S1: It's time for KPBS Midday Edition. On today's show. The arts and culture shaping San Diego. I'm Jade Hindman with conversations that keep you informed , inspired , and make you think. Today we are celebrating Black Music Month with San Diego's own lyrical groove. Then we'll talk about all things World Cup , plus your weekend preview. That's ahead on Midday Edition. The 2026 World Cup is expected to be FIFA's biggest tournament yet , expanding to 48 teams and drawing fans worldwide. Matches will happen in 16 cities across Mexico , Canada and the U.S. , including Los Angeles. But for many fans hoping to experience the tournament in person. The price of admission may be a little too high. As costs rise , so are questions about whether the world's most popular sporting event is pricing out the very supporters who helped make it a global phenomenon. With me today is L.A. times sports reporter Kevin Baxter. He's covering the World Cup in Los Angeles. Welcome back to the show , Kevin.
S2: Thank you for having me.
S1: Glad to have you here. So listen , as we speak , the opening World Cup match is happening in Mexico City between Mexico and South Africa. And the first LA game is happening at SoFi Stadium tomorrow. So what's the energy like in LA right now?
S2: Well , you know , I have to say , this is my eighth World Cup , and I can't think of a World Cup in which there's been less buzz pre-tournament buzz. You just don't hear a lot of people talking about it. And and I suppose that'll change when the tournament actually begins. And as you mentioned , Mexico playing South Africa right now , Mexico , um , is hosting the World Cup for the third time. No country has ever done that. Azteca Stadium in Mexico City hosting a World Cup opener for the third time. No stadiums ever done that. So the tournament is already historic and it's only a couple of seconds old. But yeah , I mean , I've of some of the other World Cups I've covered , there's been some black clouds involving construction and and human rights issues and things before the tournament and the soccer , once it starts , the soccer sort of overtakes everything. We'll see if this happens this time. But there are just so many problems with this tournament at the start that no one seems really excited about it.
S1: Yeah , yeah , I've noticed the same thing in covering other World Cups too. It seems to be that this is it doesn't hold the same excitement yet , but , yeah , it'll be interesting to see what happens. But I do want to dig into to what you're pointing to there , which is a major point of controversy this World Cup season , and that is ticket prices. Um , at least one of the big controversies. So what did your reporting find out about why this year's prices are so much higher than previous tournaments?
S2: Yeah , you're right. You know , there's so many controversies. The ticket prices have been one that that have hit most , uh , you know , fans at , you know , the pocketbook level. But there are so many controversies that that some of that gets lost. But the ticket prices , there's been a couple of issues. First the price and then the very opaque nature of how FIFA has handled its raffle. And it's apparently held back tens of thousands of tickets trying to create demand that didn't really work. People looked at the ticket prices and decided that they would watch the games at home or , or go to some of the fans. You know , most of the cities are having a fan fest where you can go and sort of get the stadium environment , watch the game on a huge TV with you know , thousands of other fans , and it sort of recreates the stadium environment. But , um , a couple of things I think happened with the ticket prices and we have to say , the attorneys general in new Jersey and New York are both have subpoenaed FIFA for certain documents. Rob Barta here in California , the attorney general is looking into the ticket. The scandal , I guess you might want to call it. But basically what happened is FIFA decided early on they would do two things in this World Cup they haven't done before. One , they would use , um , um , the pricing , you know , variable pricing , depending on the match , an Argentina match or the US match would be more expensive than , say , Egypt playing Senegal. Um , they figured that the demand for tickets would be higher. So those tickets were priced higher. And then the other thing they did is FIFA apparently had a discussion ahead of time and said , look , we know these tickets are going to sell for this much money on the secondary market. That's money we're not going to get. So why don't we just price the tickets at that secondary market price to start? And there's a fundamental flaw in that , which is that the the reason tickets are expensive on the secondary market is because there's very little supply. So there's a huge demand when you're trying to sell 78000 seat stadium , there's 78,000 tickets and people will pay the face value , but they're not going to pay secondary market prices when there's already a , you know , a huge a huge allotment of tickets. So I think FIFA fundamentally misread how that happens. They said , you know , this is how the US market and this is how the North American market works. Not really. It's not really how it works. And so there are right now tickets available for a lot of matches , right.
S1: I mean , it sounds like this is really a FIFA problem. They gamble. They they've gambled wrong.
