BRIC Announces Lineup and Sponsors for 41st BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Backed by American Express: June 4 – August 10 at the Prospect Park Bandshell
Performances Include Free Concerts Headlined by Patti LaBelle, Salif Keita, Chucho Valdés, Calexico and Iron & Wine, Burna Boy, Ibeyi, Liz Phair, Tortoise, Bomba Estéreo and more
Special commission of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Goin On performed by an all-star all-women band and special guest vocalists
Live Music with Film Screening of Varieté; as well as a Screening of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Family Concert by Rich Medina
A Three-Concert American Express Women in Music Series,
a Four-Concert Eventbrite Music Series, and a Four-Concert Bud Light Music Series
Dance Performances by Ailey II and Compagnie Hervé KOUBI
Benefit Concerts by The National & Courtney Barnett, Father John Misty & Jason Isbell, and Mac Demarco
BRIC, the leading presenter of free cultural programming in Brooklyn, is pleased to announce the lineup and sponsors for its 41st annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. With 29 performances (June 4 – August 10), the Festival launches a new season for the pioneering NYC arts-and-media organization. With new leadership at the institution’s helm, BRIC is recommitting itself to presenting programming that is reflective of Brooklyn’s eclecticism and diversity, and this season will feature a wide array of free, world-class performances at the beautiful Prospect Park Bandshell.
Of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, Billboard writes, “In the crowded summer festival season, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! stands apart.” Since it began in 1979 as a catalyst for a burgeoning Brooklyn performing arts scene, and to bring people back into Prospect Park after years of neglect, the Festival has become one of the city’s foremost summer cultural attractions. Winner of the Village Voice Readers’ Poll and Critics’ Picks for “Best Free Concert Series,” the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is New York City’s longest-running summer outdoor performance festival. Over its 41-year history, the Festival has presented more than 2,000 artists, drawing a diverse audience upwards of 200,000 each season. Time Out New York writes, “Catching one of these gigs is guaranteed to be a highlight of your summer show-going season, whether you're seeing a buzzy indie-rock band, a classic soul or funk group, or one of the best hip-hop artists around.”
The 41st edition of the Festival kicks off June 4 with a free opening night concert by iconic GRAMMY Award-winning entertainer Patti LaBelle. Preceding the concert, BRIC will relaunch the Festival’s beloved annual opening night fundraiser with the first ever REVEL, an immersive artist driven experience from day to dusk to dark. This event will welcome and feature fashion partner Nanette Lepore and honor BRIC’s outgoing Board Chair Hilary Ackermann. For the first time, the evening will also include a ticketed after-party featuring DJ Natasha Diggs.
Festival-goers will have an improved experience at the Bandshell this season. BRIC recently announced a new curated food and beverage program featuring menu items from top culinary vendors, restaurants and chefs including Big Mozz, Sweet Chick, Oyster Party, Kotti Berliner, Gordo’s Cantina, Rooster Boy, and more. BRIC also debuts a new state-of-the-art concert audio system from L’Acoustics, recognized throughout the industry for pioneering the modern line array, and known around the world for superb concert audio experiences.
The 41st edition exemplifies the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival’s signature mix of music, film, dance and multimedia works, complemented by food and other provisions from local artisans and vendors. Of the 29 total performances being presented this season, 25 are free (with a $5 suggested contribution at the gate): 21 music concerts, two films projected on one of NYC’s largest (50’ wide x 21’ high) outdoor screens, and two dance performances. The remaining four shows are ticketed benefit concerts, which offer rare opportunities to see great artists in an extraordinary outdoor setting at reasonable ticket prices while supporting the Festival’s free performances.
The Festival’s full roster consists of artists from Brooklyn and around the world—across the U.S., the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. They include Chucho Valdés - Jazz Batá | Dafnis Prieto Si o Si Quartet (June 26), Protoje | Jah9 | Yoga on Dub | DJ Top Notch & MICRO DON (June 27), Celso Piña | Dos Santos | Riobamba (June 28), Oddisee | 47SOUL | Narcy (July 6), Gaby Moreno and Van Dyke Parks: Spangled | Enjambre | El David Aguilar (July 12), Salif Keita | Courtnee Roze (July 13), Burna Boy | Sampa the Great | DJ Tunez (July 19), Compagnie Hervé KOUBI (July 27), and Bomba Estéreo (August 10).
