Last month, multimedia artist Doug Aitken reimagined the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual fundraising gala as an art event dubbed “Happening,” recruiting Beck, Devendra Banhart, and the great Tropicália singer-songwriter Caetano Veloso to perform a 3-song set. Backed by a string quartet, the trio took turns on vocals, with performances of Banhart’s Nino Rojo cut “At the Hop,” Beck’s Sea Change gem “The Golden Age,” and Veloso’s 1971 song “Maria Bethania.” Beck also joined Aitken’s original performance piece “WE,” alongside “farm auctioneers, drummers, the LA Gospel Choir and a professional bull whip artist.”
Watch clips from the performance above, rehearsal footage here and here (the former vid is “Part 1,” left out above), check out Beck’s interview with Veloso here, and read a review of the event here.