S2: Perhaps they actually did. And FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave a speech yesterday in Mexico City and took questions from the media. And sort of his theme was , look , we know there's a lot of problems , but trust us , trust FIFA to fix those. And wow , that message did not go over well. Because if there's one organization in global sports that really has not earned our trust , it's FIFA. Wow.
S1: Wow. Well , uh. True. And we've also heard a lot of frustration about not only the pricing , but the quality of the match experience through category seating. What is this? Can you tell us? Tell us about that? Yeah.
S2: Yeah. This is very , uh , the only way you can describe it in soccer terms is this was an own goal by FIFA , because what they did is they created categories a category one , two and three. I think there may in some stadiums may have even been a fourth category. But for the most part , category one , two and three , and you did not buy a ticket like you might for a Padres game where you you pick your seat in your row , you pick the category. And the assumption was category one was the most expensive , uh , and category three was the least expensive. So I think most people thought , okay , category three is the nosebleed seats. The category one are the best seats. Uh , and so people paid top dollar for category one. Then a couple months after those tickets went on sale through a lottery system , FIFA came in and said , now we're going to create a category one A or category zero or whatever they called it , and essentially undercut those tickets. So for example , let's say you paid $5,000 for a category one ticket expecting to be along the sidelines , maybe in one of the first few sections. Now someone has come and paid more money. You never get the opportunity to pay that extra price. They've come in , they've bought tickets in front of you. They've moved you now behind the goal , into the corners , other places that now you know. FIFA never told you that you would be in the first row , but you assumed the with the way the tickets were being sold , that you you would have a good seat. Now all of a sudden you're finding that finding out that category one is , is really category two. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Well , um , you know , all in all , soccer really is it's a cultural experience for fans. But many , you know , they're just being priced out of the stadium experience and that's it. It's just the stadium experience. So tell me , how does that change the atmosphere and the culture of the World Cup? Because I feel like people are going to still enjoy. They'll still find those fan parties. They'll still watch the matches. Um , but tell me how this changes things.
S2: Well , it changes things in a couple of ways. We saw this during the Milan Winter Olympics in February. I remember talking to some people in Italy about , you know , are you enjoying the Olympics or. It doesn't seem to be people talking about the Olympics. I don't hear about it on the subways and things. And they said , oh yeah , we're following it at home on TV , but we're not really a participant in it because the ticket prices are too high. That was the Winter Olympics. And I think it's a similar thing here where the communities are not buying into it. And that's why you don't hear much of a buzz because they feel like they've , you know , been left behind. And when you think back to the 1994 World Cup , the only other one in the US , you know , tickets for that tournament started at $25 and the most expensive was about $430. That's that's a fraction of what the tickets are costing this time. And Landon Donovan , the greatest American player of all time , said he went to a game in 1994. He didn't even know there was a thing as a World Cup that inspired him to play in the World Cup , he is now America's. Made more appearances in World Cup games and scored more goals than any American ever. And he was inspired because he paid $25 to go to a game. You know what? The next Landon Donovan is not going to any games in this World Cup because he can't afford it. And so is are we going to inspire , uh , young kids to go out and play the game , or are we going to aspire young kids to stay home and watch soccer on TV? Hmm.
S1: Hmm. Well , this is , uh , it's definitely a question that that FIFA and a lot of folks will have to figure out. Um , there are a lot of other issues around this World Cup outside of just ticket prices. Um , immigration being one of them. How have American policies around that right now impacted the game?
S2: Well , that's a big problem that the U.S. now has , um , a immigration policy that makes it very difficult for people from 39 different countries , including for World Cup qualifiers to get visas , so these would be the supporters. Although some players and officials have been run into problems at the airport. One Iraqi player was held for seven hours in a INZ sort of area. A Somali referee , a highly decorated Somali official , was prohibited from entering the country in Miami. 14 members of the Iranian delegation have to stay in Tijuana. They can't come into the United States. This has never happened before. And in fact , the first and during the first Trump administration , the president signed a document saying that he would allow all registered official players , you know , legitimate fans into the country. And that simply has not happened. Haitians can't get in at all. So he will have no supporters. Iran will have no supporters from Iran. They can't get in either. Um , and that's really put a damper on what's supposed to be a celebration of brotherhood. And , and , you know , and all this kind of stuff that we're told the Olympics and the World Cup was created for. I have to say , too , that this is also the first World Cup in which a qualifying nation , Iran , is at war with the host nation , the US. Um , so that's kind of put a damper on it too. But here's my biggest fear that a Rubicon may have been crossed because this has never happened before. No World Cup host and the last two World Cups. Remember , we're in Qatar , in Russia. No World Cup host has ever tried to ban , uh , legitimate officials , tried to ban players , and tried to ban fans from coming in. Um , this is the first time that's ever happened. And now that it has happened. Will future World Cup host try to do the same thing in 2030? Will Morocco , for example , try to ban Israel from coming in? What will happen in 2034 and Saudi Arabia? It's going to be very hard to put the shampoo back in the bottles. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. What risks does FIFA face moving forward in their operations after this year's World Cup? You think. I.
