the Los Angeles based artist in his first solo museum show in his hometown; Perfect Likeness: Photography and Composition which features fifty-three works by twenty-four contemporary photographers; and two Hammer Project exhibitions highlighting the work of Los Angeles artists Mary Reid Kelley and Joseph Holtzman.

Details:
SUMMER OF SOUL at Hammer Museum
Happy hour and DJ sets begin at 6:30 pm, live music from 7:30 – 10:30 pm, and galleries open until 9:00 pm

Thursday, July 9
Breakestra + KCRW DJ Jeremy Sole

Thursday, July 16
Sam Sparro + The Rebirth + KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd and Chris Douridas

Thursday, July 23
Dam-Funk (w/ live band) + Martin Luther + KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez and Raul Campos

Thursday, July 30
The Suffers + Jungle Fire + KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad

KCRW’s Summer Nights is now in its 6th year and the Hammer Museum has always been an important cultural partner in bringing great music out into the community.

Summer of Soul is sponsored by The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Additional support is provided by IKEA Burbank and media sponsor L.A. Weekly.

Location:
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd. (NE corner of Westwood and Wilshire)
Westwood, CA 90024

Parking:
Concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early and take advantage of $3 parking under the museum available after 6pm (maximum 3 hours).

Metro buses and trains stop within easy walking distance of all KCRW Summer Nights venues. Find the bus or rail line that can take you there using the trip planner at metro.net.

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, and via five KCRW-developed smart phone apps and online at kcrw.com.

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

About The Hammer Museum:
The Hammer Museum at UCLA offers collections, exhibitions, and programs that span the classic to the contemporary in art, architecture, and design. The Hammer’s international exhibition program focuses on wide-ranging thematic and monographic exhibitions, highlighting contemporary art since the 1960s and the work of emerging artists through Hammer Projects and the Hammer’s biennial, Made in L.A. As a cultural center, the Hammer Museum offers nearly 300 free public programs a year, including lectures, readings, symposia, film screenings, and music performances at the Billy Wilder Theater which also houses the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The Hammer is home of the Armand Hammer Collection of American and European paintings, as well as the Armand Hammer Daumier and Contemporaries Collection and the Hammer Contemporary Collection. The Hammer Contemporary Collection focuses on art of all media since 1960 with an emphasis on works of the last ten years, works on paper, and art made in Los Angeles. The museum also houses the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts—comprising more than 45,000 prints, drawings, photographs, and artists’ books from the Renaissance to the present—and oversees the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden at UCLA. Free admission to the Hammer Museum is made possible through the generosity of benefactors Erika J. Glazer and Brenda R. Potter. Visit www.hammer.ucla.edu for current exhibition and program information and call (310) 443-7041 for tours. The Hammer is located at 10899 Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, Los Angeles, and is open Tuesday–Friday 11am–8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am–5pm, and closed Mondays.

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

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Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW and the Annenberg Foundation Announce Sound in Focus Line-Up

KCRW and the Annenberg Foundation are Proud to Announce
SOUND IN FOCUS

JULY 25
TV ON THE RADIO
Boxed In
DJ set by Jason Bentley

AUGUST 1
DE LA SOUL
Quantic (live)
DJ set by Garth Trinidad

AUGUST 8
DWIGHT YOAKAM
X
DJ set by Anne Litt

AUGUST 15
COLD WAR KIDS
Other Lives
DJ Set by Jason Bentley

Free concerts inspired by the Annenberg Space for Photography’s latest exhibit, “Emerging”

KCRW and the Annenberg Foundation are pleased to announce the lineup for Sound in Focus, a free, all-ages concert series inspired by the “Emerging” exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography. The concerts will be held at Century Park in Century City.

Admission is free; however RSVP is required for entry. Registered guests must collect wristbands upon arrival at check-in to gain access to the concerts. Advance registration is available at KCRW.com and is required for every show.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Annenberg Foundation for the third time to build an exciting music series this summer. This year my creative direction was to represent a broad spectrum of tastes, reflecting the interests of the LA community at large,” said Music Director Jason Bentley.

“Each concert has a different story and musical identity, yet the series as a whole resonates as a unified and thoughtful program. This is truly what we’ve come to love from a KCRW-Annenberg music festival, spread out over four weekends.”

“We created the Annenberg Space for Photography to showcase the most extraordinary photographic art. But we’ve also worked to make it an extraordinary public space – a place for the entire LA community to engage with creativity, and with each other,” said Wallis Annenberg, Chairman, President and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation. “That’s why I’m so pleased to announce our third concert series.”

“It’s been said that great music, like the greatest art, gives soul to the universe and flight to the imagination. That’s what Sound In Focus is about. And I’m grateful to KCRW for their partnership.”

TV on the Radio leads an all-star lineup of artists for the series. Always dynamic and unique, the quartet continues to conquer music on their own terms. They delivered a planetarium of music with every song on their most recent release, Seeds, and their live shows are always emotional and engaging.

Music Director Jason Bentley hosts the evening and will spin a set of tunes before one of his favorite new bands of the moment, Boxed In, opens the show. Producer/songwriter Oli Bayston is the mastermind behind the project and brings his mix of moody, cerebral dance pop to life with the help of drummer Liam Hutton, multi-instrumentalist Jack Benfield and Mark Nicholls on bass. With sold out shows in his native UK and an impressive turn at SXSW, it’s clear this artist is on the rise.

