The City of West Hollywood returns for its 2023 Summer Sounds Free Outdoor Concert Series, which will take place on select Sunday evenings at 4 p.m. between Sunday, June 25, 2023 and Sunday, August 20, 2023 at Plummer Park, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, in West Hollywood.
Summer Sounds will kick off on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 4 p.m. with Free Myself: A Conversation and Concert with Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins. Hawkins has achieved critical and commercial success, producing a string of hit singles including Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, Right Beside You, and the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart record-breaking As I Lay Me Down. This concert is presented in partnership with the City of West Hollywood’s Lesbian Speakers Series and will feature a temporary public art installation by Yeu “Q” Nguyen, Weaving Hope. Seating is not provided; picnic blankets, low chairs, and picnic snacking are encouraged. RSVP is requested via Eventbrite at https://summersoundsweho-2023jun25.eventbrite.com.
The first half of the event begins at 4 p.m. with a Lesbian Speakers Series conversation focusing on the topic of visibility for lesbian/queer women in the music industry with insights and stories from Sophie B. Hawkins’ more than three-decade career. The conversation will be immediately followed at 5 p.m. by the first Summer Sounds Outdoor Concert Series performance of the 2023 season where Hawkins and her band will perform her greatest hits and brand-new favorites.
The next concert in the series will feature T.Nava, Ryck Jane, and DJ Merc80 on Sunday, July 9, 2023 at 4 p.m. T.Nava is one-quarter of Anderson .Paak’s Grammy-winning band The Free Nationals. In addition to piano, he lends his talents on synthesizers and talkbox. When T.Nava is not playing with Andy and the Nats, he’s performing and working on his original music, including his funky single Girlfriend featuring Durand Bernarr. His music has been described as jazzy soulful hip hop with high-energy, cinematic experiences.
Ryck Jane is an American hip-hop artist recognized for her bold lyrics, inventive style, and strong sexy character. She has played for Beyoncé, H.E.R, and many others, and is the official trumpet player for the Los Angeles Chargers.
This concert will also feature DJ Merc80. Born in Oakland, Merc80 was raised on a variety of sounds from oldies to Caribbean, hip hop, R&B, and everything in between. As a DJ, his goal is to create a clear mood and “scene” with his music curation and has spun in various venues around the world including SoHo House, The Room, and more.
Hannah Blaylock and Honey Whiskey Trio will perform on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 4 p.m. Hannah Blaylock is an award-winning Country & Americana singer/songwriter. Born in Alaska and raised in Arkansas, as a 9th grader she developed a band that would later become the chart-topping American Country trio, Edens Edge. Blaylock performed and wrote their Top-20 Country Radio hit, Amen. Blaylock’s Bandit Queen was co-written and played by The Chicks, and she also wrote Stronger Than the Truth, recorded by Grammy-winning artist Reba McEntire.
Honey Whiskey Trio is based in Los Angeles and tells stories through song and stomp, highlighting the musical traditions of American Folk Music. Alumni of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSU, Long Beach, Courtney, Ann Louise & Christina began singing together in 2013. Today their passion for music education, community outreach, and singing unapologetically continues to drive them. They create, arrange, and explore music from the front porches, music halls, and hymn books of early America, sharing it with students, adults, and lifelong music lovers across the United States.
Changüí Majadero and DJ Jedi perform on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 4 p.m. Formed in 2012, Changüí Majadero is a Los Angeles-based band that blends traditional Afro-Cuban music with modern influences to create a unique sound that have been captivating audiences for years. The band consists of a group of highly skilled musicians who bring their own unique styles and influences to the group’s sound resulting in infectious rhythms and intricate melodies, with an improvisational nature. The band has been at the forefront of the West Coast’s Latin music scene, performing at festivals, clubs, and cultural events throughout the United States.
This concert will also feature DJ Jedi. Jedi is an Emmy-winning Los Angeles-based DJ, admired for his eclectic style of mixing, selection, and turntablism. He’s toured the world as the official DJ for Grammy Award-winning hip hop pioneers Digable Planets and is a recurring member of DAKAH, a 50-piece hip hop orchestra. Jedi is a co-founder and current resident artist at the Los Angeles installment of Motown on Mondays, and since 2014, he has been instrumental in developing and launching the DJ/Production program at Musicians’ Institute in Hollywood, California. This concert is presented in partnership with Grand Performances and supported by an arts grant from the City of West Hollywood.
The City of West Hollywood’s 2023 Summer Sounds Free Outdoor Concert Series is organized by the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division. Summer Sounds concerts are free to attend; RSVPs are not required but are requested. Reserved seating is not available. Attendees are encouraged to bring picnics, park blankets, and low chairs. For additional information about the performers and to view the series, please visit www.weho.org/summersounds
For more information about Summer Sounds please contact Joy Tribble, the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Specialist, at (323) 848-6360 or at jtribble@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
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