S2: I. Well , I think it's just more of the same. We've known FIFA has always had this reputation of being sort of a corrupt organization that that , you know , is more interested in squeezing the blood out of every nickel and that really not growing the game. And I think there's a lot of evidence now that that's going to support that narrative , whether you think it's true or not. You know , the idea that ticket prices , um , you know , we're so high they wanted fans not to be able to bring bottled bottled water into the stadium. FIFA had said many of these games will be played in very high temperatures. Please hydrate. Be careful. You know , that was the warning to fans. And then they turned around and said , but you can't bring a bottle and you need to buy our overpriced water at the concession stand. They backed off on that. But just the idea that that , you know , FIFA will will be in control of concessions , parking , everything at all , 16 stadiums , they've never done that before. The idea that they're taking control of , of of every source of revenue from this World Cup , I think , has rubbed people the wrong way , and it doesn't allow local communities to sort of enjoy some of the financial impact of these games. Right.
S1: Right. I mean , and it's interesting because I know it seems like it , but , you know , FIFA does not own soccer or football. Um , it is something that the fans own. It's something that the athletes own. So it'll be really interesting to see how this game shapes up globally as the years go on. Um , before I let you go , I mean , I have to know , like , what matches are you most looking forward to as you look at the schedule ahead?
S2: Well , I'll be with the US until they're eliminated. So we have three matches Paraguay , Australia and then Turkey. Um , there's a chance in the knockout rounds that Argentina would play Portugal. That would be Lionel Messi against Cristiano Ronaldo , both playing in their final World Cup. That would be an exciting match. Um , my two , two picks for the final , um , are actually Spain and France , but they're in different sides of the bracket. They couldn't meet in the final , so they would probably potentially meet in the knockout round. Uh , game. It depends , you know , on which teams finished first , second and third in their group. But that looks like that would be a matchup that would happen short of the final. That would be exciting. But. But how about this when you talk about all the controversy around the World Cup , if Iran finishes second in its group and the US finishes second in its group , they will meet in the first knockout round stage , the round of 32 , in Arlington , Texas in Arlington , Texas , at the end of this month. Um , that would be a match that would be charged in so many different ways , and it would be a knockout round game , meaning the winner , the loser goes home. So , uh , I don't know if I'm looking forward to that match or hoping for it , but it's certainly something I've circled on my calendar just in case. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Outside of the matches , is are there any other like , issues outside of the game that you are looking into , like for example , the tourism dollars , who benefits from this? Where do they go? I mean , what what do you seeing out there?
S2: Well , you know , there was a lot of talk about how much money this , this World Cup would bring to local communities. FIFA says that it FIFA will make $8.9 billion on the tournament. That's ticket sales , TV and other things they told local communities to expect , you know , money from hotel revenues , restaurants and those kind of things. We've seen hotel bookings down by as much as 70 to 80% in the 11 US cities that are hosting World Cup games. In other words , FIFA told them expect this. And they found out that their FIFA was off by 80%. So we're not seeing the the bounce that that we were told to expect. LA is expecting a financial impact of about $600 million. I don't think they're going to come anywhere near that. Um , that definitely is something worth watching. And the question is , why is that? Well , if you can't , if you're from one of those 39 countries that can't get a visa , you can't come from one of the other countries. Many US allies like Netherlands and England have issued travel warnings to the US. So fans just aren't coming.
S1: Yeah , well , we're going to have to leave it there. Of course we'll get back to the game. We'll let you get back to the game. Looks like Mexico's up one. Nothing so far. I've been speaking with Kevin Baxter. He's a sportswriter for the LA times , covering the World Cup in Los Angeles. Kevin , thank you so much. Enjoy.
