BUSK-AID-L.A.: BUSKERS HIT THE STREETS
TO BENEFIT L.A. WILDFIRE VICTIMS,
SUNDAY, MARCH 30 IN CITY’S ECHO PARK DISTRICT
Performing at various “perches” on Sunset Blvd.,
artists will include Dustbowl Revival, Ruby Friedman Orchestra, Living Sisters, Tony Gilkyson, Rick Shea,
Ted Russell Kamp, Hollywood Highsteppers,
Fernando Perdomo, Ilana Katz Katz,
and Fat, Evil Children. |
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The music community wasted no time in coming to the aid of those rendered homeless following the January wildfires in and around Los Angeles, with benefit concerts popping up in arenas, theaters, nightclubs and roadhouses. Now a fleet of buskers will take to the streets for Busk-Aid-L.A., a benefit featuring both local and out-of-town performers gathering in the 1800 block of the city’s Sunset Blvd., in Echo Park, on Sunday, March 30, from 3-8 p.m. Busk-Aid-L.A. is presented in association with the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, who will donate proceeds where most needed among musicians displaced in the fires. The Wild Honey Foundation, an organization devoted to passing on the passion, creativity, and idealism found in rock, R&B, folk, and pop music to future generations, is helping with logistics for the festival. The event is free, with performers stationed at The Echo, Stories BooksCafe, Masa and Señor Fish, all located at or around the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and LeMoyne St. in the heart of L.A.’s Echo Park. Although the music will be free, Busk-Aid-L.A. will post a QR code (see below) which will link to the contribution page.
Among the artists performing at Busk-Aid-L.A. (so far, with more TBA shortly): Dustbowl Revival, Ted Russell Kamp, the Living Sisters (Eleni Mandell and Becky Stark), Rick Shea, Tony Gilkyson, Carla Olson & Todd Wolfe, Ilana Katz Katz, Ruby Friedman Orchestra, Fernando Perdomo, and the Hollywood Highsteppers. There will be last-minute additions and surprises, including a few artists diverting from tour routing to join in.
The benefit is being organized by music industry veterans Cary Baker and Liz Garo. Baker was a 40-year music publicity executive at Capitol Records, I.R.S. Records and four other labels prior to writing a book about busking, Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking & Street Music (Jawbone Press). Garo, who heads Stepping Stone presents, is a longtime Los Angeles concert promoter, organizing shows at such venues as the Regent Theater, Echo and Echoplex, Spaceland, Love Song Bar, among others.
Co-organizer Baker says of the event: “Chicago may be my hometown – and where I saw my first buskers … street blues musicians on Maxwell Street. But L.A., my home of 40 years, is where my soul will forever live. The wildfires were an unspeakable tragedy that affected many friends and acquaintances in the L.A. music scene. I felt the best way I could give back to the community – with busking on my mind following months of book promotion – was a busking event. Not all the participating artists have busking in their past, but all are looking forward to performing on the streets for the worthiest of causes. I was fortunate to partner with Liz Garo, one of L.A.’s most respected concert promoters, and the Sweet Relief Foundation, which will put the proceeds where most needed. Thanks also to a few musicians — Ruby Friedman from Portland, Ilana Katz Katz, a well-known and very passionate subway musician from Boston — who are making long trips to join us down on the corner.” Aric Steinberg, executive director of the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, says: “We absolutely love the idea of musicians helping musicians, and Busk-Aid-L.A. is a perfect example. So many notable artists started out as street performers, and it’s so cool to see Cary, Liz and their team harnessing the power of busking to help Los Angeles musicians who have been displaced by the fires. We’re here to help disburse the funds and look forward to jamming in the streets with our supporters.” |
Schedule Echo, 1822 Sunset Blvd. 3pm - 3:20pm Fat, Evil Children
3:40pm - 4pm Watertower Boys Sticky Rice, 1801 W Sunset Blvd. 3:50pm - 4:10pm Craig Elkin
4:20pm - 4:40pm Carla Olson + Todd Wolfe Masa, 1800 W Sunset Blvd. 4:30pm - 4:50pm Ilana Katz Katz
5pm - 5:20pm Fernando Perdomo
5:20pm The Highsteppers cross the street Shoe Palace, 1700 Sunset Blvd. 5:30pm - 5:50pm The Highsteppers
5:50pm - 6:10pm Ruby Friedman Orchestra Stories (front), 1716 Sunset Blvd.
6:pm - 6:20pm Ted Russell Kamp
6:30pm - 6:50pm Living Sisters Stories (patio), 1716 Sunset Blvd.
