Dearest Music Insiders, 

So… it’s Back-To-School, Sunday Scaries time. Sigh. We are buying up all of the protractors and marble notebooks that Target has in stock. But here’s the thing. I’m not mad at easing back into school vibes, because the return of school days means the return of School Night(!).

Y’all, I’m straight up delighted to announce the return of KCRW’s highly respected and insanely fun global music discovery series (co-founded by our own Chris Douridas). Drumroll please… KCRW Presents: School Night. It’s back, it’s now completely FREE, and it has a new Eastside home at Zebulon.

We took a hiatus following the LA Wildfires, all the while plotting next steps for the beloved series. With your support (and many requests) we are getting the band(s) back together for a season premiere on Tuesday, September 9th — RSVP HERE!

The opening line-up is brilliant. Bardo, funky frontman of Chicano Batman, released his solo debut Transformation Time less than a month ago, and this is his very first public show in support of the album. He’ll be joined by one of my recent sonic obsessions Pearl Charles (I’ve been playing her sultry slow-burner “Step Too Far” on repeat). Plus, newcomers Cleo Reed and Host Family.

If you’ve never stopped by, School Night is a monthly club with a history. It’s enjoyed a constant churn of legit breakthrough talent through the years. Think: Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Dua Lipa (in her LA debut), Doja Cat, Moses Sumney, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Odesza, Sofi Tukker, Hozier, Michael Kiwanuka (US debut), Lizzo, and Andra Day, to name just a few. SN has also hosted legendary underplays from the likes of Chrissie Hynde, Stevie Nicks, Miguel, Moby, and Lucinda Williams.

Spectacular talent aside, the vibe is pure KCRW: community-driven and artfully curated.

I know it still feels like summer in SoCal with the endless LA sunshine and brain-melting temps. No one here is ready for school to be in session. But as long as we have School Nights to kick off the fall, that’s good enough for me!

Also, while you're at Zebulon on the 9th, be sure to pop over to the DJ booth to congratulate Nassir Nassirzadeh on his promotion to Senior Producer of Morning Becomes Eclectic. We’re already missing Nass on his Saturday midnight shift (check out his final show here), but you’ll still hear him on the airwaves from time to time. And now you can watch him and Novena in action every weekday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. via Morning Becomes Eclectic’s brand new YouTube live stream.

Be well and see you at School Night (and maybe even on YouTube one of these days)!

[Pictured above: Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation Choir at the School Night 2024 season finale - Photo by Vivian Villa-Caratachea]

The Hives: KCRW Live From HQ

There’s a reason they’ve been dubbed “the best live band on the planet.” That's right, Swedish garage rock scamps The Hives have baptized KCRW's Performance studio in sweat, and you can run it back by pressing the button below. It's a full cardio workout... for your body AND your id. 

Adrian Quesada: KCRW Live From HQ

Grammy-winner and Oscar-nominee Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas) brings the sepia-toned stylings of his latest LP Boleros Psicodélicos II to KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio… With some serious backup. To pay full homage to the psychedelic influence on Latin balladry of the 1960s and ‘70s (as is the case on both volumes of his Psicodélicos project), Quesada fills the space with essential voices including Gaby Moreno, Trish Toledo, and Angélica Garcia. Plus, Latin Grammy-winner Mireya Ramos pulls double duty on vocals and violin. Press the button, immerse yourself.

A chat with Gyan Riley, son of pioneering minimalist composer Terry Riley

American composer Terry Riley’s name isn’t well known, but he’s among the most influential composers of the 20th century. With the song “In C,” which The Library of Congress deemed a “stealth masterpiece,” Riley launched a new music movement called minimalism, which other composers like Phillip Glass and Steve Reich embraced. It also influenced artists across genres, including ambient, electronic, pop, and rock.

Riley turned 90 years old in June. The Ford amphitheater will celebrate his birthday and music on Sunday, September 7th. Terry Riley’s son, Gyan Riley, will join The Bang on a Can All-Stars and other special guests to play “In C” and other songs.

P.S. If you really want to make a weekend out of it, on Friday, September 5th, you can imbibe in Riley's cosmic classical sounds while sipping Japanese whiskey in a private garden in Little Tokyo. In Sheep's Clothing and LA Phil Creative Producer Mark "Frosty" McNeil are hosting the event as part of the ongoing, collaborative listening series from In Sheep's Clothing and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. More details are available here.