Groundbreaking Long Island trio De La Soul have been leaders in the hip-hop scene since their founding over 25 years ago. They have a new album on the horizon and the Kickstarter campaign to fund it made headlines in the NY Times due to the overwhelming response from fans. They’ll bring crafty beats, lyrics with a social conscience, and much more to the stage for this special show on August 1, hosted by Garth Trinidad.

Opening the show will be prolific musician and DJ Will Holland, aka Quantic. He explores the world through music and, over the course of 17 albums, has earned a large international fanbase. On this evening, he will give a special performance of classic and brand new Quantic sounds with a 10-piece band, including guest singers from Colombia, Brazil and Los Angeles.

On August 8, KCRW brings cow-punk to Century Park in an evening hosted by Anne Litt. A uniquely Los Angeles movement merging punk, country, and Americana, it can only be celebrated by the two legendary artists who define it: Dwight Yoakam and X.

Grammy award-winning songwriter Dwight Yoakam has sold more than 25 million records. He’s kept his sound fresh by embracing a wider range of sounds on recent recordings, including his latest Second Hand Heart.

The groundbreaking quartet known as X formed during the first wave of American punk music in the late ‘70s. Featuring vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer DJ Bonebrake, the band celebrates the trials and tribulations of living in Los Angeles. The entire original lineup returns for this show.

Cold War Kids, one of the most exciting rock bands to emerge from the LA music scene in the last decade, will close the series on August 15. The three-chambered heart of the band – Nathan Willett, Matt Maust and Dann Gallucci – makes honest songs about the human experience. It’s a raw, bluesy take on rock ‘n’ roll with an extra level of intensity when they bring it to the stage.

Jason Bentley hosts and openers Other Lives cast a spell with their layered, atmospheric orchestral rock. KCRW has championed the band since their 2011 debut and — after a relocation from their hometown of Stillwater, OK to Portland. OR — they’ve released one of their best albums yet with 2015’s Rituals.

The concerts will take place in the park adjacent to the Annenberg Space for Photography. The Photography Space will stay open late on these evenings (until 11pm) so that the concertgoers may enjoy both the concerts and the exhibit.

There will also be food and refreshments available for purchase from a wide variety of cafes and food trucks that can be enjoyed on the grassy lawn beneath the two shimmering Century Plaza Towers at Century Park. There will also be beer gardens for those 21 and over to enjoy.

KCRW and the Annenberg Foundation first united in 2012 for a string of hugely successful summer music events staged in the outdoor park adjacent to the Photography Space to accompany the Who Shot Rock & Roll exhibit. Last year’s Country in the City series not only spotlighted emerging and established artists in the genre, but was part of the Annenberg Foundation’s 25^th anniversary festivities.

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, and via five KCRW-developed smart phone apps and online at kcrw.com.

About the Annenberg Foundation

The Annenberg Foundation is a family foundation that provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally. The Foundation and its Board of Directors are also directly involved in the community with innovative projects that further its mission of advancing a better tomorrow through visionary leadership today. The Foundation encourages the development of effective ways to communicate by sharing ideas and knowledge.

Events, KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW Summer Nights Kicks Off at One Colorado in Old Pasadena Saturday, June 6 with De Lux and KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

KCRW Summer Nights Kicks Off Saturday, June 6

at One Colorado in Old Pasadena

with De Lux and KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

KCRW’s free, all-ages, outdoor music series Summer Nights returns for a 6th year, kicking off on Saturday, June 6, with a performance by LA’s De Lux and a DJ set from Dan Wilcox at One Colorado.

Earning comparisons to the Talking Heads, Duran Duran and the Psychadelic Furs, De Lux’s post-disco dance-punk conjures the best of the ‘80s with a decidedly modern flair. The evening begins at 7:30 pm with a DJ set from KCRW’s Dan Wilcox, and continues with De Lux performing tracks from their upcoming album “Generation,” to be released June 23 via Innovative Leisure. Be sure to come early because Make Music Pasadena is happening as well.

KCRW returns to One Colorado on Saturday, June 20 with a performance by the quintessentially Californian outfit Cayucas, whose versatile tunes effortlessly migrate from sun-kissed and carefree pop, to melancholic, emotional intensity. The group will be previewing tracks from their upcoming album “Dancing at the Blue Lagoon,” set for release on June 23 on Secretly Canadian. KCRW DJ Marion Hodges opens the show with a DJ set at 7:30 pm.

Both concerts take place in One Colorado’s charming courtyard amidst the historic buildings of Old Pasadena. One Colorado spans an entire city block, between Colorado Boulevard, Union, Delacey and Fair Oaks.

With dozens of free, outdoor, all-ages concerts that are open to the public, KCRW’s signature series, Summer Nights has reached hundreds of thousands of music fans over the years. The series also gives KCRW DJs a chance to bring their eclectic musical tastes out of our basement studios and into the community.

An entire list of KCRW’s Summer Nights concerts can be found here:
kcrw.com/summernights

About KCRW:

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