Last year involved a farewell one of New York’s most infamous parties, arguably the best noise show lineup ever to hit Brooklyn, and an incredible talk with legendary avant-garde sound artist, La Monte Young. This year, the Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York is going even bigger.
It’s like the best-kept low-key industry secret, except it’s neither secret nor low-key, and you can (and should) buy tickets they day they’re available (March 24). A full month of in-depth immersions into the apex of sound and art, through concerts, conversations, film screenings, and wholly unconventional collaborations take you inside worlds of music new and old. From a conversation with Spike Lee on his favorite music in films, to an unprecedented Dizzee Rascal performance of Boy in da Corner in its entirety (this was the album that cemented grime’s sound, no matter which way you cut it), to Freestyle!!!, a party featuring genre-defining pioneers Jellybean Benitez, Louie Vega, and more, if you have even a passing interest in what goes on under the surface of global trends in music, mark your calendars.
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Spike Lee
Experiences run the gamut from high art, including the world premiere of a new show from Academy Award-nominee (and challenger) Anohni, and two performances by “extreme vocalist” and avant-garde music legend, Diamanda Galás, to the down and dirty, like back-to-back live production performances from prodigal beatmakers Metro Boomin, Sonny Digital, and Zaytoven, to the downright historic, like salsa statesman Eddie Palmieri’s return to his monumental 1971 LP, Harlem River Drive, a massive gospel house showcase, and the de facto resurrection of Bell Labs’ benchmark Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) initiative. RBMA Festival New York also features the premiere of KIKI, a Sundance favorite about voguing and its significance to LGBTQ youth of color.
Plus, if you can’t make it to New York from April through May, you can still tune in at Red Bull Music Academy Radio. Basically, if you care at all about where music comes from, how it’s made, how it works, or why we need it, or just want to enjoy a handful of shows that might never happen again, check out the full lineup below, and stay tuned to Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York.
Diamanda Galás
Dizzee Rascal
Tickets go on sale March 24th, 2016, and you can (and should) sign up for the RBMA NYC newsletter for more information here. Follow Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and through the hashtag #RBMANYC, and check out Red Bull Music Academy Radio to tune in.
Related:
Ragas and Ratios: 6 Things We Learned from Legendary Avant-Garde Artist La Monte Young
Saying Goodbye to New York’s Party Heaven for Weird Vibes, GHE20G0TH1K
Robert Henke Performance ‘Lumière’ Was A Sensory Thrill Ride