S2: Thanks for the call. Bye bye.
S1: Up next , we're celebrating Black Music Month with San Diego's own lyrical groove. KPBS Midday Edition is back after the break. Welcome back. You're listening to KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Jade Hindman. June is Black Music month. It's an opportunity to celebrate the historical and cultural significance of black musicianship , and how black music has really defined America's identity and culture for the past 250 years. Today , we are profiling a local , award winning music group that's building on that legacy. They're called Lyrical Groove , and they are a spoken word hip hop band with multiple San Diego Music Awards under their belt. I'm here now with founder and spoken word poet Kendrick Dial. You might also know him as Mr. Lyrical Groove and singer Brisa Johnson. She's also released music under the under the name Brisa Loren Kendrick Brisa. Welcome back to the show. Hi. Hello.
S3: Hello. Hello. Thank you for having us. Yes. Thank you.
S1: Oh my goodness. Uh , happy black music month.
S3: Yes it is. We are here. Yes.
S1: Yes. So you describe , um , lyrical groove as a spoken soul group and a band for the people. How would you , like sum up lyrical grooves style for us , Kendrick?
S3: Uh , like to say like a blend of flower tree meets the roots. Meets the tribe , meets Lauryn Hill. Like all these musical influences that we have , we definitely pull from to , uh , express what we do. And me starting out in spoken word and just kind of have that musical element that adds like a background vibe for the the messages and everything. But we like to have fun too. So we give a little bit of just Everything. Life.
S1: All right. Flower tree meets the roots I like. Are you going to the picnic?
S3: I was thinking about it. Okay. Just thinking.
S1: About it. Yeah , it's a thought. It's a thought. Yeah , yeah. Tell me. Like , how did it first get started? Lauren? Yeah.
S4: Yeah. So actually , Kendrick , you know , he's a spoken. We were on the same page.
S1: You knew I was talking to you.
S4: I did. Okay.
S1: Okay.
S4: Um , Kendrick , actually , you know , started off as a spoken word artist , and he had this incredible idea of bridging his love of music , his love of lyricism and artistry , um , deeper with his spoken words. So making sure that the spoken word had the full band. He wanted a singer. And so he had heard from people in the community that , you know , I was singing , I was back in San Diego , and the first time we performed , actually the the energy was off. I thought he wanted like a background singer. So I just sat in a stool on stage in the back and wasn't blending with the band.
S3: And if you've seen how you know , that is not what she does. So it was awkward for me , even though I didn't know how she shows up.
S4: So he was like , hold on , this might not work , let's have a conversation. And he said , bring your whole self to the stage. I want you to do you you're not an accessory to the band. I want you to be part of the band. And then the next performance we had front and center. I thought I was Beyonce and and we've been rocking together since. And so that's how it kind of formed. And then over the years we've developed our sound. And then we started collaborating on production together. We started collaborating on the songwriting together , and then we both have really strong professional careers. And so we started to bring our work and our work spaces into the music , and I think that's what really set us apart after that.
S1: That's excellent. There's a word in that experience that you just described there , like a word to live by. When you say you kind of walked in , you kind of thought , you know what , I'm in the background here , only to realize that your place was was there front and center in this band? Yeah.
S4: Yeah. And just the authenticity he , he allowed me to bring and to really create a space for me to feel comfortable being my whole self , which ultimately also allows him to be comfortable , to be his whole self. And then you just get a whole experience. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Yeah. Well , listen , you , you explore a lot of themes in the music like healing , identity , culture , society. Can you talk more about those themes and how they come up in in your work?
S3: So I'm a social worker by training. So I train social workers , do professional development leadership training. And , uh , we deal with all those dynamics of families. You know , we're supporting people as they're navigating trauma. Um , I'm supporting social workers to help and make sure that they're on their own healing journey so they can support the people that they're supposed to be supporting. So all those nuances for me , are very intertwined in terms of Music is one of the ways to process my own and deal with my own healing and support that self-care as well. So I think that and embrace being in the social justice world as an activist. And I let her speak more to that. But that is very much a part of my social work lens as well , because we're fighting so many injustices as it relates to mental health , as it relates to supporting families and education and everything. So that dynamic of how we connect with those professional lenses also just adds to our music as well.
