Cameroonian-American singer, songwriter, and indie-rock artist Vagabon takes audiences down the road to joy with atmospheric guitar melodies, introspective lyrics, and her distinctive vocal style.
This is a past program
This program took place on
Thursday, August 8, 2024
About the Program
Vagabon is the stage name of Laetitia Tamko, a Cameroonian-American singer, songwriter, and indie-rock artist. Vagabon's music blends elements of indie rock, folk, electronic, and house music. Her sound is characterized by atmospheric guitar melodies, introspective lyrics, and her distinctive vocal style.
Evening Schedule
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Concertgoers should arrive early to eat, drink, shop, and see current exhibitions. While relaxing in the Skirball's hillside courtyard before the concert, enjoy a set by dublab DJ Aaron Paar.
- 6:30–8:00 pm: dublab DJ Aaron Paar performs in Taper Courtyard.
- Also in Taper Courtyard, stop by an airbrush tattoo station by We Adorn You.
- 7:00 pm: Gather in the main lobby for a special welcome to the exhibition Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak with Skirball Museum Director Sheri Bernstein.
- 8:00 pm: The concert begins in Taper Courtyard.
About the Artist
Artistically, Laetitia Tamko aka Vagabon has gracefully evolved since her successful indie-folk debut Infinite Worlds. On the track “Fear and Force,” Tamko cries, “I’ve been hiding in the smallest space/ I am dying to go/ This is not my home.” Being Cameroon-born and NYC-raised can create a complicated relationship to home. While these themes of community, romance, and identity remain consistent, the sound does not. The sophomore, self-titled album, Vagabon, solidified Tamko as an indie-rock powerhouse. The visuals harken to early Bjork, with lyrics just as cutting and sentimental. On the third album, Vagabon is finally ready to dance. Sorry I Haven’t Called is rhythmically R&B and lyrically tongue and cheek. Unflinching, Tamko chooses to lean into euphoria and catharsis while simultaneously processing the death of a close friend: “I don't think I'm escaping/ I'm going to a place I know.” Why not dance through the uncertainty?
About Sunset Concerts
Our popular summertime music series is back! Get together with friends and family to sing and dance to an eclectic lineup of musicians in the Skirball’s picturesque hillside courtyard.
Taking place in the heart of our relaxing, communal oasis, our twenty-seventh season explores the diaspora and identity of African and Caribbean artists whose music warmly embraces humanity’s inherent right to freedom.