Long-time lead sponsor American Express returns as part of the company’s commitment to strengthen the communities where its Card Members and colleagues live and work, and presents an American Express Women In Music Series, featuring Ibeyi | Sudan Archives | Orion Sun (June 8), Liz Phair | Ted Leo And The Pharmacists | Caroline Rose (June 29), and I’m With Her | Darlingside (July 18).
Returning for the 17th consecutive year, Bud Light will offer great beers throughout the season and fun experiences at Bud Light Music Series performances by Calexico and Iron & Wine | Adia Victoria (June 21), Protoje | Jah9 | Yoga on Dub | DJ Top Notch & MICRO DON (June 27), Burna Boy | Sampa the Great | DJ Tunez (July 19), and Nilüfer Yanya with a surprise headliner to be announced soon (July 25).
As a champion of independent live music in New York City, Eventbrite returns in 2019 as both a valued partner to BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! and the Festival's official ticketing platform. Look out for chances to access VIP experiences throughout the summer including at the four-concert Eventbrite Music Series featuring Tank and the Bangas | Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles (Jun 20), LAMC Showcase with Gaby Moreno and Van Dyke Parks: Spangled | Enjambre | El David Aguilar (July 12), Jidenna | Anik Khan | DJ MOMA (July 26), and Bomba Estéreo | Delsonido (August 10).
Music & Movies events include a screening of the restored 1925 masterpiece Varieté with a live score by Alloy Orchestra and opening performance by modern dance troupe Lava (July 20); and Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), which will also be a part of Lou Reed Tai Chi Day and feature a demonstration by his teacher Master Ren Guang Yi (Aug 3).
DJ Rich Medina will headline this year’s Family Concert on June 15, spinning grooves old and new. Dance performances this year include Compagnie Hervé KOUBI (July 27); and Ailey II (Aug 8).
This summer’s benefit concerts provide support for the free performances and include The National and Courtney Barnett (June 12 and 13), Father John Misty | Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit | Jade Bird (June 19), and Mac DeMarco (Aug 6).
BRIC President Kristina Newman-Scott, said, “At the core of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival’s DNA, and all of BRIC’s offerings in visual, performing, and media arts, is an overarching commitment to create programming that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming for the people of New York City. We invite everyone to join us in Prospect Park this summer, and at BRIC house year-round.”
Jack Walsh, BRIC’s Vice President of Performing Arts and Executive Producer of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, said, “It’s with great excitement that we announce this 41st edition of incredibly varied world-class performances. The programming and artistry is as extraordinary and eclectic as ever; we are thrilled to enhance the experience with a delicious new food and beverage program and great new concert audio; and we are forever thankful to our sponsors, partners, and Friends of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival for helping to make it all possible.”
Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance, said, “Prospect Park Alliance is delighted to host the 41st edition of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Over the past four decades, this festival has brought a wide range of free music and family programming to Prospect Park, to the delight of the many diverse communities we serve. Congratulations to our partners at BRIC for this tremendous success.”
The Festival welcomes several Co-Sponsors including 90+ Cellars and Lila Wines, who will offer an array of wines perfect for outdoor summer concerts; Svedka Rose Vodka and Tequila Mi Compo which will offer specialty cocktails; and Brooklyn SolarWorks whose Solar Canopy will power an interactive onsite activation.
BET returns for a second year as Opening Night sponsor.
GOYA has provided additional sponsorship for performances on June 26, 27, and 28.
WorldStage and Audible Difference Inc. return as the official providers of the Festival’s lighting, video and audio systems.
Hilton Brooklyn New York is the official hotel partner for the Festival, and Delta Air Lines is the official airline.
WNET’s ALL ARTS, WABC-TV, WNYC 93.9 FM/820 AM and WFUV 90.7 FM return as Season Media Partners. WFUV 90.7 FM will be live broadcasting a variety of shows all season long.
Longtime promotional partner on select jazz performances include WBGO 88.3 FM.
