Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo to Conclude Skirball's 'Sunset Concerts' Series

The Skirball Cultural Center concludes its twenty-first anniversary season of Sunset Concerts with the Los Angeles debut of the Venezuelan ensemble Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo on Thursday, August 31, at 8:00 p.m. The multigenerational group of dancers and musicians will be celebrating their thirtieth anniversary as well as the upcoming release of their debut album.

Venezuelan singer Betsayda Machado and her lifelong friends La Parranda El Clavo hail from the tiny village El Clavo, where their music ignites parties in the town square. With their "singular, passionate, and purposeful voices" (NPR), these masterful performers invite audiences to discover, indulge, and celebrate the contagious beats of Afro-Venezuelan soul and tambor. The New York Times describes Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo as "the kind of group that world music fans have always been thrilled to discover: vital, accomplished, local, unplugged, [and] deeply rooted."

At the core of the thirty-year-old ensemble's ethos is a strong belief in the communal teaching and sharing of their musical traditions. Before Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo take the stage, they will be leading a dance/drum workshop starting at 7:00 p.m., which is FREE and open to all ages. Both the performance and workshop are funded through Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America, a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

The remaining 2017 Sunset Concerts are as follows: Daymé Arocena (August 17); David Buchbinder's Odessa/Havana (August 24); and the Los Angeles debut of Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo (August 31). All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m.

2017 SUNSET CONCERTS take place at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049. Call (310) 440-4500 * or visit skirball.org. All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m. Check-in and FREE admission to the Museum and Skirball campus begin at 5:30 p.m. Doors to the concert venue open at 6:30 p.m. FREE concert admission RSVP is requested but does not guarantee admission or seating, which is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Parking: $10 per car (cash only) Carpooling is encouraged. Street parking is strictly prohibited. Or take Metro Rapid 734/234

All Skirball exhibitions (except Noah's Ark) are free and open until 10:00 p.m. during Sunset Concerts, including Paul Simon: Words & Music. Audrey's Museum Store is open until 8:00 p.m.

Grab-and-go light fare, full bar service, and specialty food items will be available for happy hour and throughout the show. Guests may bring their own food. Note: No outside alcoholic beverages, glassware, or chairs are permitted.

Marking its twenty-first season in 2017, the longstanding summer concert series kicked off just a year after the Skirball Cultural Center opened to the public in 1996. During that inaugural year, the institution drew nearly 300,000 visitors, far surpassing an initial expectation of 60,000. In winter/spring 1997, seeking to build upon this early success, the Skirball began to hold monthly dinnertime concerts inside its restaurant, Zeidler's Cafe. The concerts were so well attended that the staff immediately rethought the event space. The following summer, upon popular demand, the Skirball launched a free four-concert series on Thursday nights. These performances took place in the Skirball's much more spacious central courtyard, offering a view of the hillside at dusk. The series was soon named Sunset Concerts. For several seasons in those early years, along with Grand Performances downtown and Santa Monica Pier's Twilight Concerts, Sunset Concerts represented one of the city's few free outdoor summer music series. Noteworthy Sunset Concerts performers over the years have included Yasmin Levy (US debut), Hugh Masekela, Vieux Farka Touré (LA debut), Natacha Atlas, Red Baraat, Conjunto Chappotín y Sus Estrellas (US debut tour), Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, and Novalima.

The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.

The Skirball Cultural Center is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Museum hours: Tuesday-Friday 12:00-5:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; closed Mondays and holidays. Admission to exhibitions: $12 General; $9 Seniors, Full-Time Students, and Children over 12; $7 Children 2-12. Exhibitions are always FREE to Skirball Members and Children under 2. Exhibitions are FREE to all visitors on Thursdays. For general information, the public may call (310) 440-4500 or visit skirball.org. The Skirball is also home to Zeidler's Café, which serves innovative California cuisine in an elegant setting, and Audrey's Museum Store, which sells books, contemporary art, music, jewelry, and more.