S4: Yeah , with my work in activism and social justice , I think too many times we've treated art as an accessory to movement work and and building momentum among the people. And for me , it's really important that performing arts and music become an anchor of the work. It's something that my platform 320 expression Rhythm is really focusing on is bridging that gap between artists and activism. And I think one of the ways that we do that is by setting the example in our music. Is that like that? Intersectionality is so important because we're not just singers or performers , we are black performers. I'm a black singer. I'm a woman , you know , he's a social worker. I'm an activist. All these identities are within us. And so how do we filter that through the music? Why also creating music as a vehicle for these type of conversations and these themes and these discussions and allowing it to be digestible and allowing it to be something that is connecting us because music is so universal.
S1: Well , I'd love to hear how this all comes together. And I know you've you've prepared a song for us. Tell us a bit about what you'll be performing.
S3: Uh , this is one of our singles , so Glow is from our new project , Clean Pain , which will be releasing over the summer. And this piece is just kind of in line with , you know , me telling you to bring your whole self. And a lot of times , you know , we have to feel like we have to dim our light to navigate some of these spaces. And the theme of solo is like , regardless of what all that is. God didn't make you to be small. He brought you to this space to be fully who you are with all the gifts. And we try to minimize and compartmentalize that. But this is a reminder to let your soul glow. Yesterday , the world spun backwards , spinning parallel on its axis , rotating longitudinally. It left me thinking a lot about praxis , about how to balance these goals and dreams in a society that are still the soul of your humanity. We're trying to be the man my brothers expect me to be , but life often changes unexpectedly. Inevitably , I'll fulfill my purpose. But when I lay my head down last night , I felt worthless , as if I had no purpose. When the whole purpose of me being here was to make my mama proud. Long distance conversations. And I can still see her without a smile. Wild dreams and fantasies about the life we talk about and pay too much dough for to change. So in two days my account was overdrawn. I got a check in a savings. But the way my life set up baby girl was going to need tuition. But my student loans are fed up. I guess this is going up the rough side of the mountain they talk about in testimony service. But just as I put my head down , I saw a youngster looking at me as if I was the big homie. No , phony. I keep drawing my pockets and situations like this. So when the trying times get trying , I'm always reminded of this. A little bit of light makes the whole world a little bit of love makes the whole world owe a little bit of life. Makes the whole world grow a little bit of smoke. Makes your body grow.
S4: I woke up this.
S5: Morning , remembered who I was. If I disappear on you. Inside us of love. My heart is on empty. Do not disturb. I said no closure needed. I'm just closing doors. Cause finding myself is my priority. And I'm praying for you. But it's a no for me. And the season is over. And I'm thankful for the grow. Now let go and let your soul low. Soul glow. Let the world know. Yeah. You got goals. Now I'm going let somebody roll so low. Let the world know. Yeah. You got pulse. Now go and let your body roll. Wake up. Bring my head to the sky. Thankful for another day to be alive.
S3: Yesterday I didn't feel fly.
S5: But yesterday. Don't run my life. Yeah.
S3: So I'm back here again. Again.
S5: Again.
S3: Chillin with my. Friends.
S5: Friends. My friends.
S3: Validate my. Space.
S5: Space. Love me , push me to elevate. We gonna.
S3: Make it on top of our paper. Chase.
S5: Chase. Hey , we gon make it.
S3: Our purposes fit our. Faith.
S5: Faith. Yeah , yeah. There's no fear over here. I hope you dig it when you're here.
S3: And if it's something.
S5: You believe Won't you help me sing , sing , sing , sing , sing. Let your soul glow. Let the world know. Yeah. You got goes. Now go and let your body roll. Soul glow. Let the world know you got goals. Now go and let your body roll. Hey. Don't let your body roll. Mhm.
S6: Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm.
S5: So let yourself glow. Let the world know you've got those. Now go and let nobody roll. So glow. Let the world know. Yeah. You got go. Now go and let your body roll.
S7: We need multiple hands.
S1: In here to clap. I see everybody in the studio , and the production booth is clapping. They're going wild. And that was beautiful. That was wonderful. And such a word in the message there. Tell me. I mean , what goes into writing a lyrical groove song? Everything.
S4: Everything. Every feeling. Every experience. Life.
S8: Life. Uh , really.
