ASCAP’s Sundance Cafe to Showcase Derek Smalls, Bird and the Bee, Matt Berninger
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ASCAP has announced the org’s 22nd annual showcase series at the Sundance Film Festival, with a lineup of artists that includes Spinal Tap’s Derek Smalls, the Bird and the Bee, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Joseph Arthur, Barry Zito, ZZ Ward and Matt Berninger, the member of the National who’s come into his own as a film composer with scores like “The Two Popes.”
The ASCAP Music Cafe runs daily for nearly the entirety of the film festival, from Jan. 24-31, with music starting at 2 p.m. each day and all performances free to badgeholders over 21. The performance space will be set up at 751 Main Street in Park City.
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Additionally, ASCAP will throw an invite-only cocktail party for composers and filmmakers in the middle of the festival, on Monday, January 27. The performing rights organization is trumpeting dozens of composers who scored films in this year’s program, among them Hans Zimmer, Pinar Toprak, John Debney, Dan Romer, Nico Muhly, St. Vincent, Ty Segall, Alex Weston and many others.
“For 22 years, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café has shined a spotlight on the exquisite alchemy of sound and vision embodied by the art of filmmaking,” Loretta Muñoz, ASCAP’s assistant VP of membership, said in a statement. “We are continuing the tradition in 2020, with eight days of musical performances by extraordinary artists throughout the festival. You will hear unique sets from artists you already know and love, and you’re guaranteed to find some new loves, too.”
Other performing at the Cafe include Matthew Koma (of Winnetka Bpwling League), Alex Lilly, Colter Wall, Fox Wilde, James Bourne, Jamie Drake, Joe Robinson, Joseph Arthur, Léon, Lizbeth Román, Rain Phoenix, Ron Artis II, Ruen Brothers, Samantha Sidley, Stephen Kellogg, Steven Dayvid McKellar (ex-Civil Twilight) and Jobi Riccio.
For a complete performance schedule and previews of the participating artists, click here.
Some of the performers will be doing double duty, like Smalls (aka actor/musician Harry Shearer), who’s set to perform two sets on Jan. 30-31.
The other top performing rights organization, BMI, is also active in putting on programs at Sundance each year, but has not yet announced a schedule.
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