Although Los Angeles is loaded with free shows featuring great live music throughout the summer, this season has felt somewhat off due to the absence of the Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier. Sporting a new name, season and vision, the former summertime tradition will return in the fall as Twilight on the Pier.
The newly rechristened and reimagined free concert series will begin Wednesday, Sept. 15 with “Latin Waves”, featuring Orquesta Akokan, Jarina De Marco, Sister Mantos and Quitapenas. The series has been scaled down a bit from previous iterations due to the overcrowding of the Pier during these shows (who remembers BORNS, RUFUS DU SOL, or Khalid’s shows?)
Each event in the Twilight on the Pier series will represent a distinct “Local Meets Global” theme that aims to explore the rich diversity within different cultures. Instead of one main stage, Twilight will now offer a pier-wide festival experience, with the performances taking place on three stages across the pier to enable immersion among the event’s music, art, games, food and drink offerings.
On Sept. 12, Betty Who, Touch Sensitive and two artists to be announced will take over for “Australia Rocks the Pier”. Judy Mowatt, Bokanté, Twilight Steel and DJ Danny Holloway will bring Island Vibes on Sept. 19. Brazilian Girls, Sudan Archives, yOya and Capyac will perform at “Eclectic Indie” on Sept. 26.
For the year’s penultimate installment, Fela! the Concert, Tiffany Gouche, Twilight Drum Circle and DJ Nnamdi will play “Afro-beat and R&B” on Oct. 3. The series will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 7 with “South Asian Sounds” featuring Red Baratt, Vidya Vox, Discostan and DJ Rekha.
All six events are free and open to all-ages, and take place from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. All events now take place on Wednesdays, except for South Asian Sounds on Sunday, Oct. 7. Until then, relive the magic of Warpaint at the Santa Monica Pier and Betty Who’s dazzling turn at the Wiltern.
For more information, visit the Santa Monica Pier’s official Twilight on the Pier page.
Photo of Betty Who by Stephanie Varela Rheingold