S3: I think that's kind of our basis is just really just kind of pulling from life. Uh , I think , uh , one of my favorite quotes that Beecher says all the time is from Nina Simone around. You know , the artist's job is to reflect the life and society and whatnot. And I think that's just kind of where we just start with and just from a very raw place and also like encouraging ourselves. Sometimes we're writing the messages that we need to hear , especially in navigating this season of life. Yeah. So.
S8: So.
S3: Uh , between that and then also seeing what do we want to put out into the world , like what's missing? We hear all these other songs about all these other things , but what's missing. So we also try to fill those spaces as well. Yeah.
S4: Yeah. And I think really to like inspiring one another because sometimes he's in a season that is , um , bringing forth lyrics that may not align with me , and he pulls me out of a season that then brings me into that alignment. Um , if it's something that's more positive , it's more uplifting. And then I think a lot of times we talk through a lot of the things that we're enduring because we're also really good friends. You know , we're family. And so we're sharing some of our seasons and our , our struggles and , and our insecurities. And then we encourage each other in those conversations to find the lyrics in that song. Sometimes I'll say something and he'll say , that's a lyric , that's a song. And then that one line then grows an entire project and he also produces. So with Kendrick doing production , I can share a melody , or he could share a melody with me. And that also then brings forth an emotion that that triggers a word or a feeling that then leads to a song creation. Wow.
S1: Wow. There's space to be able to do that is so important. I mean , one of the themes of this year's Black Music Month looks at how black musicians have shaped the country's identity over the last 250 years. How are you reflecting on on this month and that theme? So.
S3: So. I'm laughing because to that particular dynamic , I think it was a protest when I was working at an event last year. And , you know , we listened to all this protest music , which was a lot of black artists. And so that's an interesting dynamic to hear , because it was a protest that didn't have a lot of people of color in it. But the music that represented the protest was definitely from a lot of black artists. So I think when we think about that dynamic and how the music that is created , that is facing society and dealing with the nuances of the voices that aren't being heard or the causes that aren't being dealt with. It shows how important it is and how important it is to make sure that we're developing and creating music that has that message that can speak to those moments , because there's a true need for it.
S1: Yeah , it's definitely been the soundtrack of of so many movements of it's been the rhythm of this country for 250 years. Yeah.
S4: Yeah. I think , you know , right now we're seeing so many attacks on our history , on our facts , um , on our existence , on our joy and on our physical bodies. And I think for many black Americans , this is not a new experience. And it it may just be more heightened. But I think for me , I love that I'm personally coming into a space , and I'm seeing this as a collective in the community of not constantly working from the defense and not feeling the need to validate that the experience is real , or that the history is real. I feel like we are finding so much strength in just existing now and just being because we are the culture , we are the rhythm , we are the radical rhythm. We are the revolution. We are the the history. We are the books. We are the music. We are the the actors. We are the foundation. We are the inventors. We're the creators. We we are. And I think with Black Music Month this time around , it feels like not a need to to prove it , but to just live in it and to create the joy. You know , some would say that there's so much darkness in the world , and I would argue that that's actually more light , which is why so much darkness is coming out. And I think for for black artists , this is the time to be the light. This is the time to keep creating. This is a time to invest in the artist that you you want to see more of the songs that you want to hear more of. Invest in the plays you want to see. Invest in the books you want to read. Invest in the movies that you want to watch. Invest in the culture that you want to keep existing and keep pouring into. And I think that is our responsibility as artists as well , is just to not continue to be on the defense , but to just create , just keep creating the culture that has already been established for 250 years. Keep developing it and keep being the light.
S3: And I think the other piece of that is also letting sometimes people have to catch up. Yeah. Right. And and that's okay. But to persevere and keep going. And I think I'm very much in terms of artist development and from a professional standpoint. Like , I love the fact that we both have careers because that allows us to make the type of art that we want to make. We don't have to justify it for other people to prove , like , we can come out with the message that we want to say. And I think that's something that I hope a lot of creatives can lean into. And figuring out how to make it work so you don't have to , Um , make the art just to live. That doesn't speak to your soul , doesn't speak to your spirit.
S1: That is so important. And to own that right? Right. What's your hope for the future of lyrical groove?
S9: I won't at all.
S8: I think being a Ryan Coogler movie. Right? Yeah.
S3: Yeah. I don't know how real that is.
S1: We're gonna put that in the atmosphere.
S8: To be on the soundtrack for the next Ryan Coogler. That happened. It's done.