The Festival is presented in partnership with the City of New York Parks & Recreation and the Prospect Park Alliance.
A complete list of supporters can be found at www.BRICartsmedia.org/cb.
Friends of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival memberships for individuals and small businesses offer reserved seats, Friends Tent access with food and beverage service, and ads for businesses. More information is available at www.BRICartsmedia.org/cb.
BRIC CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! Festival 2019 LINEUP
Tuesday, June 4, 8:00pm
BET Opening Night Concert
PATTI LABELLE
Free
With 50 years in music, more than 50 million records sold, and a catalogue of hits that spans R&B, gospel, disco, and pop, PATTI LABELLE is an American treasure. Her career highlights are too numerous to tally: “Lady Marmalade,” fronting the first African American vocal group to grace the cover of Rolling Stone (LaBelle), being inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—the list goes on. This free show to open the Festival’s 41st edition promises to be the stuff of legend.
Opening Night REVEL (Fundraiser), 5:30 | After-Party with Natasha Diggs (Ticketed), 9:30
Saturday, June 8, 7:00pm
American Express Women in Music Series
Ibeyi | Sudan Archives | Orion Sun
Free
As IBEYI, the French-Cuban twins Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Díaz send soaring liquid vocal harmonies over an “intoxicating blend of hip hop, electronica, and traditional Yoruba [music]” (NPR). SUDAN ARCHIVES, another genre-defying musical alchemist, “transposes the bounce and swing of R&B and hip hop onto a fantastically original sound that could only exist now.” (Pitchfork) Philly-based singer and producer ORION SUN “makes songs to dance to, cry to, fall in love to.” (WXPN Philadelphia)
Wednesday, June 12, 7:00pm
THE NATIONAL AND COURTNEY BARNETT
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert
Sold Out
Thursday, June 13, 7:00pm
THE NATIONAL AND COURTNEY BARNETT
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert
$59.50 (General Admission – Standing)
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or Eventbrite.com
Saturday, June 15, 3:00pm
Family Concert
Rich Medina | Shareef KeyEs and the Groove
Free
The Bandshell will turn into the biggest family dance party in Brooklyn with RICH MEDINA, “one of the most in-demand DJs out there, capable of turning any type of crowd into a frenzy” (Philly Voice) spinning grooves old and new, and local favorites SHAREEF KEYES & THE GROOVE, who have built a buzz around New York for their high energy, crowd captivating live performances, putting on a show guaranteed to get little feet moving.
Wednesday, June 19, 6:30pm
FATHER JOHN MISTY | JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT | JADE BIRD
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert
$65 (General Admission – Standing)
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or Eventbrite.com
Thursday, June 20, 7:30pm
Tank and the Bangas | Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles
Free
Fronted by the unstoppable slam poet and singer Tarriona “Tank” Ball and rolling out a joyous sound that’s equal parts funk, hip hop, gospel, and spoken word, TANK AND THE BANGAS “are #BlackExcellence, #BlackGirlMagic, and Sly and The Family Stone rolled up into one beautiful collective.” (Okayplayer) Fronting his band THE FUNK APOSTLES, Brooklyn native CORY HENRY is “one of the finest Hammond B-3 organ players of his generation.” (AllMusic)
Friday, June 21, 7:30pm
Bud Light Music Series
Calexico and Iron & Wine | Adia Victoria
Free
CALEXICO and IRON & WINE’s collaborative record Years to Burn—the follow-up to their 2005 EP In the Reins, which was “rich and evocative, the lyrics poignant and probing” (No Depression)—drops in June, and the buzz is deafening. The two bands become one here to play music from both records. ADIA VICTORIA is “redefining what it means to be a Southern blueswoman; for her, that's a wily, radical and thoroughly contemporary role.” (NPR)
Saturday, June 22, 7:30pm
Tortoise: TNT | Emily Wells with Metropolis Ensemble
Free
The legendary experimental rock band TORTOISE will play its “weirdly beautiful and impossible to pin down” (Pitchfork) 1998 masterpiece TNT start to finish. EMILY WELLS “works in the space between art-pop and neoclassical chamber music.” (WNYC’s New Sounds) The Brooklyn-based singer and multi-instrumentalist is here with the GRAMMY Award-nominated METROPOLIS ENSEMBLE, who appear on her ethereal new album This World Is Too _____ For You.