7: 10pm - 7:40pm Tony Gilkynson + Rick Shea
8pm - 8:30pm Dustbowl Revival Set times subject to change / suggested set times. |
Artist bios:
Dustbowl Revival
Going strong into their second decade after starting from a humble Craigslist ad founder and lead songwriter Z. Lupetin posted in bohemian Venice Beach (where they started busking), some would say Dustbowl Revival’s ever-evolving collective plays a spicy cocktail of folky-funk or booty-shaking jangly rock ’n’ soul: expertly mixing their New Orleans-tinted brass section with their signature Laurel Canyon harmonies and fearless lyrics. Their albums have been streamed over 20 million times and counting with a new one on the way in 2025.
Ruby Friedman Orchestra
Fronted by the Portland-based/Los Angeles-bred singer-songwriter Ruby Friedman, the Ruby Friedman Orchestra has a new album, Chimes After Midnight , coming from Label 51 Recordings in June, The record, described as “Every song, a knockout” by Willamette Week, is the successor to RFO’s highly regarded 2016 release Gem. Friedman says of her new work, “I’m giving voice to remarkable people who time will erase otherwise, ordinary men and women who changed history. Like chimes after midnight, theirs are the voices you would not hear — people in the dark.”
Tony Gilkyson
Born in Hollywood and reared in northern New Mexico, Tony Gilkyson writes songs that speak of ghosts, travels, dreams, and landscapes. A songwriter-guitarist, Tony began recording at a young age with his father, Terry Gilkyson. He has collaborated with songwriters John Doe and Chuck E. Weiss, as well as authors Diane Stillman (29 Palms) and Michael Blake (Dances with Wolves). His musical style blends rock, folk, and Americana, with a distinctive guitar sound that combines traditional and modern influences. Throughout his career, Tony has worked with artists such as Dave Alvin, Lone Justice, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, K.D. Lang, and X. His guitar work has been featured in film soundtracks like Walk the Line, The Big Lebowski, All the King's Men, and Don’t Come Knockin’, with producer T Bone Burnett
Hollywood Highsteppers
The Hollywood Highsteppers is a class taught at the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit music school serving the Silver Lake/Hollywood/Los Feliz neighborhoods. The class formed in 2019 under the direction of Michael Bolger and serves as a community band. It’s an all-ages ensemble consisting of sousaphones, drums, flutes, trumpets, trombones, saxophones, accordions, guitar, and singing. Most of the repertoire hails from the Second Line tradition of New Orleans. The band also explores other repertoire including Balkan grooves, pop songs, and funk. The Highsteppers recorded a track on a soon to be released album featuring ensembles of the Silverlake Conservatory. They march in community parades like the Doo Dah parade and the Venice Mardi Gras parade. The class is growing and bringing joy to the community.
Ted Russell Kamp
Ted Russell Kamp is a Grammy Award-winning bass player, singer/songwriter and producer living in Los Angeles. His music is a true gumbo of American rock and roll, blues, country and singer/songwriter styles. Rolling Stone has called Kamp an “MVP of the California Roots Music scene” as he has been a singer/songwriter and artist releasing 14 albums of his own original material while also playing bass with Shooter Jennings, Shooter Jennings Duff McKagan, Wilson Phillips, Wanda Jackson and more.
Ilana Katz Katz
Ilana Katz Katz is a blues and Appalachian fiddler, singer, songwriting musical chameleon who has been busking in Boston’s subways since 2008. Known for her signature solo performances, she also lends her fiddling prowess to a plethora of bands, internationally, as a recording artist and special guest. Ilana Katz Katz will fly cross-country to participate in Busk-Aid.
Living Sisters
Eleni Mandell and Becky Stark concocted the idea of singing together over cocktails at Little Joy back in the day. Both had been pursuing solo careers as singer-songwriters but both dreamed of a side project focused on harmonizing. Becky already had the name ready and The Living Sisters were born. Their charming, heartfelt and, sometimes, goofy songs exist to spread joy, light, and harmony! Later, Inara George and Alex Lilly joined the band but they’ll be out of town during Busk-Aid.
Fernando Perdomo
Fernando Perdomo is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer-songwriter originally from Miami, Florida. L.A. Times dubbed him "The Millennial Answer to Todd Rundgren.” He was featured in the movie Echo in the Canyonplaying guitar for Jakob Dylan, Fiona Apple, Beck, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Brian Wilson and others. He currently is the guitar player for Marshall Crenshaw on tour. He is a prolific recording artist with hundreds of releases available on his Bandcamp Page. He will be releasing 12 albums in 2025 titled Waves 1-12.
Rick Shea
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Rick Shea’s work speaks for itself. He’s played with legends like Dave Alvin (Shea played on his Grammy-winning album), R.E.M. (for the soundtrack to Man on the Moon) and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Wanda Jackson among others He cut his teeth in Southern California honky-tonks, and his songs reflect the folk, country, rock and Mexican influences he grew up with. Shea has released 12 albums to wide acclaim (his latest received 4 Stars from Mojo), and toured both the U.S. and Europe.
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For more information, please contact Cary Baker, link here
QR code for donations via Sweet Relief Musicians Fund below. This code will be posted at all busking locations. |
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