The Westside’s most iconic music event has found a fresh groove. This September, free concerts return to the Santa Monica with TWILIGHT ON THE PIER concert series. For five consecutive Wednesday evenings beginning Sept. 5 and a Sunday evening finale on Oct. 7, soundwaves from across the globe will flood the Pier from more than 20 acts from LA and beyond. Produced by the Santa Monica Pier Corporation (SMPC) and RH&S Concerts, the banner six-week SoCal event features one of the largest rosters of curated talent in the series' 34-year existence.
Formerly known as the Twilight Concert Series, Twilight on the Pier has been completely reimagined to offer a culturally-diverse and relevant Pier-wide celebration. Each of the six days features a mini deep-dive into sounds from all corners of the globe, from South Asia to Africa, complemented by the diverse sounds from Los Angeles. For the first time, multiple stages (Pier Deck, Pac Park, West End), region-specific culinary and craft vendors and immersive art will be incorporated throughout the Pier to support the spirit of true music festival vibes. The public beach adjacent to the Pier will not be activated as viewing or picnicking grounds like past seasons; instead, festival-goers will enjoy a Pier-wide takeover outfitted with activations, games and a beer and spirits garden.
For Sept. 5th's LATIN WAVE lineup, Havana's ORQUESTA AKOKAN will ignite the festival with ferocious wind and rhythm sections that move like one giant rhythmic machine. The dance party continues through week two's AUSTRALIA ROCKS THE PIER on Sept. 12th featuring the vivacious Australian-born BETTY WHO and her generational pop beats. ISLAND VIBES take the Pier on Sept. 19th powered by the likes of reggae soul queen JUDY MOWATT. On Sept. 26th, the kaleidoscopic sound of Grammy-nominated BRAZILIAN GIRLS headline a euphoric ECLECTIC INDIE lineup. AFRO-BEAT AND R&B pumps up the festival on Oct. 3rd with a Twilight Drum Circle and Fela Kuti musical sensation FELA! THE CONCERT. The series can't stop until South Asia's RED BARAAT throws down a wild and exuberant confluence of Bhangra music with anthemic, psyched-out twists for SOUTH ASIAN SOUNDS on Oct. 7th.
"This series is a true celebration of the values that the Pier holds so dearly: diversity, collaboration, and fun," says SMPC Executive Director Negin Singh. "With two new stages, a new 'art walk' vibe, and a focus on creating a sustainable, safe event that will last another 3 decades, Twilight on the Pier will feel different in a lot of ways from past years, but the spirit stays the same: getting people from all walks of life together to connect in a glorious setting with music and art."
Sept 5 / Latin Waves
ORQUESTA AKOKAN
JARINA DE MARCO
QUITAPENAS
SISTER MANTOS
Sept. 12 / Australia Rocks the Pier
BETTY WHO
TOUCH SENSITIVE
more announced soon!
Sept. 19 / Island Vibes
JUDY MOWATT
BOKANTE
DANNY HOLLOWAY
TWILIGHT DRUM CIRCLE
Sept. 26 / Eclectic Indie
BRAZILIAN GIRLS
SUDAN ARCHIVES
CAPYAC
yOya
Oct. 3 / Afrobeat R&B
FELA! THE SHOW
TIFFANY GOUCHE
TWILIGHT DRUM CIRCLE
DJ NNAMDI
Oct. 7 / South Asian Sounds
RED BARAAT
VIDYA VOX
DJ REKHA
DISCOSTAN
ABOUT THE SERIES
New name, new season, new vision: introducing Twilight on the Pier! The outdoor music festival that’s almost as iconic as the Pier itself is back for the 34th year. The 2018 series will spotlight the best and brightest SoCal has to offer and unique artists from around the world - a truly Local Meets Global experience. With stages on the Pier Deck, in Pacific Park, and the West End, each night of the series will be a Pier-wide festival, complete with immersive art, food offerings, a beer and spirits garden, games and interactive activations all along the Pier promenade. Sponsors include Aperol, White Claw, Beanfields, KeVita Kombucha, Lyft, Boxed Water, Zico, Clif, The Albright.
ABOUT THE LINEUP
The Pier welcomes over 8 million visitors annually from all over the globe. This year, Twilight's "Local Meets Global" theme not only explores different cultures, but dives deep into the rich diversity within those cultures as well. We're mixing classic world music with pop jams and indie folk. We're hearing from artists who live and create in different countries, as well as artists who draw inspiration from those countries but live in LA. We're seeing artists who helped give birth to their genres, and artists who are carving a new path. In doing all of this, we hope to provide our audience with a deeper understanding of what world music has to offer, and how it influences artists right here at home.
Twilight on the Pier
Wednesdays; Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26 & Oct. 3: 6:30 - 9:30pm
Sunday, October 7; 4:00 - 7:00pm
Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Submitted by Jeff Wagner
