Hours
Tue–Fri, 12:00–5:00 pm
Sat–Sun, 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Closed Mondays

Free on-site parking

Skirball Cultural Center

Sunset Concerts Program Notes

Photo of an outdoor concert at the Skirball. A large group of people are in the courtyard dancing to a band on stage. Lights are seen in the trees, strung across the courtyard, and from the stage.

Photo by Lindsey Best

July 24: La Perla/Meridien Brothers

Evening Schedule:

  • 6:00 pm: Doors, galleries, and concessions open.
  • 6:00–7:00 pm: DJ sets from El G and Matthew Himes in Taper Courtyard.
  • 7:00–7:45 pm: La Perla performs.
  • 7:45–8:15 pm: DJ sets from El G and Matthew Himes in Taper Courtyard.
  • 8:15–9:30 pm: Meridien Brothers performs.

Event check-in closes at 8:30 pm. Please plan to arrive before this time to guarantee entry.


La Perla

Karen Forero — Vocals, Alegre Drum
Giovanna Mogollón — Vocals, Tambora
Diana Sanmiguel — Vocals, Percussion, Gaita

About La Perla:

“La Perla, that powerful ensemble from Bogotá, represent the ultimate Colombian folkloric and contemporary girl power trio.” —Vice

La Perla is an all-female powerhouse of researchers, singers, and instrumentalists Karen Forero, Giovanna Mogollón, and Diana Sanmiguel, all hailing from Bogotá, Colombia. The group was founded in 2014 after years of individual experience interpreting gaitas, hand drums, and folk singing. In 2015 they won first prize at the Festival de Gaitas de Ovejas—a legendary Gaita contest/festival in Sucre, Colombia—becoming only the second female artists to win in its thirty-year history and the first artists from Bogotá. Two years later they began touring internationally, with a first visit to Mexico and eventually to Chile, the US, and Europe where they have continued to visit with their powerful live show. Inspired by traditional South American folklore and spirituality, La Perla’s sound plays homage to its native roots while challenging the paternalistic status quo. Hypnotic, percussion-forward rhythms are the backdrop for their politically charged lyrics centered on feminism and Indigenous struggles.


Meridien Brothers

Eblis Javier Álvarez Vargas — Vocals, Guitar, Synthesizers
María Valencia — Saxophone, Clarinet, Percussion
Mauricio Ramírez — Drums, Percussion
César Quevedo — Bass
Alejandro Forero — Keys

About Meridien Brothers:

Colombian guitarist and composer Eblis Álvarez started Meridian Brothers twenty years ago as a vehicle for his own experimental music. Over the years, the group has evolved into a five-piece band focused on reinterpreting all manners of Latin Tropical styles with a strong psychedelic and experimental sensibility. The Meridian Brothers’ music uses popular Latin American rhythms, augmented by sampling techniques, elaborate effect processing, and Álvarez’s quirky and theatrical vocals, which channel imaginary characters with both pathos and humor. Álvarez has been an intricate part of the new generation of Colombian musicians who have been instrumental in re-inventing Colombia’s rich panoply of tropical styles, bringing them firmly into the twenty-first century, but retaining a sense of fun and celebration that remains essential to the music.


About El G:

Every musical genre needs it’s trojan horse. In the case of digital cumbia and digital folklore, ZZK Records has been at the epicenter of the movement. Chancha Via Circuito, Frikstailers, La Yegros, El Remolon, Mati Zundel, Tremor, Animal Chuki, Fauna, King Coya and most recently the Ecuadorian artist Nicola Cruz have launched their careers with the indie Buenos Aires label. El G grew out of Buenos Aires. Grant C. Dull (pronounced Duel), first came to Argentina in 1999 and reinvented himself more than once, going from musicologist and online magazine editor, to visual artist for events and finally to curator and DJ. He founded the bilingual cultural website WhatsUpBuenosAires.com, and co-founded ZZK Records and Zizek Club with his Argentine partners. ZZK artists have played more than 200 cities on 5 continents, have penned deals with major labels and been featured on an episode of Breaking Bad and a recent iPhone commercial. Grant as a DJ has performed in more than 85 cities around the world including stops at Coachella, Roskilde, and the Modern Arts Center in St. Petersburg, Russia. In his ever expanding search for culture, music and adventure, Grant has founded four projects from his hub in Argentina, the most recent being ZZK Films.


