La Victrola is a 35-foot tall wood and steel sculpture celebrating the music of a bygone era, built by a community of volunteer artists at American Steel Studios in Oakland California. Its period details, musical curation, and live performances stand as organic counterpoints to the digital saturation of modern culture. From a distance, La Victrola’s 35-foot high horn is a distinctive physical sign
ature. A closer look reveals transparent perforated steel panels with hand-riveted sheet metal ornaments. Two tons of gracefully curved steel ribbing designed to withstand 90+ mph winds allow the structure to seemingly float on its single massive arm. La Victrola entertains and educates the public by playing forgotten recordings from the early 1900s, a time of great innovation in jazz, blues, bluegrass, and country & western, which laid the foundation for modern music and recording technology. Transported back in time, audience members are often inspired to dance and sing on La Victrola’s stage themselves. La Victrola’s theater hosts period appropriate vaudeville and music performances. Past performers include gypsy jazz, bluegrass, a vaudeville cabaret and a 40 person symphony orchestra. Its large stage provides ample room for dancers as well, and has hosted burlesque, belly dancing, tap and flamenco.
