Share the Passion of
Pan Americana Festival By Ernesto Santillan
The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) and Bellas Artes Alliance present the third annual Pan Americana Festival, a free, two-day event Friday-Saturday, March 15-16. Debuting two years ago with an audience of more than 3,000 on its first outing, the festival has become one of the signature events of the SXSW Music and Media Conference. In its short span, Pan Americana Festival has thrown out conventional music festival models and created a cultural fiesta that’s vibrant and eclectic as it reflects a cross border Latino experience. “Music overcomes the cultural barriers that separate us and brings people together by creating a space that fosters appreciation and respect for diversity,” said Andrew Ramirez, co-founder of Bellas Artes Alliance and Chairman of the Board. “A culture’s art is the window to its soul.” In past years, the Pan Americana Festival has brought over 5,000 people to the beautiful ESB-MACC in the heart of downtown Austin. In its state-of-the-art plaza, local artists perform alongside international Latino music sensations during SXSW, with crowds dancing to everything from cumbia to funk, reggaeton to Tejano, salsa to rock and roll. Between sets, audiences enjoy the latest innovations in Latino filmmaking, theatre, dance and visual arts. A free shuttle service will be available to and from parking lots at Sanchez Elementary School, Martin Middle School and Fiesta Gardens. Refreshments will be sold on-site and doors open at 4 p.m. A City of Austin co-sponsored project since 2011, the festival is a collaborative force between Bellas Artes Alliance, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and advancing the music, arts and culture of the Latino community, and the ESB-MACC, which is similarly dedicated to the preservation, creation, presentation and promotion of Mexican American cultural arts and heritage. The project is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office/Cultural Arts Division.
Friday Line-up ----------------------------------------------
MARACATÚ AUSTIN
DUINA DEL MAR
CELSO PIÑA
Maracatu Austin is dedicated to sharing and Colombian Duina Del Mar, named one of “Top Ten exploring musical styles of Pernambuco. ---------------------------------------------- Latin Artists to Watch in 2013” by Billboard, worked on her debut, “Natural,” with super producer Julio MANZANAS MALAS Reyes Copello. Celso Piña, “El Rebelde del Acordeón,” is a pioneer ---------------------------------------------in the mixture and fusion of tropical sounds with his works having elements of everything from SUNS OF ORPHEUS musica Norteña to R&B. ----------------------------------------------
EL DUSTY
Aka Los Bad Apples, MM is a Latin Hip-Hop Slap Band that fuses the sultry rhythms and vocal stylings of Latin music with the raw beats and rhymes of Hip-Hop and cumbia. One of the most dynamic DJs from the ---------------------------------------------underground Latin bass scene, Dusty Oliveira is ISA GT considered by some to be the inventor of Cumbia Electronica. ----------------------------------------------
Brazilian born frontman Frederico Geib dubs his band’s stylistic hybrid as “International Psychedelic Pop,” fusing world music influences. ----------------------------------------------
EL TULE
GRUPO FANTASMA El Tule’s latest release, “Vol III: Hecho In Austin,” is a unique feel good sound combining cumbia, merengue, salsa, Cuban and reggae for those who love to dance. ---------------------------------------------Drawing her influences from Cumbia, house, Baltimore, Champeta, Baile funk, Kuduro- and everything in between, Isa has become a go-to in GF is one of the most important independent acts London for Latin music. in the Latin genre and has defied expectations with an incendiary live show and unique, Grammy- Saturday Line-up ---------------------------------------------winning musical voice. ---------------------------------------------- KINKY
MASTER BLASTER SOUND SYSTEM
LOS BANDIDOS COSMICOS
Latin, dance hall, dub, world rhythm ensemble featuring DJ Manny + Claude9, utilizing various musical toys like melodicas, analog noisemakers, samplers and turntables. ----------------------------------------------
AUSTIN SAMBA’S BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL
The band is at the nexus of Cumbia Crunk, Roots Norteño and Deep Club tracks. South Texas Cumbia OG’s DJ Dus, Brian Ramos and Cecy Treviño are at the creative center. ----------------------------------------------
Kinky is a Latin alternative group from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, with rock, dance and techno influences, formed in 1998 as part of the Avanzada Austin Samba School, is a group of over 100 Regia Musical Movement. drummers and dancers that performs the music ---------------------------------------------- and dance of Brazilian Carnaval, from Rio to Bahia. TODO Austin // March 2013 // TODOAustin.com 11