Wednesday, June 26, 7:30pm
Chucho Valdés - Jazz Batá | Dafnis Prieto Si o Si Quartet
Free
In 1972, CHUCHO VALDÉS released Jazz Batá, a forward-thinking convergence of modern jazz and folkloric rhythms that prefigured much of the Afro-Cuban jazz of today. Last year’s Jazz Batá 2 is a brilliant sequel that, almost a half-century later, “burnishes his stature as a towering Afro-Cuban pianist of our time.” (WBGO) With his electrifying quartet, the Cuban percussionist DAFNIS PRIETO makes music that is “dynamic to the extreme … a slippery amalgam of complex polyrhythm and incantatory melody.” (The New York Times)
Additional sponsorship provided by Goya.
Thursday, June 27, 7:30pm
Bud Light Music Series
Protoje | Jah9 | Yoga on Dub | DJ Top Notch & MICRO DON
Free
Fronting his militant band Indiggnation, PROTOJE articulates the righteous anger of a generation—he’s “at the forefront of the young, talented artists redefining the parameters of what reggae music sounds like in the twenty-first century.” (LA Post Examiner) The spiritual dub singer JAH9, who projects “the ethereal aura of early Erykah Badu,” (Billboard) leads a YOGA ON DUB class with live music before her set, and DJ TOP NOTCH & MICRO DON, regulars at Bed-Stuy’s Lovers Rock, spin throughout the night.
Additional sponsorship provided by Goya.
Friday, June 28, 7:30pm
Celso Piña | Dos Santos | Riobamba
Free
The revolutionary singer/bandleader CELSO PIÑA mashes up cumbia with tropical sounds from norteño to sonidero, adding liberal dashes of ska, reggae, and hip hop. Collaborations with the likes of Lila Downs and Café Tacvba have kept him “in demand everywhere.” (Austin Chronicle) DOS SANTOS’ alluring grooves explore the intersections between “cumbia and salsa, jazz's hinterlands, and the complicated legacy of American popular music.” (Noisey) The Brooklyn-based DJ and activist RIOBAMBA connects the dots.
Additional sponsorship provided by Goya.
Saturday, June 29, 7:00pm
American Express Women in Music Series
Liz Phair | Ted Leo and the Pharmacists | Caroline Rose
Free
In 1993 LIZ PHAIR released Exile in Guyville, a pissed off, wickedly articulate feminist counterpunch to the Stones’ Exile on Main St. that remains “one of the sharpest, boldest rock albums of its era, or any era.” (Chicago Tribune) After some excellent follow up records and a long hiatus, she makes her return. Art punk stalwart TED LEO, “one of rock's last great intellectual populists,” (Pitchfork) and CAROLINE ROSE, “impish energy, plenty of venom,” (Rolling Stone) round out a killer triple bill.
Friday, July 5, 7:30pm
Mick Jenkins | Leikeli47 | Leven Kali | Joy Postell
Free
Okayplayer called MICK JENKINS’ 2018 album Pieces of a Man “one of the best rap releases to come out last year;” he co-headlines a night of forward-looking hip hop and soul with Brooklyn MC LEIKELI47, whose uplifting lyrics tackle “the trials and triumphs of her home and the resilience of black womanhood.” (Pitchfork) LEVEN KALI comes across “like a mix of Anderson.Paak and Bruno Mars” (XXL); JOY POSTELL “artfully blends jazz, soul, and R&B, into an intoxicating, freeform swirl of sounds.” (Fader)
Saturday, July 6, 7:00pm
Oddisee | 47SOUL | NARCY
Free
The Sudanese American MC ODDISEE’s old school influences (think Eric B. & Rakim and A Tribe Called Quest) come through in “a light touch of jazz spread over a soul-injected, golden-era hip hop inflected foundation.” (NPR) He splits the bill with Palestinian-Jordanian electro Arabic shamstep band 47SOUL’s “high-energy music with a message” (Guardian UK) is built around beats that have been bumping in the Arab World for centuries. The Iraqi-Canadian rapper and journalist NARCY opens.
