Gilberto Gil and Devendra Banhart Share the Stage for the First Time in One-Of-A-Kind Double Bill at The Hollywood Bowl

The tenth anniversary season of KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl continues on Sunday, June 29, at 7pm, with a compelling and rare double bill featuring Gilberto Gil and Devendra Banhart, who share the stage for the very first time. The Album Leaf featuring Mike Heron from The Incredible String Band opens the show. KCRW DJ Anne Litt hosts.

The inspiration for this pairing began with Banhart, a Texas-born, Venezuela-raised world-folk epicurean who exploded on the international music scene in 2002, quickly winning instantly devoted fans and hefty critical acclaim. He often identifies Tropicalismo pioneers as major influences, including Gilberto Gil, one of the most relevant contributors to the Tropicalia and bossa nova movements.

The artistic match fits perfectly into the KCRW World Festival series, one that strives to present non-traditional, one-of-a-kind, concerts by pairing artists from different genres and locations from around the globe. Banhart performs in support of his fifth release, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon.

Gil appeared on the very first year of the World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in 1999, and returns for the tenth anniversary of the series’ adventurous programming with a full band line-up, performing repertoire from his new release Banda Larga Cordel (June 2008/Warner Music Latina).

Mike Heron was added to the bill when he came up during research as a common link to both Banhart and Gil. Banhart often praises Incredible String Band as a major influence, and has already performed with cofounder Clive Palmer. During Gil’s exile in London in 1969, he collaborated with the Incredible String Band, taking their influence back to Bahia upon his return. The Album Leaf collaborates with Mike Heron for this very special appearance at the Bowl. The Album Leaf is a mostly an instrumental project from San Diego, and they are eager to shape their malleable and ambient post-rock sound into a new form with the iconic founder of the Incredible String Band. Joining them is Mike Heron’s daughter, vocalist Georgia Seddon.