S3: So that is a part of it. Like , I've been fortunate enough to , uh , produce music and do some scores for some films and create music specifically for some films. So I definitely want to get into that more. I would love to get out and tour a little bit , but I'm gonna even say that with balance , because , you know , that tour life can be something. Uh , we got kids , we got families. So being mindful of that , but also appreciating the work that we do in the community. So even working , I'm doing the creative engagement or the work she's doing with 320. Expressions. Uh , 320. Expression. Rhythm. Let me see it. Right. Uh , that we that we can kind of take that even beyond San Diego , uh , in abroad. Yeah.
S8: Yeah.
S4: And I think for me , I would even add just , I think it's important for us to be an example of artists who , you know , in the words of Nina Simone , reflect the times. And I think I would really love to see lyrical groove in the future , continue to create space for artists to be bold , for artists to not disconnect from the issues that are impacting us , to create with purpose , to create with meaning , to create with intention , and for us to really collaborate with folks that are shifting the culture. Um , which is why , you know , we , we throw in like a rank who out there who creates such intentional artwork that is for the people that really plant seeds and minds and creates discussion and conversation and , and decolonizing and deep programs. I want us to start having those collaborations on a broader , larger level so that we're planting seeds at a more massive , um , distribution and that we can continue to , to make music that waters those seeds. And because at the end of the day , everything that is happening in our community is going to have to start with a shift in the mindset. It's something that our revolutionaries taught us. And if art and music could be one of those vehicles that does that , then I pray. Lyrical groove is is one of the first calls that people make. Wow.
S1: Wow. Where can people check you all out so well?
S3: Instagram at The Lyrical Groove , also on all streaming platforms under Kendrick Island and Lyrical Groove , or just the lyrical groove and breezy can be found as a website. Com.
S1: Any performances?
S3: Uh , we have one coming up in September. Okay. Um , we actually have some other projects that we're doing right tonight. Actually , Brisa has an event.
S4: Yeah , I'm actually doing an event tonight with Amanda Seales , who's an activist activist as well about music , revolutionary music.
S1: Where's that. At?
S4: At? It's going to be at the San Diego Made Factory free from 7 to 10 p.m..
S1: All right. I've been speaking with Kendrick , Dial and Brisa Lauren of Lyrical Groove. Kendrick Brisa , thank you so much for joining us.
S8: Thank you. Thank you so much.
S4: We appreciate you so much.
S1: Still to come , your weekend preview when KPBS Midday Edition returns. Welcome back. You're listening to KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Jade Hindman for our weekend arts preview. We take a look at some dance , music and art around town and even a musical about SpongeBob SquarePants. Joining me with all the details is KPBS arts reporter and host of the finest podcast , Julia Dixon Evans. Julia , welcome.
S10: Hey , Jade. Thanks for having me.
S1: Glad to have you in. So first up , let's talk about SpongeBob. We got to get to that. Right.
S10: Right. This is the SpongeBob musical. It's a Broadway musical conceived by Tina Landau and written by Carl Gero. It's based on the show SpongeBob SquarePants. I actually have heard really good things about this musical , like , you know , as a work of art. But the show SpongeBob is like this millennial cultural force. It launched on Nickelodeon in 1999. It's still being made. I just looked this up and season 17 literally starts tomorrow. So I think , yeah , there's this like nostalgia connection for a lot of people. There's a lot of memes about SpongeBob , but this is still like a totally fleshed out story. It doesn't depend on those memes or just even like character costumes. It's basically SpongeBob and his pals. They're trying to save their home. has original songs but also popular music like there's songs by David Bowie , John Legend , Cyndi Lauper and others. It's at Cygnet Theatre , their new space in Liberty Station , and it's on stage through July 12th , and low cost previews run through Saturday.
S1: All right , well , let's stay with theater for one more. The Old Globe kicks off their Summer Shakespeare Festival on Sunday. What do you know about that? Yeah.
S10: Yeah. So every year they do two Shakespeare plays throughout the summer in their outdoor festival theater. The first one is measure for measure , and this is actually known as one of Shakespeare's quote problem plays. Which sounds bad , but it doesn't actually mean like problematic. It's more that the play has comedy. It's possibly even classified as a comedy like measure for measure is , but it also has elements of tragedy and like other dramatic parts to it. So for this one , there are executions. And there's also this like Famously dark speech from Claudia where he says , I but to die and go , we know not where to lie in cold obstruction and to rot. So we gotta love that in a comedy. So the play opens Sunday , runs through July 12th. And then , by the way , the second play of their Summer Shakespeare festival will be Much Ado About Nothing. And that one starts August 2nd. Okay.
