Listen for Life is honored to bring an impressive roster of world-renowned musicians to three cross-cultural Listen for Life Musicfest 2012 events in Southern California, September 21-29, 2012, to celebrate this year’s International Day of Peace and kick-off a world tour to promote peace around the globe.  Three years ago, the United Nations asked Listen for Life to create music festivals worldwide to raise awareness for Peace Day.  This year’s Musicfest concerts feature legendary blues and rock musicians (present/former band members of Eric Clapton, Guns N’ Roses, Dave Matthews Band, Carole King, Billy Preston, John Lee Hooker, Lionel Richie, Sergio Mendes, Toto, and Asia) who are coming together for the first time to form the Listen for Life All-Star Band to promote world peace through music.  Joining them at all three concerts are top music masters from nine world cultures, sharing their ethnic music traditions individually as well as collaboratively in combination with the all-star band.

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SASSAS’ concert series, sound., returns for a 14th season, kicking off with the Los Angeles premiere performance of Oakland-based experimental duo myrmyr at the Kings Road Park Pavilion on Saturday, June 30, 2012.  Produced by the Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound (SASSAS), the sound. concert series pushes new music boundaries by creating unique listening experiences for audiences that combine experimental music and unconventional settings.  Known for entrancing ambiences and intricate layered melodies, myrmyr creates an intimate post-classical atmosphere inspired by folk elements of the duo’s common Eastern European ancestry.  The June 30th myrmyr sound. event starts at 5:00pm.  Advance tickets are $12, $10 for SASSAS members/students/seniors, and can be purchased at www.sassas.org/sound/2012.  Tickets are $15 at the door.  Kings Road Park Pavilion is located at 1000 North Kings Road, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
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Live Talks Los Angeles, which produces compelling talks with fascinating speakers, will once again bring an A-list roster of personalities to the El Rey, Track 16, and Aero Theatre in the coming months. The schedule includes National Book Award and Oscar-Winning Writer Live Talks Los Angeles who will talk about his upcoming novel, In One Person (6/21, Aero); Top Chef Marcus Samuelsson, who will reflect on his life via his forthcoming memoir, Yes, Chef (7/10, Track 16); and Studio 360‘s Kurt Andersen, who will discuss his upcoming tour de force novel, True Believers (7/26, Track 16).  Also on the calendar is a special concert event by The Rock Bottom Remainders, the all-author rock band with Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan and Matt Groening among its members, who will hold their last public concert, after performing together for 20 years (6/22, El Rey). Most events start at 8:00pm with receptions preceding the talks. Ticket prices range from $20 to $295.  Please visit Live Talks LA’s website for additional details, updates and tickets at livetalksla.org.

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Vox Femina Los Angeles concludes its 15th anniversary season with Celebrating the Muse, a summer concert celebration of the music that has inspired Vox throughout its 15 years on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at the Zipper Concert Hall in the Colburn School of Music.  On this momentous occasion, Vox Femina looks back at special songs from its very first concert, commissions by composers who have influenced them, and the guest performers who have shared the stage with them.  Singer alumni will be joining the festivities as well as special guest performer, singer/song-writer, Cris Williamson.  The performance starts at 8:00pm. Tickets are $25-30 during presale, $35 at the door. Group rates are also available.

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The Rock Bottom Remainders, the all-author rock band with Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan and Matt Groening among its members, will hold their last public concert, after performing together for 20 years, at the El Rey Theatre on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 8:30pm. The show is part of the band’s final two-city The Past Our Bedtime Tour, which also includes an appearance not open to the public at the American Library Association Conference in Anaheim on the same weekend.  The entire band is together for the first time since 2007.  Roger McGuinn, best known as the lead singer and lead guitarist for The Byrds, will also join as a musical guest.  Proceeds will benefit literary causes.
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Angel City Chorale, L.A.’s hometown choir, presents the voices and music of Los Angeles in two not-to-be missed performances on Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3, 2012.  Angels Over L.A.: An L.A. Story features local composers and sounds, from the acknowledged mastery of Morten Lauridsen to a world premiere from up-and-coming young composer Philip White.  The award-winning songwriting of T Bone Burnett, the acclaimed eclecticism of David O, and even the classic sounds of the Beach Boys find their way into the story.  Inspired by everything from Hollywood soundtracks and videogame scores to the Bhagavad Gita, Angels Over L.A. is a unique Los Angeles story with something for everyone, as inclusive and vibrant as the city we love.  The concerts, starting at 7:00pm on both nights, will take place at Wilshire United Methodist Church, which is located at 4350 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010.

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