Since announcing the inaugural Emerge Impact + Music festival last summer, organizers have promised the event would blend music acts and speakers in unconventional ways. Today, they revealed exactly what that will look like.
The three-day fest, scheduled for April 6-8 at venues stretching from the Strip to Downtown, has unveiled its complete schedule of showcases. And indeed, many will feature both music and spoken content, centered around specific themes. A couple of examples:
“Speaking Truth to Power,” featuring Americana band Hurray for the Riff Raff, indie rocker Jeff Rosenstock, punk rock outfit Downtown Boys, hardcore band War on Women and the Kalpulli Ehecatl dance/music ensemble, plus comedian Jena Friedman and poet Anis Mojgani. Description: “Every movement has its music, and ours should be no different. Join a rally-style gathering that celebrates the sights and supporting the revival of America’s greatest tradition—protest.”
“The Space Between,” featuring father/daughter beatboxing duo Ed Cage and Nicole Paris, Amper Music CEO Drew Silverstein, artist/professor Stephanie Dinkins, scientist David Putrino, record producer Andrew Dawson and Ponytrap, a Texan music group merging humans playing instruments with robot drummers. Description: “The line between technology and biology is getting ever-so-thin. As VR, AR and AI gain steam, how will it change our loves, our relationships and our very humanity? Let’s test our limits with some creatives who living in the space between.”
The festival also added 19 new music acts to a list that already included such notables as OK Go, Poppy, Kevin Morby, Lower Dens, Waxahatchee, Residual Kid and Sir the Baptist. The new additions: Abir, Bay Ledges, Constantine, CYN, Devault, Dylan Gardner, Goon, Hanni El Khatib, Jorgen Odegard, Kemba, Luna Aura, Morgxn, Pinky Pinky, Polish Club, Rhye, Stokeswood, Chloé Caroline, The National Parks and Twin Shadow.
A few other potential highlights among Emerge’s 24 distinct events: an OK Go performance that will have the band playing its songs live while its beloved videos run simultaneously onscreen, a solo acoustic performance by Waxahatchee and a closing “Welcome to the Underground” music blowout teaming Rhye, Twin Shadow, Vagabon and more.
Tickets for individual showcases range from $20 to $30 and are on sale now at emergelv.com.
