Brassroots District first showed up on NoPro’s radar in the form of Brassroots District: Live in the Lot Summer ’73 in the summer of ’21. That’s 1973 and 2021 for those of you who aren’t hip, and man that show is one of the few pleasant memories of the second strangest summer we all ever had.
Since then Brassroots District — the show — has been looking for a new home for Brassroots District the band and that is now taking the form of Brassroots District LA ’74, a sequel to the original show which finds Brassroot’s Ursa Major and Copper Jones signed to a new label… but there’s trouble brewing in paradise.
We checked in with co-creator, producer, songwriter and Copper Jones himself — Ari Herstand — about what to expect when the needle drops on February 7th and keeps spinning through March in LA.
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No Proscenium: Tell us a little bit about your experience! What’s it about? What makes it immersive?
Ari Herstand: Brassroots District LA ‘74 is a free-roaming, narrative immersive theater and concert experience about a funk band on the rise in LA in the early 70s. The audience is invited to dress in their finest 70s threads and attend the album release party of the hottest rising funk act of the day, Brassroots District. But not everything is as groovy as it seems. While the 9-piece funk band gets down on stage playing original hits off their new album, a make-or-break storyline unfolds throughout the venue that the audience is invited to witness (or participate in) to help decide the fate of the band’s future.
NP: So some of us remember Brassroots District Live in Lot Summer ‘73, is this a remake? The next chapter? Something wholly different?
AH: This is the next episode in the Brassroots District story - as my co-creator Andrew Leib and I like to say. We pick up a year after Live in the Lot Summer '73 where Brassroots co-lead singer Copper Jones (Ari Herstand) ripped up the Epic Records contract on stage. A lot has happened in that year. Brassroots has now signed with For The People Records, an independent label run by co-lead singer Ursa Major’s (returning Celeste Clayton) older brother Gil (Marqell Clayton), their single “Together” has been burning up the charts and they are set to release their debut album at Jewel's Catch One.
Copper and Ursa are newly reunited lovers, but the tension is brewing with themes of betrayal, love, fame and family setting the two at odds.
There many new and returning characters that you’ll meet throughout the evening including the band’s manager Nancy (returning Kayah Alexandra Bullock), the resident drug dealer, That Guy (returning Alex Vergel), the head of the fanclub, Cassie the Brassie (Jordana Lilly) Columbia Records exec Donny Davis (returning Bryan Daniel Porter), the club owner Gem (Morgan Danielle Day), the Creem Magazine reporter Barry (Adam Fisher), and fixtures of the club Lola (Danielle Johnson) and Suzy (Natalie Lall).
This new script is written by Chris Porter (The Speakeasy Society) with Immersive Creative Consultation from Lauren Ludwig (Capital W) and the story is by: Ari Herstand, Andrew Leib, Chris Porter and Lauren Ludwig.
There is some new music that I (Ari Herstand) wrote with my writing partner Brett Nolan for this production, but rest assured, we’ve left in all of the fan favorites and hits from the album. And of course, the Brassroots Boogie (the flashmob line dance) will make a triumphant return with choreography from Camal Pugh.
The band features A-list LA musicians: Dee Simone (drums), Keven Eknes (guitar), Randal Fisher (sax), Fabio “Fancy Feet” Santana (trombone), Brandon Samuels (trumpet), Kya Karine (bass), Quinten Farr (keys), Ari Herstand (vocals/guitar), Celeste Clayton (vocals).
This new show is directed by DeMone Seraphin who comes to us by way of NYC and is an award-winning Broadway actor/director.
NP: What do you think fans of immersive will find most interesting about this latest experience?
AH: You’re not just an attendee at the concert, you can be part of the show - if you want to be. All throughout the venue you can dive deeper into the story of the band and the mysteries of the evening: you can help the Creem Magazine reporter get the scoop as to why Columbia Records has shown up to the band’s album release party and offer a tape-recorded quote as an official source for his story. Witness the (secret) love story between the band’s manager Nancy and the club owner Gem (based on Catch One’s founder and former owner, the matriarchal fixture of the LA black and queer community, Jewel Thais-Williams). Or take a psychedelic trip inside That Guy’s private layer that you can only get into by invitation. (Hint: ask Gem how to find That Guy).
This is a no-phones experience (the audience will be asked to put their phones in blackout bags upon entering)
And immediately following the second show each night, stick around for the official Brassroots District after party, Sweat LA - a vinyl spinning, funk and soul dance party.
NP: Once you started designing and testing what did you discover about this experience that was unexpected?
AH: Being in an actual nightclub this time around brings an entirely new layer of discovery and wonder. Part of this show is taking place in what's known as Jewel’s Apartment - which is the actual room Jewel Thais-Williams lived in when she opened the club in the early 70s, throwing dance parties for the LGBTQ+ community. There is an energy and vibration to the room - and entire building. Catch One is recognized as an LA Historic Cultural Monument.
Unlike our last show which took place outside in a parking lot, bringing this into a nightclub with a full light show, sound and production design, it’s been a fun challenge to bring all of these exciting elements together. Our fearless director DeMone Seraphin has lots of experience staging immersive works in wild locations, and brings his expertise to this production. But like all new immersive works, there will be much more to discover once we have an audience!
What can fans who are coming to this, or thinking about coming to this, do to get into the mood of the experience?
Well first and foremost, call the Hotline for Funk to learn about the band’s backstory and dive deeper into the groove: 323-596-1973
And check out the new album from Brassroots District on your favorite streaming service and follow the band on Instagram: @brassrootsdistrict
Discover the latest immersive events, festivals, workshops, and more at our new site EVERYTHING IMMERSIVE, home of NoPro’s show listings.
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