SOMERSET HOUSE SUMMER SERIES 2024 WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS
11 JULY- PIP MILLETT
12 JULY- SPECIAL GUEST
13 JULY- DBN GOGO
14 JULY- CORINNE BAILEY RAE PRESENTS BLACK RAINBOWS
15 JULY- SMINO
16 JULY- THE AMAZONS
17 JULY- HANIA RANI
18 JULY- THE BIG MOON
19 JULY- CORY HENRY
20 JULY- HAK BAKER
21 JULY- PATTI SMITH QUARTET
Somerset House Somerset House Summer Series with American Express returns with a new edition of electrifying shows in the spectacular central London courtyard. One of summer’s essential live music festivals, since its inception in 2003, Somerset House Summer Series with American Express has become a hallmark event for music lovers, serving as a launchpad for emerging acts and spotlighting some of the most influential industry leaders today. Global artists across a diverse array of genres come to play in the revered live music space with an intimate yet vibrant festival atmosphere in the heart of London.
This year’s programme celebrates another trailblazing line-up, with empathic and disarming R&B rising star Pip Millett opening the series on Thursday, 11th July. Returning to Summer Series after an incredible show in 2022 supporting Ghetts, Millett’s easy-going magnetism makes every gig an intimate experience; her superpower is lyrics that perfectly describe shared highs and heartbreak lows that sound like a late-night conversation with a close friend. Her debut album When Everything is Better, I’ll Let You Know has been a pick for BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, 6Music, i-D, Mixmag and CRACK. There’s no better way to start Summer Series than a headline set from this compelling artist.
Multi-platinum selling DJ, producer, and label boss DBN Gogo is in charge at Summer Series on Saturday 13th July, with an afternoon and evening featuring special guest DJs and live full band sets. DBN Gogo (Mandisa Radebe) is one of South Africa’s superstar DJs, with a stunning debut album of soulful, dancefloor-facing anthems inspired by her heritage and featuring the new generation of Amapiano stars signed to her label Zikode Records. On a mission to take Amapiano global, she curated a nine-day Boiler Room in Johannesburg, has featured on the Times Square billboard in New York, rocked Coachella and contributed two songs to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever album. This selector brings an infectious energy to the decks and is guaranteed to make you move: prepare for a party.
Corinne Bailey Rae is the double-Grammy, double-MOBO winning star, returning for a third appearance at Summer Series following stand-out shows in 2006 and 2010. The Leeds legend presents an ultra- special live show, performing her critically-acclaimed, career curveball of an album Black Rainbows – which was inspired by visits to the atmospheric Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago. Showcasing the breadth of Bailey Rae’s songwriting and vocal abilities, the LP is a new direction and one which establishes her as a powerhouse in modern music. She will play the album in its entirety along with a few of her well-knowing hits with a full live band on Sunday 14th July.
Smino, the self-proclaimed hip-hop laureate of St. Louis, a neo-soul rapper who deals in whimsical wordplay, joins the line-up on Monday, 15th July. Raised from a long line of musical church folk – his grandfather played bass for legendary blues singer Muddy Waters – Smino came up through Chicago’s music scene, where he formed Zero Fatigue with producer Monte Booker and singer Ravyn Lenae. After releasing two EPs in 2015, he could be heard guesting on Noname’s Telefone mixtape and Saba’s Bucket List Project, cementing his reputation as one of Chicago’s most essential emerging artists. In 2017, he released his debut album blkswn, which was selected as one of Rolling Stone’s hip-hop albums of the year. The rapper now has over half a billion streams under his belt. Prepare for a funked-up, St Louis-style summer party.
The Amazons join the bill on Tuesday 16th July, bringing their trademark, ubiquitous, adrenaline fused show to the Series for a rousing collection of high-octane anthems. Gaining attention with their debut album back in 2017, the band has continued to build their fanbase as festival favourites. With sold out shows across the globe and three top-10 UK albums under their belts, The Amazons claimed their highest ever chart position with their latest album How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?
Hania Rani is a captivating and virtuosic Polish pianist, composer and producer who blurs the lines between classical and contemporary genres. Classically trained, she was a regular in concert halls across Europe, but it was live performances – such as 2022’s 6 million-viewed livestream from the prestigious Les Invalides in Paris – that brought her into global focus. Her first two albums Esja and Home established a template for blissful soundscapes – the latter was a Rough Trade album of the year. Her latest album, Ghosts, sees another significant shift, with sweeping strings and her crystalline voice brought into the light. Bask in the magic of these ethereal tracks on Wednesday, 17th July.
The Big Moon are the British indie-pop heroines who shot to acclaim with Mercury-nominated debut Love In The 4th Dimension. Their poignant third album Here Is Everything dealt with the joys and despairs of lockdown as well as frontwoman Juliette’s pregnancy and early-days of motherhood. Mostly self-produced, the band had the guidance and expertise of co-producers CECIL (Self Esteem, Jehnny Beth, PJ Harvey) and the Grammy-Award winning producer Ben Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Deer Hunter, and Walking Like We Do). Expect a magnetic and euphoric show when they perform in the courtyard on Thursday, 18th July.
Cory Henry is a three-time Grammy Award-winning artist, composer, multi-platinum producer, multi-instrumentalist, and keyboard aficionado. Former member of American jazz-fusion band Snarky Puppy, Henry launched his solo career in 2018 with his first independent release Art of Love with band The Funk Apostles. He has toured with legendary figures such as Bruce Springsteen, Michael McDonald, P. Diddy, Boyz II Men, Kenny Garrett, The Roots and many more. Buckle up for a Friday night funk, gospel, and soul masterclass on Friday, 19th July.
Hak Baker is the proud East-London troubadour with roots in grime, challenging preconceptions with his self-styled G-Folk. Providing ultra-honest, relatable, and raw tales of modern British life, his revolutionary-minded debut album World’s End FM – which takes the form of a Pirate Radio broadcast from the apocalypse – ripples with electric energy, vibe, and talent. With fans from Celeste to Mike Skinner, Fontaines DC to Skepta, Slowthai to Pete Doherty, Hak’s fanbase of misfits and renegades celebrate his anti-genre G-Folk sound. Lock in your Saturday night on 20th July- the end of the world has never sounded so bold, so life-affirming, or so beautiful.
Summer Series is set to close proceedings in style with what will be an extraordinary, notable show from the legendary ‘punk poet laureate’ Patti Smith and her backing band, Patti Smith Quartet.
With a career that began in 1975, Smith has released 11 studio albums and authored over 20 books. Celebrated fan touchstones from her acclaimed discography include the seminal recording of Gloria, Because the Night, co-written with Bruce Springsteen, and People Have the Power, co-written with her late husband Fred Sonic Smith, sitting alongside towering tracks from every decade of her recording career. The Patti Smith Quartet touring band includes Tony Shanahan on bass and keys, plus her son Jackson Smith on guitar and Seb Rockford on drums. Expect a career-spanning show from one of music’s most fascinating and iconic figures to round off the series on Sunday, 21st July, with power and gravitas.
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