Roberto Carlos Lange, guitar and vocals
The upbringing of Roberto Carlos Lange—a South Florida native, born to Ecuadoran immigrants—provides essential elements to his songwriting, including the bilingual English-Spanish lyrics. While he cites as influences the electro and Miami-bass he heard on the radio in his youth, the Helado Negro style points to the mesmerizing rhythms, loops, and hair-raising melodies of krautrock. Lange, a multifaceted creator based in Brooklyn with a degree in computer art and animation, has worked in mediums such as video, sculpture, sound, and performance. While Helado Negro may be a one-man band for the digital age, Lange is a constant collaborator who has worked with artists including Sufjan Stevens, Julianna Barwick, Mikael Jorgensen, Guillermo Scott Herren, Mouse on Mars, and sculptor David Ellis. (Don’t be surprised if the Tinsel Animals drop by for the show.) He wrote music for the enormously popular 2017 podcast S-Town, and the most recent of his numerous recordings is the 2016 album Private Energy. Helado Negro tours extensively and has performed in diverse venues from clubs to cultural institutions. NPR commentator Felix Contreras wrote, “Helado Negro is among the musicians currently redefining Latino culture worldwide, with music that crosses borders as easily as a diplomatic passport.”
Every Thursday in July and August, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Live music begins at 6:30 p.m.
Regular Museum admission applies. Performances take place in the Sculpture Garden. In the event of rain, the Garden will close, and music will take place in Theater 1. Please note: Sculpture Garden and indoor seating are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
The musical component of Summer Thursdays 2018 celebrates musicians living and working in New York City. Organized in collaboration with PopRally, the series hosts a variety of sounds that explore the City’s expansive musical landscape. Each evening, unique sonic flavors fill the Sculpture Garden with a range of blended genres such as dream punk, Afrofuturist soul, funk fusion, hip-hop, experimental, and lo-fi baroque pop.