Celebrating its sixth year as one of DTLA’s completely free music series, the FIGat7th Downtown Festival (also known as FIGFest) will energize the city this June with eclectic sounds and fun summer nights. Presented by Arts Brookfield, the festival kicks off June 1 and runs four consecutive Friday nights at Downtown LA’s premier shopping destination, FIGat7th. This year, Spaceland Presents has collaborated with Arts Brookfield to curate the lineup. The outdoor plaza at FIGat7th will be transformed into an urban concert venue and dance floor brought to life with performances by leading R&B, hip-hop, pop, soul, dance, and electronic artists.
Kicking off the festival June 1 is Poolside, the dreamy “Daytime Disco” project of California duo, Filip Nikolic and Jeffrey Paradise. They are sure to put your mind at ease while your body slinks into a smooth sway. Opening for Poolside is 19-year old Australian pop/rap/electro artist Mallrat, who is releasing her “In The Sky” EP that same day! June 8 will deliver an electric performance by fresh-from-Coachella, sexy New York R&B duo, Lion Babe (with opener Dave B). Their sound is seductive and eclectic supported by clanging percussion, a thumping synth bass, and notes of soul, dance, hip-hop and pop. On June 15, Gabriel Garzón-Montano (with opener Jarina De Marco) takes the stage with layer upon layer of his characteristically thoughtful, sultry, saturated soundscapes that oscillate between new soul, electronic, funk and R&B. The festival closes June 22 with a (yet to be announced!) surprise act with opener Thumpasaurus.
FIGFest’s unique lineup reflects the vibrant cultural center that Downtown LA has become. Past festivals have featured The Internet, Anderson. Paak, KING, Superhumanoids, Soulection, Tuxedo, Hanni El Khatib, and The Belle Brigade. FIGFest is free and open to the public as part of Arts Brookfield’s continued effort to bring Brookfield Properties’ public spaces to life through music, film, interactive experiences, and visual arts.
FIGFest is one of the only free concert experiences in Los Angeles where music lovers can dine, drink, and shop all in one downtown L.A. location. Summer Happens Here!
RSVP to 6/1 with Poolside & Mallrat
RSVP to 6/8 with Lion Babe & Dave B
Featured artists include:
Poolside on June 1st
Poolside are the “Daytime Disco” project of California duo Filip Nikolic and Jeffrey Paradise. Inspired by good wine and good times with good friends, Poolside released their debut album Pacific Standard Time in 2012 to critical acclaim. Poolside’s music has been spun and supported by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, techno legend Derrick May, and disco don Todd Terje and has toured extensively with performances at festivals including Coachella, Primavera, and Treasure Island. The group’s remixes of Little Dragon, the Rapture, Matthew Dear, Sade, and Miami Horror have garnered the duo much attention, and their mixtapes and Spotify playlists are perfect for pool parties. Poolside’s second album, Heat, was released on June 20th to celebrate Summer Solstice, and the duo is supporting the record with a worldwide tour, including gigs in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
Lion Babe on June 8th
LION BABE, the New York duo formed of singer/songwriter and performance artist Jillian Hervey and instrumentalist and producer Lucas Goodman, draw on an eclectic mix of influences for their sonic and stunning visuals, which mirror the rich melting pot of cultures that New York offers. The band’s artistry showcases their ethos for fearlessly reworking and reinventing the familiar to make their own unique pieces of art; a new kind of soul. This ethos has led LION BABE to become one of the most exciting and talked-about breakthrough acts of the past couple of years.
Gabriel Garzón-Montano on June 15th
Gabriel Garzón-Montano is a multi-instrumentalist and sing-songwriter based in New York City. Jardín comes on the heels of three intense years of touring, writing and recording. Soon after the 2014 release of his debut EP, Bishouné: Alma del Huila, Gabriel was invited out on the road by rock legend Lenny Kravitz, as direct support on 23 concerts across Europe. The day after playing Wembley Arena, he received a call notifying him that his song “6 8” would be sampled by Drake on his full-‐length If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late. The months following these cosigns Garzón-‐Montano was featured at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits, and on back-to-back tours with English indie-rockers Glass Animals and Stones Throw label mate Mayer Hawthorne. Garzón-Montano has performed at major U.S. and international venues. His music style blends R&B, soul, and funk.
Thumpasaurus on June 22nd
Straight from the insane house parties of the Los Angeles music scene comes Thumpasaurus, whose brand of high-energy, funk and soul combines with imaginative storytelling to provide a musical experience like no other. Coming together at USC’s music school, the founding members of Thumpasaurus have developed an eclectic, homemade aesthetic unlike anything else this side of the Milky Way.
For more information about Arts Brookfield and the FIGat7th Downtown Festival, visit:
http://www.artsbrookfield.com/event/figfest-2018/
