CalArts students perform at The Troubadour on Feb. 10.
In recent years, it’s been tradition for graduating artists from The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts to perform a one-night showcase at the historic Troubadour music club in West Hollywood.
On Monday night (Feb. 10), CalArts students join the club’s roster of legendary troubadours who’ve played at the historic club (think Bob Dylan, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, et al.) The annual Soundstream 2020 concert presents a variety of nine forward-thinking, genre-defying musical acts, each of whom will perform original music. The show begins at 8 pm and is free and open to the public.
The Soundstream 2020 lineup includes:
NMND
Mclean Macionis (Music MFA 19) and Mana Contractor (Music MFA 20) perform as the electro duo NMND. They weave emotional narratives through unconventional, cross-genre and found sounds. NMND’s first EP, Integration, centers around the evolution and manipulation of the human voice. Listen to their demo on Soundcloud.
Tauri
An experimental pop artist Tauri brings her background in live sound engineering and songwriting to create complex electronic textures and R&B grooves. Most recently, she began collaborating with producer, art director, 3D artist and fellow CalArts alum newStatic. The band features Nicole Orlowski, vocals and playback; Alex Monasterio, electronic drumkit; and Sadel Perez, bass.
Bridgette Blank
An acoustic/electric folk-pop singer and songwriter, Blank’s music wields tongue-in-cheek lyricism to tackle themes of heartbreak, self-doubt and mental illness. Learn more about Blank’s story in her interview with VoyageLA.
My Boyfriend
Inspired by The Beatles on “nonfunctional antidepressants,” My Boyfriend embodies the playful yet earnest spirit of pop music. The ensemble is led by instrumentalist and composer Jon Paul Arciniega, with drummer Andrews Arciniega, pianist Morgan Jones IV, bassist Josh Turner, and Mandy Hong and Sü Ozcan on backup vocals.
Skullmatter
Producer and DJ, Skullmatter combines gothic overtones with vintage soundscapes. According to the program, “his tracks aim to bring euphoria back into our lives in the darkest and deepest form, a reminder that everything will be alright in a noisy world.” The man behind Skullmatter is CalArts student Oliver Jung. Listen to LDR Heroin (Skullmatter remix) on Soundcloud.
Vicken Hovsepian
Attuned to the vision of bandleader Vicken Hovsepian, his band’s sound blends ethereal ambiance and raw heaviness with progressive metal. Band members include Hovsepian on drums, vocalist Jeremiah Gray and guitarist William Gunawan. Stream the band’s newest music on their website.
MAKALO
An 11-piece multilingual brass band inspired by Afropop rebel traditions, MAKALO centers their music around social justice issues. Their first single, Make Sense, addresses sexual violence through the eyes of “an earnest ally to survivors.” Band members include Nehemiah Stark, lead vocals and guitar; Marley Wall, vocals and piano; Joey Archie, trumpet; Evan Wendell, trumpet; Anna Barlevy, trombone; Evan O’Brien, sax; Stefany Glik, vocals; Andrea Turk, vocals; Kelsey Gomez, Drums; David Velazco; and Navid Naima, bass.
Bart Tholamew
An indie songwriter, Bart Tholamew creates vibrant alternative ambient sounds with live looping. A jazz inspired musician, his live performances feature vocals, experimental guitar practices, lo-fi synthesizer melodies, and drum samples.
J.Lyn
Taking a minimal approach to music, singer/songwriter J.Lyn writes sentimental and poignant pop ballads.
A sample of tracks by several of the artists performing in Soundstream 2020 are available to stream on a Spotify playlist.
Event Details
Soundstream 2020
Monday, Feb. 10, 8 pm
The Troubadour
9081 N. Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood
FREE