Tumblr Brings TV on the Radio at Art Basel to Miami Beach

Tumblr IRL (Internet-speak for “in real life”) teams up with both visual and sonic artists to help them tell their story offline. This year, for the blogging platform’s first time at Art Basel in Miami Beach, they are sponsoring a performance by critically-acclaimed indie rock band TV on the Radio, who have been called the “American Radiohead, an enviable descriptor that suggests a group’s willingness to experiment while maintaining a fundamental musical identity that is both intellectually and viscerally satisfying,” by Entertainment Weekly.

Of course, since it is at Art Basel, there’s a visual art component as well. The show, which will take place on December 5 at Ironside Market Space will also include sculptures, paintings, and interactive works by Julian Gross, influenced by the music of their most recent release, Seeds. One sure highlight is the sculpture inspired by “Happy Idiot,” the album’s big single.

Participation in one of the biggest cultural events of the year is an exciting moment not just for Tumblr, but also for the band, who lost their bassist in 2012 to lung cancer and almost called it quits after that. Luckily, they didn’t, and for those fortunate fans who manage to catch them “IRL,” they’ll be dropping material from their new album as well as some old favorites.