Friday, July 12, 7:00pm
Eventbrite Music Series
Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Showcase
Gaby Moreno and Van Dyke Parks: Spangled | ENJAMBRE | El David Aguilar
Free
Latin GRAMMY-winning Guatemalan singer-songwriter GABY MORENO, “an artist worthy of soundtracking a future Quentin Tarantino film,” (Popmatters) and legendary composer/producer VAN DYKE PARKS’ new Nonesuch record Spangled dives into the classic Pan American songbook of the 1950s and ‘60s. They’ll bring it to life at our annual LAMC showcase, which also features EL DAVID AGUILAR, “one of the most versatile, creative, and groundbreaking contemporary singer-songwriters to come out of Mexico’s independent scene.” (SXSW)
Saturday, July 13, 7:30pm
Salif Keita | Courtnee Roze
Free
Last year’s outstanding Un Autre Blanc, which featured everyone from Angelique Kidjo to Alpha Blondy and was announced as his final record, reaffirmed SALIF KEITA as “the most adventurous, gloriously soulful male singer-songwriter in Africa.” (Guardian UK) This not-to-be-missed return to Brooklyn is his first time back at the Bandshell in more than a decade. The djembe and conga virtuoso COURTNEE ROZE starts the night off with some deep percussion.
Thursday, July 18, 7:30pm
American Express Women in Music Series
I’m With Her | Darlingside
Free
“In its own quiet way, I’M WITH HER is a supergroup.” (The New York Times) In their solo careers and with their other bands, Sarah Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan have each been key players in the folk-Americana revival; as a sublime trio, they’ve become its heart and soul. The "exquisitely-arranged, literary-minded, baroque folk-pop" (NPR Music) of DARLINGSIDE will set the tone for an evening of exceptional musicianship and beautiful harmonies.
Friday, July 19, 7:30pm
Bud Light Music Series
Burna Boy | Sampa the Great | DJ Tunez
Free
BURNA BOY’s “warm, earthy tones applied to menacing trap rap and exuberant Afro-pop create a sound that, even in its darkest moments, sounds like bottled joy.” (The New Yorker) Coming off of Coachella this year, he’s on the brink of superstardom. Zambian-born SAMPA THE GREAT, “dripping with finesse and black femininity,” (Okayplayer) makes a rare U.S. appearance to open, and DJ TUNEZ, the “go-to dot connector in the African community of New York City and beyond,” (Fader) ties it all together.
Saturday, July 20, 8:00pm
Music & Movies
Alloy Orchestra: Varieté | LAVA
Free
ALLOY ORCHESTRA “have rejuvenated the art of silent film with thrillingly quirky, percussive scores;” (Entertainment Weekly) they perform their mesmerizing score to the restored 1925 masterpiece Varieté, a tale of love, deception, revenge and redemption set in the circus and starring Emil Jannings as a trapeze “catcher” and Lya De Putti as the beguiling hoochy coochy dancer he loves. Brooklyn’s all-female acrobatic modern dance troupe LAVA will astound and amaze before the film.
Thursday, July 25, 7:30pm
Bud Light Music Series
Surprise Headliner | Nilüfer Yanya
Free
British prodigy NILÜFER YANYA “takes adventurous pop-rock crucibles to new heights with her illusory songwriting and stunning voice.” (Pitchfork) Her rapturous 2019 debut Miss Universe is a shoe-in for year-end best-of lists, and she’s the perfect opener for our surprise headliner—check the website for lineup updates to find out who!
Friday, July 26, 7:30pm
Eventbrite Music Series
Jidenna | Anik Khan | DJ mOma
Free
“Singing and rapping in his arrestingly incongruous array of styles,” (Rolling Stone) JIDENNA rocketed to pop fame with his 2015 single “Classic Man.” His highlife and hip hop infused 2017 record The Chief, dedicated to his Nigerian father, revealed an artist of substance lurking beneath a glamorous surface. ANIK KHAN’s rapid-fire flow is laced with “genre-fluid harmonies and narratives that explore what lies at (his) core—Queens life and Bengali culture.” (Billboard) DJ MOMA, whose Everyday People party celebrates African diaspora, spins.
Saturday, July 27, 8:00pm
Compagnie Hervé KOUBI
Free
The French-Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi brings his signature work to the Bandshell, the muscular and astonishingly kinetic evening-length What The Day Owes To The Night. The piece, bristling with energy and powerful images that evoke Orientalist paintings and Islamic architecture, features 12 French-Algerian and African dancers and combines capoeira, martial arts, hip hop, and contemporary styles. “The juxtaposition of contrasting speeds and shapes is mesmerizing. And the virtuosity ... is a touch of theatrical magic.” (The New York Times)
Friday, August 2, 7:00pm
Nosaj Thing DJ Set | Kimbra | Bells Atlas
Free
The LA DJ/producer NOSAJ THING will transform the Bandshell into a pulsing, ecstatic dancefloor with “music that evokes at once the infinite blackness of deep space and the curving, gleaming chrome that moves through it.” (Pitchfork) Last year KIMBRA gave us Primal Heart, “a slick electronic pop album teeming with sharp hooks” (Rolling Stone) that showcased her killer R&B delivery. BELLS ATLAS’ Afropop futurism is a sound “pretty easy to get lost in … lush harmonies fill your ears … their groove is anything but ordinary." (Okayplayer)
Saturday, August 3, 7:30pm
Music & Movies
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon | Lou Reed Tai Chi Day
Free
Ang Lee’s 2000 martial arts extravaganza, whose plot swirls around the theft of a mythical blade called Green Destiny in 18th century Qing Dynasty China, is among the most visually exhilarating adventure-dramas ever made (it won four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film and Cinematography). Before the film, as part of the first annual Lou Reed Tai Chi Day, his teacher Master Ren Guang Yi and tai chi practitioners demonstrate Chen style forms accompanied by Lou Reed DRONES, an immersive sonic work featuring Reed's guitar feedback and special guests including Laurie Anderson, John Zorn, and Sarth Calhoun.
Tuesday, August 6, 7:30pm
MAC DEMARCO
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert
$45 (General Admission – Standing)
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or Eventbrite.com.
Thursday, August 8, 8:00pm
Ailey II
Free
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s exceptional second company returns to the Bandshell on the 45th anniversary of its inception with a program of recent work that showcases these young artists’ breathtaking skill and athleticism, including Road to One (choreographed by Darrell Grand Moultrie), Breaking Point (Renee I. McDonald), and the mischievous and profoundly joyful Where There Are Tongues (Bradley Shelver). "There's nothing like an evening spent with AILEY II.” (The New York Times)
Friday, August 9, 7:30pm
What’s Going On
featuring Felicia Collins, Toshi Reagon, Siedah Garrett, Kecia Lewis, and others
Free
Marvin Gaye’s 1971 classic concept album, sung from the point of view of a Vietnam vet who returns home to a country torn by hatred, suffering, and injustice, has become a cultural touchstone—and its relevance today is chilling. The brilliant guitarist and bandleader Felicia Collins (“The Late Show with David Letterman”) gathers a host of friends including Toshi Reagon, Siedah Garrett, Kecia Lewis, and more to be announced, with an all-star band featuring Terri Lyne Carrington, Bette Sussman, Alexa Tarantino, Nicki Richards, Tabitha Fair, and LaTanya Naranjo, for a deep dive into Gaye’s legacy, as they play the record in its entirety. Check the website for updates—lineup subject to change.
Saturday, August 10, 7:30pm
Eventbrite Music Series
Bomba Estéreo | Delsonido
Free
Led by founder Simón Mejía and the explosive singer and rapper Li Saumet, the Bogotá based electro cumbia superstars BOMBA ESTÉREO make “kinetic dance songs that jitter with so much electricity and energy that they sound as if they could blow up your speakers.” (Washington Post) They’ll close our 41st season with a bang. Fiery local Colombian expat outfit DELSONIDO gets the party started right.
About BRIC
BRIC is the leading presenter of free cultural programming in Brooklyn, and one of the largest in New York City. The organization presents and incubates work by artists and media-makers that reflects the diversity of New York. BRIC programs reach hundreds of thousands of people each year.
BRIC’s main venue, BRIC House, offers a public media center, a major contemporary art exhibition space, two performance spaces, a glass-walled TV studio and artist work spaces.
Some of BRIC’s most acclaimed programs include the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in Prospect Park; groundbreaking media initiatives, including BRIC TV, BRIC Radio, and Brooklyn Free Speech; and renowned contemporary art exhibitions. BRIC also offers education and community-building programs at BRIC House and throughout Brooklyn.
In addition to making cultural programming genuinely accessible, BRIC is dedicated to providing substantial support to artists and media makers in their efforts to develop work and reach new audiences. BRIC is unusual in both presenting exceptional cultural experiences and nurturing individual expression. This dual commitment enables BRIC to most effectively reflect New York City’s innate cultural richness and diversity.
About BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival
The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is BRIC’s flagship performing arts program. Unlike the multi-stage destination festival scene, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is a free, summer-long experience allowing New Yorkers to come back again and again with their friends and family to appreciate or discover a new genre, acclaimed artist, or world culture each night of the Festival. From its very first performance in the summer of 1979, the mission of the Festival has been to bring Brooklyn together in a safe, harmonious setting that enhances our quality of life and understanding of the world by illuminating the vibrant cultures that make our borough so unique.
During its 40-year run, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival has presented more than 2,000 artists including celebrated global music icons, legendary jazz artists, chart-topping indie bands, gravity-defying dance troupes, large-scale film projects and even a virtual reality performance, drawing a diverse audience upwards of 200,000 each season.
“In the crowded summer festival season, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! stands apart.” — Billboard
Winner of the Village Voice Readers’ Poll and Critics’ Picks for “Best Free Concert Series”
“Every year, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! broadens the city’s horizons with dozens of shows by an unbelievable lineup of artists to the Prospect Park Bandshell.” — Metro
The festival’s Executive Producer is Jack Walsh. Its Artistic Director is Rachel Chanoff. Kristina Newman-Scott is the President of BRIC.
About Bud Light
Introduced in 1982, Bud Light is a premium light lager with a superior drinkability that has made it the best-selling and most popular beer in the United States. Bud Light is brewed using a blend of premium aroma hop varieties, both American-grown and imported, and a combination of barley malts and rice. The light-bodied beer features a fresh, clean and subtle hop aroma, delicate malt sweetness and a crisp finish that delivers the ultimate refreshment. For more information, visit www.BudLight.com.
About Eventbrite
Eventbrite is a global ticketing and event technology platform that provides creators of events of all shapes and sizes with tools and resources to seamlessly plan, promote, and produce live experiences around the world. Eventbrite’s powerful platform, which can be accessed online or via mobile apps, scales from basic registration and ticketing to a fully featured event management platform. Customers include Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals, Pitchfork Music Festival, and Wanderlust, in addition to top venues and promoters that include Bowery Ballroom, the Brooklyn Bowl, and The Troubadour. Eventbrite was founded by Julia Hartz, Kevin Hartz, and Renaud Visage and launched operations in 2006. The company has more than 1,000 employees in 14 offices around the world. Learn more at www.eventbrite.com.
About 90+ Cellars
This year’s wine is brought to you by 90+ Cellars and Lila Wines. Hand-selected, award-winning wines from around the world. Great wine for every occasion. Learn more at ninetypluscellars.com
About SVEDKA Rosé
SVEDKA Vodka is bringing its own spirit to the Rosé category with its innovative new flavor, SVEDKA Rosé. Blended with 5% rosé wine, SVEDKA Rosé is a fresh take on Vodka seeker’s favorite beverage with flavors of strawberry and pineapple complemented by notes of hibiscus. SVEDKA Rosé is the go-to spirit for summer entertaining and an exciting addition to join the brand’s bold portfolio of celebrated flavors. #NotWineNotSorry
About Mi Campo
Tequila Mi CAMPO is a premium 100% agave tequila rested in wine barrels for a smooth finish. Mi CAMPO was inspired by México City, it blends heritage and contemporary ideas, and represents passionate, energetic makers in every field.
About Brooklyn SolarWorks
Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2019, Brooklyn SolarWorks (BSW) provides innovative solar options for a variety of urban residential and commercial property types. Through innovative approaches to design, customer engagement, and regulatory compliance, BSW is built to overcome critical barriers that have limited solar adoption in Brooklyn. Central to BSW’s ability to serve urban clients is the Brooklyn SolarWorks Canopy, an award-winning, patented and UL certified product that elevates solar arrays over common physical and code obstructions, increasing viability and capacity potential on highly constrained roofs. For more information visit, www.brooklynsolarworks.com.
About Delta
Delta serves nearly 200 million people every year, taking customers across its industry-leading global network to more than 300 destinations in over 50 countries. More about Delta can be found on the Delta News Hub as well as delta.com, via @DeltaNewsHub on Twitter and Facebook.com/delta.
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly CENTRIC), a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless
devices; and BET International, which operates BET Networks around the globe.
About Goya
Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world. The combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation makes Goya products ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com.
Fundada en 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. es la mayor compañía de alimentos de propiedad de hispanos en los Estados Unidos, y se ha establecido como líder en alimentos y condimentos latinoamericanos. Goya fabrica, envasa y distribuye más de 2,500 alimentos de alta calidad de España, el Caribe, México, Centroamérica y Suramérica. Los productos Goya tienen sus raíces en las tradiciones culinarias de las comunidades hispanas de todo el mundo. La combinación de ingredientes auténticos, sazones robustas y preparación conveniente hace que los productos Goya sean ideales para cada gusto y cada mesa. Para más información sobre Goya Foods, visite www.goya.com.
About Hilton Brooklyn New York
Opened in November 2016, Hilton Brooklyn New York is the newest addition to Brooklyn’s exciting and ever-changing downtown. A stone’s throw from the best of the borough, Hilton Brooklyn New York is a boutique hotel with big-impact amenities. These include Black Walnut Restaurant and Bar; fitness and business centers, both open around the clock; and flexible conference and event space. The hotel’s choice location – a 10-minute drive from lower Manhattan and surrounded by 12 subway lines – makes it highly accessible for business events and special celebrations. Hilton Brooklyn New York is managed by Urgo Hotels and Resorts. For more information or reservations, visit www.brooklynnewyork.hilton.com or call 718-834-8800.
About WNYC
Listener-supported WNYC is the home for independent journalism and courageous conversations on air and online. Broadcasting live from New York City on 93.9 FM and AM 820 and at wnyc.org.
About WFUV
WFUV (90.7 FM, wfuv.org), New York’s source for music discovery, is a noncommercial, member-supported public media service of Fordham University for 70 years. WFUV has received national recognition for its award-winning weekday format of adult album alternative music, award-winning local news and sports, and a diverse weekend lineup. WFUV’s robust website has extensive audio archives, videos, song playlists, an events calendar, blog and other resources.
About WABC-TV, Channel 7
WABC-TV Channel 7 is the #1 station in the nation, and Eyewitness News is the #1 source for news in the New York area. WABC-TV has a long legacy of commitment to local communities and the special events that sustain them. WABC-TV deeply values its partnership with the Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in support of music, art, and culture in Brooklyn.
About ALL ARTS
Powered by public media and supported by an arts-minded community, ALL ARTS is an unprecedented new broadcast channel, streaming platform and website dedicated to arts and culture 24/7. Programming is available on streaming apps on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV; allarts.org; broadcast and cable channels in the greater New York area; and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ALLARTSTV.
About WBGO
WBGO is the global leader in jazz radio, broadcasting from the jazz capital of the world. Founded in 1979, WBGO is a publicly-supported cultural institution that preserves and elevates America’s music: jazz and blues. WBGO reaches a weekly audience of more than 400,000 in the New York/New Jersey metro area via 88.3FM. Through programs such as Jazz Night in America, produced in partnership with NPR and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and WBGO's position as content provider to NPR, its reach extends to millions more across the country. From its home base of Newark, New Jersey, Public Radio station WBGO has long been an anchor institution in community engagement through its partnerships, concerts, education and news programming.
For more festival information, please visit www.BRICartsmedia.org.
Press Contacts: Ron Gaskill at Blake Zidell & Associates:
718.643.9052, ron@blakezidell.com.