DATE: MAY 27, 2015
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN
LEVITT PAVILION
2015 SUMMER LINE-UPS
TO INCLUDE PERFORMANCES FROM
LOS LOBOS, PETE ESCOVEDO ORCHESTRA
FEATURING SHEILA E., GRIFFIN HOUSE, FRANKIE AVALON, MARIACHI DIVAS,
BOB BAKER MARIONETTES, SALVADOR SANTANA, RUN RIVER NORTH, AFRO FUNKE’,
JUDY COLLINS, DUB CLUB REGGAE SHOW,
STOOGES BRASS BAND, BRUCE COCKBURN,
BEST OF KOREA TOWN, AND MANY MORE
SERIES OF 100 FREE CONCERTS KICK OFF
JUNE 6 AT LEVITT LOS ANGELES
AND JUNE 14 AT LEVITT PASADENA
With summer just around the corner, get ready for the largest LEVITT concert season yet. The 2015 line-up for the annual free outdoor concerts at the LEVITT PAVILION LOS ANGELES (MacArthur Park) and LEVITT PAVILION PASADENA (Memorial Park) features an energetic and eclectic mix of performances by emerging stars and musical legends that audiences won’t want to miss.
Kicking off June 6 (Los Angeles) and June 14 (Pasadena), the annual series of more than 100 free concerts will feature legendary singer/songwriters, blues artists, jazz greats, classical offerings, world music performers, children’s programs and much more in the Levitt bandshells at two of the city’s historic parks: Memorial Park in Pasadena and MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. Each year, more than 125,000 people of all ages and backgrounds gather to mingle, relax or dance in Levitt’s beautiful green settings.
Los Lobos, Pete Escovedo Orchestra Featuring Sheila E., Griffin House, Frankie Avalon, Mariachi Divas, Bob Baker Marionettes, Salvador Santana, Run River North, Afro Funke’, Judy Collins, Dub Club Reggae Show, Stooges Brass Band, Bruce Cockburn, and Best Of Korea Town, are among the highlights of the 2015 season, which wraps up September 20 (full list of talent is below, with a full schedule with dates following). The annual summer series includes a mix of performers with acts that reflect the multitude of cultures that make up the vast Los Angeles demographics. Check out the full concert calendars for Pasadena and MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.
For each of 100 outdoor concerts, all free of charge and accessible to both communities, the concerts will kick off in both venues on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, with children’s shows on Thursday nights at 7:00 PM at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena and at 6:30 PM on Sunday nights at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles. Beyond the live music offerings, each of the free concerts includes pre-concert activities starting an hour and a half before the show with food trucks, community organizations and much more. The pre-show festival atmosphere, with its food vendors, booths of non-profit community partners, KidZone with face-painting, fairytale characters, and more, engages the entire family.
At locations across the country, Levitt Pavilions are reinvigorating America’s public spaces through creative placemaking and creating opportunities for everyone to experience the performing arts. The need for more community spaces has become increasingly clear in today’s world and guides Levitt’s community-driven efforts. With the spirit of community at the heart of organization, Levitt focuses on turning its concerts into celebrations and its outdoor venues into favorite gathering spots. Through its active Music Production Internship, Levitt engages 100 youths each summer in gaining career building knowledge of live event production. The mix of live music and activities further reflects the Levitt Pavilion model of building and connecting communities through music in an effort to enrich family values, promote respect for diversity, and enhance appreciation for the arts.
The 2015 list of talent is as follows:
LEVITT PAVILION PASADENA:
Pete Escovedo Orchestra featuring Sheila E., Cal Arts Hands On’semble, Griffin House, Element Band, Michael Haggins, Birdie’s Playhouse, Incendio, Black Violin, Barbara Morrison, Rhythm Child, Area 51, Dustbowl Revival, Billy Mitchell & Friends, Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band, De Temps Anton, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rodriguez Latin Jazz, Funky Punks, Western Standard Time, Mariachi Divas, Open Hands, The Party Animals, BMI Summer Nights with Nina Diaz, Tlen-Huicana, Donald Harrison, Bob Baker Marionettes, Caroline Aiken & Ike Stubblefield, Vaud & the Villains, Chielli Minucci & Special EFX, Lythgoe Family Productions, Brightside, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Laith Al-Saadi feat. Jimmy Vivino, California Feetwarmers, Jimmy LaFave, Lin Rountree Quartet, BMI Summer Nights, Vieux Farka Toure, Gonzalo Bergara, Karla Bonoff, Night Train Music Club, Doug MacLeod, Leftover Cuties, Nobresil, The Koles, Quetzal, Louie Cruz Beltran, Wendy Waldman featuring Mietek Szczesniak, Rocky Dawuni, and more
LEVITT PAVILION LOS ANGELES:
Salvador Santana, Bob Baker Marionettes, Matamoska CD Release, Venice, Que Bajo, Birdie’s Playhouse, Fortunate Youth , Poncho Sanchez, Run River North, Funky Punks, Afro Funke’, Black Violin, LA City Latin Jazz Festival, Rhythm Child, Evoekore CD Release Ska Show, BMI Summer Nights, Karsh Kale, Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band, Luminaries, Judy Collins, Katia Moreas, Youth Talent Show, Dub Club Reggae Show, Stooges Brass Band, Bruce Cockburn, The Party Animals, Johnnyswim, Feria Agostina Festival, Tierra Blanca Latin American Dance, Plena Libre, BMI Summer Nights with Hermanos Herrera, Kiddle Karoo, Eyedentity, Metalachi, Best of Korea Town, Silk Road Dance Company, Urban Renewal Project, Whiskey Shivers, The Waifs, LA Opera, Almalafa, El Vez, B-Side Players, La Resistencia CD Release, Sinverguenza, Los Lobos, and more
For the third year, the LEVITT PAVILION series will be overseen by Executive Director Renee Bodie. A seasoned arts professional, she brings considerable business and nonprofit management experience to the job as well as expertise in media productions and music programming. She previously served as president of Folk Alliance International.
“Music is a thread that connects us,” says Executive Director Renee Bodie. “We bring diverse groups together on our lawn to celebrate music and culture together. What better place to do that than in Los Angeles? Music is a tremendous vehicle to reach and engage people. There is a wonderful synergy that can happen here.”
The 2015 Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles (MacArthur Park) and Levitt Pavilion Pasadena (Memorial Park) full schedules are as follows:
About The Levitt Pavilions
Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles and Levitt Pavilion Pasadena aim to inspire the best of American city life by bringing people together in beautiful, open green spaces to enjoy free, live music. At the heart of Levitt Pavilion is a passion to reinvigorate public spaces and create opportunities for everyone to experience the performing arts. Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles and Levitt Pavilion Pasadena are part of a National network of Levitt Pavilions.
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