S.Lo on July 12th, 2018

0

Born in Echo Park back in ’99 long before it became the hipsterville of today, L.A. country/roots-rock band I See Hawks in L.A. are headlining Grand Performances’ free “Now More Than Ever: Protest Songs Sing-Along” this Friday at California Plaza downtown. 

The band has just released their latest album, “Live and Never Learn,” after five years living and learning through hard life ordeals like illness and parents passing away. Joining songwriting team Rob Waller and Paul Lacques for this album are Hawks bassist Paul Marshall and drummer Victoria Jacobs. Collaborations with members of Old Californio and Peter Davies of the U.K.’s Good Intentions as well as several special guest appearances are also highlights of the album, along with familiar themes such as conservation and the environment. 

Friday’s performance will be more about audience participation rather than the traditional concert experience. After the group sings a few of their own protest songs, Marshall will lead a harmony workshop with the audience before special guests such as Mari Riddle, Nailah Porter, Roger Guenveur Smith and Ivan Kadey lead the sing-along to a variety of protest songs from the American canon. Danny McGough will also join in on keys. 

||| Stream: “Live and Never Learn” in its entirety 

||| Live: I See Hawks in L.A. will play at “Now More Than Ever: Protest Songs Sing-Along” at Grand Performances at 8 p.m. Friday. Free