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Rare Essence, the “Best Go-Go Band” in Washington D.C., will bring its funk-infused music to the @KimmelCenter’s FREE Sittin’ In this #PIFA2018. Hear @REWickedestBand 6/6! More info @kimmelcenter.org/pifa #ArtHappensHere
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Monica Robinson
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Rachel Goldman
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WASHINGTON D.C.’S LEGENDARY GO-GO BAND RARE ESSENCE TO PERFORM AT THE KIMMEL CENTER’S PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR A SPECIAL EDITION OF ‘SITTIN’ IN’ JUNE 6, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, April 30, 2018) –– Rare Essence, Washington D.C.’s wickedest Go-Go band, will bring its original, funky sound to the Kimmel Center’s 2018 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA). The band will perform live for a special PIFA edition of the Kimmel Center’s FREE Sittin’ In program, taking place Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. in the Commonwealth Plaza.
“We are ecstatic to have this legendary Go-Go band Rare Essence join our PIFA celebration,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “The band has been performing for more than four decades and is a Washington, D.C. institution. They’ve played with The Roots, DJ Kool, LL Cool J, Shabba Ranks, and Erykah Badu just to name a few. Now, they will showcase their diverse, unique artistry for our audiences.”
Rare Essence began its musical journey in 1976, when several D.C. area elementary schoolers came together to jam to the era’s most popular funk and soul hits. The group of young musicians were quickly drawn to the regional, funk-infused Go-Go music that was quickly gaining a following thanks to the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown. The Washington Post described the band’s chosen genre as, “Home
bred and -brewed, Go-Go is all boisterous percussion and ecstatic polyrhythm, dance music as insistently communal as it is energizing.”
For the past four decades, Rare Essence has worked hard to craft their skills as live musicians, performing over 5,000 times while building a devoted fan base that spans multiple generations. The band has performed with famed artists such as Run DMC, LL Cool J, Biz Markie, Ice Cube, Wu Tang Clan, TLC, The Roots, and more, including fellow Go-Go heroes Chuck Brown, Trouble Funk, The Junk Yard Band, and EU.
Sittin’ In, a monthly FREE Kimmel Center program, introduces audiences to new cutting-edge artists. It defies genre, often drawing from everything from straight-ahead jazz to freestyle hip hop and all points in between. There’s an unpredictability to the night, which the Kimmel Center enthusiastically embraces! The awesome creativity, excitement, and quality always shine through in the Kimmel Center’s informal club-like setting, featuring early warm-up sets by some of the hottest DJs around. And, it’s free!
Other featured upcoming performances at the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus include: Jazz Residency Artist Luke Carlos O’Reilly: World Premiere Black Lives Matter(May 3, 2018, SEI Innovation Studio), Jazz Residency Artist Doug Hirlinger: World Premiere Dear Philadelphia (May 5, 2018, SEI Innovation Studio), Sittin' In Featuring Killiam Shakespeare (May 9, 2018, SEI Innovation Studio), ¡La NOCHE CUBANA! (June 4, 2018, Commonwealth Plaza), and Bring It! LIVE (July 14, 2018, Merriam Theater).
Rare Essence
Commonwealth Plaza
June 6, 2018, 9:00 p.m.
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, the Kimmel Center’s mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience through diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel Center Campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music (owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the Merriam Theater. The Kimmel Center is also home to eight Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2017-2018 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit kimmelculturalcampus.org.
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