Sunset Concerts

The Skirball welcomes LA music lovers to the twenty-second season of Sunset Concerts. This year’s lineup features diverse artists from around the globe, across the country, and here at home in LA. Each embraces popular music genres that build upon the styles of traditional world music—and each is sure to get audiences on their feet to sing and dance along.

Arrive early to dine, shop, and view the exhibitions! Beginning at 5:30 p.m., enjoy grab-and-go light fare and full bar service from Zeidler’s Cart. Stop by Audrey’s Museum Store, open until 8:00 p.m. And be sure to check out the exhibitions Leonard Bernstein at 100 and The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited, FREE and open until 10:00 p.m.

Schedule: Goapele (July 26); Peter Mawanga (August 2); The Marías (August 9); Ranky Tanky (August 16); Kishi Bashi (August 23); and Gili Yalo (August 30).

All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m.
FREE | No reservations
Parking is $10 per car (cash only) | Street parking strictly prohibited
Doors to the concert venue open at 6:30 p.m.
Admission and seating on a first-come, first-served basis

Know before you go!

Maximize your Sunset Concerts experience by reviewing these frequently asked questions before you arrive.

Sponsors

Goapele
Thursday, July 26, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)
FREE | No reservations
Hailed as a “driving motivational force” (Huffington Post) with a voice that’s “the stuff of dreams” (Essence), Oakland-born singer-songwriter Goapele—whose name means “to move forward” in the African language Setswana—kicks off this season of Sunset Concerts with her deeply personal take on R&B, soul, funk, and hip-hop.
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Peter Mawanga
Thursday, August 2, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)
FREE | No reservations
Embrace the peace and calm of Malawi with Peter Mawanga. Dubbed “the voice of the voiceless” in Malawi, Mawanga sings socially conscious songs paired with traditional African rhythms. Using both traditional and contemporary instrumentation—from thumb pianos, shakers, and xylophones to electric guitars and bass—he and his band create globally appealing music that retains an intrinsically Malawian character.
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The Marías
Thursday, August 9, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)
FREE | No reservations
Drift into a dreamlike reverie of jazz, psychedelia, and funk as LA locals The Marías take the Sunset Concerts stage. Fronted by Puerto Rican–born and Atlanta-raised lead vocalist María, they perform a new American sound rooted in crosscultural influences and evocative of the sultry 1970s. Their smooth fusion of hypnotic guitar riffs, velvet vocals, and nostalgic horn solos is sure to transport listeners into a timeless space.
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Ranky Tanky
Thursday, August 16, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)
FREE | No reservations
Named after a Gullah expression that roughly translates to “work it” or “get funky,” Ranky Tanky builds upon the musical traditions of the South Carolina Low Country with gospel-style vocals, jazzy trumpet solos, and African rhythms.
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Kishi Bashi
Thursday, August 23, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)
FREE | No reservations
Visit the “radiant, uplifting soundscape” (NPR) of violinist, singer, and composer Kishi Bashi. Named a Favorite Discovery of 2012 by NPR, Kishi Bashi has captivated audiences across the globe with his loop-based live show. Experience a breadth of bright and soaring avant-pop songs, gentle ballads, and improvisations in a unique kaleidoscopic style.
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Gili Yalo
Thursday, August 30, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)
FREE | No reservations
LA debut! Singing in both English and Amharic, Ethiopia’s official language, Gili Yalo creates a rich patchwork of contemporary soul, funk, psychedelic rock, and traditional Ethiopian music for the closing concert of this year’s Sunset Concerts. Drawing inspiration from his experience as an Ethiopian Jew who fled war and famine in Sudan in 1984 to eventually re-settle in Israel, Yalo’s work represents his own personal triumph while giving a new meaning to traditional Ethiopian music.
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