Slowly but surely, since having two landmark downtown venues purchased by promotion giant Live Nation, Riverside has seen a significant uptick in the star power and quality of performing artists making tour stops in our humble slice of SoCal. Last week, the Riverside Municipal Auditorium hosted the legendary Ms. Lauryn HIll and prodigal afrobeat bandleader and saxophonist Seun Kuti and part of Ms. Hill’s “MLH Caravan: A Diaspora Calling!” tour, presented by Live Nation and streaming platform Tidal.

In recent memory, the Riverside Municipal Auditorium has played host to relevant and hotly sought after touring acts, ranging from soul goddess Miss Sharon Jones(RIP) to Swedish satanists Ghost. Just last summer, within the span of one month, one was able to catch the tag team of Wu Tang Clan’s Raekwon and Ghostface Killah on the 20th Anniversary tour of Raekwon’s seminal debut album, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx”, along with iconic heavy metal act Motorhead, marking what was one of frontman Lemmy Kilmister’s last live appearances before his untimely passing last December.

Along with Riverside’s live music profile recently being raised and reevaluated, so has the legacy of Ms. Lauryn Hill.  After a turbulent decade marked by lack of new material, shunning away from public life, and notoriously unpredictable live performances, Ms. Hill, although critically regarded as a magnificent talent since the 1990s, is now being received by fans and press not so much as a tragic figure, but as a trailblazer, whose impact built the way for many to follow. Just last year, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” was inducted into the Library of Congress for cultural preservation. Ms. Hill also contributed six new tracks to the soundtrack for the critically-acclaimed Nina simone documentary, “What Happened, Miss Simone?”. And just this year, her “Diaspora Calling” tour has been, albeit not without typical speed bumps, a large success, with dates being added to extend the tour into next spring.

It should be clear then, that last Wednesday night was a big night for both Riverside’s live music scene, and also Ms. Hill, who gave her admirers, both longtime and new, nearly 90 minutes of heartstrung deposition making clear her importance as an artist and bravado as a performer.

On a night with such a headlining act as Ms. Lauryn HIll, it may not come as a surprise that the night’s opener may have been overlooked by many. Seun Kuti, the youngest son of legendary Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti, has toured with his father’s expansive backing band, the Egypt 80, since his passing in 1997, when Seun was only 14 years old.  Performing a mix of original material and deep cuts from his father’s recordings, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 pulled out all the stops. The inescapable energy, pulsating rhythms, and Kuti’s excellent performance as bandleader all felt much more of a spectacle than a typical opening band, as Kuti et al busted out groove after groove, with Kuti’s charisma and technical prowess blooming during extended solo sections. The music recalled the recent surge of Southern Californian artists and bands exploring the connections between African and Latin American music, notably Riverside’s own Quitapenas, which have toured their infectious brand of Afro-Cumbia across the United States. Kuti’s presence on the lineup was a clear indicator of the night’s theme- diaspora. As millions of peoples faced displacement, enslavement, and loss of cultural identity as a means to further the Western Imperial project, entirely new cultures, began to form, each with their own distinct traits and cultural language, but with a common root in African . Kuti, as well as Quitapenas, represent a new generation of artists renegotiating the relationship with the past, and attempting to bring about a cultural project that reassesses the importance and relevance of  the historically disenfranchised.

With that in mind, one would be hard pressed to find another artist who examines and embodies the struggles of  the diaspora more so than Ms. Lauryn HIll. Known for blending together the sounds and celebrating the lineages of Reggae, Soul, and Hip-hop, Hill’s ninety-minute plus set was a testament to her immeasurable talents as a songwriter, bandleader, and artist, as well as the legacy of her influence.

Despite keeping her audience in suspense until nearly 11PM, and with her DJ notifying the crowd, on a stage without a band, that “Ms. Hill isn’t feeling too well tonight”, which many read as an omen confirming their worst suspicions. But shortly after those fears were quelled, as Ms. Hill’s band took to the stage and tenderized the stage for Ms. Hill’s marathon set. Upon her entrance, Ms. Hill appeared striking a visage similar to a canary, an unflinching figure covered in a bold yellow sweater, with a voice to match.

I have little words to add to what has already been said about the power of Ms. Hill’s music. It’s fearless, yet vulnerable, Genre-fluid, yet grounded in tradition. Last Wednesday night, that music transported a modest concert hall into a world-class venue. Ms. Hill’s presence and command of everything that happened on her stage put her in a class of her own. From performing hits like “Ex-Factor” and a rendition of “(Doo Wop) That Thing” that left everyone playing back-up singer, to her lesser-acknowledged acoustic material, as well as covers of songs by Sade and Nina Simone, and even Fugees classics, such as “How Many Mics” and the timeless cover of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”, Ms. Lauryn Hill and her supremely talented band brought a level of bravado and musicianship that would convince even the most fair-weather fan of the talent and iconic legacy of Ms. Lauryn Hill, a storyteller and artist of a generation, who, like many before and after her, continue to navigate and negotiate the effects of the diaspora.