S1: Okay. And then you've got a ballet performance that you're looking at to hear. Yeah.
S8: Yeah.
S10: So this is point works. They're a relatively new ballet company in town. They're founded in 2024 by Sophie Williams as a way of providing year round work for local dancers. Like , basically , ballet has two big seasons , the spring and then the winter. You know , all those nutcrackers. And it's a lot harder for dancers to stitch together meaningful work year round , especially in the summer. So this is going to be their season opening opener. It's called Nocturnes. It's a series of five works , including two world premieres. There's a new piece by choreographer Jacqueline Long and that will be performed with live piano and violin accompaniment , and this is at the Conrad Prevost Performing Arts Center in La Jolla. And there's two performances on Saturday , one at 2 p.m. and one at 730.
S1: And for visual art , what's going on at Balboa Park?
S10: So the San Diego Potters Guild has their spring patio show this weekend. It's in the Spanish Village Art center. It's all set out like people are tabling on the painted patio. It's kind of iconic. There's over 40 artists who'll be showing and selling their pottery and ceramics. They'll be there to chat with you about their process. And this is all part of Craft and America's handwork. 2026. It's like a nationwide series of events , like Connecting Craft to our country's history. And this is from 10 to 5 on Saturday and Sunday , and it's free.
S1: And there's a jazz event in Oceanside that also includes pasta. My cup.
S8: Of tea.
S1: Or plate of pasta. Which. Everyone. All right? Right.
S10: Right. Exactly like this is on my radio. Not just because of the pasta. Um , but it's a newish art space in Oceanside. It's called Dear Tomorrow. Um , it's a historic home that's transformed into art studios. There's co-working spaces , Gallery. They have workshops , they have events there. And then tomorrow , Friday night , they're hosting what they're calling a jazz jam. There will be a live jazz band performing. There's going to be space to dance , apparently. And they're also launching a gallery. They have 30 local artists , and they'll also have art making stations just in case inspiration strikes. But they're having a natural wine and homemade pasta pop up. So say no more.
S1: Say last. Exactly.
S8: Exactly.
S10: And this is from 7 to 10. This is dear tomorrow in Oceanside. And if you buy tickets in advance , they're $6 or $12 at the door. Either way , that's kind of a steal.
S1: It really is. Well , also at Bread and Salt , they have a new exhibit opening up. And you you say it's inspired by the Easter Bunny. So.
S8: So. Right.
S10: Right. This is Luis Alonso Sanchez. He is an artist based in Tijuana and Mexico City. The exhibit is called Sweet Dreams , and his work in general is informed by like memories and dreams of childhood , but kind of in a in like a more complicated way. It's not just reliant on like nostalgia. And this work , this exhibit was inspired by a specific memory he has of seeing the Easter Bunny slowly remove his head. Like , obviously , this was a person dressed up removing the costume headpiece , but it's just that kind of like nightmarish moment that stuck with Sanchez. There's sculpture , there's painting , installation. Um , one piece in particular I saw , it was like chain link fencing against the wall and juxtaposed with this black and white painted version of cartoon characters. It's really a fascinating stuff. And there'll be a reception this Saturday from 5 to 8 at Bread and Salt.
S1: And finally we what do we have for live music? Because that's always a thing. We love that we love to hear what you got going. So.
S10: So. Icelandic indie folk artist Alice Gear is playing at Music Box. He has a new album out this year. It's called Julia. The Albums. I'm kind of biased , perfect. There are some ballads and he has this great like crystalline voice for it , but also kind of a lot of bops to This is Quiet Life.
S11: Take a last minute trip on blue.
S10: And opening for obscura is local musician Nathaniel Stewart , who amazing singer songwriter. Also , it'll be a great show.
S1: All right. You can find details on these and more art events on our website , PBS.org. I've been speaking with KPBS arts reporter and host of the finest podcast , Julia Dixon Evans. Julia , thanks.
S10: Thank you. Jade.
S11: Show me what I'm willing to do , all that I can so you can see just how much you.
S1: That's our show for today. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.
