Listening Hours: King Hippo

We invite you to join us at The Land School in our Listening Room for a special edition of Listening Hours. We'll have International Anthem's own, Alejandro Ayala, also known as King Hippo, in the listening room playing selections released by the label.

A curator, organizer, educator, and dedicated Chicagoan, known to many by his DJ name King Hippo, Ayala hosts shows on Lumpen Radio (105.5 FM Chicago) and the globally-distributed QC Radio program on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM. For two decades he's been a highly active event producer & promoter, responsible for the long-standing Fresh Roasted series at The Whistler, the annual Preservation of Fire series, the legendary CHICAGOxLONDON showcase at London's Total Refreshment Centre, the DALLASxCHICAGO interstate artist exchange at Sleeping Village in 2018, the Chicago debut of Grammy-winning Australian prog-soul band Hiatus Kaiyote at The Double Door in 2014, and innumerable one-off events for myriad artists across Chicago's diverse landscape of venues (including Elastic Arts, Co-Prosperity, Transition East, Empty Bottle, and many more). Ayala has worked as an instructor for After School Matters, for whom he designed a unique 'Event Planning & Production' curriculum.

Currently Ayala works as Head of Communication + Community for Rebuild's creative partner, International Anthem Recording Company, where he's been a creative engineer behind album campaigns for Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble, jaimie branch, and Junius Paul, in addition to acting as photographer-in-residence (his photographs of Angel Bat Dawid have been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone), and co-producing three albums by Makaya McCraven. In 2021, the Chicago Reader profiled Ayala as a Chicagoan of Note.

Please note that this program will be presented as an intimate listening experience, and space is limited.

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About Listening Hours

Continuing our investment in the sonic architecture of Black space, Listening Hours welcomes all to gather with us in space, sound, and silence. Each session invites you to join our team and special guests as we deepen our presence and aural attention with each of their record selections.

Listening hours are held every Wednesday through Saturday from 12 PM to 8 PM and on Sundays from 2 PM to 6 PM. We look forward to welcoming you as we honor listening as a form of study, grounding, and becoming.

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About The Land School

The Land School, a new pedagogical platform at the site of the former St. Laurence Elementary School, proposes a radical model of artistic experimentation and archival stewardship, providing space, time, access, collaborative inquiry, process-driven programming, and performance, all led by an intergenerational cohort of artists, archivists, scholars, craftspeople, cultural workers, and creative organizations invested in culture as a service.

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The Land School's Policies and Protocol:

Upon arrival, please enter the building at the entrance on S. Dorchester Ave.

Ride sharing is encouraged as parking is limited. Please be sure to not block the entrances and exits of our neighbors.

Firearms on the premises are strictly prohibited.

No smoking, vaping or incense is permitted inside.

No pets are allowed inside.

No professional photo/video equipment is allowed unless preapproved by Rebuild.

Please be mindful of your neighbors by respecting their personal space and bodily autonomy.

No violence - verbal or physical - will be tolerated. Any guest creating an unsafe environment will be removed from the premises immediately, at the discretion of the Rebuild staff.

We take the safety of our guests seriously. If any guest is found violating these protocols, they may be escorted off the property immediately and will not be welcome to return.

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Notice of Photography and Videography

By entering The Land School, you acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or videotaped. Images and recordings may be used for promotional, archival, or other purposes by the organizers. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please notify a staff member upon arrival. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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Thank you for reviewing and honoring The Land School's policies and protocol.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Land School, 7200 South Dorchester Avenue, Chicago, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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