Written by Wolfgang Mowrey

Like the desert location itself, 2016’s Serenity Gathering was an escape from the confines of everyday life. Located at the La Jolla Indian Reservation near Joshua Tree, Serenity Gathering consciously attempted to create an accepting and carefree environment for appreciators of art, music, and human interaction. Here, friendship is assumed and not earned. Positivity is contagious from dusk until dawn, and there is never a lack of community. However, organization is also an important aspect in the success of a festival. The phrase “all you need is love” was really put to the test when the only water source dried up half way through the day. One could transition easily from the funky and energetic Pimps of Joytime performance to the psychedelic, mind-numbing experience of Shpongle. Jungle Fire’s set on Saturday was particularly inspiring. The 10-piece L.A. based band specializing in Afro Latin beats and danceable deep funk melodies were experts at getting their diverse audience to get up and move. With Budos Band-esque qualities, Jungle Fire successfully utilized their trumpets, drums, guitar, and saxophone to bring the cultural sounds of L.A. to this desert festival. Despite the chaos of this year-old gathering, relentlessly optimistic festivalgoers were easily able to enjoy themselves with the variety of over 200 acts at 2016’s Serenity Gathering.

Photos by Jacob Avanzato

Low End Theory rumbled their 2nd annual festival on August 8th with their massive subwoofer system. They’ve been rumbling the LA music scene and beyond for the last couple of years. Low End heavyweights and newcomers shared two stages at the Shrine Expo Hall. They shook attendees with their beats and mesmerized them with their visuals.

        Residents were on full display: Daddy Kev, Daedelus, D-Styles, with Nocando mostly handling MC duties. There was also a batch of newcomers and those who’d made a name for themselves: Nosaj Thing, Teebs, Open Mike Eagle, and Flying Lotus of course. They were all on display, contributing their unique flavor of beats and rhymes to the Low End collective pot. Nosaj had a melancholy-like adventurous rhythm to his set while Daedelus followed with an awakening set of booming bass and string compositions accompanied by his animated performance. The energy just flowed from then on, with Gaslamp Killer creating a real-life image of what Charles Manson would look like if he were into dropping body-numbing beats. Thundercat brought a different animal, same beast type of energy with his set, slowing things down for his wild bassed-out jazz. Earl sliced through a set of heavy depression and angst, with the crowd responding properly to the slower tracks. Then the performer we’d all been waiting for, the one who gained a loud “wow” from the audience as soon as the curtain backdrop fell to reveal Lotus’ Performance Cube. Flying Lotus blended content from his You’re Dead! album with Kendrick Lamar tracks and a general collection of spastic, spaced-out sounds complemented by the hypnotic wave of visuals that he seemed to travel through. It was truly a sight to behold, one that wonderfully capped off the night.

        Low End didn’t grow out of already-present money or much established fame, but from persistent dedication and a belief in the sound coming from the Airliner every Wednesday night in L.A. Seeing Nocando and Gaslamp Killer interact between sets, delighted that their dreams were coming true, was a unique experience in itself. Also, seeing the numerous smaller acts that are making a name for themselves within the scene was also a unique experience. Having Open Mike Eagle, Jon Wayne, Milo, Samiam, and countless others make waves here and onto the future is what Low End has always been about. So until next years festival! We’ll see how Low End Theory will continue to shape the musical landscape one Wednesday at a time.

White Arrows played a much anticipated homecoming show, last Thursday at the Troubadour, after a string of North American shows supporting The Neighbourhood. Strange Babes and Wardell opened the night; the former, I was too late to catch. However, if their sound was like that of Wardell, the booking manager may need to reconsider the artists being put on the bills together. Quite a few audience members were very confused.

Wardell did capture the attention of those who showed up early, presumably to see Wardell, as they were squealing, cheering, swaying, and singing along. Unfortunately, for those unfamiliar with Wardell, trickling in for the main attraction, major differentiation in performance and music style left us questioning if we were at the right concert. The group is described as an indie-folk “band,” but the cohesion among the members was not apparent at all. I assumed it was the frontwoman’s (Sasha Spielberg) project and the others were simply a live band. Her dancing and constant hair tousling was unfitting for the music, and therefore, distracting. They were enthralling for those fans seemingly discovering and building their musical preferences (it was an all-ages show…), but nothing stood out as original. Musically: I was reminded of Sara Bareilles’s instrumentation mixed with the overdone, vocal tones of 90s female pop-rockers. In addition, White Arrows is blatantly indie pop (specifically, psychotropical pop, as they so cleverly self-categorize), and Wardell simply did not blend well enough, or add enough individual style to the indie pop genre to make sense as an opener. There was some pop, some folk, and a lot of confusion. This seems harsh, but I’m sure Wardell may have potential on a different bill… At least they’re enjoying themselves; as Steven Spielberg’s kids, they might as well try whatever they want! But maybe directing is in their genes…
On to White Arrows.

By the time White Arrows hit the stage, The Troubadour was packed. The band opened with a few new songs, leaving the audience holding on to the very last note of each song before erupting with applause; whether they had experienced the songs prior or not , they were clearly madly in love. Also, in traditional White Arrows style, there were visuals projected onto the wall behind the stage; however, unlike the usual abstract visuals, this was an animation of their EP cover art on loop (much like the singles/visual videos they have been releasing throughout the summer) which contributed a great deal to the audience being spellbound the first song in. Then, on the first beat of “I Can Go,” it was apparent what everyone was actually waiting for: the oldies of Dry Land is Not a Myth. The crowd started swaying and singing along immediately, leading Mickey to comment “And they say… LA doesn’t dance!” which only intensified a couple songs later with “Coming or Going” (which is impossible not to move to, in my opinion).
Overall, the set was a balanced blend of old and new songs, about two or three new to one favorite oldie, in preparation for the drop of their sophomore album, In Bardo, expected early fall.  It was evident not only in the music, but the performance style that the band is maturing; the hi-fi, animated projections, lack of Mickey’s wigs, and professional, yet very genuine expressions of gratitude made it clear that they are no longer a “baby band,” as Mickey once stated. With band maturation, comes personal maturation; and it was announced that it was Henry Church’s