About Matthew Himes:

Matthew Himes is the Creative Director of misterpsychedelia. He has served as the Director of Programming and Production at Levitt Los Angeles, showcasing his leadership in curating and executing compelling musical experiences. Matthew has also played pivotal roles for the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts, Perch and Mrs. Fish, and The Greek Theatre. With an unwavering passion for elevating the arts and creating unforgettable experiences, Matthew's influence extends to the festival circuit, where he has excelled as the Festival Director and Booker for the Comeback Festival, Night on Broadway, Tar Fest, and Festival & Video Director for Fieston En La Plaza. 

Past Events 

 

July 17: Rodrigo Amarante/Helado Negro

Evening Schedule:

  • 6:00 pm: Doors, galleries, and concessions open.
  • 6:00–7:00 pm: DJ Jason Bentley performs in Taper Courtyard.
  • 7:00–7:45 pm: Rodrigo Amarante performs.
  • 7:45–8:15 pm: DJ Jason Bentley performs in Taper Courtyard.
  • 8:15–9:30 pm: Helado Negro performs.

Event check-in closes at 8:30 pm. Please plan to arrive before this time to guarantee entry.


Rodrigo Amarante — Vocals, Guitar

About Rodrigo Amarante:

Rodrigo Amarante is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles who became an international name with his band Little Joy (alongside The Strokes’ drummer Fab Moretti and Binki Shapiro) He recorded and toured with Devendra Banhart on his last four albums, and recently earned an Emmy nomination for writing and producing the theme song for the hit Netflix show Narcos. Amarante is an inescapable figure in Brazilian music. He is a founding member of the iconic band Los Hermanos and the samba supergroup Orquestra Imperial (alongside Seu Jorge and Moreno Veloso). He has recorded, arranged, and written music with Brazilian icons such as Gilberto Gil, Tom Ze, and Marisa Monte and was elected one of the 100 best musicians in Brazilian history by Rolling Stone. Amarante’s first solo album, Cavalo was released worldwide in 2014. He released his first original film score for the British motion picture 7 Days In Entebbe in early 2018 and recorded his second solo album in 2019. 


Roberto Carlos Lange — Vocals, Keys, Guitar

About Helado Negro:

Born in South Florida in 1980 to Ecuadorian immigrant parents, the world-building, multi-instrumentalist Roberto Carlos Lange stitches together memories, impressions, and atmospheres to make detailed dreamscapes as Helado Negro. He produces, engineers, and mixes his own songs, literally creating and populating his own sonic world. His songs are awash with vibrant melodies, sharp lyrical vignettes, and subtle, even whispered hooks. Since his 2009 debut, Awe Owe, through his breakthrough records Private Energy (2016) and This Is How You Smile (2019), and to 2021’s Far In, Lange’s work continues to move past easy genre assignments. Lange’s ninth studio record, Phasor, picks up on that interest in the natural world but in the form of pop music. Lange has been awarded a United States Artist fellowship and a Foundation for Contemporary Arts grant. He lives in Asheville, NC.


About Jason Bentley:

Jason Bentley is a Los Angeles based music and culture curator, with extensive experience in radio, live music events, and music supervision for film and TV. Bentley served as Music Director of NPR flagship KCRW radio for over a decade, leading the station’s music department and managing their on-air staff. Concurrently, Bentley hosted KCRW’s acclaimed daily music program Morning Becomes Eclectic for eleven years, and continues as host of the weekly program Metropolis every Saturday night for the station. As a music supervisor for film, TV, and advertising, Jason has notably produced soundtracks for The Matrix trilogy (Warner Bros), Tron Legacy (Disney), and contributed to Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount). Bentley has been a featured DJ at major music festivals including Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, HARD festival, San Diego’s CRSSD Fest, and Lightning in a Bottle among others, and hosted the official Coachella festival livestream for six years running.

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Donor Support

Sunset Concerts at the Skirball are generously sponsored by:

The Bilger Family

The 2025 Sunset Concerts season is made possible in part by additional support from:

Media sponsors: