Angelenos flock to KCRW headquarters for Summer Nights festival

Story and Photos by Cat Flores
Staff Writer

KCRW hosted its first “Summer Nights” event at its headquarters based on the campus of Santa Monica City College media and design center on Saturday, August 4th, offering a lineup of emerging artists and DJs, street food, and various activities to Angelenos. The National Public Radio (NPR) broadcasting station has provided these free outdoor performances for nine consecutive summers at various well-known locations in the greater Los Angeles area.

The evening opened with KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad and Travis Holcombe spinning a selection of eclectic tunes on a vinyl turntable. The Midnight Hour subsequently performed, featuring bass player Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest, composer Adrian Younge, and an orchestral accompaniment. Unfortunately, performances were setback by several technical sound and lighting difficulties.


“Summer Nights” also provided a series of food trucks, which offered foods ranging from donuts to popsicles to a fusion of Asian and Mexican food. Pop-up shops sold plants and house ornaments to attendees, while the event provided vinyl records of various musical genres. There was a children’s section which included hula hooping, a life-sized Jenga, and a KCRW-themed bean bag toss. Angelenos could also take humorous pictures at a staged beach scene.

The next KCRW Summer Nights’ will be on Saturday, August 18th, at KCRW headquarters in Santa Monica, and will feature Henry Rollins.

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